Now nearly extinct, the Aleksander chassidim were originally one of the larger sects in pre-holocaust Poland. Chassidic Jews from all over flocked to the small village of Aleksander, to spend the holiest days of the year under the presence of their spiritual leader, their Rebbe, Rabbi Yitzchak Menachem Danziger (1879-1943). Their Rebbe attempted to remain neutral in political issues while emphisizing communal prayer and the study of Torah. His life ended in the concentration camp of Treblinka.