Brothers-in-law first met after decade • Background: Inheritance

Is there any hope for peace in the conflict that tore apart the Litvishe yeshiva world for a decade? Yesterday (Monday) the two brothers-in-law, Hagaon Rabbi Eliezer Kahaneman and Hagaon Rabbi Shmuel Markovitz met for five hours, to discuss the conflict between them.

There has been a long-standing rivalry between the two regarding the control of the leadership in Ponevez yeshiva and responsibility for appointments in it. But there is another conflict too – over the inheritance of land and real estate assets – which were left by the president of the yeshiva Hagaon Rabbi Avraham Kahneman zt"l.

The assets include apartments and plots in the Bnei Brak yeshiva square and on Ha'admor Migur Street corner Harav Meltzer in the city.

Rabbi Kahanman's will says that he inherits 60 % of his assets to his son Rabbi Eliezer Kahneman and 40 % to his daughter Rebbetzin Tzipora Markowitz, but it will go to them only after the death of his wife, Rebbetzin Rivka Kahneman tichye. The Rebbetzin decided to give it all to her son only, and so began the halachic complications.

Rabbi Kahneman wants to realize the assets already now, therefore the parties signed a deed of arbitration by the Dayan Rabbi Avrohom Boruch Rosenberger from Monsey who came to Israel to serve as an agreed arbitrator.

As revealed last night for the first time in 'Exposure Line' of the Hareidi Sound on the meeting, discussions were held in the presence of both parties at Kfar Maccabiah in Ramat Gan. Hagr"a Kahaneman is represented by Rabbi Binyamin Cooperman, a Dayan at the rabbinical court of Chabad and Rav of the Great Synagogue in Ramat Gan. Hgr"s Markowitz is represented by Rabbi Mordechai Stern, Secretary of the Council of Torah Sages of Agudath Israel.

The discussions will continue today, Tuesday, and tomorrow Wednesday, at the end of deliberations the Dayan Rabbi Rosenberger will return to Monsey and will send a written ruling to the parties. The in-laws met last night after ten years for an encounter.

Meanwhile, next week Dayan Hagaon Rabbi Chaim Gedaliah Zimbalist who headed the panel of Din Torah in the Ponevez Yeshiva conflict, is expected to resume discussions over the issue after the Supreme Court ruled that Rabbi Zimbalist has the authority to deal with the dispute based on the arbitration bill signed at him over a decade ago by the parties.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!