Rav Yisrael Elazar Hopstein was the son of Rav Yerachmiel Moshe of Kozhnitz. He was born in Elul 5658/1898, and was a sixth-generation descendant of the Maggid of Kozhnitz. He was named Yisrael after the Maggid. Rav Yisrael Elazar learned under Rav Meir Yechiel of Ostrovtza, and was given semicha by him as well. Rav Yisrael Elazar married the daughter of Rav Mordechai Yosef Twersky of Zlatipola. After the petira of his father, on the thirteenth of Elul 5669/1909, Rav Yisrael Elazar was appointed Rebbe.
In 5684/1924, with a desire to help settle Eretz Yisrael, Rav Yisrael Elazar headed a group of Chassidim who bought properties in Eretz Yisrael. Rav Yisrael Elazar himself traveled to Eretz Yisrael with a group of Chassidim, where they founded the city Kfar Chassidim, together with the Chassidim of the Yablona Rebbe. Rav Yisrael Elazar was forced to leave Eretz Yisrael for health reasons, and was appointed Rav of the community in Paris. When the Nazis occupied Paris, Rav Yisrael Elazar was taken away as he tried to flee. He was transferred to Nice, and from there he managed to escape to America in 5701/1941.
In America, Rav Yisrael Elazar rebuilt the Kozhnitzer Chassidus. Unfortunately, all the seforim and precious items he had inherited from his forebears were lost in the war. In 5726/1966, Rav Yisrael Elazar decided to return to Eretz Yisrael and even managed to found a Bais Medrash for the Kozhnitzer Chassidim there. Until then, they davened in an apartment. Upon returning to America to take care of some details, Rav Yisrael Elazar was suddenly niftar, on the second of Elul 5726/1966, at the age of sixty-eight. His mitta was flown to Eretz Yisrael, where he was buried in the Sanhedria Bais Olam in Yerushalayim. Rav Yisrael Elazar’s Divrei Torah were published in the sefer Avodas Elazar. Zecher tzaddik livrachah.
