Alexander Hasidic Dynasty Lays Cornerstone for New Grand Study Hall in Bnei Brak

In a solemn ceremony on Monday evening, the cornerstone was laid for the new grand study hall of the Alexander Hasidic dynasty in Bnei Brak. The new building will rise on the site of the old study hall on Achiezer Street, which for decades served as a spiritual center for Torah study, prayer, and Hasidic gatherings for Alexander followers worldwide. The event followed months of complex engineering work, including deep excavations and extensive ground preparation.

The ceremony was attended by prominent rabbis alongside the Alexander Rebbe, including his brothers-in-law, the Modzhitz and Botshan Rebbes, and his son-in-law, the Lutsk Rebbe. Other dignitaries included Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Chaim Yitzchak Isaak Landa, chief rabbi of Bnei Brak, Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer Stern, rabbi of western Bnei Brak, and Rabbi Aharon Tosig, a Hasidic spiritual mentor. Many delivered speeches praising the significance of rebuilding this "tower of light" for Torah and Hasidism.

Before the concrete was poured, the Alexander Rebbe emotionally emphasized a condition set by the dynasty’s ancestors, referencing the "Emunas Moshe" elder’s tradition: the study hall must serve not only for Torah and prayer but also for communal gatherings and festive meals, as was customary in the shtieblach of the Baal Shem Tov’s disciples. After his blessing for the project's success and the health of donors, the Rebbe placed the cornerstone into the foundation pit, followed by other rabbis who helped pour cement amid the singing of hundreds of Hasidim.

The construction company Bonart, led by Yossi Ovrani and Moishy Kleirs, reported successful completion of the challenging excavation phase despite the site's central urban location and night work. Immediately after the ceremony, under the leadership of Rabbi Yechiel Reutenberg, CEO of the institutions and head of the building fund, massive concrete pouring began for the building’s lower level, marking a major milestone in creating the new global center for the Alexander Hasidic community.