New York – Wednesday night’s cold temperatures were no match for the scorching words of the Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Aron Teitelbaum, who hurled fireball after fireball at the New York State Department of Education during last night’s 74th annual commemoration of the Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum’s escape from the Nazi regime.
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The massive gathering was held at a warehouse in East Williamsburg and Rabbi Teitelbaum spared no words in his approximately 60 minute long address to the crowd, blasting Commissioner MaryEllen Elia for directives issued this week giving public schools the authority to decide if yeshivos were meeting the state mandated guidelines for providing a substantially equivalent secular education, as previously reported on VIN News (http://bit.ly/2TVRaEL).
Speaking passionately throughout the entire address, the Satmar Rebbe gave clear instructions to his followers to defy the DOE’s new orders, noting that the yeshiva system’s successes far outweigh those of the public schools and that the state has no right to intervene in the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of religion.
“If the commissioner of education wants to fix education in the State of New York, he can go to the public schools and fix the education being offered there,” thundered Rabbi Teitelbaum.
“We have been living here now for 70 years, which spans several generations and it is clear to see the results of our educational system versus theirs. We don’t produce killers and others who perpetuate violence. We don’t have drug dealers and thieves ,and our students are far more successful than public school graduates.”
Blazing ahead in a similar vein, the Satmar Rebbe said that the success of the yeshiva system has been historically proven.
“Look at their graduates versus ours,” continued Rabbi Teitelbaum. “Who is filling up the prisons and who is filling up the businesses and large commercial enterprises here in New York? Looking at the percentages, our graduates are making significantly greater contributions to the economy than theirs and that is why they have not interfered in our schools until now, even though they are spending $25,000 per year for every student in the public school, compared to the small amounts they spend transporting our students and on other small expenditures for our schools.”
Drawing parallels to the upcoming holiday of Chanukah, the Satmar Rebbe said that the unthinkable had happened with Commissioner Elia following in the ways of the Greeks who issued decrees prohibiting Jewish education.
“The Jewish nation will not bow or give in to the wicked, not even the commissioner of education,” said Rabbi Teitelbaum. “We will sacrifice and stand up for our very existence so that we can education our children and provide them with a Torah education. We have gone through many trials and tribulations for the sake of the holy Torah and now we will go out to war against the commissioner in every way, without any compromise or agreements.”
Rabbi Teitelbaum took the holiday theme one step further, taking aim at newly elected State Senator James Skoufis who blasted Kiryas Joel in his victory speech earlier this month. Without mentioning him directly by name, the Satmar Rebbe described Skoufis as a “wicked and evil man,” the biblical description accorded to Haman in the story of Purim.
Calling for unity among all Jewish groups in the face of the DOE rulings, Rabbi Teitelbaum said that the time had come to put aside small differences in order to achieve a common goal.
“We will not sit with folded hands,” said the Satmar Rebbe. “We will fight this war to preserve our rights to live according to our religion and with G-d’s help we will nullify this terrible decree and will not accede to the commission in any way.”
Listen to the full speech in Yiddish below:
No problem. Stop stealing our tax dollars then
I am not in much disagreement with much of what R’ Teitelbaum said. But I remain appalled at the role that political issues has taken. I would have expected that the gathering of so many thousands of Yidden at a chassidishe tish to commemorate the tzaaddik would have been focused on imparting messages about how to strengthen our avodas Hashem. The campaign about education might well have merit, but the microphone at a tish is not the venue to pursue this.
To Rabbi Teitelbaum, we don’t think the great and Holly Rabbi of Satmar the Divreh Yoel appreciates your speech on this matter and also trashing elected officials as you have done in front of thousands of members of your community. You have acted the same manner as the Zionist regime in Israel, except you were supposed to be different and are being HISGARO BEIMOS. We are living in a land of liberty and piece, therefore if we Jewish people have any problems with laws that effect our ways and religion, we were thought by the great Rabbi Yoel of Satmar Z”TL to do it in a peaceful way and not acting as you are running the world . You have made the biggest Chilul Hasem of the century. We ask from you to apologize to the official you trashed in a unJewish manner. As far as the education problem you always can sit down with the authorities and explain to them where we find it unlawful of them mixing in our education. You don’t have to bash their education for that purpose.
The Rebbe Sliteh forgot to mention that app. 80% of his follower in Wili and BP are on Welfare,Section8,Food Stamp, Medicaid etc.
I met the Rebbe a couple time and have no issues with him. However, I am curious, did he mention in his speech that “The Hasidic Village Kiryas Joel Poorest municipality In US”? What does he make of that? Also, How can one compare a population 100 times (at least) bigger to another?
Tens of thousands of Torah observant Jews thank the almighty for this day.
The rescue of the Satmar Rebbe is the rescue of the entire Klal Yisroel!
The Satmar Rebbe brought to America and to worldwide Jewry authentic Judaism.To follow the Torah as we always did without any negotiations.Tens of thousands of Jews even those who wont admit are real Frum becuase of his influence.
We would of been American Jews and because of him we are Jews who live in America.
The Rebbe lectured about the danger of Zionism and how having a Jewish state before the coming of Moshiach is the biggest sin its a rebellion against Hashem just as the the golden calf. His opinion was just as all real previous Gedolim had.
Part 2:
The Satmar Rebbe was an example in Mitzvos sh’bein Adam Lechavero.Giving Tzedakah and Bikur Cholim to any jew no matter if that Jew was his Chassid or enemy,Zionist or not. The biggest Tzedakah is given today by worldwide Satmar Chasidim.
Plenty of frum people fill the white collar, low security jails. for financial crimes.The rebbe also failed to mention the high use of section 8, food stamps, medicaid etc. among the chassidish.
he’s right the leftist democrat run public schools produce criminals
Part 3:
In a tiny nutshell about the Satmar Rebbe rescue:
He was rescued on the train that was called the Kastner transport.Thanks to concerned Jews who paid the Nazis a huge sum. Documents show that if not for the Satmar Rebbe this transport would of gotten to Auschwitz.
The idea that the Nazis can be bought with money was the brainstorm of the great Tzadik Rabbi Weissmandl and he passed it on to the Orthodox Kehila in Budapest.
The Zionist activist found out so they maneuvered to take over the negotiations. Eichman YM’S writes that he loved dealing with Kastner he was an ice cold person.
We need to remember an important factor:
The Rebbe was a staunch anti Zionist and he was the last person they wanted on the train.The Zionist establishment in Hungary hated the Rebbe as much as the Nazis hated the Jews in general.
The news article is just a sample of the powerful speech the Rebbe gave.
It leaves out much, including his clear explanation of the issues regarding education, how he sees Yeshivah educations fulfilling the of the “secular” education guidelines. It also leaves out his “call to arms” for political and legal opposition to the new education directives and enforcement, to use political influence with the Democrats who “run the State of New York” and most of all, to create an alliance with other Jewish groups to present a more unified political force. Will it happen? We will see.
Never thought I would be saying this about the Satmar Rebbe: He’s right and good on him and more power to him.
The public school system has failed big time and the govt is no position to preach to others on how to educate.
Please remember, dear commentators, that Germany was the most civlized, highest educated, most sophisticated society of all time, and they produced the Holocaust.
We Jews have been around for 3,500 years not because of secular education, but despite it. The Satmar Rebbe is right to invoke Chanukah, when there was a huge push towards Hellinization by other Jews, not only the Greek-Syrian Govt.
As much as I disagree with Satmar on just about everything, I do admire this move by the Rebbe on his bid for religious freedom for his community. More power to him.
Neither Zionism nor anti-Zionism is responsible for the existence of Klal Yisroel today. Proclaiming either one is laughable. Regardless of which opinion you believe, the ultimate kiyum of Klal Yisroel today is the adherence to Torah and mitzvos. Yes, the chesed exemplified by Satmar chassidim is a large piece, but this is, by dictate of the Satmar Rov ZT”L himself, independent of the anti-Zionist shittah. The abandonment of the focus on being better Yidden, better Ovdei Hashem, better baalei chesed is a sinful direction for asifos and tishen. That is as much the work of the Yetzer Horah as the medina (as per the Satmar Rov’s shittah). We are getting bogged down in trivia. We have many hundreds of kids today leaving shmiras Torah and mitzvos, marriages crumbling, yeshivos throwing kids out onto the street, but we are obsessed with Zionism. This is a breach of our Naaseh Venishmah affirmation. How silly, childish, and destructive.
I love this liberal comments section.
#1- we pay taxes why should we not get tax money for our schools ( plus we get almost nothing)
Also to all those saying so many people get food stamps etc… 1 please find a source to back up your claim 2 – we do not get the 25k per child everyone else gets, so even if we have a slightly higher percentage in benefits, we still come up short handed.
All you haters should hang your head and Shame. You comentators always find something to criticize about. But this but that…… These are true words spoken. You have no respect for great Torah schollars. You all aught to ask the Rebbe before mechila, at least sometime before Rosh Hashana!! It’s people like you who are the ones that destroy the chosen people.
The Ayatollah has spoken! Sorry, but that is what his diatribe sounds like. There is no reason all children are not provided with an adequate secular education in the 21st century. Anything less is child abuse. I don’t know, but when I look around, all I see is chassidhe kids who have no interest in being chassidish. Enough with this nonsense! You could never do this in Europe. Everyone had a secular education. It is my hope they lose in a big way.
I just want to point out what I believe is the important issue at hand. Chasidish boys currently in the schools deserve to be given a proper education. They deserve to be taught how to communicate, write, read, etc Their education is currently being neglected with the schools and rabbis shouting “religious freedom”. What if they refused modern medical care with the same argument? (just like some cults do) At what point do you say, F### your religious freedom..these kids deserve to be offered basic tools that may help them in the future. You want to expose children to various ideas as they’re growing and developing because you never know which one of those ideas will stick with them ..and provide them with a huge advantage in life.
Why does the holocaust always have to come up??? My grandparents went to auschwitz too. Hard to comprehend how humans are capable of such evil. But now we’re here… and these kids deserve a chance in life and a proper education.
Many posters refer to NY spending 25G per child on education. This figure is not correct. The 25G is an average including the very high costs per child in special ed. Those kids in Satmar that need special ed still get it at cost to NYC.
By the way, there are frum special ed schools and armies of frum therapists and aides.
The Rabbi and his followers, and the VIN posters have never set foot in a public school, except maybe to vote. They spew hate and racism. Are those Toira values? Public schools take EVERYONE. I’ve read on VIN many times how parents go begging from one yeshiva to another and can’t get in or can’t afford it. And how many graduates can’t earn a living or don’t want to. What’s the excuse? Satmar contribution to America is virtually ZERO. Especially compared to the successes of U.S. public school Jews in every field here.
James Skoufis responded on his Facebook page with below message:
“Wicked and evil” is how the Village of Kiryas Joel’s supreme leader described me to a crowd that numbered in the many thousands last night. I guess he’s still rankled that my campaign was able to easily overcome his bloc vote this past election.
Putting aside the abhorrent, disgraceful nature of his comments, these remarks are dangerous. Is Rebbe Teitelbaum trying to elicit violence?
Here’s what I do know: I will not be intimidated or bullied as I continue to ensure every community, including Kiryas Joel, follows the law and plays by the same rules. Period.
I actually AGREE with the holy man.
Well the Rabbi opened up a can worms by indirectly trashing an elected official, there will be terrible repercussions..
As someone in the know, the Rabbi is totally mistaken here, Sen. elect James Skoufis had not been the man to support the education bill, not sure why he mixed linked James in into this.
Good for Satmar for standing up for what’s right and what they believe in. Jewish education is the foundation of our lives, which is why religious people CHOOSE to pay tuition and provide their children with the values that are integral for Jewish survival. I can’t think of a more opportune time to speak out against the changes in education laws than at a public gathering. The parallel with the hellinistic views of the Chanukah story and the laws against religious education are striking. This interference into judaism’s Core values must be stopped now
All this after telling his chassidim too vote democrat in every election. Sorry but it’s too late now. I’d like to point out that this happened after the state senate turned all democrat.
The Rebbes schools are purposely graduating students,, 99% who cannot speak or write in English and are unable to hold meaningful jobs that can support their families. This keeps their flock unable to access high paying jobs in the public sector. The Rebbe is flaunting the law which says all schools must meet minimum educational standards. Does the Rebbe feel he is above the law? Yet, he and other leaders have no compunction about taking Federal and State money for busing and other needs. The majority of public schools students are literate, can read and write English which is the language of this country, do high math, understand science, history and other basic subjects which are crucial to being a productive citizen of the country they live in the USA. The USA has been welcoming to people of all religions, nationalities. If you object to the laws of this country, either move somewhere else, or stop taking tax dollars, That’s what the Amish do.
now its too late to speak out. This speech should of been given to help the republicans win the ny assembly. Now is too late unless he will make sure every frum jew votes for Trump 2020 You support the democrats you have to realize they will force you to teach evolutuion and same gender propaganda.
I’ll tell you all the truth that I hadn’t read yet all other comments of my fellow VIN commentators. though, the ones I did read raised my eye-brows, why are there even a few of our orthodox community who are against any פעולות that are done in great favor of our future דור, aren’t they praying for there children and grandchildren that they should be מצליח בתורה ויראת שמים, and for the honesty of their עבודת השם they would have kissed the toes of these holy צדיקים who fight with all their might against those who want to be מחבל את כרם ה ר”ל. in my humble opinion I think that this is the biggest חילול ה’ ever…..
Such darkness from both sides of this argument. Be very wary of others reading your words.They may come back to haunt you. Just remember that education is not about what is taught, rather it is about what is learned. It would seem that many have lost focus on what is truly important – tznius both in thought, speech and action.
What sort of reasoning is this? Jewish school are for some reason supposed to be the last ones held to minimal standards? This is silly.
His schools are not teaching children the basic things that everyone should know— math, English, science. As a result, his community lives on handouts. If he wants to denounce the state in passionate speeches, he should have the integrity to stop taking their money.
The Satmar war against education is an old story.
They are worried that if their followers ever do get an education they will be left without followers and the Rebbe and his minions may have to actually work for a living.
The greatest tragedy is that the Satmar people actually believe that what they are practicing is real authentic Judaism (it is in fact a grand costume carnival and doesn’t even resemble Judaism!), so when they leave they leave it all.
Rahmanut!!
I tell the story of the principal of Bais yaakov, complaining about RE tax bill in Sullivan County Town of Thompson. They responded, ” do you know we spend $24,000 per student. He replied, I have over 2,000 girls in my school. 99.1% graduate on time. 99.8 % never get pregnant while in school. 67% go on to higher education or in medical related fields. It costs us only $5,700 per student. End of conversation.
while Reb Aron is correct, it is the power of the purse that they understand. years ago, I forget whom, with similar disputes went to the BOE, and said” If you do not like how we do things we can just enroll 23,500 of our students in YOUR public schools.
The Board of Ed. stated well that would cost us over $660,000,000. End of conversation