17 Facts About Aharon Rokeach

Aharon Rokeach was the fourth Rebbe of the Belz Hasidic dynasty.

Aharon Rokeach led the movement from 1926 until he died in 1957.

Aharon Rokeach was the first child born to his parents, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Aharon Rokeach and Basha Ruchama Twersky, after 12 years of marriage.

Aharon Rokeach was named after his mother's grandfather, Rebbe Aharon of Chernobyl, although his father later revealed that he intended to name the boy after Rabbi Aharon of Karlin.

Aharon Rokeach had a younger sister, Chana Rachel, who later married Rabbi Pinchas Twersky of Ostilla.

Aharon Rokeach's mother died on 18 March 1884 when he was 4 years old.

Aharon Rokeach concealed his accomplishments with a modesty that would last throughout his lifetime.

When his grandfather died on 30 January 1894, Aharon Rokeach's father became the third Belzer Rebbe.

Aharon Rokeach was 22 years old when his half-brother Mordechai was born.

When he came of age, Aharon Rokeach married his cousin, Malka, the daughter of his father's elder brother Shmuel, the Rav of Sokal.

Aharon Rokeach read each kvitel with great interest and prayed for the petitioner's salvation and success.

When he heard of these tragedies, Aharon Rokeach displayed no emotion.

Aharon Rokeach devoted the rest of his life to rebuilding Belzer Hasidut in Israel.

Aharon Rokeach initially established his court in Tel Aviv, where he opened the first Belzer Talmud Torah.

Aharon Rokeach did not have any children by his second wife, but helped to raise her children and later arranged marriages for them.

When Rabbi Mordechai suddenly died on November 17,1949, Aharon Rokeach groomed his year-old nephew to inherit the dynasty.

Aharon Rokeach developed a very inclusive attitude to modern and even non-Orthodox Jews, a substantive change from his pre-war practice of associating almost exclusively with other Haredim.