Kamenka, Ẓevi Hirsch of

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KAMENKA, ẒEVI HIRSCH OF

KAMENKA, ZEVI HIRSCH OF (d. 1781), founder of a hasidic dynasty in Kamenka, Ukraine. Kamenka was one of seven brothers who were disciples and admirers of *Israel b. Eliezer, the Ba'al Shem Tov, and were active in furthering his influence. The eldest brother was SAMUEL (the elder) of kamenka (d. 1831?). A grandson of Ẓevi Hirsch, samuel ii of kamenka, was a hasidic *admor, a disciple of *Baruch of Medzhibezh and *Abraham Joshua Heschel of Apta, and an outstanding disciple and colleague of *Levi Isaac of Berdichev. His grandson, abraham david of Miropolye, a noted scholar and admor of many Hasidim, continued the dynasty. David's son, samuel iii, author of Shem mi-Shemu'el, succeeded to his father's position and moved to the United States.

The book Shenei ha-Me'orot (Kishinev, 1896) includes some of the sayings of Ẓevi Hirsch and his brothers, and of Samuel ii of Kamenka.

[Adin Steinsaltz]