Rav Mordechai Hager zt"l
הרב מרדכי בן חיים מאיר האגער זצ"ל
Adar 29 , 5778
Known As: Vizhnitz Monsey Rebbe
Father's Name: Chaim Meir Hager
Rav Mordechai Hager zt"l
The rebbe was born on 18 Tammuz 5682, son of the fourth rebbe of Vizhnitz, Rav Chaim Meir Hager, the Imrei Chaim.
As a child he was very close to his grandfather, the Saba Kadisha “Ahavas Yisrael” of Vizhnitz. In 5702, he went to study under Rav Yoel of Satmar, whose views against zionism and the medina he adopted and followed zealously, and then for two years by Rav Yosef Greenwald of Pupa (the Vayechi Yosef). Throughout his life, he would consider them as his primary rebbes.
In 5704, as the world closed in on Hungarian Jewry, Rav Mordechai escaped to Bucharest, Romania, where he stayed for the duration of the war. Every year, Rav Mordechai celebrated Lamed Dalet of the Omer, the day on which he escaped and was saved.
He married Feiga Malka, the daughter of Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Twersky, the Skverer Rebbe in 5705. After she passed away without children, in 5706 he married her younger sister Sima Mirel.
Rav Mordechai, his wife, and family traveled to the United States, where he began serving as Rav of the Vizhnitzer Chassidim in America – first in Boro Park, and then in Williamsburg. In 5724 he moved to Monsey.
The rebbe‘s brother was Rav Moshe Hager, the Yeshuos Moshe zy"a, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, father of the present rebbes of Vizhnitz Bnei Brak. Rav Mordechai and his brother Rav Moshe Yehoshua assumed the mantle of leadership over 40 years ago with the passing of their father, the Imrei Chaim, with the Yeshuos Moshe leading the kehillah in Bnei Brak and Rav Mordechai leading the kehillah in Monsey, NY.
He passed away on 29 Adar 5778. The rebbe left behind 14 children, 8 sons and 6 daughters. All his sons assumed positions as rebbe in their respective communities worldwide.