Avraham Brandwein
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Avraham Brandwein, the current Admor
of Stretin, is a great Israeli Kabbalah
scholar and is direct descendant of the famous first Admor of Stretin.
and Levy Yitschak of Berditshev. Born in Israel
in 1945, Brandwein is the seventh generation in his family to live in Israel. His family originally settled in Tsfat, the city of Kabbalists.
His father, Rav Yehudah Tzvi, was the previous Admor and a great scholar of Kabbalah.
Brandwein served in the Israel Defense Forces
in artillery and was among the soldiers that crossed the Suez Canal
into Egypt
during the Yom Kippur war
.
by G'dolim representing the entire Orthodox community in Israel and also holds an M.A. He has integrated Charedi life with active participation in the life of the modern state. Brandwein has served as a rabbi in the Absorption and Immigration Department of the Jewish Agency providing spiritual assistance to many new immigrants.
and Chassidut throughout Israel. A widely respected scholar, he has edited more than twenty volumes of classical Kabbalistic texts. A soft spoken, gentle man of great inner strength, hundreds of people turn to him every year for spiritual guidance and support.
Brandwein established a yeshiva
in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem where he teaches Kabbalah. He is known for the depth and clarity of his teachings and strives to bring Jews
back to Torah.
Rebbe
Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...
of Stretin, is a great Israeli Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
scholar and is direct descendant of the famous first Admor of Stretin.
Background
His family tree includes many of the great chassidic masters, including the Maggid of Mezritsch, Elimelech of LizhenskElimelech of Lizhensk
Elimelech Weisblum of Lizhensk , a Rabbi and one of the great founding Rebbes of the Hasidic movement, was known after his hometown, Leżajsk near Rzeszów in Poland...
and Levy Yitschak of Berditshev. Born in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1945, Brandwein is the seventh generation in his family to live in Israel. His family originally settled in Tsfat, the city of Kabbalists.
His father, Rav Yehudah Tzvi, was the previous Admor and a great scholar of Kabbalah.
Brandwein served in the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
in artillery and was among the soldiers that crossed the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
into Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
during the Yom Kippur war
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
.
Ordination
Rav Brandwein was ordained as a RabbiRabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
by G'dolim representing the entire Orthodox community in Israel and also holds an M.A. He has integrated Charedi life with active participation in the life of the modern state. Brandwein has served as a rabbi in the Absorption and Immigration Department of the Jewish Agency providing spiritual assistance to many new immigrants.
Teaching and writing
Since 1985 he has taught TorahTorah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
and Chassidut throughout Israel. A widely respected scholar, he has edited more than twenty volumes of classical Kabbalistic texts. A soft spoken, gentle man of great inner strength, hundreds of people turn to him every year for spiritual guidance and support.
Brandwein established a yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem where he teaches Kabbalah. He is known for the depth and clarity of his teachings and strives to bring Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
back to Torah.