The Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok Rebbe, Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Kohn. Photo courtesy of theyeshivaworld.com
In Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, followers of Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Kohn, known as the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok Rebbe, and his brother, Rabbi Dovid Kohn, Toldos Aharon Rebbe, are among those responsible for religiously-motivated vigilante attacks on women, and violent protests against chillul Shabbos (Sabbath desecration) that shocked the Jewish world several months ago.
The two rabbis are crisscrossing the New York-New Jersey region this week seeking funds for their communities with stops scheduled in Flatbush, Monsey, Lakewood and the Five Towns. The Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok Rebbe plans to visit Congregation Shaaray Tefilah and a private home in Lawrence this Shabbos, which has drawn the attention and ire of several well-read Jewish bloggers.
One, DovBear, wrote, “[Although] as supreme ruler of their chasidim, [the two] have the power to shut down the violence in an instant, both have steadfastly refused to do so. Instead they teach hate, and look the other way when their chasidim act on their lessons. Moreover, both are leaders of the strongly anti-Zionist Edah HaChareidis.”
Attempting to call readers to action, the blogger added, “if you find it outrageous that Lawrence is playing host to [a] man who disparages and disdains their values, and helping him raise funds, I encourage you to call the shul, and to politely ask why they are giving aid and assistance to this man, and supporting the chillul Hashem that occurs, and continues to occur under his watch.”
Rabbi Dovid Weinberger, rav of Shaaray Tefila, defended the rebbe and the invitation.
“I will tell you that I’ve done my homework very cautiously in Israel with people that I trust and I think I have a very clear picture of who this man is,” he said, and it’s not what critics of the visit are saying.
“Neturei Karta, of which they are officially members, are lumped together — nobody knows the difference — and you’ve got to sift it out.”
It’s true that Rabbi Kohn is an anti-Zionist, Rabbi Weinberger acknowledged, and that some of his followers violently protested the arrest of allegedly abusive mother, and the opening of a parking lot in Jerusalem on Shabbos, but, “I don’t think he has the ability to stop” the protests.
“Are there some of his members who maybe go? Could be. But he’s opposed to it,” Rabbi Weinberger stated. “He’s a very peaceful person and he has tremendous ahavas yisroel (love for the Jewish people).”
To underscore his point, Rabbi Weinberger said that during Rabbi Kohn’s visit to Lawrence this Shabbos, four IDF soldiers were also scheduled to speak at Shaaray Tefila, and he wanted to bring them to the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok gathering, as well.
“I didn’t want to do anything to upset the rebbe. I didn’t want to bring them down without out permission. It’s all I need to create a stir with the chassidim and the soldiers in uniform. So I called and I asked. The response I got was, ‘Please bring them, the rebbe would be very happy and would greet them accordingly.’ Which is what is going to happen,” he said.
Rabbi Hershel Billet of the Young Israel of Woodmere criticized the nature of the visit.
“These are very difficult economic times. Why are we entertaining rebbes when should we be spending the greatest bulk of any public fundraising for the Community Assistance Fund and the Eliezer project?” he asked. Both charities, the Community Assistance Fund and The Eliezer Project, aid local residents. “We shouldn’t be hosting rebbes at this particular moment in time. We have a lot of people who are out of work and can’t put food on the table.”
Rabbi Billet said he was unaware of the allegations against the Rebbe and cautioned a distinction between the Rebbe and his followers.
“I wouldn’t ostracize a person for his followers,” but he added, “I also think that a person should publicly condemn the activities — if the rebbe denies that he advocates it, then he should publicly condemn it.”
Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Kohn is being hosted by Dr. and Mrs. Fred Marton of Lawrence. This was to have been his second time in the community, however last year’s scheduled visit was canceled abruptly after the rebbe’s son-in-law was tragically murdered in the terrorist attack at the Chabad House in Mumbai, India.
To all you ignorant souls out there its about time you learnt some facts. The toldos avraham yitschok rebbe was the closest disciple of the imrei chaim from vishnitz. The Imrei Chaim was the most pro zionist leader of all times by the chassidim. His gabbai Rabbi Mozez is today a member in the knesset under the UTJ party. The TAY Rebbe never succeded his father since he never followed his fathers extreme views. He therefore opened up a new group with a new name with complete different views.
Never Ever has a tay chossid ever lifted up his hand against any person in bet shemesh. The Blogger calls his followers Thugs. I challenge you to name me one person from this following who ever was charged with thuggery or was ever involoved in this kind of behaviour. On the contary the rebbe continously promotes peace and is constantly preaching acceptance and love for fellow jews no matter what theier affiliation may be. He actually condemmed all of the violence many times!!!!!
For a long time the flow of money in the orthodox world has been from the more modern to the more chareidi elements. At the same time, the influence has flowed in the opposite direction. This has long grated on some in the modern orthodox world who feel that those they fund treat their values, lifestyles, and rabbinical leaders with contempt. That is the main issue in the 5 Towns controversy about Shaaray Tefila’s sponsorship of a visit by the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok Rebbe, Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Kohn. The complaints about draining money away from local charity are also of concern, but would not generate the same passionate attack if the beneficiary was Bar-Ilan University.
The Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok hassidim present an extreme case of the asymetrical relationship. On the one hand, these hassidim and the Toldos Aharon chassidim (a group led by Rabbi Cohen’s brother) harbored the mother who was starving her child. These groups apparently ignored a reality that went on a while. The Israeli social service sector detected the problem, and brought the child to Hadassah Hospital where the child was nursed back to health. But the mother returned to the hospital and yanked out a feeding tube. This was documented on video. Whatever her motives and mental status, she is clearly unfit as a mother. Any responsible system must protect that child and take measures to contain the mother’s behavior. Instead several Israeli chareidi groups made very hostile and violent attacks on Hadassah. As is their wont, they threw out the epithet Nazi. They seemed to imply that Hadassah was a dangerous place. Naturally, when their leaders need the best of medical care they continue to go to Hadassah, not Sharay Tzedek, a hospital under orthodox auspices. In effect they take the service but assert religious and moral superiority. Mind you this is not to uphold various Jewish values. But to uphold their reputations as caretakers of their children even when they let a child starve in their midst. Perhaps their greatest sin is their complete violation of the obligation of hakaros hatov, acknowledging and repaying the kindness. At a minimum, Shaaray Tefila ought to expect hakaros hatov from its guests. The Rebbe should be thanking Hadassah for saving a child’s life and thanking Shaaray Tefila’s congregants who contribute to Hadassah.
Rabbi Weinberg offers up a very dubious defense when he says,
It’s true . . . that some of his (Rabbi Kohn’s) followers violently protested the arrest of allegedly abusive mother, and the opening of a parking lot in Jerusalem on Shabbos, but, I don’t think he has the ability to stop (the protests). . . . . . .He’s a very peaceful person and he has tremendous ahavas yisroel (love for the Jewish people). . . . . . During Rabbi Kohn’s visit four IDF (Israel Defense Force) soldiers were also scheduled to speak . . . (and he wanted to bring them to the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok gathering). . . . . . The response I got was, ‘Please bring them, the rebbe would be very happy and would greet them accordingly.
I find this defense by Rabbi Weinberg a perfect illustration of the asymetric relationship. Why should a hosting synagogue need the permission of the visitor to allow 4 IDF soldiers to attend. Even more disturbing, is the disengenuous claim that Rabbi Kohn does not control his followers. Hassidic Rebbes are well known for the sanctions they impose on those of their chassidim who disobey directives. The sanctions can include denying them private access to the Rebbe, attendance at the tisch, or even the right to pray in their beis medrish. A perfect illustration was the notorious kugel pelting episode at Slonim last year. The Slonim chassididm were angry at Ger for supporting a non-chareidi candidate for Mayor of Jerusalem, against their choice, Meir Porush. When Ger’s MP, Yaacov Litzman went to the Slonim B’M for a simchah his streimel was yanked off and stomped, he was pushed around and he was pelted with kugel (potato I believe). The Slonim Rebbe declared to all the attackers, ‘no access to my tisch until you apologize directly, beg his forgiveness and receive it.’ And yes, his hassidim all turned on a lira, rethought their kugel philosophy and did their apologies. So how can Rabbi Weinberg claim that Rabbi Kohn doe not have the control his hassidim?” Instead Rabbi Weinberg should should take a page from the Chassidic minhag and bar Rabbi Kohn until he and his followers do their apologies to Hadassah, beg forgiveness and express gratitude for Hadassah’s health care.
At some point Shaarei Tefila must decide how much they believe in darkei shalom (ways of peace) hakaros hatov (acknowledging and repaying kindness) pikuach nefesh (saving lives) and honoring those who defend Israel’s citizens. If they believe all those things and want their youngters to absorb those values, they have to stop undermining their credibility by hosting the Toldos Avrohom Yitchok Rebbe and others of his ilk.
My personal experience with Toldos Avraham Yitzchak
In just a few short weeks we will be commemorating the first yarzheit of a number of special Jews who died Al Kiddush Hashem in the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India.
It was Thanksgiving Weekend 2008 and many of us were glued to CNN watching and praying as the Indian troops stormed the Chabad House in Mumbai still unaware that these Kedoshim had already been taken from us.
When the reality of the situation spread that Erev Shabbos, there was a true sense of mourning in klal Yisroel, yet at the same time a true sense of Achdus.
It did not matter if you were Lubavitch, Satmar, Kippah Seruga, Litvish or not even religious. Klal Yisroel was given a big potch on that Erev Rosh Chodesh Kislev, a time when we usually celebrate miracles. Unfortunately no miracles happened this time.
Among those killed was Rabbi Aryeh Leib Teitelbaum HY”D Son in Law of the Toldos Avraham Yitzchak Rebbe Shlita.
The following week I had to be in Yerushalayim for a Simcha with a number of other people from the Five Towns. After we finished our shabbos seudah, I suggested that we walk to the tish of The Toldos Avraham Yitzchak Rebbe in Meah Shearim. Coming from a Zionistic upbringing and having many ties to many Chassidish Rebbes, I never had any connection to the Toldos Avraham Chassidim. But that shabbos I felt for the Rebbe and his Mishpacha. I needed to be there with them. After all, the Rebbe had just lost a son in law and the avayilm who were sitting shiva would all be there at the tish. We all felt a need to give chizuk to this Rebbe and to be there with him in sorrow. Little did I know that we were not the only ones to feel this way.
When we got to the tish I cannot begin to tell you how welcome the Chassidim made us feel. I was in awe of the crowd that came to be there with the Rebbe. From the left to the right spectrums of Judaism, Ashkanazim and Sefardim, many with different hashkafos then the Chassidim, but that didn’t take away from the achdus and kovod hatorah that I saw and felt.
I realized that night the beauty of our religion, in that we have so many different ideas and hashkafos but unite in our tefila, and Miztvos Bain Adom L’chavaro. The intense mood of all us singing and crying at the same time is something I will never forget.
But what struck me even more was when I paid a shiva call to the house of the niftar on Sunday Morning and davened shachris there. I was looking at the seforim shrank of the niftar and there was a Divrei Yoel (written by the Satmar Rebbe ) sitting on the same shelf as Sefer Hatanya ( written by Rabbi Shneur Zalman , the first Lubavitcher Rebbe ) I was so struck that just like the seforim were together on the same shelf all these kedoishim from all walks of life were niftar together at a Chabad House which ultimately brought klal Yisroel together for that one shabbos.
There will always be trouble makers in all walks of life and the majority of this rebbes supporters had nothing to do with the attacks on the Israeli police this past summer
As far as the financial crisis I absolutely agree with you but it is up to the vaad to make a takana that there should be no outside fundraising untill this economy turns around.Untill that time its open season as far as the fundraisers are concerned
So since the Rebbe is coming, I beleieve it is a time to put hashkofas aside while acknowledging the achdus of klal Yisroel and kavod hatorah and seeing the beauty of chassidus.
[...] comments in DovBear, Deiah Ve-Dibur, Failed Messiah and others. This morning I read an article in The Jewish Star, a Long Island Jewish newspaper which prompted me to express my reactions which I submitted to [...]
Is the Shaarei Tefila Congregation of Lawrence in any way considered to be the successor of Shaarei Tefila of Far Rockaway (Rabbi Rackman)?
Jay A Friedman
Ra’anana, Israel
Editor’s note: Yes (http://thejewishstar.wordpress.com/2008/12/03/breaking-news-rabbi-emanuel-rackman-ah-1910-2008/)
As a former participant in Shaarei Tfila (I was too young to be a member) and a disciple of Rabbi Emanuel Rackman z”l (One was never too young or too old to be a disciple of that revered mentor) I wish to register a strong protest at the invitation issued to a Jewish opponent of the Zionist movement and of the State of Israel.
How dare you compare an invitation to this person with the attendance of four Zahal soldiers who are our brothers? It is to chayalei Zahal that you should be giving honor.
I am the grandfather of three (female) soldiers currently serving in Zahal and my remaining granddaughters and grandsons will serve in Zahal as I did and as their parents did.
What Shaarei Tefila of Lawrence did is a chillul HaShem. You can sit in Lawrence and be “neutral” about the decades of the Religious Zionist struggle against Neturei Karta and Toldos Avraham. The fact is that it is WE who are defending the State of Israel and it is WE who are defending the Jewish people.
It’s not a hobby with us. It’s our hashkafa and we in Israel are performing mitzvoth and doing acts of kedusha. (Perhaps in your mind, it does not represent hashkofos and mitzvos and kedoishim and chasidus and misnagdus…)
It’s time for you to join us. Not has onlookers but as participants.
Jay A Friedman
Ra’anana ISRAEL
[...] was an article posted on VIN from the Jewish Star (which seems to be one of the better Jewish weeklies in the New York area) yesterday that was [...]