Chaskel Besser

Who was Chaskel Besser?

Chaskel Besser was a well known Orthodox rabbi for much of the 20th and early 21st century, living in Manhattan, New York. He was born in Katowice, Poland and lived there until the dual Nazi and Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939. He was affiliated with Congregation B'nei Israel in New York. He was the most prominent member of Radomsk Chassidic movement.

His original family name, Koszycki, was changed by his father while the family still lived in Poland. His father, a successful businessman, and close associate of the Radomsker Rebbe, moved to pre-war Palestine. After Rabbi Besser escaped Poland and Europe in 1939, he was reunited with his family in Tel Aviv. He came to the United States in 1949, together with members of his family.

He is the subject of a book written by Warren Kozak called The Rabbi of 84th Street. He appeared in the television program The Jews of New York talking about the experience of Jews in pre-World War II Germany.

He achieved renown as a leader of the American Agudath Israel movement, where he helped reestablish American Jewish Orthodoxy in the aftermath of World War Two. He was close to several chassidic groups including Lubavitch, Bluzhev and Ger.