"Do you see the Rebbe ?"

The Satmarer Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum


B"H

"Do you see the Rebbe ?"

This was the most popular question at the Tish of the Satmarer Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum in Bnei Brak last Erev Shabbat.

But first, a few short details about the history of Chassidut Satmar:

Today, unfortunately, Satmar is divided into two groups. One group follows Rebbe Zalman Leib Teitelbaum and the other half follows his brother, Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum. Rebbe Zalman Leib has his headquarter in Williamsburgh / NY whereas Rebbe Aharon rules in Kiryat Yoel (a Satmar town near New York). The two groups living in New York sometimes face clashes with each other. The Chassidim of the two different Rebbes in Israel, however, get along without fighting each other although in Jerusalem, there are two different Satmarer Synagogues.


More details here:

A View Insights into Chassidut Satmar


Due to a wedding celebration, the Satmarer Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum came to Israel last week. As Satmar is extremely anti – Zionist, Rebbe Aharon has never prayed at the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem but only on Mount Scopus facing the Kotel. His reason is that it was the Zionist army freeing the Kotel in 1967 but not G – d.

I am not sure if the news that the Satmarer Rebbe is coming to Bnei Brak was so widely spread. Probably among Haredim but not too much in the secular press. Or even not at all.
As you can surely imagine the Satmarer Rebbes wouldn't meet with Israeli politicians or give interviews to the Zionist press. However, I got the information from two different Chassidim (Vishnitz and Karlin – Stolin).

Some people may ask if I am having a special connection to Satmar. The answer is: "Sometimes definitely".
Years ago, I was close to some Satmarer families in Mea Shearim and this has left a small influence. Not the anti – Zionist ideas but definitely further ideologies. However, when I knew theses families, the previous Rebbe, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, was still alive and I couldn't imagine Satmar being split.

Those who don't know Israel too well:
Bnei Brak is an almost entirely haredi town near Tel Aviv. In some areas you can still find some secular as well as the national religious; if you walk up the main road Rabbi Akivah and turn into the streets Rashi, Chazon Ish or Kahaneman, you will find an almost entirely chassidic population. Let alone Kiryat Vishnitz, on top of Chazon Ish and then all the way up to the right. I walked all the way from Tel Aviv, passed Ramat Gan and then entered Bnei Brak. As I arrived quite early, I enjoyed my walk through Rashi where the Chabad Synagogue is located. Right next to Rashi Street, you can find the Shomrei Emunim Synagogue. Parallel is the Chazon Ish with Seret – Vishnitz, Dushinsky, Bobov, Ashlag and some further synagogues. When you are in the middle of the Chazon Ish, turn to your left and you will see Kiryat Yoel with its Satmar population. It is easy to find when you know some Satmarer Rebbes and literature. The main road leading into Kiryat Yoel is Yismach Moshe Street.

Because I was early, I decided to rest on a bench or somewhere. Well, just sitting on one of the benches as a woman might give a wrong impression and therefore I went up Chazon Ish where there is a huge playground with benches and some trees. It is nice to sit there where you can find other women as well watching their kids playing. The good thing about Bnei Brak is that you don't see any Christians walking around on Erev Shabbat. The town has enough of Christian missionaries looking evily for victims; even for little children. And thus, Bnei Brak has developed its own laws how to deal with missionaries.

I have to admit that I fell asleep on the bench, but only briefly. Then I decided to make my way to Satmar. Just before I would fall asleep again.

I had no idea in which synagogue the Rebbe would give his Tish and at what time he is supposed to start. I would ask and find out. Nevertheless, when I walked up the Yismach Moshe, I saw a great synagogue (I already knew from before) with shining light on the front wall. There were posters all over Kiryat Yoel welcoming the Rebbe. I have to add that Bnei Brak is full of the followers of Rebbe Aharon whereas his brothers followers are mostly located in Mea Shearim.

About a hundered Chassidim had already gathered in front of the synagogue and some women stood at the side. I went up to the women and asked if there is an Ezrat Nashim (women's section) at the Tish. I think that they were rather surprised when someone like me came and wanted to see their Rebbe. The women were all dressed up and wore their traditional Tichel (hanky) on top of their wigs. Those women I spoke to were extremely friendly and welcoming. They told me to hurry, as the place was already packed.



Satmar women in New York


Generally I got the impression that the Satmarer in Bnei Brak are much more open then in Mea Shearim. Is this a little influence from Tel Aviv ?

That night, all Satmarer women were helpful and very easy to talk to. The Ezrat Nashim was on the back of the building and we climbed up lots of stairs. First, I ended up entering a little tiny dark room (like a storage room) where some women and kids anxiously looked through the wooden Mechitzah. "Do you see him, do you see the Rebbe ?" were all of them asking each other. I inquired if this is he only Ezrat Nashim and was already shocked. "No, no, they said, just go upstairs and you will find more".

Generally, the whole synagogue was not built for a Satmarer Tish and doesn't have any capacities. And when is the Rebbe coming from America at all ? Not too many times.
When you go to Belz or the Toldot Aharon in Jerusalem, there are capacities but Satmar in Bnei Brak was basically overrun.

I entered the second Ezrat Nashim. A big one consisting of two rooms. One room in the back was so crowded that you couldn't even enter it. There was no way in getting in. I stayed in the front room where girls and women had already taken their position behind the wooden Mechitzah. Standing, hanging, whatever you want. If you wanted to look down into the men's section, you had to make a real sportive effort.

To my great surprise, I found a free spot. How could that be ? Luck ? I looked down into the men's section and I cannot describe my impression. The whole synagogue was full of mostly Satmarer Chassidim. There was nothing else to see anymore. Not even one piece of floor.
It was like a full sea consisting of Streimels and Bekishe (shiny black chassidic coat for Shabbat and festivals). The view was impressing and I have never seen such a thing before although I have been to many Tishes. But this was just unbelievable.

The negative point was that from my position, I couldn't see the stage which was set up for the Rebbe. Everyone was standing on the benches and even on the top layer of the bench; there where people lay their books while sitting on the bench.
I moved to the side and stood on a bench behind two women and some teenage girls. The stage was directly underneath but we couldn't really see it. We were all moving to the right and the left but only saw the huge room full of Chassidim which was already incredible. The men couldn't move either. If someone dared to, the whole group around him had to move with him. They all seemed to hang together like clusters. I just wondered what would happen if someone had to go to the bathroom.

Everyone was anxiously waiting for the Rebbe to enter and, from time to time, the Chassidim made a loud "Sssshhhh" in order to get some silence into the room. The women were climbing on top of each other and whoever entered after 9pm, didn't have a chance. As far as I saw, I was one of the only real outsiders. The men's section was full of Satmarer and some other Chassidim. There was no sign of national religious or anyone else. The same at the Ezrat Nashim. Only haredi women and girls.

Then the Rebbe walked in and the men seated near the large table in the middle stood up. The Chassidim immediately began to sing. The women's Mechitzot (separation walls to the men's side) were moving all over the place and ours fell apart. Everyone was just climbing all over the place in order to see the Rebbe.
Me and another girl lifted up the Mechitzah piece which hadn't totally fallen down but was severly out of its place now. No problem, no one seemed to care. The men only stared at the Rebbe and no one noticed any broken Mechitzot. I was almost squeezed over the bench and had to hold on to the Mechitzah which didn't really exist anymore. One girl next to me put her head over the entire Mechitzah and saw everything.

When some women kept on stepping on my feet, I decided to do it just like the girl. Stand on the wooden board on top of the bench. Don't worry, I didn't step on any books !

The door swung open and many Satmarer women turned around. Wow, some Toldot Aharon women, mostly dressed in their traditional white aprons, marched in. They looked like an army and immediately stormed to the Mechitzah in order to take a look at the Satmarer Rebbe. I knew one of the Toldot Aharon women and she spotted me out right away.
"Your Rebbe is in Boro Park", I said.
"Oh, you are really into all this", she replied with a smile.
She climbed up beside me but couldn't see anything. Then she disappeared and hopefull I will see her at the next Toldot Aharon Tish where we can discuss our Satmarer experience.

The Rebbe started his Kiddush (blessing over the wine).
I saw his hand holding the cup.
Well, this was something.
"Do you see the Rebbe from your position ?" Some of the women asked.
I was stupid to say YES because at the same moment, all of them jumped into my position on the very top of the bench and I was squeezed in again.
However, I finally saw the Rebbe washing his hands and eating his Challah. Some Challah was divided among the Chassidim.
Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum really takes his time and while he was eating his Challah, the Chassidim were silent and watching him.

I could see the Rebbe who was only a few meters below. He wore a white coat and a Streimel. I cannot help it but he made a real royal impression on me. Not that I am too much into the zaddik ideology, however, there was something in his way of sitting there.



Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum in his white coat (caftan).

He somehow reflected royalty and Kavod (honour).
It was extremely hard for me to stand on top of the bench and leaning over. I was right on the edge.
Some Russian Gentiles working at the synagogue walked into the Ezrat Nashim and brought in some boxes of mineral water. A welcomed gesture, as we were all thirsty and dried out.

I couldn't manage anymore and decided to leave. I had seen the Rebbe but it was just too crowded for me. Usually I don't mind being squeezed in but this was just too much. If I had stayed longer I should have either cut off half of my feet or learned how to fly. I climbed down and the girl next to me said that I just cannot leave now. I told her that I would and she couldn't believe it. I would have really loved to stay until the end. Afterwards I regretted my decision.
I had a few drinks and went to the Nadvorna Tish up Chazon Ish Street.
Outside the Satmar Synagogue was chaos. Some Toldot Aharon Chassidim had arrived and others stood in front of the synagogue but there was no entrance anymore. The only solution is that the Satmarer Rebbes have to come to Israel more often.

I arrived at Nadvorna and there it was crowded but, as the Ezrat Nashim is as almost as huge as in Belz, there was enough place to get a good place behind the Mechitzah. Still under the impression of the amazing view and seeing Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum, I wasn't able to concentrate on the Nadvorna Tish anymore. Suddenly someone from Satmar walked in. It may have been Rebbe Aharon's son or someone else. In Nadvorna, the Chassidim were happy to see him. The Rebbe shook the guys hand and offered him a seat at the top of the Tish.

Also here, I didn't stay until the end and walked back to Tel Aviv. Quite a walk and I was totally finished that on the next day, I only woke up at 10am.

Nevertheless, it was a great experience !