History
Rabbi Shlomo Chaim was the son of Rabbi Aharon Jaffe of Lechovitch who died when Reb Shlomo Chaim was a young child. After which he was raised by both his grandparents, his father's father, Rabbi Mordechai Jaffe (ca. 1742 - 1810, founder of Lechovitch Hasidism and his mother's father, Rabbi Asher Perlow (1759 - 1826), the third Karlin-Stolin Rebbe and son of Rabbi Aharon Perlow HaGadol of Karlin (1736 - 1772), whose surname he adopted. Reb Shlomo Chaim was married at the young age of thirteen, and his paternal grandfather, Reb Mordechai died on the way to the wedding in Stolin. Following this, Reb Shlomo Chaim learnt under his grandfather, Reb Asher for many years, later learning under the rebbes of Mezhibuz, Apta, Chernobyl, Ruzhin and Zlotshov. Reb Shlomo Chaim's main teacher however was his uncle, Rabbi Noach Jaffe (d. 1832), the 2nd Lechovitcher Rebbe, after whose death, many Lechovitcher Hasidim accepted, Reb Shlomo Chaim as Reb Noach's successor. That following year, Reb Shlomo Chaim established a Hasidic court in the city of Koidanov and soon began to attract thousands of followers. Reb Shlomo Chaim was known for his tolerance of all Jews, even Misngadim, many of whom later become his Hasidim after witnessing his kindness and Torah knowledge. Reb Shlomo Chaim embraced the simpler folk and aroused in them the desire to study and worship in joy. He was relatively against asceticism and personally spent many hours learning Gemara and Shulchan Aruch.[1][2][3]
After his death, Reb Shlomo Chaim was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Baruch Mordechai Perlow (1818 - 1870), who was the Koidanover Rebbe for only eight years until his death in 1870. Reb Boruch Mordechai is described in many accounts and a cold and reserved rebbe entirely dedicated to his own chassidus. He was against the idea of miracle workers and believed that as long as one follows Halakha carefully they will always be healthy and successful. Reb Baruch Mordechai is ultimately best known for establishing a Koidanover kollel in Tiberias which became a staple of the old Yishuv. Reb Baruch Mordechai's was succeeded by his eldest son, Rabbi Aharon Perlow (1839–1897), who was among the most influential rebbes of Koidanover Hasidism. Reb Baruch Mordechai younger son was Rabbi Shalom Perlow (1850–1925) who headed the Koidanover community in Lida. A Koidanover synagogue, Beth Midrash and Yeshiva, were established in 1833, by Rabbi Benjamin of Lida (d. 1862) who was one of the main disciples of the first Koidanover Rebbe (Reb Shlomo Chaim). Reb Shalom became a rebbe of Brzezany, finally becoming the rebbe of Brahin. In 1895, Reb Shalom wrote Ateret Shalom, a commentary on the liturgical poem "Lord I Yearn for the Sabbath's Delight" by Reb Aaron Perlow of Karlin. In 1912 he wrote and published Meshmeret Shalom and is the author of Devrei Shalom as well.[1][3]
Reb Aharon Perlow (1839 - 1897) greatly expanded the influence of Koidanover Hasidism. He established several Koidanover communities across Lithuania and Belarus and attracted thousands of followers due to his charismatic leadership. He strengthened the Koidanover community founded in Tiberias, and supported settlement in the Land of Israel but spoke strongly against the tenets of political Zionism. He published and annotated a number of classic kabbalah works, including Rabbi Moshe Cordovero's Or Ne'erav, to which he appended his commentary Nir'eh Or (1899), and Rabbi Moshe Hagiz' Sefat Emet, which he supplemented with teachings on the significance of the Land of Israel in kabbalistic and Hasidic works (1876). He also authored a siddur entitled Seder Tefilot Yisrael Or Hayashar ("The Direct Light: Order of Prayers of Israel"), in which he enumerated "eight mystical practices for spiritual perfection". This siddur is still used by Koidanover Hasidim today.[1][2][4]
Reb Aharon was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Yosef Perlow (1854 - 1915) who was said to have been very different than the other Koidanover Rebbes. Following the rise of the Haskalah, Koidanov became a centre of enlightenment which directly challenged the city's Hasidic institutions. To combat this, Reb Yosef built a large yeshiva called Tomchei Tzedek to bring Jews away from the Haskalah and towards Orthodoxy. During this time, Reb Yosef's son-in-law Rabbi Moshe Chaim Yehoshua Schneerson-Twersky (1867 - 1959) established a Koidanover synagogue in Jerusalem in 1908 known as the "Beis Yosef". Reb Moshe Chaim Yehoshua later immigrated to New York, where he established several Koidanover communities. After Reb Yosef's death in 1915, he was succeeded by his thirteen-year-old son Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Perlow (1903–1919), who was known to be an Ilui, after his death in 1919, he was succeeded by his uncle, Rabbi Nechemia Perlow (1860 - 1927), who moved the dynasty to Baronovitch, Poland following World War I. Reb Nechemia was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Shalom Alter Perlow (1906-1941) who was murdered in the Ponary massacre without leaving any children. Following the rise of Nazism in Europe, the Koidanover Hasidism in Baronovitch elected, Rabbi Meshulam Zalman Yosef Zilberfarb (1868 - 1943), the third Koidanover Rebbe (Reb Aharon Perlow)'s son-in-law to succeeded Reb Shalom Alter. However he was murdered in the Holocaust only three years later, alongside most of the Koidanover Hasidim.[1][2][5][4]
After the Holocaust, Koidanover Hasidism was re-established in Tel Aviv by Rabbi Chanoch Henoch Dov Zilberfarb (1890-1978), who was the son of Reb Meshulam Zalman Yosef Zilberfarb and the Koidanover Rebbe of Botoshan. Reb Chanoch Henoch Dov was succeeded by his son, Reb Aharon Zilberfarb (d. 1994), and then by his grandson, the present Koidanover Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Meir Ehrlich.[6] Under Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Meir Ehrlich's direction, the Koidanover dynasty maintains synagogues in Tel Aviv and Bnei Brak and a yeshiva, in addition to chesed projects. The Rebbe is heavily involved in kiruv (outreach). His beis medrash, is located in Dizengoff Square and serves as an outreach center where weekly lectures and a Friday-night Oneg Shabbat attract many secular Jews and guide them towards religious observance. Reb Yaakov Tzvi Meir is well known as an inspiring speaker and educator of youth.[5][4][3]