Satmar - Press release 5/01/06

I just received this email from Mr. Corey B. Bearak, Esq. He is the Attorny / PR company which is representing Aron Teitelbaum in his fight to power. ------------------------------------------------------- Long-time Satmar spokesman and leader announced late Rebbe's wishes: Following the overwhelming support of Satmar congregations around the world and followers in Williamsburg this past weekend, Grand Rabbi Aron Teitelbaum began his first full week as spiritual leader of 120,000 Satmar. “The lawful board of Congregation Yetev Lev D'Satmar and the boards of every congregation in New York State and those abroad – 90% of our community – all support and recognize Aron Teitelbaum as the successor to his father as our community's religious leader,” said community leader Moishe Indig. “The Grand Rabbi and Rebbetzin received our Governor and United State Senators, other public officials and dignitaries in their home, and over ten thousand attended observances in an enormous tent in Williamburg this past weekend; most attendees – some 80% came from the local community; the other participants represent Satmar congregations throughout the world who came to Brooklyn this past Shabbos to show their support for their new Grand Rabbi.” “This weekend, Rabbi Leib Glantz announced to all including the elected and ecclesiastical boards that the late Rabbi Moses Teitelbaum obm, told him (Glantz): Because you are the most powerful person in the community and our long-time spokesperson and liaison to the elected officials, I want you tell everyone that I select my oldest son, Aron as my successor and I want you to tell everyone that it is my wish and my will that my oldest son succeed me as the Grand Rabbi,” Rabbi Indig stated. Grand Rabbi Aron, the oldest son of Rabbi Moses Teitelbaum obm, presided as rabbi of Siget in Williamsburg, Brooklyn until 1982, when he was promoted as Chief Dean of the Satmar College in Kiryas Joel; in 1984 he was appointed Chief Rabbi of the Satmar congregation in Kiryas Joel and remains Dean of its Yeshiva. Grand Rabbi Aron is the son-in-law of Rabbi Moshe Yehoshua Hager, the Viznitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak. He has written a number of scholarly commentaries on the Torah and Talmud. Over fifteen volumes of his teachings have been published. He is considered an "innovator" among Haredim. He serves as Vice President to highly respected community charity institutions, Like Kolel Shomrei Hachomos in Israel, Rav Tov A Satmar Refugee For Immigrants, Keren Hatzolah A Annual Relief For non-for–profits in Israel Ultra-orthodox Jewish Neighborhoods and more. In 1999 the board of the Satmar Congregation selected him as Rabbi for the entire Satmar congregations and institutions around the world. It is that same lawful board that selected Aron as Grand Rabbi, following the exercise of its powers in the same manner it selected his father in 1980. The 1946 incorporation bylaws of the congregation leave spiritual matters to the Rabbi of the congregation and, makes clear the power of the board to run the community's non-profit institutions and select its religious leader. A highly professional elected board runs the entire Satmar community. Each local Satmar community has their own local board responsible for operating its programs. Satmar have such local communities in Monroe and Monsey in upstate New York, Borough Park in Brooklyn, Bayswater in Queens, Montreal in Quebec, London and Manchester in England, B'nei Brak and Jerusalem in Israel, and Antwerp in Belgium. Grand Rabbi Aaron's highly skilled qualifications and credentials as a speaker and charismatic person and as a dean and a rabbi who served Satmar in many positions for so many years make him well-qualified to serve the Satmar community as Grand Rabbi. The efforts of a handful of dissidents who seek to get control of the community's assets follow their consistent opposition – over several years – to convene an independent Bais Din. Despite submitting documents that the State Supreme Court has found contained forged signatures purporting to be that of the late Rebbe's, these dissidents still try to promote a so-called will as part of their fraudulent attempts to steal control of the community.