Appointed in 2005, Halberstam has a direct lineage to the founder of the Bobov Hasidic dynasty.

[2] His father had lost his first wife and most of their children in the Holocaust,[3] but a son, Naftali, survived.

Naftali died right before the Purim holiday in 2005,[4] which led to a succession crisis over who should be the Grand Rebbe of the many Bobov Hasidim worldwide.

[1] When a vote failed to solve the matter the battle of succession was brought before a beth din (religious court) in 2007, which ultimately ruled that Halberstam would be declared the fifth Rebbe of Bobov (אדמו"ר מבאבוב) with its headquarters on 48th Street in Borough Park,[5] while Unger can choose the title Rebbe of Bobov-45 (אדמו"ר מבאבוב-45), located on 45th Street.

[5][6][7][8] In 2014, Halberstam launched Kinyan Torah, a program to encourage laymen to learn Talmud.