Iconic Williamsburg: Reb Shlomo Zalman Hakohen Sander

A legendary establishment in Williamsburg is Sander’s Bakery which has been around for more than half a century, ever since its founder, Reb Shloime Zalman Sander opened its doors in the 1960’s. He learned the trade from another old Williamsburg legend, Reb Shloime Weiss of Vienna (founder of Weiss Bakery), who selflessly taught him the tricks of the trade with which he has served his Williamsburg clientele for decades. 

In addition to his work as a baker, Reb Shloime Zalman served as the assistant Rosh Hakohol of the Satmar Kehillah in Williamsburg, and today we tell his story. 

Reb Shloime Zalman hailed from the town of Dej, Romania where he was born in the year 1930. His father was Reb Yechezkel, a great talmid chochom and the son of Reb Shloime Zalman Hakohen Sander, the gabbai of the Divrei Yechezkel of Shinova. 

With The Divrei Yoel of Satmar

Arriving in America, he stayed at first with an uncle, and he immediately became tethered with heart and soul with the Satmar Rebbe. He became a loyal soldier, always standing at the ready to carry out the orders of his holy Rebbe. He was instrumental in establishing the Satmar institutions in Williamsburg, and he would remain part of the administration for most of his life. 

He married his second cousin, the daughter of Reb Ephraim Aaron Hakohen Sander of Dej, and the couple settled in Williamsburg, close to the home of the Satmar Rebbe on Bedford Avenue. In those days, he was constantly coming and going from the Rebbe’s home, assisting him with whatever was needed. 

It was a well-known fact in Satmar that the Rebbe deeply appreciated Reb Shloime Zalman, and his efforts on his behalf and on behalf of the community. In later years, when the Divrei Yoel founded the village of Kiryas Yoel, the Rebbe appointed zayin tuvei ha’ir, seven leaders of the community, with the seventh being the Rebbe himself. During the founding ceremony for the village of Kiryas Yoel, it was pointed out to the Rebbe that as the one who appoints the representatives, he could not be one of them. The Rebbe looked around, and his gaze fell on Reb Shloime Zalman, saying, “You will be instead of me.” 

The Bakery: A Center of Chessed 

In those early Williamsburg days, Reb Shloime Zalman went to work in the bakery of Reb Shloime Weiss, the legendary baker of Williamsburg, and he absorbed much more than the trade of baking from the tzaddik Reb Shloime. He learned from the tzidkus, the temimus, and good heartedness of Mr. Weiss, and this remained with him for life as he went on to help others. 

Following a number of years at Weiss Bakery, he was ready to open his own establishment. He founded Sander’s Bakery at 159 Lee Avenue, where it remains today, on the highest levels of kashrus and quality.  

Early residents of Williamsburg recall how entering Sander’s Bakery was an experience unto itself. The proprietor, Reb Shloime Zalman, would stand there with his ever-present smile, always calm, always with menuchas hanefesh… 

 But more than serving as a source of income for himself and his family, the bakery was his center of chessed. From the day that the bakery opened, Sander’s Bakery has sent their leftover bread and pastries to the Kashauer yeshiva at no charge. Another project of his was the preparation of packages for almonos and yesomim, and he would give bakery products for free to those who had no money to pay. 

In addition, the bakery served as an office for all Reb Shloime Zalman’s klal activities, and as an address for anyone in need. No matter if he was in middle of kneading a dough, or standing at the hot oven… he would stop what he was doing in order to help out a Yid. And when he was doing a favor for another, it was with the softest heart and the biggest smile, remember acquaintances. As noted, his dedication to the Satmar mosdos was legendary, and he was a true askan l’sheim Shomayim—spending countless hours of his own time in the yeshiva offices in order to assist them. 

Reb Shloime Zalman was niftar in Elul of the year 2006, and was interred in Kiryas Yoel following a lifetime of chessed in old Williamsburg.