Our Story
For nearly a century, the Altein family has had the privilege of providing authentic Yanover (Calabrian) Esrogim to Beis HaRav and Anash—a sacred tradition that began with Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson.
When Rabbi Jacobson arrived in America in 5686 (1926), he found that authentic Yanover Esrogim were almost impossible to obtain. Determined to preserve the Chabad minhag, he began importing genuine Esrogim from Calabria—not simply as a business, but as a responsibility to the community.
His work was later continued by his son-in-law, Rabbi Mordechai Altein, who carried forward Rabbi Jacobson’s mission and upheld the standards he established. Today, four generations later, the Altein family remains devoted to that same sacred responsibility.
A Century of Tradition
1927 – תרפ”ז
Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson begins importing authentic Yanover Esrogim to America.
1929 – תרפ”ט
Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson Provides the Frierdiker Rebbe with a Calabrian Esrog during his visit to America.
1955 – תשט”ו
Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson travels personally to Calabria each year at the Rebbe’s instruction.
Today
Continuing the family tradition with trusted supervision in Calabria.
The Chabad Tradition
For generations, the Chabad Rabbeim were particular to use Yanover Esrogim from Calabria. These treasured Esrogim are distinguished not only by their beauty, but by their authentic mesorah and longstanding chazakah of originating from non-grafted trees.
At Altein Esrogim, authenticity and kashrus always come first. Every Esrog is sourced and handled with careful supervision, continuing the uncompromising standards and sacred tradition entrusted to our family for generations.
Once its authenticity has been established, each Esrog is individually selected for its exceptional beauty, symmetry, color, cleanliness, and overall quality. We believe you should never have to choose between a beautiful Esrog and an authentic one – with Altein Esrogim, you receive both.
Providing Esrogim for the Rabbeim
The Frierdiker Rebbe
Our tradition began in 5689 (1929), when Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson first merited to provide the Frierdiker Rebbe with a Calabrian Esrog. When the Frierdiker Rebbe settled permanently in the United States in 5700 (1940), Rabbi Jacobson continued providing his Esrogim.
The Rebbe
Following Yud Shevat 5710 (1950), Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson continued this treasured tradition by supplying the Rebbe with Yanover Esrogim from Calabria, maintaining the same careful supervision and uncompromising standards.
A Sacred Responsibility
For nearly a century, providing Yanover Esrogim for the Chabad Rabbeim has been an extraordinary zechus and sacred responsibility – one the Altein family is honored to carry forward with the same devotion today.
The source from which the Rebbe obtained his personal Esrog
For generations, the Altein family had the extraordinary privilege of providing the Yanover Esrogim used by the Chabad Rabbeim. More than a remarkable chapter in our family’s history, it reflects the trust, responsibility, and uncompromising standards that have defined our work for nearly a century.
That legacy continues to guide everything we do today. From our longstanding relationships with the growers in Calabria to the careful selection of every Esrog, our commitment remains the same: to provide authentic Yanover Esrogim of exceptional beauty and quality, without ever compromising on the traditions that have earned the confidence of generations.
Every Esrog we offer is selected with that same dedication to authenticity, excellence, and mesorah, allowing our customers to fulfill the mitzvah with complete confidence while carrying forward a tradition that has been cherished for generations.
Why Families Trust Altein Esrogim
Exceptional Beauty
Premium hand-selected Esrogim.
Authentic Yanover
True Calabrian Esrogim.
Carefully verified.
Experienced mashgichim.
Nearly 100 Years
A century of family tradition.
Continuing a Family Tradition
Each season, members of the Altein family travel to the orchards of Calabria, Italy, continuing a tradition that began nearly a century ago. Together with Rabbi Moshe Lazar and the children of the late Rabbi Shmuel Rodal, OBM, they carefully inspect the trees and personally participate in selecting outstanding Yanover Esrogim for their beauty, shape, color, and overall quality.
For many years, Rabbi Shmuel Rodal OBM worked alongside Rabbi Lazar and played an important role in supervising the orchards. His dedication and many years of devoted service left a lasting legacy of careful supervision and commitment to the authenticity of Yanover Esrogim – a legacy his children proudly continue today.
Walking the same groves that have supplied Yanover Esrogim for generations, they work closely with the growers while upholding the standards established by Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson and faithfully carried forward through each generation. Their return to Calabria year after year reflects a legacy built upon personal involvement, trusted relationships, careful supervision, and an unwavering dedication to authentic, ungrafted Yanover Esrogim.
Today, Rabbi Moshe Lazar, and members of the Altein, Lazar and Rodal families proudly continue this cherished tradition. Every Esrog offered by Altein Esrogim represents not only exceptional beauty and quality, but also nearly one hundred years of experience, dedication, and commitment to preserving the authentic Chabad tradition of Yanover Esrogim.
