Hasidism, a form of ultra-Orthodox Judaism, developed in Eastern Europe during the eighteenth century as a spiritual response to overly meticulous religious practices. Sects quickly spread, creating dynasties of charismatic leaders, called rebbes, who were named after the communities they served.
One of the first and most prominent Hasidic leaders to settle in Montreal was the “Tolner Rebbe,” Rabbi Yohanan Twersky (1906–1981) of Talnoye, Ukraine. Upon his arrival in the 1930s, he established a Tolner beis medresh (house of learning), considered to be a centre of Torah in Montreal. While the Ukrainian and Galician Hasidim were among the first Hasidim to come to North America, their presence grew less prominent in the postwar years.
Hailing from the prestigious Twersky rabbinical dynasty, which was established in the mid–late eighteenth century and led the Chernobyl Hasidim, Rabbi Yohanan Twersky settled in Montreal in 1934. Prior to his arrival, he studied at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary in New York, then moved to Palestine for several years. Upon his return to North America, Twersky married Tzipporah Langner, daughter of Rabbi Moshe Langner of Kozowa-Strettin, the Strettiner Rebbe of Toronto, and considered by some to be the “godfather of Canadian Hasidim.” His wife was also the sister of Sarah Langner, wife of Rabbi David Flaum, the Admor of Montreal. Serving as rabbi and as a member of the Agudas Ha-Rabbonim (the New York-based Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada) in the 1930s, Twersky was known for helping refugees who managed to escape interwar Europe, and was highly respected among his peers.
When Rabbi Twersky established himself in Montreal, he set about opening a Tolner beis medresh called Kehal Hasidim Kehilas David. Located at 4817–4819 de l’Esplanade, the beis medresh attracted members among the learned in the community who congregated to discuss the Torah and Talmud. The beis medresh also served as a synagogue, and was modeled after a kloyz (private house of study) where Europeans and North Americans congregated for prayers and for the rabbi’s weekly tishn (communal Sabbath meals and celebrations).
Rabbi Twersky left Montreal in the 1950s to move to Israel, where he set up the Tolner community, and established a beis medresh and kollel (institute for advanced study of the Talmud) in Jerusalem.
Compiled by Marian Pinsky.
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"Rabbi Yochanan Twersky." Chassidic Rebbe Biographies. Online.
Robinson, Ira. "The First Hasidic Rabbis in North America." American Jewish Archives 44 (1992): 505-15.
Robinson, Ira. Translating a Tradition: Studies in American Jewish History. Brighton: Academic Studies Press, 2010.
Tauben, Sara Ferdman. “Aspirations and Adaptations Immigrant Synagogues of Montreal, 1880s-1945.” Master’s thesis, Concordia University, 2004.
*The images are courtesy of Dr. Steven Lapidus.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
Ce projet est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada.
Ce projet est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
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