Rabbi Simchah Bunim Alter (1898–1992), widely known as the Lev Simcha after his primary Torah work, was the sixth Rebbe of the massive Ger Hasidic dynasty. He led the movement from 1977 until his passing in 1992.

He is remembered as a deeply pragmatic, compassionate, and visionary leader who shaped modern Haredi life in Israel.

Early Life and Business Career

Born in Góra Kalwaria, Poland, he was the son of the third Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter (the Imrei Emes), and a great-grandson of the dynasty's founder, Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter.

Before assuming leadership of the Hasidut, Rabbi Simchah Bunim lived a largely private life. He emigrated from Poland to Mandatory Palestine in 1934, escaping the destruction of European Jewry that later claimed much of the dynasty. In Palestine, he established himself as a highly successful businessman, primarily in real estate. Even as a leader, he famously shunned rabbinical pomp, dressing in the standard attire of a Hasidic businessman rather than elaborate rabbinical vestments.

Leadership and Communal Reforms

When his brother, Rabbi Yisrael Alter (the Beis Yisroel), passed away in 1977, Rabbi Simchah Bunim succeeded him as Rebbe. While his brother focused heavily on rebuilding the shattered community after the Holocaust, the Lev Simcha focused on consolidation, strategic growth, and economic relief for young families.

• Decentralization of Communities: Recognizing the intense financial strain that high housing costs in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak placed on young couples, he spearheaded the establishment of Hasidic enclaves in peripheral areas of Israel, such as Chatzor and Arad.

  
  

• Takanot (Ordinances) for Weddings: He instituted strict, economical guidelines to curb the skyrocketing expenses of weddings and other community celebrations, standardizing affordable celebrations to shield families from crushing debt.

  
  

Torah Innovation: Yerushalmi Yomi

In 1980, the Lev Simcha introduced a major innovation to the world of Torah study: Yerushalmi Yomi. Inspired by the famous Daf Yomi cycle for the Babylonian Talmud, he established a daily cycle for learning a page of the Jerusalem Talmud (Talmud Yerushalmi), reviving widespread study of a text that had historically been less commonly learned by the masses.

Political and Public Leadership

As the head of Ger—the largest Hasidic group in Israel—he wielded immense influence over Haredi public policy.

• He continued his family's vigorous leadership of the Agudat Yisrael political party, championing the interests of Orthodox Jewry in the Israeli Knesset.

  
  

• He championed campaigns for stricter religious laws in the state (including restrictions on abortion) and public standoffs, such as opposing the opening of the BYU Jerusalem Center in the 1980s.

  
  

• He maintained a warm relationship with other Torah giants across different spectrums, including maintaining a deep connection to Chabad and meeting with the Lubavitcher Rebbe for private audiences (yechidus).

  
  

Death and Legacy

The Lev Simcha passed away on July 7, 1992 (the 7th of Tammuz, 5752) at the age of 94. He was interred in the cave of the Gerrer Rebbes in the historic Mount of Olives cemetery in Jerusalem.

He was temporarily succeeded by his half-brother, Rabbi Pinchas Menachem Alter (the Pnei Menachem).Today, the dynasty is led by his son, Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter, the current Grand Rabbi of Ger.