Bobov

By CHAIM SHNEIDER, HasidicNews.com Researcher

Bobov is named after the little Polish town where the original Bobov Rebbe, Rav Shlomo Halbershtam founded the sect. He was adescendant of the the Tzanz'e Rav (Baal Divrei Chayim) and modeled his Hasidic style after the Tzanz.

Bobov wasn't a very big Chassidus at any given time. In fact, it was rumored that upon saying "Ose Shalom" when finishing one's prayers (during which times one takes three steps backwords), Bobov'e Chassidim had to remember to take along their passport to show upon return. That's how small Bobov was and that's how numerous and unstable governments in the region were in those days.

Bobov, like all Polish Jewish communities was severly hit by the Holocaust during WWII. Most Chassidim were killed by the Nazis as was the Bobov Rebbe Bentzion Halbershtam. His son Shlomo was in his young 20's during that time and he managed to survive the war and emigrated to Brooklyn, NY soon thereafter.

Crown Heights was then a Jewish neighberhood and that's where Shlomo settled and established a shul and evntually other religious instituions. His followers were very few at the time, since the vast majority of them did not survive the war. He infused much needed courage into the hearts of those who did survive and were struggling to start a new life and family in a strange country.

Unlike many other Hassidic Rebbe's, the Bobov'e Rav was a bit modern and extremely down-to-earth. Bobov'e chassdim are known to be very neat and "bapitzt" at all times and the Rebbe acted as an adviser on a personal level, not so much as a spiritual leader.

Eventually, the few Bobov Holocaust survivors were joined by other Polish Chassidim whose Rebbe did not survive and were thus left without a chassidus. Over the years the community grew and moved over to Borough Park. Bobov is now the biggest Hassidic community headquartered in Borough Park.

The Rav, Shlomo, led his people many years until he passed away in 2000. He was known to avoid getting invloved in other Hassidic quarreling. He made it a point to remain friendly with all Hasidic sects, including Satmar, Klozenberg and even Belz. He would simply refuse to sign any posters that spoke out against a particular Rebbe or to ebdorse a particular side. He was quite successful at that and will forever be praised for this accomplishment.

There was some speculation before he passed away as to who whould succeed him. Some people favored the older son, born before the war, Nafuli, and some favored the younger, more charismatic and social son Bantziyon. He was born after the war by the Rav's new wife (his original wife died in the Holocaust). However, The dispute never evolved into any real fighting. It was eventually unaninmously agreed that Naftuli would become Rav and Bantziyon ould be name "Rav Hatzair" (the young Rav). This essentially guarentees the throne to Bentziyon, rather than to Naftuli's descendants after Naftuli dies.