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| The children of Lev Tahor - The smiles are deceiving |
With all the ink being spilled on this group, Rabbi Frankfurter decided to investigate Lev Tahor on his
own. He actually went into their enclave, saw court documents, interviewed
their attorney, the prosecutor; cult members, former
members and the ‘big man’ himself,
Shlomo Helbrans. (The first part of his last name is very appropriate. Because it
seems like that may be where he will end up. But I digress.)
Rabbi Frankfurter therefore concluded that this is more about religious persecution than it is about child abuse. This in contradistinction to other journalists who either do not
have enough understanding about the religious practices of Charedi Jews to make
fair observations - or from religious journalists who do, but have only gotten their information
second hand. Normally I would say ‘good for him’. He was there. The critics were not. Who has a better
picture of the truth?
The problem is that he believed what they told him. And he believed
that Lev Tahor represented a Jewish lifestyle well within the parameters of
Orthodoxy. Aside from some quirky behavior (as in their women wearing Burka style
clothing – which he said was wrong but does not believe to be a big deal) he saw a group of happy
well adjusted people, children included.
Nothing like what has been reported in the press. His conclusion? The government
of Quebec is interfering in the religious freedom of the Jewish people. That this is simple Antisemitic persecution. That because these Jews look different, they
are not getting a fair shake.
He also noted that in a written statement a few Chasidic Rebbes
have called upon the Jewish community to help there ‘poor persecuted souls’ out…
screaming “Mesira” about anyone who helps the Canadian authorities out on this
matter. So he called for his readership to step up and sent them money to aid
in their defense. Based on a mass e-mail he sends out -he quickly succeeded, it
appears.
So what’s wrong with all of this? Isn’t this religious
persecution after all is said and done? Did those children he saw in the
happiest of states purposely deceive him? Why not just leave them alone and let
them ‘do their thing’?
That’s because their ‘thing’ is anything but Jewish. It is taking
Judaism to harmful extremes. The fact is that these children and their parents have been
brainwashed to think that acting like this is a higher service to God. Which is
really nothing more than higher service to Hebrans’ ego.
Here are some of the things in Lev Tahor that pass for piety. I already mentioned the Burkas that women must wear. That is one
of their lesser problems. What else is there that is so bad? One need only
read what the mainstream media has described to find out. But they are not
alone in reporting the truth. For those
who think the mainstream media is anti religious we can find not only a
religious source but a Charedi one.
Mishpacha Magazine reported on Lev Tahor last month. The title
of their article was “Hearts of Darkness” – a far more accurate description of this
cult. There is literal child abuse there, Mostly psychological.
So bad is it, that after hearing expert testimony from professionals
who investigated them, a Quebec court ordered 13 of these children removed from
their parents’ jurisdiction and placed in foster care for 30 days. Suitable
Chasidic homes were found for these children. Before this was implemented,
these parents ran to another town believing they were out of the court’s
jurisdiction in Ontario. Some of these even left the country fleeing to Mexico
and elsewhere. The family was returned
and all of the children have been placed in foster care.
There is more. A lot more. Hebrans considers himself the
second coming of the Satmar Rebbe. But he doesn’t stop there. He makes sure
that he is in full control of everyone’s life
and has many practices to assure it. For example he instructs his followers
roll themselves in the snow for
purification reasons. He is known to advocate flogging as a form of Teshuva. He
personally arranges all marriages in his community. Often with underage girls
as young as 14. He is known to isolate children from their families.
Punishments for infractions by children or include things
like locking them in a basement (2 weeks for one teenage girl). Or giving them drugs to keep them relaxed!
The Chasidm in Lev Tahor
are all undernourished. Most of the families subsist on government child
allowances or donations from their families and the broader Montreal Jewish community. They consider all chickens and
their eggs Treif because of ‘genetic engineering’. They do not eat rice at al because
of bugs.
There are no secular subjects at all. Their curriculum deviates substantially from
the even the most right wing Charedi norm. It includes a 20 minute recitation
of a ‘mystical work’ written by Helbrans. And they study his larger work ‘Ohr
HaShem’ instead of Gemarah or Mishnayos. Shachris for these elementary students
takes about 4 hours which includes one
full hour of meditation.
When parents are deemed to violate one of Helbrans’ Halachic
rulings children are stripped from their parents for long periods of time– claiming
they are bad influences on them.
Freedom of choice does not exist in this enclave. Their
lives depend entirely on what the Rebbe decides for them.
Attempts by one couple to leave the cult were met with extreme
psychological pressure. In one case the wife of a cult member wanted to leave.
Helbrans told him that he would suffer in the afterlife if he did - and that he
should instead divorce his wife. They stayed and were ordered to take a regimen of vitamins and a
strict meditation regimen that included
self nullification. They eventually escaped with the help of a Lubavitcher
Chasid.
Mind control is part and parcel of this group’s existence.
With it’s warm and accepting approach to new or potential members its
attraction is quite understandable. Upon entry into the cult - there is a sense
of spiritual euphoria.
To set themselves
apart from the rest of Jewry Helbrans has established these cult-like practices
to sever people from the outside world. Along with those black Burkas women
wear layers upon layers of undergarments;
covering legs with tights and socks at all times. They must wear shoes
even in the house. The men spend hours of time listening to Helbrans expound on
the mysteries of life. He makes fantastic claims like saying that he ‘killed’
Pope John-Paul II through his prayers. He makes claims of Divine knowledge in
order to dictate to them how to conduct their lives.
All this only scratches the surface. The list goes on. In defending Lev Tahor Rabbi Frankfurter acts to perpetuate it. He apparently feels that anyone
who looks like him and is persecuted - well it’s all about Antisemitism. (Yes the male members of this cult dress the
way mainstream Chasidm do. Which is similar to the way Rabbi Frankfurter
dresses.)
What about all that other stuff? He either doesn’t believe
it or chalks it up to extreme but legitimate Jewish behavior well within the
bounds of Halacha. And considers it an outrage that anyone would tamper with Lev Tahor - a
group of pious Jews - just because they are different.
I consider it an outrage if they don’t.
Updated to remove personal attacks
Updated to remove personal attacks
