Key facts
- President Donald Trump met with Haredi Jewish leaders at the White House.
- The delegation included prominent anti-Zionist figures, such as Satmar Rebbe Aaron Teitelbaum.
- The meeting occurred ahead of the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah.
- The rabbis reportedly sought to express their objection to Zionism and address issues with the Israeli government.
- The meeting was described as historic and a significant political event by attendees and observers.
President Donald Trump hosted a delegation of Haredi Jewish leaders at the White House on Thursday, an event notable for the inclusion of prominent anti-Zionist figures. The meeting, held ahead of the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, saw rabbis and representatives from New York and New Jersey engage in an intimate audience with the president, seated directly across from him at the Resolute Desk, with his son-in-law Jared Kushner also present.
Among the key figures was Satmar Rebbe Aaron Teitelbaum, a leading voice in Orthodox anti-Zionist circles, who represents a community of approximately 100,000 adherents. Photographs from the meeting showed Teitelbaum seated across from Trump, reportedly reading from a prepared letter. Israel-American author and activist Miko Peled described the Satmar Rebbe as likely the most important religious leader in the room.
Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss of Neturei Karta International explained that while his group unambiguously calls for the dismantlement of Israel, the Satmar approach is more nuanced. The meeting was seen by some critics on social media as a sign of conservatives questioning the US-Israel relationship, particularly with Israeli elections approaching in six weeks and US midterm elections in eight weeks.
According to Miko Peled, the delegation's objectives were twofold: to clearly state their opposition to Zionism and to highlight that their community is facing pressure from the Israeli government, particularly concerning young men who are considered draft dodgers due to Haredi exemption from military service. Haredi Jews often protest against Israeli conscription, facing police action in Israel.
A White House official described the gathering as the first of its kind since 1979, though some Hasidic leaders had met with former presidents. The official stated the rabbis thanked Trump for his efforts against anti-Semitism, advocating for school choice, and supporting people of faith. The White House Faith Office regularly convenes Americans of faith, including Holocaust survivors and rabbis from various denominations.
Halie Soifer, leader of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, characterized the meeting as serving a narrow political goal for Republicans, particularly for incumbent Congressman Mike Lawler, who represents a district including Kiryas Joel and is in a tight race. She noted that Trump's selection of a small, non-representative group of Hasidic men aligns with his brand, emphasizing that Jewish people are not a monolith.