Williamsburg, NY – The Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg, Rabbi Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, is expected to arrive in Israel on Sunday with a large delegation on the eve of the Israeli elections.
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Both Rabbi Teitelbaum and several thousand of his chassidim have flown out tonight from JFK Airport from the United States.
The Rebbe’s purpose in coming to Israel is to take part in the wedding of his grandchild, the daughter of Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, who heads the Jerusalem branch of Satmar.
Those familiar with the Rebbe’s plans say the timing of his arrival is not coincidental, and that his intention in visiting Israel is to cause trouble for the ultra-religious political parties who financially benefit from what he calls the “Zionist Molech.”
Those close to him added that the Rebbe moved up the timing of his trip in the wake of the early elections. “If the religious parties become weakened, we will note that with satisfaction and this will be the result of the Rebbe’s visit,” one of the Rebbe’s followers said. The “holy journey” of the Rebbe was prepared months in advance.
The Rebbe’s anticipated arrival is already being felt by those in Jerusalem. The Rebbe will visit Jerusalem and participate in a rally in Kikar Shabbat. According to his chassidim, the Rebbe is expected to give a “historic” speech at the rally where he will discuss the damage the Haredi parties have inflicted on Orthodox Judaism.
Because Satmar refuses to travel on the “Zionist airline” El-Al, Delta Airlines was asked to change their flight schedule in order to accommodate the Rebbe’s travel needs.
In the last few days, many Satmar chassidim decided to join this traveling contingent. However, Delta Airlines was unable to issue enough tickets to all those who wanted one. Therefore, Satmar arranged additional special flights to Israel with the help of Turkish Airlines, according to a report by Yediot Ahronot (http://bit.ly/VfqmuM).
Misphacha newspaper reported that Rabbi Teitelbaum is bringing more than five million dollars with him in order to distribute monies to organizations which do not benefit from “the Zionist State” and to pay students not to vote in the elections.
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Layv malochim v’sorim v’rebbes b’yad HaShem.
The date for the his grand-daughter’s wedding was set last year, prior to the determination of the date for the elections. The Rebbe’s last intentions were to be there at such a volatile time.
It is true that he has raised large sums of money for those moisdos that don’t take subsidies from the government, but he is just following in the footsteps of the Satmar Rebbe zt”l, who instituted this.
That he will be paying individuals to refrain from voting has been proven to be blatantly false. Note that the Israeli press that had latched onto that rumor has not mentioned it at all for the last week.
As a matter of fact, on the day of the elections the Rebbe will be visiting the mekoimos hakdoshim and away from Yerushalayim.
Where does the money come from?
They hate Israel so much they’d rather fly on Turkish airlines. The old saying “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” seems to apply here. I think it’s terrible he’s dafka going to cause trouble in the elections. Israeli elections are none of their business as they don’t support Israel anyway, so it should be a big non-event for them. I don’t care which brother fights with the other but this is wrong. You hate Israel so much, why do Satmars live there & leech off the State (don’t tell me you don’t, you use their hospitals, water, electricity etc.)
Will israel let him in knowing how hostile he is to the government?
Rabbi Teitelbaum.
Ki Maluchav yetzave Luch, Lishmarcha bechul Deruchecha.
Tthis is a big kidush hashem.
Something aint right here. With all the good satmar does for someone that can’t even talk to his own brother to have so many kid looking up to him. No wonder mishpacha hasn’t come to destroy the Zionist medinah
No comment !? Is everybody flying?
They call his drasha “historic” I can’t understand whats so historic about a rebbe going to israel and making some drasha, it seems to me that any event that some people get excited about is called historic
in fact this whole event is of little interest to anybody not affilated with satmar or the anti zionist camp.
most people couldn’t care less if he comes or not
Also to imply that if the chareidi partys have a poor showing he gets the credit is absolutly rediculous everyone knows that there are many people who are upset with the party leadership and for their own reasons either abstain from voting or vote for secular partys this has nothing to do with satmar
satmar and the eida hachredis are a very small percentage of the chareidim, the overwhelming majority don’t hold their shitta because they follow the ruling of many gedolim who held its a chiyuv to vote, of course they (the satmar chasidim) are obliged to adhere to the satmar rebbe zatsa”l ruling but by the same token the rest of klal yisroel must adhere to the daas torah of their rebbes and gedolim so if they don’t vote its because they are letting their personal intersts come before their chiyuv al pi torah.
To #8 Very well said, Few instigators fabricated this line  216;That he 217;s paying for students not to vote 217;  230;.Anyone with a bit of brains knows that that 217;s not true, but for hatred you could sell anything, we know the deal here , He 217;s going to A wedding b 217;h and of course while being there he 217;ll address the election issue which was forbidden by R 217; Yoel Zt 217;l , So we should really be proud of him, The Charity his bringing along is mentioned in very small letters as this is not something they would like to talk about,
Should he be Matzliach and accomplish on his trip and be back safe iy 217;h
This article is inaccurate to say the least. “The stated reason is to take part in a famy simcha”. For crying out loud it’s his grand child’s wedding which date was set way before the datr for the elections were set. Doesn’t VIN do any fact checking before publishing??
Wonderful news! If the Rebbe can minimize the voting for “Gimel”, we the proud Zionists will all benefit.
to # 11 you wrote he should accomplish, please explain what exactly is he trying to accomplish? if he wants to give charity he doeasn’t need to actually go there to give so besides being mesameach choson vekala his grandchildren which of course is an accomplishment (this is an accomplishment that in fact many zeidas are proud of) what else can he accomplish?
They should stop him at the airport and send him and his trouble making chassidim back to America on El Al.
People who were in Williamsburg tonight told me that they were moved to tears when they heard the huge, huge oilom singing Ani Maamin. The Rebbe’s short farewell speech was also inspirational. I understand that I missed a very historic event.
I got a clip of the Rebbe boarding, and the singing by the passengers welcoming him onto the plane was really dramatic. (I wonder what the stewards were thinking!)
May he go beshulem and return beshulem…
Good for him. He is helping Medinat Yisrael against the Charaedim whose policies will ruin the state and create divisions in Klal Yisrael. The less power that Agudah has, the better. It is sad to face that reality but the state can no longer support the Agudahs one sided financial demands.
I hope he doesn’t bring the $5,000,000 in cash. He might get stopped for illegally transporting US currency.
Maybe he should use the money to help out people hit by Sandy rather than creating מחלוקת.
He is a very nice man – and I am not one of his chassidim – but he is a very sweet and down to earth guy – mazel tov Rebbe!
1. Wedding date was set 1 year ago. Bibi only set election date 4 months ago.
2. Eida Hachareidus and Satmar have very little in comparison to Ger and Belz. Satmar however make a lot of noise and have very highly paid PR propogandists.
3. The numbers are highly exagerated
4. If its a “goyish” medinah then why should they not have Eged transportation on shabis. Try to stop the buses on Bedford Ave or 13th ave.
5. The entire chassidus us kept together with this one single issue. Its like “crazy glue” – anti zionism. Satmar ‘idealism’ are as extinct as the kibbutz in Israel. They stand for nothing.
6. If the 2 brothers ever made peace, then they each would be left with no chassidim. Each one only has chassidim because they hate the other Rebbe.
I thought that Purim was next month !
Stop it already!
This trip was scheduled way before Bibi called for elections and is for the wedding of rav Zalmen’s granddaughter.
It’s a co-incidence that elections are in the same time and being so, rav Zalmen is expected to speak out about it.
It’s so nice to see authentic Judaism.
Chillul Hashem at its best. This will hurt the religious not the chilonim. Adults acting like 2nd graders.
People should review Ezra and Nechemya – study what the conditions were as they were beginning to rebuild Bayis Shaini. And, sadly, we need to review the issues that destroyed Bayis Shaini – MACHLOKES! Read our own history. When we stand together, no one can destroy us. It is ironic that all the nations understand that Israel is a Jewish state! Only we can’t seem to comprehend this.
Please, spend your time and dollars supporting Klal Yisroel. We are one people, anyone trying to divide us, destroys us.
The airline tickets, even if they are Turkish Air, will include a hefty airport tax charged by Ben Gurion Airport. Besides that, these hundreds of Satmar visiting here will give our economy a great boast. Think of all the secular taxi drivers, gift shops, etc that will be making money off them. Even the wedding hall, which no doubt will be charging VAT, will be bringing much needed shekalim to the Israeli treasury. I think it’s wonderful that he’s coming and helping out the Zionist cause. Maybe next time he’ll bring his brother.
Fur hat, fur cuffs on his coat, fur lapel……..I am assuming that the Rebbe is NOT a card carrying member of PETA.
2 facts about this trip are missing:-
1) is the Satmar Rebbe’s wife A.K.A. the grandmother of the bride, also traveling? & if so:- Did she fly with the Rebbe? or is she flying on a separate flight exclusively for women?
2) Is the Rebbe being Mesader Kiddushin? or does the Mesader Kiddushin by Israeli law, have to be certified by the local Rabbinate?
Where does it say that creating a jewish state is any worse than machlokes?? We are living in such a fake world, rebbes are not showing the right examples.
1) This man would sooner give money to Turks who hate Jews than to a Jewish owned airline;
2) He goes to Israel to sow discord rather than seek peace.
That says it all about him and his followers. Just as he can’t make peace with his own brother, he seeks to sow the seeds of hate and discord amongst other Jews. No wonder Moshiach has not yet arrived.
I remember in June,1965, when Rabbi Teitlebaum (the father of the present Satmar Rebbe), traveled to EY via ship. He took the Queen Elizabeth to Southhampton, England, and from there took another ship to EY. At that time, there were also thousands of his followers, who came to the pier to see him off. There was coverage of that event in the NY Daily News.
I am sorry, I can’t understand the objective.
Which candidate is he trying to support?
Or that frum should not vote at all in the elections, only the non frum people should effect the tide of things in Israel?
Are the frum Jews in Israel frum if they vote? Then why spend time on them?
The real question is one chabad brought up 50 years ago. Does the government of Israel in deed protect the lives on millions of Jews? If so is pulling down the government equivalent to murder?
so much cash, what a baal tashchis. I will fly IranAir next time I need a way to israel ill just get off in syria and grab a bus
I hope Reb Aron shows up to his Grand niece’s wedding. At least for the shmorg.
Do you think this is a coincidence? The elections were scheduled for the week of this wedding because Bibi wants less chareidim to vote. He knew that while the Satmarer Rebbe is here, no religious person will dare vote. Then he will have a majority without the chareidim and he won’t be forced by Aguda/Degel to draft the chareidim.