Ohel of David Biderman in Lelów

The Ohel of David Biderman in Lelów is the tomb of the tzaddik David Biderman, founder of the Lelov Hasidic dynasty. It is located in the former Jewish cemetery at ulica Ogrodowa 7. To this day it is a place of pilgrimage for Hasidim.

Who was David Biderman?

David Biderman was a tzaddik of the Lelov Hasidic dynasty. He died in 1814. Immediately after his death the first ohel was built in the Jewish cemetery in Lelów, and it survived in unchanged form until 1956.

What happened to the grave after 1956?

In 1956 the communist authorities decided to demolish the ohel and level the site. A building housing a shop of the Municipal Cooperative (Gminna Spółdzielnia) was erected over the graves, including that of the tzaddik.

In August 1988, on the initiative of Shimon Anshin from Israel, the Nissenbaum Family Foundation began a search for the grave. The remains of the tzaddik were found under the shop's storeroom and were sent for examination to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. When the identity was confirmed, the Foundation set up a modest ohel in one of the shop's rooms; the work lasted from October 1988 to February 1989. In 2012-2013, after the shop building was demolished, a new ohel was erected and the area was tidied.

What is the place today?

The ohel is a destination for pilgrimages of followers of Hasidism, held on the anniversary of the tzaddik's death. It stands within the old Jewish cemetery in Lelów. Nearby is also the synagogue in Lelów.

Practical information

• Address: ulica Ogrodowa 7, Lelów.
• It is a place of prayer and remembrance. Check the rules of entry and the dates of pilgrimages with the custodians of the religious community or the municipal office.