Karlin-Stolin is a Hasidic dynasty, originating with Rebbe Aaron ben Jacob of Karlin in present-day Belarus. One of the first centres of Hasidim to be set up in Lithuania, many Lithuanian Hasidic groups are its offshoots.

Today, the Karlin-Stolin dynasty is thriving once again, after being decimated by the Holocaust. Karlin-Stolin Hasidim can be found all over the world: Israel, the United States, Russia, England, Mexico, and Ukraine.

The Karliner Hasidim are especially known for their custom to cry out in a strong and loud voice to God when praying. They are also known for their hospitality.

Karlin-Stolin Hasidim established themselves in Eretz Yisrael in the mid-19th century, settling in Tiberias, Hebron, and Safed. In 1869, they redeemed the site of a former synagogue in Tiberias which had been built in 1786 by Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, but was destroyed in the Galilee earthquake of 1837. Construction of the new synagogue started in 1870, and was made possible by the collection of funds from the Jewish diaspora. This synagogue, still in use today, stands in the cluster of ancient synagogues of Tiberias. It was during this time that Karlin-Stolin Hasidim settled in Jerusalem. By 1874, they had established the Beis Aharon Synagogue of Karlin-Stolin in the old city.

The Karlin-Stoliner Rebbe (sometimes referred to as the "Stoliner Rebbe"), Boruch Meir Yaakov Shochet, resides in Givat Ze'ev, a Jerusalem neighborhood. Most of the Karlin-Stolin Hasidim reside in and near Jerusalem; there are also synagogues in Beitar Illit, Bnei Brak, Kiryat Sefer, Brachfeld, Safed, and Tiberias, as well as in the United States, in Borough Park, Monsey, New York, Los Angeles, California, Lakewood, New Jersey, in London, and in Ukraine.

The Rebbe's younger brother, Yochanan Shochet, also lives in Jerusalem, and is known as the "Loitzker Rebbe". The Loitzker Rebbe established a Hasidic court, with the permission of his brother, the Karlin-Stoliner Rebbe.

In 2014, the Rebbe's oldest son, Reb Dovid Yehoshua Shochet, moved to Los Angeles, California, and established a shtiebel, Kahal Chasidim Shearis Yaakov, with the blessing of his father. The Rebbe's daughter is married to the son of Rebbe Kalman Menachem Shapira of Piaseczna - Ramat Bet Shemesh.

A son of the rebbe is married to the daughter of Hagoan Harav o c Lieberman, the Posek of Lakewood. In Jerusalem, some of the Karliner Hasidim wear the traditional garb of Jerusalem Haredim on Shabbat, the golden caftan.

Lineage of the Karliner Dynasty[edit]

Many of the Karlin-Stoliner Rebbe's sons were appointed with highly respected rabbinical positions by their father over many areas:

Main books of the Karliner Hasidim[edit]

The main Hasidic book of the Karliner Hasidim is Beis Aharon, composed by the Hasidim (followers) of the Rebbe Aharon II of Karlin from his talks. It was very influential on Rabbi Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira of Piaseczna, who quotes from it frequently in his works. He also analyses the Karliner approach to Hasidism (as opposed to the Habad approach) in his book "Mevo HaShearim".

The current version of the prayer book used by Karliner Hasidim is called Beis Aharon V'Yisrael. It is the second published prayer book ever produced by Karliner Hasidim; the first was published in New York City by the Rebbe Reb Yochanan Perlow of Karlin-Stolin.

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