Brooklyn, NY — In a rare and pointed address, Satmar Rebbe Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum didn’t mince words: the days of Williamsburg as the heart of the chassidic community may be coming to a close.
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Citing skyrocketing rent and what he described as a deteriorating spiritual atmosphere, the Rebbe urged families to begin thinking seriously about relocating to communities more suited to raising children in accordance with Torah values.
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Listen below to his speech:
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“The prices are out of control, the influences from the street are creeping in, and it’s becoming harder and harder to live a Yiddishe life the way we want for our kinder.”
The comments were not offhand. Sources close to the Rebbe say he has been expressing concern for past year, but this was the first time he addressed the issue publicly and unequivocally.
“The gashmius (materialism) is choking the ruchnius (spiritual life),” he said. “When a young couple can’t even dream of affording a one-bedroom in the neighborhood they grew up in, and when the streets no longer reflect the kedushah (holiness) we expect — it’s time to consider alternatives.”
While he did not name specific communities, many in attendance took it as a tacit endorsement of established and growing chassidic enclaves like Kiryas Joel, Bloomingburg, and parts of Rockland and Orange counties, where housing remains more affordable and community infrastructure is built around Torah life.
Love this! Come to Michigan or Ohio and you can build a community for under $200,000 a home for 4 bedroom starter homes. Would be a huge boost for these communities and chasidim are great at building the Jewish economy
Gevaldig. I concur. NYC Democrat politicians must be freaking out! How beautiful.
It won’t help anywhere yidden go, they become greedy. And the properties double and triple…. instantly.
Um isn’t he the Rebbe in Kiryas Yoel, so basically he is saying leave my brother and join me.
Move to Florida there are still plenty of places to establish a Hassidc community & it would conotinue to grow with many other frum yidden joining the surrounding area.
I suggest Sullivan County in particular Parksvill, NY.
I see that the bloggers have not addressed a fundamental issue that plagues almost all frum communities in the US. The plague of Gashmius is terrible. It pervades frum communities and has a profound negative impact on children. Their parents preach Ruchnius, but are deep into Gashmius. This hypocrisy causes children to go off the Derech. The problem can be seen in the comments here, where nobody has addressed the Rebbe’s warning about Gashmius.
What about coming to Eretz Yisroel??
Oh,Yes, I know that the Rebbe opposes Zionisim but anyone with open eyes, can see that the entire American sweet galut is coming to a slow but steady end.
Come to Baltimore, there are already many Chasdishe families that have moved here over the past 5 years, it’s set up and way cheaper
It’s a huge country. There’s lots of empty land in the “big square states” where a planned community could be built, literally, from nothing. Wyoming might be a good place to start.
I would say establish new communities outside the tri-state area in more conservative states.
However doing this would cause problems with established locals like what happened in Postville.
No one wants 10,000 new ppl on their local welfare office either.
I think what the Frum community could really benefit from is mobile home parks with double wide and triple wide mobile homes in the suburbs/ rural, nice, safe areas. There’s lots of square footage and 4 + plus bedrooms, all for around $250,000. Community pool, etc.
Come to live in the Charadi areas of Israel. You can be anti Zionist and yet enjoy the kedusha of Eretz Yisroel.
Eretz Yisroel, the best place, not yet perfect, but, better the pangs of birth than the throes of death in America
The great Jewish Exodus from New York is happening right in front of our eyes
a few points; in context
1. supply vs demand.. automatically after the first 40 yidden buy in any new neighborhood the prices start climbing no real way to control it, as an example staten island has now 800 chassidish families that moved there over ten years, lemaaseh most blocks only have a few yidden each and the demand is far greater than wahts for sale so last wk a goy put his house up for asking 750K and got 805K / linden is in plenty tzuros with infrastructure and lack of nyc programs , although its amazing tghat 650 families actually moved there and another 600 own but not there yet
2 the out of town communities that are thriving is because of vouchers not cheap housing ( there too the prices have doubled ) chassidim can get vouchers in nyc without leaving , (tax credits is nisht nogeah unzere)
3 even those out of town communities that have grown are struggling with the brooklyn/ lkwd cultural effect that blew in with the growth
now as far as satmar nothing of an exodus their tzibur is growing beyond kein yirbu and willy is jammed , kj has some avail housing and the rebbe would like young couples to be encouraged & consider moving…
klal yisroel moves very slowly… most out of town communities are struggling in one way or another and for sure tution is double or triple compared to chassidim. in bp 4500 a yr is top top tuitoin for elementry cheder
He forgot that some of his followers have jobs that require NYC residence.
The Reba needs to address his community OTD and tuna baigel issues too. its sad to watch how so many are lost
The fault dear Brutus lies not in the stars but in ourselves…….
I agree with Rabbi Teitelbaum that frum Jews should leave Williamsburg. I am also of the opinion that there should also be an exodus from Crown Heights, as Jews are not safe there, either.
Rock Springs Wyoming would be perfect.
Great place-West Bank Israel. Big subsidize houses, lot of land, agriculture, diamond industry and jobs and subsidies. No Army service, great new yeshivot!!
a spirtiual father is a real father, “moshe”
There are Chassidim who spend the winter in the Palm Springs, CA area.They can be seen boarding non-stop flights from JFK to the Palm Springs Airport.
Exodus to Eretz Yisrael? Na!
Housing prices will just go up wherever hasidim go. Clean up Williamsburg instead .
Come to canada
Instead of slamming His brother’s area, he should go there and beg for mechilah! He usually goes to Yuma,Arizona to look at his matzo tivuoh when he should go and make up with his brother!
FLA here they come!
Passaic , New Jersey is lovely and quiet