Bnei Brak

Walking down the bustling streets of Bnei Brak, a city known for its vibrant Haredi community, you’ll feel a tangible sense of history and tradition. This city is actually known for being the home of the Chazon Ish, a renowned rabbi and Torah scholar, whose influence is felt even today. The Chazon Ish moved to Bnei Brak in its early days, drawing a large following of followers eager to learn from his wisdom. It’s no exaggeration to say that he single-handedly put Bnei Brak on the map. Before him, it was just a small agricultural village founded by a small group of Polish Hasidic families. In fact, the village was originally called Bene Beraq and named after an ancient Biblical city, though it was around 4 kilometers away. Bnei Brak’s transformation from a humble village to a major centre of Haredi Judaism was truly a remarkable journey. As the town grew, the demand for public religious observance increased, with more residents requesting the closure of their neighborhoods to vehicular traffic on Shabbat. By the 1970s, Bnei Brak had become almost homogeneously Haredi with the exception of Pardes Katz, a neighborhood in the north of the city. As you weave through Bnei Brak, you’ll see the legacy of the Chazon Ish in every corner, a testament to his enduring impact.