Israël Engel Horowitz ca1827 Kuznitz -18 Nov 1890 Ryki
From Honor of Jerusalem by Horowitz, Avraham Mordechai Ben Yehuda Nahum Halevi Engel:
The great scholar, outstanding in Torah, pious and truly God-fearing, our master and teacher, Rabbi Israel Halevi, of blessed memory. He was the son-in-law of the holy and eminent scholar, Rabbi Yitzchak Eiger, of blessed memory, from Żelechów—a cousin of Rabbi Akiva Eiger, of blessed memory.
Israel’s last name is a bit of a mystery. His death certificate, Ryki 1890 act 27, identifies him as Srul Engel. His sons and grandsons who became rabbis, used the more formal name Israel Engel Halevi Horowitz.
Srul is the Yiddish and Polish variant of the Hebrew name Israel, but where is Halevi Horowitz coming from?
His grandson, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Horowitz, wrote1 that his father descended “son after son” from Rabbi Yeshayah Halevi Horowitz, traditionally regarded as the founder of the Horowitz family line in Prague. Rabbi Yeshayah Halevi Horowitz died in Prague in 1517.
The Horowitz family tradition asserts that they are direct descendents from Rabbi Zerachiah ben Isaac Ha-Levi, known as Baal Ha-Maor, a prominent rabbinic scholar who wrote commentaries on the Talmud and lived in Girona, Spain around 1150. And to delve even further into the lineage, “Halevi” indicates the descendance from the biblical Levi, son of Jacob, around 1800 BC.
So why did Israel use the name Engel? There is no indication that Israel or his ancestors married into an Engel family.
Engel means angel in Jiddish. Maybe Engel is is a religious alias, indicating very spiritual, angel-like behavior.
Israel’s death certificate states that he was the son of Abraham and Gitel and was born around 1827. At that time, the Third Kozhnitzer Rebbe, Chaim Meir Yechiel Shapira (1789–1849), was one of the most prominent rabbis of Poland in his time. He was a grandson of Rabbi Israel of Kozhnitz (Kozienice), the founder of Koznisher Hasidism. In 1828, he began to lead the Jewish community in Mogielnica. His followers numbered in the thousands, including important rebbes and rabbis. He was nicknamed “the Seraph of Mogielnica”, with “Seraph” meaning fiery angel!
Seraphim surround the divine throne
There are many indications of close links between the Seraph and Israel’s family:
Born in Kozienice, moved to Mogielnica
According to Jacob Horowitz, Israel’s great-great-grandson with three generations of rabbis in between, Israel was born in Kozienice. His family moved to Mogielnica. The civil birth records confirm that Abraham Leybusiowicz Horowitz and Gitel, daughter of Aharon had a son Israel born in 1828 in Kozienice2. Abraham Horowitz moved to Mogielnica, where he died as widower in 18433.
Israel and the Seraph are second cousins
According to the book Honor of Jeruzalem and according to Yosef Alexander (Jack) Goldstein, a researcher for the Geni world tree, Israel’s mother Gitel was Gitel Hopstein, a niece of Israel Hopstein (1737–1814), the Maggid of Kozhnitz and the founder of Kozhnitz Hasidism. The daughter of the Maggid, Lea Pearl Hopstein, was the Seraph’s mother. The brother of Israel Hopstein, was called Aharon Einbinder Hopstein. Gittel was called Gitel, daughter of Aharon at her marriage in 1816 with Abraham, son of Leib Horowitz,
Israel’s first son was named after the Seraph
Israel Engel’s first son was born one year after the death of the Seraph. Both share the same name: Chaim Meir Yechiel.
Israels’s grandson studied with the Seraph’s son
Israel’s grandson, Avraham Shimon, the son of Chaim Meir Yechiel Engel, was sent at the age of six to Mogielnica, to study at the court of Avi Ezra Zelig Shapira (1840–1906), the rebbe of Kozienice-Mogielnica, who was the son of the Seraph.
In a diagram:
Unfortunately, contradicting this theory is a death certificate stating that Israel Horowitz died in Mogielnica in 1845 at the age of 17. Of course, it is possible that errors were made and names have been mixed up. Furthermore, to avoid taxes and military service, and due to restrictions on marriages, it was very common to “forget” to register child births and marriages. There were even cases of bribes being used to remove children from the registers.
Further lineage
The further lineage is more certain: Israel Engel married Ryfka Cukierman. Some of their children were born in Ryki, others in Zelechow.
According to his death certificate in 1890, Israel’s occupation was a merchant. Probably he was a producer of vinegar, as at least two sons were called “Esikmacher”.
Israel was very involved in the spreading of the Kozhnitz Hasidism. He worked in Ryki as Melamed (Jewish teacher) in a Cheder (Jewish primary school). His grandson Rabbi Abraham Mordechai ha-Lewi Horowitz called Israel a Rabbi.
All Israel’s sons were educated in the Torah and went to the shtibl (jewish prayer house) of the Kozienice Hasidim, even after they had moved to other places like Zelechow or Kaluszyn. Many of his descendants became rabbis.
From his death certificate, we know that Israel Engel died at the age of 63, on 18 November 1890 in the settlement of Ryki, leaving behind his widow Ryfka and six children.
Their names were probably:
- 1 Rabbi Chaim Meir Yechiel (Majer) born 1850
- 2 Rabbi Yahuda Nahub Lejbus (Leib) 1855 – 1948, Israel
- 3 Chuma 1866
- 4 Rubin 1870-1916, Kaluszyn – ancestor
- 5 Lezjor 1872
- 6 Nechama Yehudith
Their biographies follow below.
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