Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky (third Dushinsky rebbe)

Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky (1867-1948), also known as the Maharitz Dushinsky, was the third Rebbe of the Dushinsky dynasty. He succeeded his father-in-law, Rabbi Yehoshua Osias Ehrenfeld, as Rav of Galanta, Slovakia, and later served as the Chief Rabbi of the Edah HaChareidis in Jerusalem.

Born in Horodenka, Galicia, to Rabbi Yisrael Dushinsky, he was a prominent student of Rabbi Shimon Sofer of Erlau. He married the daughter of Rabbi Yehoshua Osias Ehrenfeld, the Rav of Galanta. Following his father-in-law's death, he assumed the rabbinate of Galanta, where he established a yeshiva that attracted students from across Hungary and Slovakia.

In 1932, Rabbi Dushinsky immigrated to Mandatory Palestine and became affiliated with the Edah HaChareidis, an umbrella organization for Haredi Jews in Jerusalem. In 1933, upon the death of Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, he was appointed as the Chief Rabbi of the Edah HaChareidis, a position he held until his death.

Rabbi Dushinsky was known for his unwavering adherence to Jewish law and tradition, his strong opposition to Zionism, and his efforts to strengthen religious life in Jerusalem. He was a leading voice for the Haredi community and played a significant role in shaping its identity in the pre-state era. He was a prolific writer, and his responsa and other writings are published in the Toras Maharitz. He was succeeded as Rebbe of Dushinsky by his son, Rabbi Yisrael Dushinsky.