Avrohom Yaakov Friedman

Avrohom Yaakov Friedman, in English also spelled Abraham Jacob Friedman (; July 30, 1884 – December 24, 1961 He was the grandson of Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov Friedman, the first Sadigura Rebbe; and the great-grandson of Rabbi Yisrael Friedman of Ruzhyn, founder of the Ruzhiner Hasidic dynasty. He was born within the year of mourning for his paternal grandfather and was named after him.

It is said that his father loved him the most of all his sons. He assiduously spent many hours in Torah study. He was engaged at the age of 11

Upon his father's death in 1907, he and his brothers all became Rebbes, making their courts and conducting their tishen in different halls in the great Sadigura synagogue. Rabbi Yisrael's eldest son, the Kedushas Aharon, died six years later, in 1912,

In 1914, with the outbreak of World War I, Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov fled to Vienna together with his younger brother, Rabbi Shlomo Chaim, and his orphaned nephew, Rabbi Mordechai Sholom Yosef. Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov established his court in Vienna and led the Sadigura Hasidim from that city for the next 24 years. The relocation of the Sadigura Rebbes to Vienna effectively put an end to the once-flourishing Jewish community in Sadigura, which comprised more than 5,000 Jews before World War I. The remaining Jews of the town were decimated by the Nazis during World War II. He established his court on Nachmani Street.

Thousands of Sadigura Hasidim were murdered in the Holocaust, leaving the Rebbe with only a few dozen followers. Nonetheless, he continued to lead his Hasidim with dignity. He conducted his court in Tel Aviv for 22 years until his death in 1961.

The Rebbe was actively involved in Jewish communal life in the new state of Israel. He was one of the first members of Agudat Israel and occupied a seat on the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. Like other Rebbes of the Ruzhiner dynasty, he was humble and modest on the outside, while on the inside he burned with love of God and fierce allegiance to Torah and mitzvahs.

His divrei Torah were collected in a volume under the name (Avir Yaakov). Meanwhile, the Sadigura dynasty continued through the Rebbe's nephew, Rabbi Mordechai Sholom Yosef Friedman (1897–1979), who led Sadigura Hasidim in Sadigura and Przemyśl before emigrating to Tel Aviv in 1939. He was succeeded by his only son, Rabbi Yisrael Moshe Friedman of Bnei Brak, until his passing in 2020.

Lineage of Sadigura dynastic leadership Yisrael Friedman of Ruzhyn, Ruzhiner Rebbe (1797–1850). Re-established his court in Sadigura in 1842. Sholom Yosef Friedman (1813–1851), son of Yisrael Friedman of Ruzhyn. Rebbe from 1850 to 1851. Avrohom Yaakov Friedman (1820–1883), son of Yisrael Friedman of Ruzhyn. Rebbe from 1851 to 1883. Yisrael Friedman of Sadigura (1852–1907), son of Avrohom Yaakov Friedman of Sadigura. Rebbe from 1883 to 1907. Aharon of Sadigura (1877–1913), son of Yisrael Friedman of Sadigura. Rebbe from 1907 to 1913. Avrohom Yaakov Friedman (1884–1961), son of Yisrael Friedman of Sadigura. Rebbe from 1913 to 1961. Mordechai Sholom Yosef Friedman (1897–1979), son of Aharon of Sadigura. Rebbe from 1961 to 1979. Avrohom Yaakov Friedman of Bnei Brak (1928–2013). Rebbe from 1979 to 2013. Yisrael Moshe Friedman of Bnei Brak (1955-2020). Rebbe from 2013 to 2020. Yitschok Yehoshua Heschel Friedman of Bnei Brak (2020). Current Rebbe