Is“LevTahor”adestructivecult?Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, numbers

and Deuteronomy

Introduction

LevTahor(inHebrewPureHeart)group,wasfoundedinJerusaleminthelate1980s,isnowcomposedofabout200-250adultpeopleandalmost150children,withafewdozenadherentsinIsrael.DepartingfromHasidicultra-OrthodoxJewishstreams,ithascreatedanautarchiccommunitywithoutclearbondstoJewishtraditions.Asasmallandsecludedgroup,itregularlydeclareditselftobefollowingthestrictfundamentalnormsoftheTorah(TheBibleorTanakh)andtohavereturnedtotheritualsofitsancestors.

ItdefineditselfascompletelyseparatedbyotherJewishstreamsandRabbinicalauthoritiesandtimeandagainimposesnewarbitrarylawsandpunishmentagainstitsmembers.ItignoresexcommunicationfromleadingRabbisintheworld.InthiswayitformedaseparationfromthefundamentsofJudaism:beingpartoftheJewishcollective,(inHebrewklal Israel)solidarity,andmutualassistance(‘Arvuthadadit).Thefounder,Erez Elbarnes,akaShlomo Helbrans,wasborninJerusalemin1962,repentedtoobservantJudaismandlefthissecularcurriculumattheageof16.

Genesis:FromErezElbaranestoShlomoHelbrans,emerginginhistwentiesasarepentantJew(Ba’alTeshuvah)andself-

styledRabbi

Year2015:Helbrans,theHassidicAdmo”r(Master-Teacher-Rabbi)ofRiminovCongregation,theincarnationoftwelvesaints

LevTahor isnotanewgroup.Duetoearlymarriagesthefoundersintheirfortiesarenowmostlygrandfathers.Theirchildrengrewupandmarriedinsidethegroup,withoutanyknowledgeoflifeoutside,anyskilltosurviveinaworldtheyneversee,ofalanguagetheywillneverknow.Yiddishistheonlylanguage.Therefore,thethirdgenerationofnewbornsfromendogamousmarriagesissocializedfromtheverybeginningintoasecluded,regimented,ignorantandpoorformoflife.Thisistheirworld.Nomath,Englishormandatorycurriculum,notoys,nobooksexceptreligioustexts.No“secular”or“gentile”(inYidish:Goyshe)stimulations.Inotherwords,nominimaltoolstocopewiththeoutstandingworld.

• Similarlytootherultra-orthodoxJewishgroupsasSatmarorToldotAharon,LevTahorexpressedharshincendiariesagainstthestateofIsraelstatingthatonlythetrueMessiahcandeclarethefoundationofatheocraticstate.Sofar,anyJewhasthedutytoleavethecountry,andtofightagainsttheprofanationsofthesecularstateofIsraelontheHolyLand.

AdoptingantiIsraeliattitudes

Duringtheyears,mostIsraelifamilymemberswerecompletelyshunnedbyrelativesinLevTahor anddidnothaveaccesstotheirlocationintheU.S,CanadaandGuatemala.Otherswerecursedbytheirchildren.Otherswitnessedactsofviolenceandabuse.Variouswhistleblowersspokeout.Timeandagaintheallegationofviolencewerethesame:consistent,clear,solidandconvincing.TheirreactionandtheirpainweredisseminatedbytheIsraeliParliamentCommitteefortheRightsofChildren(2013),andattractedtheheadlinesofthemedia.Besidestheseallegationsanti-LevTahor activistclaimedthelackofanystimulationforthechildren,physicalviolenceandmedicalneglect.

Childhood

Torahandprayer:thedailyroutine

ConcernedrelativesinIsrael

Exodus ThegroupfirstsettledinNewYork,claimingthatthefirstGulf

WarwasasignoftheimminentdestructionofIsrael.Helbransasarabbiofasmallcongregationwasimprisonedfortwoyearswithchargesofkidnappingaboy.In2004,movedtoCanadareceivingthestatusofrefugeebyconvincingtheauthoritiesthatduetohisanti-Sionistattitude,hislifeinIsraelwasindanger.HewasgrantedthestatusofrefugeeandfoundedanewcongregationinSt.AgatheQuebec.

Afteralmost7yearsofseclusionandlackofscrutinybyCanadianauthorities,in2011investigationsbypoliceandyouthwelfareandeducationauthoritiesbroughtthecaseofchildabuseandneglectincourt.Onedaybeforetheruling,inNovember2013thegroupescapedtoOntario,andafewmonthlater,aftertwofamilieswereorderedtoappearincourtduetoallegationsofchildabuseandneglect,allfledtoGuatemala.

Quebec'sYouthProtectionServiceswas concernedaboutmedicationwithmelatonintohelpcontrolchildrenbehavior.NotlearningtheQuebeccurriculum,leavingthemunabletodobasicmath.

tomucholdermen.14ForcedtomarrygirlasearlyasatThreefamiliesinparticularS.,C.andH.werethefocusofconcernoftheauthoritiesandtheirconditionswerereportedtoQuebecCourt,foranordertofosterchildreninseriousdistress(OntarioCourtAddendum,2013).

AuthoritiesofQuebecraidedtheLevTahor compoundinAugust2013totakereportsonthehealthandsafetyofthegroup’schildren.Socialserviceshadfivekidsremovedandplacedwithafosterfamily.DuringsubsequentvisitstoSte.-Agathe,officialsidentifiedanother14childrenfromtwofamiliesasbeinginneedofintervention.InNovember2013,asummonswasissuedforsixparents(threefamilies)toappearincourt.

•Butassaidthegroupevanishedinthenight

WhenauthoritiesarrivedatthecompoundofSt-Agathe-des-Monts,inNovember,withthe

summons, theyfoundtheplacedesertedandindisarray.LevTahor hadfledinthemiddleofthenightoncharteredbusestoChatam-Kent,Ontario.AsOntario’scourtstated,theyprecipitouslylefttoevadethejudicialprocedurethathadjustbegun,theyleftalltheirgoodsinthedilapidatedhousesthatwerepurchasedbythecongregation.

Exodus:LeavingtheU.SandIsraelandResettlinginSant-Agathe,Quebec,2004

Natives

Exodus:Afterpoliceandwelfareraidsandcourt’srulingconcerningchildrenindistress:resettlinginChatam-Kent,

Ontario,November2013

InFebruary2014,ajudgeinOntariofinallyruledthatSocialWelfarecouldremovethechildrenfromtheirhomes.LevTahorhad30daystoappeal.Inthemeantime,however,the14minorsfled.TwoofthemweredetainedataCalgaryairport,whileimmigrationauthoritiesinTrinidadandTobagoflaggedanddeportedanothersix;allwereplaced(temporarily)infostercareofHarediFamiliesinCanada.ThelawcontinuedtoworkinLevTahor’sfavor,andthegroupfledfromCanadatoGuatemala.Besidestheoveralllackofco-ordinationbetweenauthoritiesinCanada,thequantityofchildrenindanger,thelackofcooperationandculturalandlinguisticgapswiththetargetpopulation,andthelackofanypersoninthegrouplikelytotestify,allthismadethewelfareandlegalactioninefficent.AsstatedbyQuebec’sDepartmentofYouthProtectionandpoliticiansittooktoomuchtimetotrytoseizethechildren.

AfterinvestigationsinOntario,escapingtoGuatemala:SanJuanLaLaguna,February

2014

MergingwithToirasJesedandconvertingMayanNatives

UrielGoldmanaleadingfigureinLevTahorandthreenativesduringtheirprocessof

conversioninGuatemala

August2014:AnedictfromagroupofindigenouseldersinSanJuan,150kilometerswestofGuatemalaCity,saidthattheLevTahor (Toiras Jesed included)memberswerenolongerwelcomeinthelakesidetownforreasonsofincompatibility,andclashesofmemberswithnativesandwithtourists.Thedecisionwasmadetoprotectthecultureofthelocalpopulationandtourism.DespitethegroupappliedtoHumanRightCommission,LevTahor decidedtoleavethetownforitssafety.

SanJuanLaLaguna:OppositionofNativesagainstLevTahor,claimingincompatibility

andclashofcultures

Fortheirownsafety…movingagain:August2014.

ResettlinginGuatemalaCityindustrialarea,April2014

XSjtYfWf2v=watch?com/youtube.www.https://MYSpanishTV,MitelProgram:seefullchapterinyoutube.com:LosJudiosortodoxosenNuevaYorkyenGuatemala.

PoliceRaidinGuatemalaCity,Sept.2016followingIsraeliandCanadianauthoritiespressureandallegationofchildabuseand

neglect.

Sofar,attheendofSeptember,basedonGuatemalannewsreports,theonlyconfirmedinformationwehadafteroneraidoflocalpolice,wasthatafewtoddlerswerefoundwithoutanofficialregisteredidentity,onechildwastakenforfurthermedicalexamination,andonelocalphysicianwhovisitedthechildreninsidethecompounddidn’treportanysignsofdiseaseordistress.ButHelbrans decidedtoleaveagain,resettlinginSantaRosa,closetoGuatemala’sjungle.

Oneproactiverelative,OdedTwick,therescuerofhissister’sfamilyfromGuatemalaCity,2015.HeprovidedstronglegalallegationstoIsraeliauthoritiesurgingtointervene.“LevTahorisaconcentrationcampinthejungle”(lastpostonhisfbpage)

Twick’scampaigninsocialmedia

ConcentrationcampintheJungle

PersonalfreeassociationorIconographicsimilarities?2014

ChibokBokoHaramKidnapping

Numbers: Oneproactiverulingafterfiveyearsofinvestigation,April25,2017.

TIMES OF ISRAEL

Afterfiveyearsofinvestigation,collectingdozensofdepositions,emergesthefirstjudiciarydefinitionofadangerouscult.“Basedontheconductofthesecttowardminors,it’ssufficienttocallthisgroupadangerouscultthatseverelydamagesthephysicalandemotionalwell-beingofthechildrenofthiscommunity,”JudgeRivkaMakayesofthePetahTikvaMagistrate’sCourtsaysinherruling.352 paragraphsbasedonallegations,depositions,firstandsecondhandtestimonialson12 issuesmostlyrelatedtothedefinitionof“whatacultshouldbe”:leadership,secrecy,separationfromtheworld,zealotry,deviantdoctrinesandrituals,obedience,fund-raisingandvoluntarydonationsofthemembers,missionarism,bondsandsolidarityamongthemembers.Therulingcomesinresponsetoapetitionfiledtothecourtbytheattorney

generalandof sectmembers,andgivesmoresupporttolocalauthoritiestoimplement“childprotectionactions”againsttwofamiliesmemberslivinginIsrael.

Counterclaims:IsraelipersecutionsandAnti-Semitism,LevTahoradoptingHumanRightsslogans

“SionismandAnti-Semitismareourpersecutors”

YellowStars

Aswecanseetheclaimofpersecution,holocaust,anti-Semitismandconcentrationcampsismis-usedbybothsides,eithercriticsorsympathizers.

Leviticus:(Levi,lit.“Hewilljoin”)theCanadianlawyerassistantandlegal

consultantofLevTahor:GuidyMaman

Leadingspokeman:UrielGoldman,oneofthefirstmembersatLevTahor’sinception

Adherents:HarediBurqasinBetShemesh,Israel

Sympathisers:Shawls’Women.Jerusalem

Deuteronomy:RunningawayfromGuatemalaCityandresettlingInthesecludedcompoundof

Oratorio,SantaRosa,Guatemala,September2016

SantaRosa:Separationofsexesfromearlychildhood

ReachingthethePromisedLand?Buyingalotandstartingtobuildafactory.

June2017.RunningawayagainafterpressureofIsraeliauthoritiestoinvestigatetwofamilieswhoillegallyfledthecountry,andotherallegationsofchildabuse.ResettlinginJuarezinChiapasRegion,Mexico

Economicbenefitsforthelocals

June29:“Wecomeinpeace.Thisreligiouscommunitywillpromotenewbusiness,forthesakeofthegenerationstocome.”

Deuteronomy:Lit.“Repeatinglawsagain”

WhilethegroupisverystringentinconductdictatedbyJewishlaw,itisparticularlyobsessedwithafewspecificissuessuchaseatingnormsofkosherfood,modestdress,bodypurity,andearlypre-arrangedmarriage(topreventanyimpureactsduringadolescence).Theyaremoreseverewithnewformsofprohibitionsandzealotry,alientoothertraditionalHasidicorultra-OrthodoxgroupsconsideredextremelikeSatmarorToldotAharon,suchasprohibitingtheeatingofchickenandeggs(becauseofallegationofgeneticengineering),orcoveringwomen'sfeetwithsleepsacks.

ShlomoHelbrans,theself-styledRebbe,theonlychaintoGod(asheclaims),wasnotaccountabletoanyauthoritieseventhoseinsideultra-Orthodoxanti-ZionistJudaism.Theleaderapparentlyforceduseofpsychoactivedrugs,commandedphysicalpunishmenttotakethe“evilout",anddictatedfeedingandlivingconditions(inbasements)aspunishmentormentalpressure.Forcedmarriagesbetweenchildrenofthegrouparedecidedandperformedbytheleader.Helbransstatedinoneofhisdepositions,thathemarriedoffhischildattheageof13,achievingtheblessedtraditionofthepast.Wefoundmaterialofsetunderagemarriagesofgirlsaged13and14withmenaged28,30,and35.

Theleaderalsoordereddivorces,andappointedmasterswhoaredirectlysubordinatetohimandwhomanagetheactivityofthegroup.The“welfarecommission”hasthepowertoremovechildrenfromonefamilytoanotherforaperiodofyears,incaseswheretheybelievethatparentsdonoteducatetheirchildrenaccordingtotheleader'simperatives.Theimpositionofgivennamestonewbornsandchangingnamesofnewrecruitscanbeseenanextremesteptotakeawayanyformofpersonalidentity.SociologistsasErvinGoffmandefinesitasadegradationceremonywhichstripsawayany“identitykit”insideatotalinstitution(1991).Amongotherpunishmentsdictatedbytheleader:banningorrejectionfromthecongregationforlackofobedienceorreverenceforauthority;splittinguphusbandandwifeeithertemporarilyorbyforceddivorce;hitting,spanking,slashing,andtemporaryexclusionfromthehomeorfromtheactivitiesofthecommunity.

Thedeathoftheleaderoutsidethepromisedland.

OnJuly7,2017,HelbranswasreportedlytakingpartinapurificationrituallastFridaywhenhewassweptawaybyanunusuallystrongrivercurrent.Areportinlocalmediaandatestimonialbyhismother,saidhisbodywascarriedakilometerdownstreambeforeitwasrecovered.Therope,usedforhissafetywastorn.Onlyafewdispatchesweredisseminatedbythemedia.Apparently,hewasburiedinSantaRosa’slotinfullsecrecy.

Whatnext?

• ThefutureofLevTahorMasssuicide?Demolitionofthegroup?Innerclashesofsuccessiontothethrone?IsraeliEntebbe-likespecialunitsraidtorescuethefamilies?AftertherecentdeathofHelbrans,thecultofLevTahor,withallitsvicissitudesandunusualpeculiarities,raisesinthemassmediamanyquestionsaboutitsfuture.Itisimpossibletoforeseethefutureofthegroup.Howeverweshouldtakeintoaccountafewissues.

Lifespan. LevTahor isnotanewgroup.Duetoearlymarriagesthefoundersintheirfortiesarenowmostlygrandfathers.Theirchildrengrewupandmarriedinsidethegroup,withoutanyknowledgeoflifeoutside,anyskilltosurviveinaworldtheyneversee,ofalanguageofaculturetheywillneverknow.Therefore,thethirdgenerationofnewbornsissocializedfromtheverybeginningintoasecluded,regimented,ignorantandpoorformoflife.Thisistheirworld.

Onthedemographiclevel,thehighbirthrateofeachfamily,andthelongreproductivespanforwomenbecauseoftheearlyageofmarriage,ensureanaturalincreaseofgroupmembers.Therecruitmentofoutsiders,especiallyyounggirlsandadultmen,opensavenuesfordiversifyingthegroup's“endogamouspool”andpotentialforkeepinghighbirthrate.

Organization.Mostsocialcontrolofmembersisimplementedbythemembersthemselves.Sneakingisacommonpractice.Itseemsthattodayafewproxies,includingNachman Helbrans(sonoftheleader),alreadyactarbitrarilyin“thenameofthefather“.Thereisalreadyaseparationofworkandjurisdictionamongafew“ministers”:publicrelations,economicmanagement,education,“socialwelfare”etc.Theflightsfromplacetoplaceshowthatobedientmembersareskilled,obedientanddisciplinedenoughtoaccomplishcomplicatedoperations,allthiswithoutthephysicalpresenceoftheleader.Thecooperationofanonymousadherentscanalsoexplainthesuccessinalltheserocambolesque operations,forgingpassports,marriagecertificatesormedicalprescriptions.

Autonomy.SincetheleaderwasnotsubjecttoanyJewishauthoritybutonlyto“hisgod"nostrongreligiousreferenceorauthoritycaninfluencethedecisionsandthusrestrainLevTahor frommoreextremeactions.ManyharshandnegativestatementsofleadingHaredipersonalities,interdictionandexcommunicationonbehalfofthehighestlevelswithinHassidism,didn’tcauseanychangetothecharacterofthegroup,becauseitperceivesitselfbeingbeyondanyotherJewishgroup,representingtheonlyauthenticformofJewishlifebasedonthetruefundamentsoftheScriptures.

ConcernedRelatives.AftertheirrequestsforassistancefromIsraeli,Canadian,American,GuatemalanauthoritiesandtheInterpol,theyacknowledgethelimitedlegalpowerofmodernsovereignstates.Withtheexceptionofafewescapesandrescueoperations,astheyearsgoby,theysurrendertotheseparationandlosswithsorrowandincurablepain.Despitescatteredvoicesofwishfulthinkingduringthelastfewdays,thevitalityoftheanti-cultmobilization,aftermanydisappointingfailures,willprobablygraduallyfadeaway.ProbablysomewhereinthemiddleofthejungleLevTahormostpersistentandtenaciousmemberswillkeeponmovingintheirquestforthe“promisedland”.