This Wednesday, the 25th of Nisan, marked the yahrzeit of the Rebbe of Tzanz, drawing us to explore and reflect in the city of Nowy Sącz, Poland.
‘Tzanz’ is the Jewish name for Nowy Sącz, a city located in the Kraków District of southern Poland. Though many had never heard of it before, it rose to prominence about two centuries ago with the arrival of Rabbi Chaim Halberstam, who founded the revered Tzanz Hasidic dynasty here.

Thousands of Jews traveled this week to commemorate his yahrzeit with a heartfelt hilula near his gravesite. Today, only echoes remain of what was once a vibrant and flourishing Jewish community. Among the most significant remnants is the Great Synagogue on Józefa Berek Joselewicz Street.

For generations, this synagogue served as the spiritual and communal heart of Tzanz. During the weekdays, the sounds of Torah study filled its halls, while on Sabbaths and festivals, it glowed with candlelight and the voices of prayer.

On Kristallnacht, the synagogue was badly damaged by the Germans. Though it was later restored, it no longer serves its original purpose. Today, it functions as a local museum for non-Jews. Its gates are locked, and visitors can only stand outside, facing the silent structure that once pulsed with Jewish life. The stillness speaks volumes—a quiet memorial to those who once gathered within.

Nowy Sącz itself was founded at the end of the 13th century as a trade hub on the Polish-Hungarian border. A 17th-century municipal edict banned Jews from living within the city walls, prompting them to build homes at the foot of the royal castle, just beyond the city limits.

This marked the birth of the Jewish quarter. Today, the only remaining structure of the once-mighty castle is the restored Kubelski Tower, standing watch over Główna, Giełdowa, and Tarnowska streets. Gazing upward, one can almost envision the bustling Jewish neighborhood that once thrived here.

As we walk through these streets today, we can still feel the echoes of the past—the laughter of children, the shouts of merchants, the aroma of bagels and fresh challah from Jewish bakeries, and the melodies of prayer and Torah learning that once rose from its synagogues.

During the Nazi occupation, the Jewish ghetto of Nowy Sącz stretched from the Market Square to Piotra Skargi and Piarska streets. Once the vibrant center of Jewish life, this area was transformed into a cruel prison of fear and suffering, where hope was scarce and survival uncertain.

Nowy Sącz Today

But Nowy Sącz is no longer the city it once was. Today, the municipality has created a heritage trail titled “In the Footsteps of the Jews of Nowy Sącz”, offering visitors a poignant journey through time. This route invites us to imagine a city once alive with Jewish life—bustling streets filled with people, artisan workshops, and small shops adorned with Yiddish signs, all of which have since vanished.

In 1706, a Jewish cemetery was established near the Kubelski Tower, though no trace of it remains today. However, remnants of the newer Jewish cemetery, founded in the second half of the 19th century near the Sibirikov Bridge, can still be seen.

Within its grounds stands the Ohel (burial structure) of Rabbi Chaim Halberstam of Tzanz, located a short distance from the entrance gate.

During this week’s Hilula, and throughout the year, Jews from around the world visit his grave to pray, whisper heartfelt tefillot, and leave written supplications—kvitlech. His grave has become a focal point for organized Jewish heritage tours from Israel, the United States, and Europe.

About 150 meters from the cemetery, one of the apartments where the Rebbe once lived was recently rediscovered. His devoted followers purchased the building and transformed it into a modest guesthouse (Hachnasat Orchim), providing accommodation for pilgrims coming to pay their respects.

Yet this cemetery is not only a place of reverence—it also bears the scars of unimaginable pain. During World War II, the Nazis brought Jews here and executed them among the gravestones, leaving their bodies where they fell. The surviving tombstones, now weathered and worn, remain as silent witnesses to these atrocities. Remarkably, hundreds of gravestones still stand today. Some locals say that after the war, additional headstones from surrounding towns were brought here to preserve what remained of Jewish memory.

The entrance to the cemetery is located at 3 Rybacka Street. Visitors must arrange entry in advance. The key is held by Barbara Malczek, who lives across from the gate. She can be contacted at +48-513949894.

The Rebbe of Tzanz

In 1828, Rabbi Chaim Halberstam was invited to serve as the rabbi for the Chassidic community in Tzanz. At the time, the city was already home to several Chassidic courts—including Satmar, Sienawa, and Grybów—whose followers soon rallied around him. Through his charismatic leadership and profound scholarship, Rabbi Chaim transformed Tzanz into a major spiritual center for Galicia and all of Eastern Europe.

His halachic responsa and Talmudic insights were compiled in a revered series of volumes titled Divrei Chaim. I recall my yeshiva rabbis often quoting his interpretations during our studies of Tractate Bava Metzia.

Personally, I found it difficult to fully connect with him, as I felt Rabbi Chaim’s halachic rulings leaned toward stringency. For instance, he was firmly opposed to machine-made matzot for Passover, declaring them "entirely chametz." He ruled that unmarried men must wear tefillin even during Chol HaMoed (the intermediate festival days), and he prohibited women from taking the lulav, even without reciting a blessing. These were just a few examples of his uncompromising approach.

For forty years, Rabbi Chaim led the Tzanz Chassidic movement, building it into a spiritual empire that extended across dozens of communities throughout the Kraków district. He was not merely a rabbi, but a spiritual father, a guide, and a steadfast guardian of Jewish tradition. His legendary generosity was well known—he reportedly refused to go to sleep if there was money in his home that could still be given to the needy. His followers admired his unshakable faith and deep devotion to God.

Yet behind his public stature was a man who endured profound personal sorrow. He was widowed three times and fathered fifteen children across four marriages.

After his passing, his eldest son, Rabbi Aharon, succeeded him as Rebbe. However, many of Rabbi Chaim’s followers turned to his other son, Rabbi Yechezkel Shraga. In time, six of his sons established their own Chassidic courts, giving rise to entire dynasties that were offshoots of Tzanz—among them Vizhnitz, Bobov, Klausenburg, Chernobyl, Grybów, and Stropkov. These dynasties continued his legacy and helped spread the teachings and influence of Tzanz Chassidut far and wide.

Tzanz Beyond Hasidism

While Tzanz is often associated with a strictly Haredi-Hasidic identity, this perception doesn’t fully reflect its multifaceted Jewish past. A lesser-known chapter of the city’s history reveals that other Jewish movements thrived here alongside Hasidism.

At the dawn of the 20th century, Zionist organizations such as Mizrachi and HaShomer HaDati established Hebrew-language schools named Yavneh and Safa Berurah, as well as separate high schools for boys and girls. The Bnei Akiva youth movement also had an active presence in the city.

Political and ideological diversity was equally vibrant. Movements like the Revisionists (precursors to today’s Likud), Poalei Zion, WIZO, and other Zionist factions not only operated openly in Sanz but also participated in the local city council and sent representatives to the World Zionist Congress. In the 1933 Jewish community elections, Zionist parties garnered an impressive 30% of the vote.

As we walk through the streets of Nowy Sącz today, it’s important to remember that this was once a city of contrasts—between fervent Hasidic devotion and Zionist idealism, between unyielding tradition and the winds of change. Its streets bore witness to ideological debates, but also to stories of hope, vision, and resilience.

World War II

On the eve of World War II, approximately 10,000 Jews lived in Nowy Sącz. The city’s rabbis did not issue directives regarding military service, viewing enlistment neither as a religious obligation nor something to be avoided. Members of youth movements like Bnei Akiva helped dig trenches and fortify defenses, while older individuals joined the Polish army in the fight against the German invasion. Despite their efforts, the Polish military was swiftly defeated in the summer of 1939.

Under Nazi occupation, two ghettos were established in Sanz—one for able-bodied individuals assigned to forced labor, and another for the sick, elderly, and women. The Nazis frequently used terror to instill fear, often taking Jews to the cemetery for execution. One such atrocity became known as “The Action of the Rabbis,” during which ten men wearing kapotas (traditional Hasidic robes) were taken to the cemetery and murdered. Among them were Rabbi Ephraim and Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch, sons of Rebbe Aryeh Leibush Halberstam.

Over time, the Nazis and their collaborators deported the remaining Jews to extermination and labor camps. By July 1943, no Jews remained in Sanz, and the city was declared "Judenrein" (free of Jews). After the war, only about 30 Jewish survivors returned, but they eventually left as well. In recent years, the municipality of Nowy Sącz has held annual ceremonies marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Most of the Sanz Rebbes and their followers were murdered in the Holocaust by the Germans in Poland. One of the few who survived was Rabbi Yekutiel Yehuda Halberstam, a great-grandson of Rabbi Chaim of Sanz. Before the war, he served as the Rebbe of Sanz-Klausenburg. After surviving the horrors of the Shoah, he settled in Netanya, Israel, where he founded Kiryat Sanz. Today, it stands as the global center of Sanz Hasidism and is home to more than 2,500 large families.

Kiryat Sanz in Netanya is regarded as the “mother community” of all Sanz Hasidic centers around the world. From this spiritual hub, branches have flourished in Jerusalem, Tiberias, Elad, and Monsey in the United States. Today, leadership of the dynasty is shared: Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech, the son of Rabbi Yekutiel Yehuda Halberstam, serves as the Rebbe of Sanz in Israel, while his brother, Rabbi Shmuel Dovid, leads the Sanz-Klausenburg community in the United General Tourist Attractions

General tourist attractions

If you're already exploring the Jewish heritage of Nowy Sącz, why not take the opportunity to soak in more of the local charm?

The city offers a range of attractions that bring its rich history and atmosphere to life:

The Ruins of the Royal Castle – Just behind the Great Synagogue, tucked among flowering trees and greenery, lie the evocative ruins of a 14th-century royal castle. Once a proud fortress overlooking the confluence of the Dunajec and Kamienica rivers, its walls have weathered centuries of destruction—from the Swedish Deluge and fires during the Bar Confederation uprising to devastating floods in 1813. But the final blow came at the end of World War II, when a German ammunition depot exploded just a day before the city's liberation, reducing the castle to rubble. Today, only fragments remain, including part of the historic Kowalska Tower.

Market Square (Rynek) – Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful town squares in Poland, the Rynek is lined with historic buildings, cobblestone walkways, and an elegant 19th-century Town Hall standing proudly at its center. The square buzzes with life—aromatic coffee wafts from quaint cafés, while street musicians and performers bring a relaxed, pastoral charm.

Galician Town (Miasteczko Galicyjskie) – Step back into the 19th century in this charming open-air museum. Stroll through narrow cobbled lanes lit by antique lanterns and surrounded by reconstructed townhouses, a nobleman's manor, a vintage fire station, and a village well. It’s like walking into a perfectly preserved sepia-toned postcard.

Ethnographic Park– This open-air museum features 90 traditional rural structures—from thatched farmhouses scented with fresh hay to artisanal workshops echoing with the sounds of tools in use. Wealthier homes showcase the region’s architectural diversity, and seasonal exhibitions often explore the lives and customs of the area’s Jewish communities.

Planty Park – The city’s green heart offers a peaceful retreat. Winding paths lead past sculptures of dancing couples and historical figures, while the central fountain bubbles with tranquility. Shady trees provide a perfect spot to rest on a bench, close your eyes, and let the breeze carry the tales of Nowy Sącz’s past.

Nowy Sącz is a city of contrasts—a vibrant mosaic of time periods, emotions, and scents. Here, history lingers in the air, blending the dust of centuries with the fresh aroma of bread, flowers, and ice cream. It’s a place where old stories awaken with every step.

 Photos credits: Małopolska Tourist Organisation