Kiryas Joel, NY – The bitter fight between rival factions of Satmar Hasidim took a dramatic turn Thursday when mourners hastily dedicated a new cemetery just outside Kiryas Joel to bury a 41-year-old man who died that morning.
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One side in the Satmar rift claims Kiryas Joel’s ruling faction refused to let Eziel Perlstein be buried in the community’s main cemetery unless his father, a prominent member of the Brooklyn-based faction, agreed to drop a lawsuit over burial rights in the Kiryas Joel cemetery and posted $50,000 as a refundable guarantee.
Those demands were refused.
And so, compelled by Jewish law to bury the deceased as quickly as possible, mourners turned to a land tract in the Town of Monroe where a group is seeking approval to open a new cemetery, adjacent to the graveyard where Satmar founder Joel Teitelbaum was buried 30 years ago.
There in a clearing on Raywood Drive, following a large funeral in Kiryas Joel, men in black suits and hats dug a grave and lowered Perlstein’s casket into the ground. A dedication ceremony had been held at the burial site earlier in the day.
The conflict provided the latest flashpoint in an incessant struggle between feuding partisans of Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum and his brother, Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum, each of whom is regarded by his followers as the grand rebbe, or supreme leader, of the Satmar movement.
State troopers were called to Raywood Drive when boys from Rabbi Aaron’s yeshiva gathered near the cemetery dedication and began chanting and singing, but there appears to have been no violence.
Rabbi Zalman’s supporters expressed outrage that their opponents would set “extortionate” conditions while a mourning family waited to bury Perlstein, a father of nine.
“Of course, we did not want to give into that demand,” said Joseph Waldman, a longtime critic of Kiryas Joel’s ruling faction.
Some of Rabbi Aaron’s followers, meanwhile, questioned the legality of burying someone without a cemetery permit.
The application for a cemetery on Raywood Drive went before the Monroe Planning Board for the first time a week earlier, but no decision was rendered.
Richard Mahon II, the attorney representing Rabbi Aaron’s side in the cemetery lawsuit in state Supreme Court, couldn’t be reached Friday to discuss why the requested burial in Kiryas Joel was refused.
Rabbi Aaron’s supporters say the $50,000 was demanded to cover a burial fee and Perlstein’s membership dues.
What’s the procedure of designating a new Bais Hchaim?
Look it up. There is a tshuvah in the Divrei Chaim (in the newest publication – in the hosafos section). I believe it is also mentioned in the Taamei Haminhagim. It involves circling the area of the new Beis Hachayim while reciting certain psukim.
This was a win win situation, for both parties! For the Zalmen faction, to finally get their own cemetery. For the Aron faction, to finally rid of the Zalmens.
This is the most excersise that they have done ever. They should have more of these planned activities
This reminds me of the new cemetery in Hungary after the “teilung” which was a community divided over assimilation. Now they are divided because of stinking politics. Divided in life is one thing, divided in death? What a new low. Shame shame, what a sad day. This will go almost unnoticed by the masses but it is one of the greatest chilul hashem situations of our time. I’m hurting for this day.
the division is so great that it applies even in death.
That is wrong, and sad.
Ir really makes no sense at all one would assume that death would heal wounds but I guess not
May they all RIP (rest in peace)
If their sinas chinam does not allow them to come together even in death, these poor excuses for yidden do not offer any hope that moishiach is coming soon.
wasnt the person standing in the middle filming scared? I mean, they’re doing this thing for the dead people and the person is standing right in the middle where they’re dedicating this place as a resting place for the dead……
Don’t these two satmars realize that fighting doesn’t bring any good??
This is the dullest video I have ever seen. Men walking, and holding hands.
Reply to number 5. Mordy, I don’t understand why not. Each faction by now have everthing separate, matzah, mikvahs, camps, shuls, schools, yeshivos, butchers,kollellim, gemachas, shechitas, etc. The only thing that kept then tied, was the cemetery. I actually s huge benefit it this split, now perhaps the fighting will cease. Since bith sides got what they wanted.
I am sure that the holy Satmar Rebbe ZTZL buried in cemetary #1 must be thrilled at this situation. That a devoted chusid of Rabbeini Yoel can’t have his son buried in Rabbeini Yoel’s surroundings because the 2 brothers, Hyrcanus and Aristabolus, can’t agree as to who should be melech. These 2 ancient royal foes began the churban of Klal Yisroel and Eretz Yisroel that the Romans made. Der Aibishter zul uhp hitten that this should bring damage to us at this point, so close to Moshiach.
When moshiach will come and wear a t-shirt and jeans these people will get the shock of their lives.
In the heat of the day they had to circle around 5 times (few miles )to make it happen .. no easy task and they had to say and recite some special prayer non stop. at least 10 minyan had to do that , what a nice koved so many people did that , he was a great father and a husband , and a true bal chessed , it is very sad that it came to this,, and so very sad at the sudden death,
may the family never know of any tzar no more , only simchas ,
at the end they did want to put him already in the other cemetery but at that point ,it was too late and too bad!!!
Who care about the cemetary!! A YOUNG man died leaving behind a wife and nine kids!!! Imagine someone telling you that you cannot bury your loved one!
It is bad enough she lost her husband, spouse, and companion, but the pain of being told he can not be buried for whatever reason????!!!!!
it appears to me that the dynasty of reb yolish of satamar is now completely dead. and it spawned two new dynasties ..
lets hope they can now show respect/kavod to each other… if the two new groups really make peace perhaps their children can even intermarry between the two groups..
my late father came from satre mare and knew the late rebbe. (even though our family were mitnagdim) in transylvania there was respect and communal involvement between the jewish sects..
my dad took me to meet reb yolish as a little boy about 45 years ago. the man was a giant even thought we disagreed on some hashkafa. i do not believe that he would approve of what evolved in his progeny.
The zalmen group applied for a permit a week before
they baught the property close to a year ago actual the broker & negoiater was perlstein himself what’s the sence to tell false story that k.j. group refused
I am so saddened by the news of the sudden death of my friend and co-worker,Izzy Perlstein,a man with fine middos, taken from us suddenly at such a young age. May his family find nechomo.