Yaakov Aryeh Alter - Becomes Rebbe

Becomes Rebbe

Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh's father was Rabbi Simcha Bunim Alter, also known as the Lev Simcha, the fifth Gerrer Rebbe. When Rabbi Simcha Bunim died in 1992, he was succeeded by his half-brother, Rabbi Pinchas Menachem Alter. Upon the latter's unexpected death in 1996, Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter was chosen as the next Rebbe of Ger, resulting from a pre-agreed-upon consensus for succession.

The Rebbe has displayed his father's style of vigorous leadership in the religious and political domains in Israel. He and his Hasidim fully back and have a major say in the Agudath Israel of Israel party in the Israeli Knesset, supporting the needs of the Haredi community in Israel. The Rebbe encouraged the party to retain its alliance with the non-Hasidic Ashkenazi litvish Degel HaTorah party within the United Torah Judaism party representing almost all Ashkenazi Haredi Jews in Israel.

He has introduced significant innovations in the curriculum of the educational institutions operated by the Gerrer Hasidim in Israel and abroad — primarily broader knowledge of the expanse of the Talmud, while abolishing the learning of iyun (learning a smaller portion of the Talmud in-depth).

The Rebbe is one of Israel's most wealthy individuals. "The Marker" has estimated that his family's holdings are worth between 200-250 million dollars. He and his wife have five sons and four daughters.