Disconnected from budgets and received compensation • Watch: Satmar pays

Managers and heads of religious institutions and yeshivos who abstain from government funds, gathered for the conference of "Chizuk Chinuch Hatahor", in which support for the amounts of millions of dollars was handed out to institutions declaring disengagement from the government budget. This is an initiative that was started by the Mohari"i Satmar Rebbe after his visit to the country last month of Shevat .

Some saw this as a pathetic attempt, but over time more and more educational institutions which realized that the government is heading for dramatic cuts in their budgets - joined the campaign labeled as 'Shekel Hatahor'. It should be noted that the new distribution is in addition to the old distribution of Keren Hatzalah, which distributes grants twice a year for support for Torah institutions, for the past 35 years.

The event was conducted by Rabbi Ephraim Stern, chairman of the Chessed organization 'Oneg Shabbos and Yom Tov', and was held in the 'Yitav Lev' hall on Ezras Torah Street in Jerusalem. The event was attended by heads of institutions from across the country: Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh, Ashdod, Haifa, Tifrach, Beer Sheva, Modi'in, Hevron, Zichron Yaakov and more.

The event was also attended by the Gab"d and all members of the Beis Din of the Eida Haredis, the Rebbe of Toldos Aharon, Rav of Satmar of Jerusalem Hgrh"tz Teitelbaum, the Rebbes of Bohosh and Tshakewa, Hagry"d Tortzin, Hagaon R' Moshe Kramer and Hgrm"a Sheinberger. The Rebbe of Dushinski who is staying in Tzfat for rest, sent his representatives, as well as the Skolan Rebbe who sent his son-in-law, Hagaon R' Berel Stern, head of Chessed Le'Avraham institutions, to attend the event.

The guest of honor at the event was Rabbi Yaakov Meir Schechter, leader of Breslev, who addressed the the greatness of the event and time. Rosh Yeshiva of Brisk Hagaon R' Meir Soloveitchik added a special greeting to those attending the event.

In a live broadcast from Williamsburg, the heads of institutions heard the words of the Rebbe, who thanked administrators who expressed courage to disconnect from the evil government, and the privilege to fulfill the desire of his uncle the Vayoel Moshe, the Satmar Rebbe zt"l. "Today everyone can see the rightness of my holy uncle," said the Rebbe who condemned the government budgets: "The Zionists' funds bring the greatest destruction."

At the end of the droshos, hundreds of heads of institutions came up and received the grant from Av Beis Din, who expressed the Satmar Rebbe's wish to hold and conduct a further distribution in half a year's time.

Photo: Moshe Goldstein

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!