http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rabbichaimfromantania.JPG

If he were more famous, I think Bob Marley would have some competition in the college dorm poster market.

Shrayim literally is “leftovers”. Basically, the Rebbe takes a piece of challah, and then the challah becomes extra holy and the Chassidim go nuts trying to get a piece (of the Rebbes “leftovers”).

My yeshiva actually got us a Q/A session with their Rebbe. I was the one who broke the ice by asking why some chassidim wear shtreimls and some don’t. He just shrugged and answered “if you want to wear a shtreiml, you wear one; if you don’t want to wear a shtreiml, you don’t have to wear one.” I def. didn’t expect that. Later on, someone asked him the difference between his group and others–such as Breslov, Lubavitch, Viznitz, Slonom, et al. All he had to say was “Lubavitchers don’t wear shtreimls”–that’s all he had to say about that.

My mother’s father was born Gerrer, but became a ‘Snag when he moved to America, so I couldn’t tell you much about them (but I do like the Sfas Emes, even if I have no intimate knowledge of his chassidus). Certain members of my mother’s mother’s family like to go to Bluzhev (sp?); I’ve gone to a few tishes of theirs. Honestly, it’s not much different than other tishes I’ve been to (Bobov, Viznitz, Toldos Aharon), but it’s good to check out some of the smaller, lesser known dynasties once in a while (Bobov and Viznitz especially can get packed).

Final note: Modzitz. I LOVE THEIR NIGGUNIM! I davened by them once. Ben Zion Shenker bentched chodesh; I’m told he doesn’t sing much anymore. It was beautiful. He does the best version of Lecha Dodi I’ve ever heard!