The split inside Peleg Yerushalmi continues to increase, as talmidim from Yeshivas Grodna who were out in the streets recently protesting the arrest of a Breslov talmid at Ben-Gurion Airport for being a draft dodger, in line with instructions from HaGaon HaRav Tzvi Friedman, were expelled from the yeshiva.

The talmid, Eliezer Rubin, a resident of Telshe Stone, adhered to instructions from his rabbonim and did not report to an induction center. In the faction of Peleg which follows the instructions of HaGaon Rav Asher Deutsch, it is stated that since Rubin belongs to the “Old Yishuv”, they are opposed to protests against his arrest, permitting the Eida to continue as planned.

However, the more extreme branch of Peleg, those following Rav Friedman, organized the hafganos against Rubin’s arrest despite Rav Deutsch’s objections. The Vaad to Save the Torah World now finds itself between a rock and a hard place, and on Sunday, after a session addressing the extension of Rubin’s remand by a military court, it did not order renewed protests but simply called on the tzibur to daven for Eliezer ben Sheina.

The split has many inside Peleg confused and the rabbonim protesting told the media they were doing so on behalf of Rubin with “Neturei Karta”.

Rosh Yeshivas Grodna, HaGaon Rav Moshe Shmeida, who follows Rav Deutsch, has taken action against talmidim who follow the more extreme branch of Peleg, followers of Rav Friedman.

According to a Kikar Shabbos News report, those talmidim who took part in protests against Rubin’s arrest have been ousted from Grodna for doing so. This includes bochrim who protested the arrest of a frum woman for not reporting for military service, because they were not instructed to protest.

Clearly, the division within the Peleg will lead to additional confusion and actions by rabbonim.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)