A significant debate has broken out in the American and wider Jewish community over the invitation of several ultra-anti-Israel or non-Zionist rebbes to an upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Six prominent rebbes were invited to the White House to a pre-Rosh Hashanah meeting with Trump on Thursday: the Skverer Rebbe, both Satmar rebbes (Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum and Rabbi Zalman Leib Teitelbaum), the Bobov-48 Rebbe, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey, and BMG Rosh Yeshiva Rav Malkiel Kotler, who is Litvish.
Both Satmar rebbes are explicitly anti-Zionist, as are the Skverer Rebbe and Kotler. The Vizhnitzer Rebbe is best described as traditional haredi (ultra-Orthodox) non-Zionist, and the Bobov-48 Rebbe can be best described as non-Zionist yet non-hostile in his stance.
According to original reporting by Belaaz, White House Jewish liaison Martin Marks personally placed the calls and worked on arranging the meeting for several months.
Belaaz also reported that each rebbe will enter alone and speak with Trump for around two minutes, followed by a potential roundtable.
Haredi draft is expected to be discussed with Trump
Some members of the delegation are expected to discuss various key issues affecting the ultra-Orthodox community with Trump, such as the haredi draft into the IDF.
It is this matter specifically that is sparking concern.
A source told The Jerusalem Post that the gathering is intended to exert pressure on Trump and Israeli decision-makers to support exemptions from military service for yeshiva students, and could include efforts to portray Israel’s enforcement of enlistment as antisemitic or anti-Jewish.
The source also said that the most vehemently anti-Israel rebbe of the group – Grand Rebbe of Satmar, Rabbi Aron Teitelbaum – is hoping to pressure Trump to make US support for Israel conditional on an exemption for yeshiva students.
Speaking at the Satmar Mesivta [Orthodox Jewish yeshiva secondary school for boys] in Kiryas Joel on Friday night, Rebbe Aharom said he originally planned to decline the invitation, but then remembered that “tens of thousands of Jews in Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel) are in distress because of the decree to draft yeshiva students.”
“We hope that we will be able to appeal to the president to help with this situation,” said the rebbe.
According to Belaaz, the Skverer Rebbe has already canceled and may send his older son in his place. The Bobov-48 Rebbe has reportedly also canceled and will possibly send a son. Similar rumors are circulating about the Satmar rebbes.
Journalist Laura Loomer also noted that these rebbes have frequently endorsed anti-Israel Democrat politicians, and some have expressed antipathy to Republican figures in the past.
In response to Loomer’s claims, Satmar HQ [of Kiryas Yoel] said, “Palm Tree/Kiryas Joel leadership has shown strong support for President Trump in both recent presidential elections, voting overwhelmingly in his favor – more than any other Jewish community in the nation.”
It added that “engaging in respectful dialogue about our community’s perspectives can foster better understanding and unity during these complex times.”
Trumpism antithetical to Judaism
In 2022, ahead of the US midterms, Reb Aharon said, “When we think of Trumpism, it’s so antithetical to Judaism, and it infiltrated our Jewish camp by a gang of hacks who raised their heads.” This is according to a translation from Rabbi Meyer Labin on X/Twitter.
He also previously condemned US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017, saying “We declare in the name of haredi Judaism: Jerusalem, the holy city, will not be the capital of the Zionist state, even if the president of the United States says it is.”
The invitation in general marks a shift from previous White House meetings with Jewish leaders. In the past, Trump has met with leaders focused on Israel support and combating antisemitism, not leaders who reject the existence of Israel as a state.
The source the Post spoke to said, “The president has been one of the greatest friends Israel has ever had; he should not allow people who fundamentally oppose Zionism and the State of Israel to use his friendship or his office as leverage against Israel.
“They [the anti-Israel rebbes] do not represent the millions of American Jews who love Israel and support the president.”