Samuel Heilman’s portrayal of the reappearance of Munkatch chasidim has little to do with “remnants of chasidic Munkatch looking for someone with chasidic royal blood,” as described by Jonathan Mark (“Finding A New Rebbe – Or Not,” June 2).
It was not the chasidim that prompted the sons learning in Telshe, in Cleveland, to resume the mantel of Munkatch and Diniv. It was the vision and foresight of the Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum. He singlehandedly saw the need for revival of other streams of chasidism.
Rabbi Yoel wanted to re-establish all the streams that had descended from the Baal Shem Tov that had been decimated during the Holocaust. The Rebbe took the two boys under his wings, as sons, and trained them, honed them and infused them with the necessary elements and inner glory that would enable them to take the remnants and nurture a resurgence which would take the ashes from Europe and make them sprout and flourish, building a worldwide empire.
Cedarhurst, L.I.
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