Braverman
These Esrogim were attested to by Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, who upon seeing a certain Esrog tree remarked “This is my tree”. From this tree the Braverman family established their stock in Petach Tikva. A sub-strain of Braverman is the Kivilivetz variety.
Chazon Ish (Halpern)
The Chazon Ish saw another Esrog and told its owner to plant its seeds. This gave rise to the Halpern strain. It is unclear as to what difference was implied betweeen the Chazon Ish’s remark “This is an Esrog” for the Lefkowitz Esrog (see below) and his instruction to plant what became the Halpern Esrog.
Chazon Ish (Lefkowitz)
The Chazon Ish once saw a certain Esrog and pronounced “This is an Esrog”. The seeds from that Esrog were planted by the RAMI (Rabbi Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz) and have given rise to the Lefkowitz type.
Temani (Yemenite)
Grown from Esrogim or trees imported by Yemenite Jews.
Yanaver
Yanaver Esrogim derive their name from Genoa, the port in northern Italy through which most Italian esrogim were once shipped. The esrogim actually grow in the southern part of Italy in Calabria. There are only a few kosher Esrog orchards left in S. Italy, the other orchards are devoted to production of citrons for culinary use. This variety is favored by many Chasidim, especially Chabad (Lubavitch), based on a Midrash, that Moses was transported from Sinai to Italy to see exactly what a “fruit of the goodly tree” was. Chabad have cultivated a variety of this Esrog in Israel – called “Kfar Chabad”.
Moroccan
Moroccan esrogim grow wild in the mountains of western Morocco. They have a characteristic shape shown above against the backdrop of a book by one of the foremost experts on the Moroccan Esrog – Rabbi Yasher Levy, whose beautifully illustrated book (Hebrew and French) can be ordered from our site. Moroccan esrogim are favored by many Sephardim.
