Mashpiah Rabbi Eliyahu Godolvsky was attacked and assaulted last Shabbos at the tziyun of Rav Nachman ZT”L in Uman. The rav is viewed as a major mashpiah in the Breslov Chassidus. Kikar Shabbos News reports Breslov Chassidim who following Rabbi Eliezer Berland perpetrated the assault after Rabbi Godolvsky recently spoke out against Rabbi Berland who was recently extradited to Israel to face charges.
According to eyewitness accounts, Rabbi Godolvsky was attacked during mincha. He was surrounded by youths affiliated with Shuvu Banim who began cursing him, leading to the physical assault. They shouted at him and warned that if he continues to speak against Rabbi Berland they would kill him. Also attacked was Yechiel Tzuker, who was with Rabbi Godolvsky and happens to be a grandson of Rabbi Berland who also speaks out against him.
Apparently, this was not the only assault as others who are not backers of Rabbi Berland were also assaulted during their stay at the tziyun on Shabbos. One of the other victims was Rabbi Yoel Fuchs, head of the [non-Rav Berland] Breslov community in Beit Shemesh. He stated the actions of the thugs represents “Crossing a red line, pointing out that they not only cursed and used physical violence but made unprecedented threats about harm in the future”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
Neither judge, nor jury, I haven’t a clue about the veracity of the allegations against R’ Berland. But as an armchair commenter, I wonder whether he is guilty. If he is truly innocent, why not just face the charges, be found innocent, and then live a happy life? What’s with the expensive and complex eluding of arrest by escaping all over the world? Something about the Berland movement smells fishy. Now, these advocates and supporters of his are in total violation of the precepts of Torah, Chassidus, and even Breslov brand Chassidus, and engaging in assault, terrorizing, and threatening. The above perception has led me to consider the Berland group a cult. Now, they are looking more like a terror cult. Yoy!
Fights
Very sad to see Jews fighting. We should all be armed in the event of self defense
To: little I know,
It sounds like you know a lot. Did he tell his followers to hurt other people. Is he able to control all of his followers. Please do not guess or assume.
During the past few years there were a no. of individuals
who were innocent and they simply chose not to go to the police station on their own, probably, due to the fact, that many police interrogations can last for about 3 or 4 days non stop and you are not allowed to go to sleep for 3 days straight and of course the police go to sleep and they are replaced with brand new fresh police officers.
To avraham: i think it’s worth going three days without proper sleep to avoid chillul Hashem. Besides, a personage like him would have unseemly interrogation avoided if he would use the right connections. This issue is very painful and Jews fighting against each other exacerbates it.
The followers of Berland are largely thugs and lowlifes so no one should be surprised at what happened in Uman last Shabbos. It was only a foretaste of what will be over Rosh Hashana with the Berlander Chassidim. The serious Breslover Chassidim, of whom there are many, and they are serious ovdei hashem, have nothing to do with Berland and never have done.
It seems that the large percentage of yidden who have observed this global circus become a global chilul hashem over the past several years would not lose a night’s sleep if Berland were to simply “disappear” from public view, no questions asked. There are large numbers of Breslov chassidim who are nauseated with the stench from Berlan’s escapades and how he has dragged the name of Rav Nachman through the mud.