Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

10,000 Chassidim at Marriage of Brooklyn, N. Y., Girl

November 28, 1933
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

one year ago. The couple, however, met before the ceremony.

Chassidim attach great importance to the highly-colored mysticism of the “Cabala” and the “Zohar”, mystic Jewish writings, and follow “Goote Yidn” or rabbis whose virtues go on from generation to generation.

Members of the sect from all parts of Europe and even a contingent of American Chassidim, who accompanied the bride and her parents, flocked to Czernowitz for the wedding. Famous Chassidic rabbis from Czechoslovakia, Poland, Austria and France, with their families, are also present.

Rabbi Leiser and the bridal party left the United States for Roumania, about a month ago. They sailed on the French liner Paris. Before they left, American followers of the Brooklyn “Gooter Yid” gave a party to celebrate the coming marriage.

The Chassidim believe in miracles and in wonder-working rabbis, whose virtues are handed down from father to son in an unbroken line. Thus many of the famous Chassidic rabbis, who are seldom regularly ordained, are descendants of the famous rabbis of hundreds of years ago, who worked miracles and about whom a series of rich legends has grown up. Their descendants are supposed to have inherited their virtues and capacities for miracles intact. Each Chassidic rabbi has his own followers, scattered over the world, who make it a custom to visit the rabbi as often as possible, particularly when they are in trouble and need his advice. Chassidim are noted for the joy they display in the worship of God, and for their many celebrations. The sect was founded by the famous Rabbi “Israel Baal Shem Tov” in the middle of the 17th century, in Galicia, and attained its greatest growth in Eastern Europe.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement