One of the largest and most prestigious chasidic dynasties in the world has reportedly split, after 160 years of unity.

The Ger chasidic dynasty, the largest in Israel and the third largest in the world, numbering more than 11,000 families, has been led by Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter, the eighth Grand Rabbi (Rebbe) of the group, since 1996.

But his cousin, Rabbi Shaul Alter, has now officially broken away from the group, holding an event on Tuesday which was attended by hundreds of his followers, despite warnings that attendees would be banished from Ger’s institutions.

Tensions can be said to have dated back decades.

When the fifth Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Yisroel Alter, died childless, he was succeeded by his brother, Rabbi Simchah Bunim Alter, the sixth Gerrer Rebbe.

Rabbi Simchah Bunim did have children, but when he died he was succeeded by another brother, Rabbi Pinchas Menachem Alter, the seventh Gerrer Rebbe.

The eighth and current Grand Rabbi is the son of the sixth Rebbe, while Rabbi Shaul Alter is the son of the seventh.

Although Rabbi Shaul Alter did not challenge the current Rebbe for leadership of the movement in 1996, tensions between the two have risen over the years.

Rabbi Shaul Alter was head of the prestigious Sfas Emes yeshiva in Jerusalem, a position previously held by his own father. However, around a decade ago, Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter announced a major shift in the style of Talmud learning which Gerrer yeshivas were to adopt, leading ultimately to the closure of the Yeshiva in 2016.

Allies and supporters of the current Rebbe have also attempted to wrest control of Gerrer organisations and institutions which had been under the control of Rabbi Shaul Alter.

The rift deepened earlier this year after Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh failed to invite Rabbi Shaul to the wedding of his grandson in Jerusalem.

Efforts to broker a compromise between the two rabbis reportedly broke down during the Sukkot holiday, with Rabbi Shaul Alter subsequently holding his event on Tuesday, after the end of the festival in Israel.

As reported by the Jerusalem Post, at the event, part of which was televised, Rabbi Shaul Alter described the need for “good institutions where we can educate our children like they need to be educated, and educate ourselves like we need to be educated”, a comment taken as a direct criticism of his first cousin’s educational changes.

Donation forms for the new group were passed out at the event, as were school enrolment forms for children of the attendees. The threat by the main body of Ger to expel those who siding with Rabbi Shaul Alter would inevitably also mean the expulsion of their children from the main Ger educational institutions.

Until this point, Ger had been unusual in maintaining a united sect under one Rabbi. Other large chasidic sects, including Satmar, Bobov, Vizhnitz, Sanz Klausenberg and Shomer Emunim, have all previously split, some cordially, others far less so.

Ger maintains a significant amount of political control within the strictly Orthodox community in Israel, via its leadership in the Agudas Yisroel movement and religious political party.

The chasidic sect also has a major presence in New York, and communities elsewhere, including London. 

Currently the overwhelming majority of Gerrer chasidim remain affiliated to Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter.