|
The Rebbes of Plontch descended
from the Ropshitzer Dynasty, whose rebbes and customs prevailed in southern
Poland and Galicia.
The lineage of the Rebbes of
Plontch is as follows:
-
Rabbi Naftali (1760-1827), known as the Ropshitzer Rebbe, founded the great
Ropshitzer Dynasty.
-
Rabbi Naftali’s son was Rabbi Eliezer (d. 1860), who founded the dynasty of
Dzikow in 1848.
-
Rabbi Eliezer was married to the daughter of the “Yitav Leiv” of Sighet.
Their son was Rabbi Moshe Horowitz (d. 1894), the Tzadik of Rozwadow.
Rabbi Moshe Horowitz’s son
was Admor Avraham Chaim Horowitz (1850-1916). He was the last rebbe of Plontch
(known as “Admor Plontch”). He became the community rabbi in 1894 and served at
that post until 1912.
Rebbe Avrohom Chaim Horowitz (left) and his son
Dovid
Rabbi
Avraham Chaim was one of several brothers who served as Admorim. He had a few
Chassidim from among the poorer people who would congregate around his table and
in his room. He had some Hassidim in the small towns that surrounded Rzeszow.
One of Rabbi Avraham Chaim's sons was Dovid, pictured above.
Another son was known as Harav Hatsair - Rabbi Elazar Horowitz
of Radomiszl (1881-1942). Rabbi Elazar was also the Rebbe of the towns of
Grodzisk and Tarnow. He died a martyr’s death in 1942.
The book "Aleh Ezk'ra" (These I Remember), Volume VI, has a complete
biography.
Rebbe Elazar Horowitz
A postcard from Rabbi Elazar to a Plontcher in the USA
A letter from Rabbi Elazar, dated 1938.
Rabbi Elazar’s son was Rabbi Moshe Horowitz, pictured below. He is described
in the Stashev Yizkor book as “HaRav D’Masa” - meaning the town rabbi.
[as
opposed to a Chasidic Rebbe, or “Admor”, the town rabbi was usually involved in
deciding Jewish law (halacha), officiating at weddings, and sitting on a court
of Jewish Law (Beit Din). Hence, such rabbis were also sometimes known as “Av
Beit Din”].
Rabbi
Moshe Horowitz
Sources:
-
Sefer Stashev (“The Book of
Staszow”), the Yizkor book of the shtetl of Stashev and its surrounding towns,
including Plontch
-
Yizkor book of the Shtetl
“Raysha” (Rzeszow)
-
“The Unbroken Chain”
by Neil Rosenstein
-
Memorabilia from the collection of Carl Appel
|
This web site is authored and maintained by 
