The following is a Jerusalem Post article: The World Zionist Organization executive called on the communal umbrella of American Jewry to stop the fundraising effort meant to move Yemenite Jews to a Satmar community in Monsey, New York.
The Jerusalem-based WZO, whose leaders form part of the leadership of the Jewish Agency, disapproves of the United Jewish Communities’ efforts on behalf of the move because the Yemenites will be joining an anti-Zionist community.
“Bringing Yemenite Jews to the Satmar community is an anti-Zionist activity, because it’s bringing Jews to a place that doesn’t really recognize the State of Israel,” said Paula Edelstein, who sits on the WZO executive and is co-chair of the Jewish Agency’s Immigration and Absorption Committee.
The WZO statement, which is being finalized and will only be released tomorrow, “is a strong call for the UJC to stop its activities encouraging the immigration of Yemenite Jews to the US,” according to agency and WZO spokesman Gil Litman.
Some 113 Yemenite Jews are expected to leave Yemen for the United States in the coming weeks, aided by the US State Department and Jewish refugee agencies in the US. Many of the remaining 160 or so Jews in the country are expected to eventually come to Israel, Jewish Agency officials believe.
The push to pull the Jews out of Yemen comes in the wake of attacks and threats against their property and lives made by radical Islamist groups or individuals. Most of the Jews currently live under the protection of the Yemeni government.
The Yemenite Jews “don’t really have freedom of choice because they’re under a great deal of pressure,” said Edelstein. “The Satmars have worked on them for a long time.
“We believe they should be offered the option of coming to Israel, and that the UJC, which is a partner of the Jewish Agency, shouldn’t be raising money to bring them to the Satmar community without making every effort to offer them the option of coming to Israel first,” she said.
UJC spokesman Dani Wassner rejected the criticism, saying “we continue to support, finance and encourage aliya and we would be delighted if the Yemenite Jews chose to go to Israel. If [the Yemenite Jews] make this decision, JAFI and the WZO know very well that they can count on our 100% support.”
Wassner added that “it is our belief that every effort has been made to offer them the option of coming to Israel. UJC encourages [the Jewish Agency] to further efforts to bring these Yemenite Jews to Israel, and would applaud any and every step in that direction.”
“Edelstein acknowledges that in this case, the Yemenite Jews have chosen to go to the US and, as in the past, UJC supports their freedom of choice, and their rights to immigrate,” Wassner said.
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15 Responses
WZO stands for world ZIONIST organization, and the goal of ZIONISM is to destroy yiddishkeit, meaning Torah and Mitsvos. It always has, and by definition, always will.
So what’s the hiddush?
This is a case of each one only looking after his own, selfish reasons. Do they care what the Yemenites want?
People of Teiman going to Monsey to join the kehilla there will dilute your customs, tefillos and language.
First I think that their unique Misorah should be protected and that they should not be pushed to become like Ashkanazim/Chassidim.
2nd the main thing is that they should be out of danger, but it would be nice if they all came to Eretz Yisrael.
QUOTE “Bringing Yemenite Jews to the Satmar community is an anti-Zionist activity, because it’s bringing Jews to a place that doesn’t really recognize the State of Israel,” said Paula Edelstein,
HEY GUESS WHAT I DON’T REALLY RECOGNIZE THE STATE OF israel EITHER !!!!
and i live here
The Yeminite community was a very rich and vibrant community dating back hundreds of years. Thry have their own unique masoret ( including among some sectors following the Psak of the Rambam)and customs.
This maasorot is very different from the Satmar maasoret. Surely it would make more sense to try and absorb them into a frum Yeminite community in either EY or the US than introduce them into the Satmar community which is culturally very different from waht they are used to. Maasorot has a very important place in Halcha so why uproot these fine jews who masorot is probably stronger that that of Satmar.
I think this is part of the reasons that irks the WZO.
#7 100 percent correct!
The effort of the Satmar community to absorb the Jews of Yemen is a something that I am seeing first hand, nothing short of astonishing!. They try to make them feel welcome and comfortable as possible, financially & emotionally. AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO KEEP THEIR TRADITTION IN EVERY WAY. My Yemenite neighbour tells me that if he fails with any small holy minhag of the Yemenites, the Satmares will be first to react!
And a little message to Paula Edelstein. You can trust the Jews of Yemen, that they do their homework before they decide their destination…
Do any of you great oppenents of WZO give a penny to them? I doubt that very much. If Satmat wants to welcome Yemenite Jews, good, let them pay for such expenses. And who ever gives money to WZO should decide how and to who those money should be used. It’s obviosly stupid of them to give them money to communities that not only don’t hold of their believes, but strongly oppose them. Same way you would not want money of frum people going to Jewish agency or WZO.
I’m willing to bet that 99% of the leaders of WZO are politically-correct Liberals, who pride themselves on being “Pro-Choice.”–except when the choice does not agree with theirs!
Everyone knows that Satmar has collected millions of dollars over the last 20 years on behalf of Yemenite Jewry. They give them whatever they need, including Yiddishkeit.
The WZO is bothered by this. They want to bring them to Israel so that they can kidnap the babies and sell them for adoption, as is common knowledge. I have friends who still tell stories about their mysteriously lost aunts and uncles.
The satmar kehilla has been rescuing Yemenite and Iranian jews for almost 40 years now.
#1 you wrote “WZO stands for world ZIONIST organization, and the goal of ZIONISM is to destroy yiddishkeit, meaning Torah and Mitsvos. It always has, and by definition, always will”
What do you think about the people who call themselves Religious-Zionists? These people go to the army, learn in Kollel for years, have Non-Chareidi Rabbis such as Rav Zalman Melamed as well as Chareidi Rabbis such as Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl and Rav Moshe Shapiro….
Thoughts???
#11 – Deepthinker – your thinking seems rather shallow
to Number 11: fantastic thinking & well written
to Number 15 – you’re joking, right?