Dispute Over Rival Gur Faction’s Synagogue In Beit Shemesh Broadens Rift Within Chasidus

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BEIT SHEMESH (VINnews) — A spate of accusations and counter accusations has broken out between the Gur chasidim following the rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Alter, and those following Rabbi Shaul Alter, his cousin and the son of the previous rebbe, Rav Pinchas Menachem. The two factions sparred over the establishment of a new Shtiebel (synagogue) for Rabbi Shaul’s followers situated adjacent to the existing Gur synagogue of Rabbi Yaakov’s followers in Ramat Beit Shemesh Gimel, a new neighborhood in Beit Shemesh.

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The followers of the rebbe saw this as a provocation which “any person with common sense understands that it will arouse further frictions and bickering over time.” They also claimed that Rabbi Shaul’s followers had even threatened violence and intimidated local worshipers. In the meantime, they placed a container on the path leading to the two synagogues in an attempt to prevent any frictions between the two factions.

Rabbi Shaul’s followers however maintain that they had no other choice but to place their synagogue adjacent as no other space had been offered to them. They originally had another place to worship but were forced to close due to constant pestering and interferences by neighbors.

They also stated that they are not exactly next to the other synagogue but rather on the other side of the compound and there is no need to exacerbate tensions by placing a container between the two synagogues. They also complained that Rabbi Yaakov’s followers are using the container as a pretext to prevent them passing by to their own synagogue.

In the meantime, a surveillance camera captured a Chasid dressed in a KKK-style mask but also in chasidic dress puncturing the wheels of the car of one of the leading followers of Rabbi Shaul in Beit Shemesh.

 


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Neutral
Neutral
3 years ago

Ger has turned into this radical crazy cult like dictatorship kind of chasidus. For 25 years they have been suppressing R shul simply bec he is a threat to their totalitarian authority . Anyone who knows him , knows R Shul is a soft spoken unassuming tzadik . His only sin is that he knows he to learn and gives over lamdus in a way that talks to talmidim. That means there is someone else chashuv other than the supreme reba . So instead they crush him via over pushing bikus to a point of zero lamdus. Now as the reba gets older the new tactic mostly by his kids to maintain control is fanaticism . Break up the Brooklyn school system bec they aren’t frum enough . Radicilzae the girls school overnight so half the parents leave and only true loyalists remain .
Classic control freak radical like tactics

Last edited 3 years ago by Neutral
Yitz
Yitz
3 years ago

Sad. This doesn’t need to happen. Shalom and Achdus is so preferred. Why do we need division. If a group wishes to start their own, who is negatively affected? Why must we revert to machlokes.

ah GROIS gelechter!
ah GROIS gelechter!
3 years ago

And this is one of MANY reasons why I am NEVER going to be a Gur Chosid…

Buzzy
Buzzy
3 years ago

This is what rabbi worship does.

A thought
A thought
3 years ago

Do these yidden actually believe in ge’ulah, and the need for achdus and ahavah now, or is the whole thing just a song for Friday night?

Berel
Berel
3 years ago

Koved, money, power and the control of others is what its really all about. Hamavin yavin.

UghSam
UghSam
3 years ago

This is ger, they will make a peaceful protest with social distancing in arad against the local hostile government, while terrorizing, using violence against their own brothers, just for the record, you are not allowed to go to your grandchild wedding if he’s heaven forbid a follower from reb Shaul, and for what reason?

Theodore
Theodore
3 years ago

After reading this, I realize what a sham some forms of religion have become. As my aunt used to say, “This is frumkeit?”
i find it interesting that the secular Jews don’t have factions and don’t have silly fights.

Anonymous
Anonymous
3 years ago

I dont really find this newsworthy. Tasteless, political news from Israel? Not interested!

abraham apter
abraham apter
3 years ago

What a horribly biased piece of Journalism !! Do you now cover all Machloikesen – with a lopsided opinion ? Cause I dont see you covering Sadigigur (the most recent) or Satmar ……

Kollelfaker
Kollelfaker
3 years ago

If there was a legitimate picked rebbe. Who gives these thugs the right to name another Plague on both their houses