Tens of thousands of Chasidic Jews gathered outside the Israeli Consulate on Second Avenue in Manhattan on Sunday to protest the Israeli government’s plan to draft yeshiva students into the army. The event marks a rare show of unity between the rival Satmar factions led by brothers Reb Aharon Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Joel and the Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg, Reb Zalman Leib Teitelbaum.
The rally comes just weeks after a anti-draft asifa in Lakewood, New Jersey, led by prominent roshei yeshiva, and attended by a few thousand people.
It is the first time since 2013 that both Satmar factions appear together at a joint demonstration against the Israeli government. The last such rally, held that year in Foley Square, drew tens of thousands in opposition to similar draft proposals.
Organizers said the timing of the Manhattan rally reflects a longstanding Satmar policy not to hold public protests against Israel while the country is at war. With fighting in Gaza now paused following the ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump, they said the time has come to voice their opposition to the gezeiras hagiyus — the decree of conscription.
The planned demonstration follows months of debate in Israel’s Knesset over how to implement the Supreme Court’s ruling that the decades-long exemption for Charedi men from military service must end. Many Charedi leaders view the draft decree as an existential threat to their religious way of life. The Knesset is expected to resume debate on the matter in the coming weeks.
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8 Responses
This is a massive Kiddush Sheim Shmayim. The Yidden in Eretz Yisroel profusely thank all the Yidden in Chutz L’aretz who publicly stood by their brother in Eretz HaKodesh today in solidarity with Bnei Torah the world over.
What a massive chillul Hashem. First they bring the anti semite Mamzerani into their Sukkah and now this. What a Shanda. Shame on them.
Really? Do the goyim have to see this? What would the Baal Shem Tov say? Chassidim don’t carry on like this in public. Shameful.
It is such a kiddush Hashem when two brothers whose sinas chinam is such that they refuse to attend each others family and communal simchas, can come together to declare their sinas chinom for all of Klal Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel.
Wishing you people יום-העצמאות שמח
They didn’t take from the state so all those phonies can’t explain why they’re a draft target as well. Because they want torah to be destroyed
never a rally for the hostages
never a rally against hamas terrorists
never an achdus rally nor an attempt to bridge divisions in klal yisroel
the mamdani hosts are really good at empowering sonei yisroel embarassing themselves before the world
must be an al chayt to cover their behaviour
They have no business publicly criticizing the State of Israel!!!