Historic: Longtime Rivals Satmar and Belz Make Peace

Arutz 7

A gathering of Belzer Chassidim on Sukkos.

A wave of excitement is gripping parts of the hareidi religious world as a historic reconciliation between the hassidic dynasties of Belz and Satmar is underway.

The Admor of Belz sent a delegation of ten dayanim (rabbinic judges), headed by his personal assistant, to the graves of Satmar Admorim, Baal Ha“Divrei Yoel” and Baal Ha“Berach Moshe,” at the Kiryas Yoel cemetery in New York City.

A security camera photograph of the delegation can be seen at the Vos iz Neias website.

The dayanim read chapters of Tehillim (Psalms) and lit candles for the souls of the Admorim, in the name of the Admor of Belz, Rav Yissachar Dov ben Miriam. “We are emissaries of our Rabbi Yissachar Dov Ben Miriam, we have come to ask forgiveness and pardon for what has hurt your dignity,” they said.

This request of forgiveness is expected to pave the way to the historic reconciliation between the dynasties. The Admor of Satmar is planning to visit Israel next month and a meeting between the two Admorim is expected.

A blog called Shearim explains that at the beginning of the 1980s, the Belz dynasty left the anti-Zionist Edah Charedit and joined Agudat Yisrael, which has a Knesset party that is now called “Yahadut HaTorah” and is run by the Gur, Vishnitz and Belz dynasties as well as “some litvishe Rabbis.”

“The Edah went wild because they considered the Belzer as [a] traitor who ran over to Zionism” and agreed to take part in the State of Israel. “A war took place between Satmar, the Toldot Aharon and Belz.”

However, today the Vishnitzer Rebbe Moshe Yehoshua Hager has four daughters. “One daughter is married to the present Belzer Rebbe. Another daughter is married to the Satmarer Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum. The third daughter is married to the Skverer Rebbe of New Square and the fourth daughter is married to the Vishnitzer Rosh Yeshiva (Bnei Brak), Rabbi Ernster.”

“Lets thus have a look at the facts: The Belzer Rebbe as well as one of the two present Satmarer Rebbes, Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum, are related through their wives. Are they still enemies?”

24 Comments

  • yideh

    mechila, simcha, teshuva,
    halevai by all yidden to clear up these issues, then we can have time to help yidden who need it.
    moshiach NOW, AD MOSSAI

  • yoelish

    Kiryas Yoel is in Orange County, not New York City.

    the rift between satmar and belz goes back further to the start of the zionist state. though it reached new heights in the 80s.

  • nk

    The Belzer rebbe went to the Satmar rebbe for a bracha to have a son. Then after he had a son he spoke against satmar. thats the cause of the problem.

  • sounds like a king henry the eight type

    โ€œOne daughter is married to the present Belzer Rebbe. Another daughter is married to the Satmarer Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum. The third daughter is married to the Skverer Rebbe of New Square and the fourth daughter is married to the Vishnitzer Rosh Yeshiva (Bnei Brak), Rabbi Ernster.โ€

  • Motti Yehuda

    Its been goin on 4 32 yrs in 1980 Belz broke away from the hoongarish Eida Hachareidis, which is very anti Zionist then he join Ger & Viznitz & voting in Israeli elections, which satmar is with the eida hachareidis. That is how the whole thin started. Now after 32 yrs they want 2 come back.

  • Not Fully

    This peace is only with HALF of Satmar (Reb Arons group). However the other half (Reb Zalman Leibs group) do not accept this.

    Also: I understand to make peace is good. But still not sure why Belz had to ask MECHILA – for what? For creating their own Kehila? Whats wrong with that?! So they feel now that it was a mistake and asking forgiveness?!

  • Rebbes visited Chabad house

    to 4:

    didn’t the Rebbes of Satmar, when they travelled
    out of town, visit a Chabad house?

  • Milhouse

    #4, Now it’s our turn for what? To forgive Belz? We’ve been ready to do that from the beginning; but the ball is in their court. If they come to the ohel to ask the Rebbe’s mechila, we will be very glad to make peace with them; why is that even a question?

  • Yosef Mordechai

    2 #8 that is not true. Rav Zalman Leib is going 2 Yerushalayaim in 2 weeks 4 the Chasuna of Toldos Aron 2 the Yerushalyim Satmar Dayan son & will be meeting with the Belzer Rebbe & Reb Aron is going 2 weeks after that. So yes both r going. This is according 2 1 of the comments on VIN.

  • Lubavitcher Aroini

    Reb Aron shlita has been going out of his way to make peace with everyone (except the Zalim but that’s his business and not ours). He is on great terms with Chabad and was the sandak at a Chabad bris.

    Even R’ Zalman Leib’s faction has made peace with Chabad (their dumb Peerim seuda notwithstanding – that was narrishkeit and not sina).

  • Chaim Tovim

    A few comments:
    1. Now it’s time for Belz to ask forgiveness to Lubavitch for being disrespectful to the Rebbe.
    2. You can see the power of women here…

  • i have a peace plan

    they give us half of williamsburg, will denounce (anything whatever they say) then peace shall prevail, & maybe some corrupt politician can get a ride on this peace deal.

  • zalmi

    to 8 However the other half (Reb Zalman Leibs group) do not accept this.
    y is it like that i think they cant survive with out fighting

  • zishe

    to 11 it is not your turn they never fight with you they allways treid to be nice to you who dont remamber the old days williamsburg when satmer was fighting with you and beiz was trying to save you,

  • Sholom

    Let’s take it at face value, this is very good. They are making peace. May Hashem bentch all yidden. We need more unity. Sholom al Yisroel.

  • Milhouse

    Zishe (#19) don’t try fooling people. Do you think we don’t remember what Belz did at that infamous rally at Binyanei Haumah? The extreme chutzpah that they showed the Rebbe? We have no power and no right to forgive them until they go to the ohel and ask the Rebbe for his mechilah, as they did to the Satmerer Rebbe.

  • Milhouse

    Don’t forget that the Belzer hechsher is still under a cherem. As far as I know it was never lifted.

  • Peace to all

    About the Hechsher Belz uses the the Satmar shechita from Kiryas Yoel for the last couple of year, there is a fanous picture where thier dian Rabbi akstien visits the satmar Rabbi Rav Aron in Monroe then the schita.Didnt a see pictures of Chabad Rabbis at the Satmar gethering at the armory in Crown Hights? Shalom to all