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Skulen (סקולען) Hasidic Dynasty

Rabbi Israel Abraham Portugal - Grand Rebbe of Skulen - lighting Hanukkah candles
Founder
Rav Eliezer Zusia Portugal
Regions with significant populations
United States, Israel, Canada
Religions
Hasidic Judaism

Skulen (סקולען) Hasidic dynasty was founded by Rav Eliezer Zusia Portugal. It was headed by his son, Rav Yisroel Avrohom Portugal until his death on April 1, 2019. Its name is originated from Sculeni (Yiddish: סקולען Skulen), a town in Bessarabia (now in Moldova) where Rabbi Eliezer Zusia was born and served as rabbi.

Biography

Rabbi Eliezer Zusia Portugal succeeded his father as rabbi of Skulen at the age of 17 upon his father's death in 1915. Thereupon he became a disciple of the rebbe of Bohush (Buhuși, Romania), a scion of the Ruzhiner dynasty. Before the outbreak of World War II, Zusia moved to Chernovitz. He survived the war and moved to Bucharest, the capital of Romania, where he opened an orphanage for the orphans left after the Holocaust. When the Communists took over Romania, it became dangerous for him to continue to educate the children in the ways of Judaism, yet Zusia continued. In 1959, the Communists arrested Zusia and his son, Yisroel Avrohom Portugal, for teaching religion and for supporting and educating orphans. The Rebbes of Sadigura, Kopishnietz and Boyan led an international effort to free the Skulener Rebbe and his son, and eventually, at the request of the Lubavitcher Rebbe via his connections in Washington, Rabbi Eliezer Silver along with his son in 1960. Both immediately immigrated to the United States. Upon moving to America, Zusia continued his works helping the underprivileged and began an international charity organization known as Chesed L'Avraham. He authored Noam Eliezer and Kedushas Eliezer, and composed many popular Hasidic melodies. He died in 1982 and was buried in the Viznitzer Cemetery in Monsey, New York.

Reb Eliezer Zusia was succeeded by his son, Rebbe Yisroel Avrohom Portugal who continued his father's work by running the Chesed L'Avraham organization to help the needy in Israel and around the world, and also wrote many Hasidic melodies. Portugal died on April 1, 2019.

Reb Yisroel Avrohom was succeeded by his 5 sons, the oldest son Rebbe Yeshaya Yakov Portugal was crowned as the Skulener Rebbe. Rebbe Meir Portugal was crowned as Skulen Rebbe of Williamsburg. Rebbe Efraim Yehuda Portugal who was previously the head of the Monsey community, was crowned as Skulen Rebbe of Monsey. Rebbe Zvi Noach Portugal who was previously the head of the Lakewood community, was crowned as Skulen Rebbe of Lakewood. Rebbe Shmiel Mordche Portugal who was previously the Rav of the Boro Park community was crowned as Skulen Rebbe in Yerushalayim.

The central Skulener synagogue is located on 54th street in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn, New York, near 13th avenue.

Lineage of Skulener Dynasty

• Rebbe Yeshayah Shor of Yas - author of K'lil Tiferes - disciple of Rebbe Mordechai of Kremnitz (Kremenets) - son of the Maggid of Zlotshov.
  • Rebbe Yisrael Avraham Portugal (d. 1915) of Skulen - author of Shem uSh'aris Yisrael - disciple of the K'lil Tiferes.
    • First Skulener Rebbe: Rabbi Eliezer Zusia Portugal of Skulen (1898-1982) - author of Noam Eliezer - son of the Shem uSh'aris Yisrael, disciple of Rabbi Yisrael Shalom Yosef Friedman (1863-1923), of Bohush and Rabbi Mordechai Shalom Yosef Friedman (1886-1979), of Sadigura.
      • Second Skulener Rebbe: Rabbi Yisroel Avrohom Portugal (1923-2019) - son of the Noam Eliezer.
        • Skulener Rebbe of Boro Park: (1956-2024) Rebbe Yeshaya Yakov Portugal z"tl - eldest son of Rebbe Yisroel Avrohom
          • Skulener Rebbe of Boro Park: (since 2024) Rav Aron Meir Portugal - eldest son of Rebbe Yeshaya Yakov Portugal
          • Skulener Rebbe of Linden NJ: (since 2024) Rav Eliezer Zusia Portugal- son of Rebbe Yeshaya Yakov Portugal
        • Skulener Rebbe of Williamsburg: Rebbe Meir Portugal - son of Rebbe Yisroel Avrohom
        • Skulener Rebbe of Monsey: Rebbe Efraim Yehuda Portugal - son of Rebbe Yisroel Avrohom
        • Skulener Rebbe of Lakewood: Rebbe Zvi Noach Portugal of Lakewood - son of Rebbe Yisroel Avrohom
        • Skulener Rebbe of Yerushalayim: Rebbe Shmiel Mordche Portugal (rebbe since December 2020). Previously Rav of Boro Park - son of Rebbe Yisroel Avrohom

References

1. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/en/news/285521
2. כליל תפארת. HebrewBooks.org (in Hebrew). Zhovkva. 1865. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
3. "Historic Hachtarah in Skulen: Sons of Skulen Rebbe zt"l Crowned as New Rebbes". Boro Park 24. Retrieved September 24, 2024.

• Hasidic dynasties
• People from Sculeni