Munkacs (Hasidic dynasty)

Munkacs Hasidic Dynasty
Grand Rabbi Chaim Elazar Spira, Munkacser Rebbe, author of Minchas Elozor
Total population
2500 families
Founder
Rabbi Shlomo Spira
Regions with significant populations
Israel, United States, Canada, England, Europe, Australia
Israelten to fifteen thousand
United Statesfifteen thousand
Western Europeeight thousand
Religions
Hasidic Judaism

Munkatch (or Munkacs) Hasidism (חסידות מונקטש) is a Hasidic sect within Haredi Judaism of mostly Hungarian Hasidic Jews. It was founded and led by Polish-born Grand Rebbe Shlomo Spira, who was the rabbi of the town of Strzyżów (1858–1882) and Munkacs (1882–1893). Members of the congregation are mainly referred to as Munkacs Hasidim, or Munkatcher Hasidim. It is named after the Czech town in which it was established, Munkatsh (in Yiddish; or in Hungarian: Munkács; today: Mukachevo, in Ukraine).

The largest Munkacs community is in Boro Park, Brooklyn; there are also significant Munkacs communities in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and Monsey, New York; and other communities can be found across North America, in Europe, Israel, and Australia.