Today in History: Remembering the Righteous One of Stefanesti

The Stefanesti Hasidic dynasty emerged from the House of Rizhin and was led by only two Rebbes: Rabbi Menachem Nahum Friedman, the son of Rabbi Yisrael of Rizhin, and his son, Rabbi Avraham Mattityahu Friedman, also known as the 'Righteous One of Stefanesti'. He assumed leadership in 1869 and guided the Stefanesti Hasidim for 64 years. The Rebbe was renowned as a righteous and holy man, noted for performing miracles. Tales of healing the sick and aiding the childless were famously associated with him, alongside other wondrous stories beyond natural means.

The Righteous One of Stefanesti passed away on the 21st of Tammuz, 5693 (July 15, 1933), leaving no children. His grave in Romania became a pilgrimage site for local Jews, and in 1969, his remains were brought to Israel and reinterred at the 'Nachalat Yitzhak' cemetery in Givatayim. Since then, his gravesite in Israel has become a place of pilgrimage for many Jews.

Today, the Stefanesti institutions in Bnei Brak and Elad work tirelessly to commemorate the Rebbe's legacy through books, weekly Torah newsletters, and various other means.