Who are these wealthy chassidim, who are making such large contributions and funding the establishment of Satmar institutions throughout the world?

Satmar chassidim had to contribute millions to tzedakah if they wanted to travel to Eretz Yisrael as part of the Satmar Rebbe Rav Aharon Teitelbaum’s recent entourage. But a few philanthropists putting together $5 million in two weeks was just child’s play in Satmar, where the massive scope of giving is part of Reb Yoelish’s legacy. Who are these million-dollar adherents?

At an annual Satmar-kollel dinner in Boro Park one recent Motzaei Shabbos the Satmar Rebbe Rav Aharon Teitelbaum peppered his keynote speech with words of mussar urging his listeners to open their wallets and donate generously to the institutions of the chassidus.

This was no surprise to an audience known for its over-the-top philanthropy but the bombshell fell when the Rebbe continued speaking about his impending end-of-February trip to EretzYisrael announcing the criteria for accompanying him. “We are going to EretzYisraelfor a family simchah and when we go there we try to get the maximum benefit out of the trip. Along with our family simchah we will lay the cornerstone for a new building for a girls’ school in Bnei Brak and we will celebrate a chanukas habayis for a new talmud Torah building in Yerushalayim all so that our chassidim in Eretz Yisrael can get some chizuk. I’m inviting only the philanthropists of our community who will take it upon themselves to finance our new projects in the Holy Land.”

The Rebbe’s words were unprecedented even in Satmar. For the first time the Rebbe had drawn a line stating clearly that he wasn’t looking for a traveling entourage. This was solely about helping establish the institutions of the chassidus inEretzYisrael.

And the response wasn’t long in coming. Immediately after the dinner the Rebbe left Boro Park and traveled to the home of Reb Yehuda Mandel in Williamsburg where a private MelavehMalkahmeal was held. The seudah was attended by a small number of affluent Satmar chassidim and was targeted for the new building inBneiBrak. On the spot six chassidim donated half a million dollars each — and the Rebbe personally invited each of them to join him on his trip.

The Rebbe then raised another $1.5 million at a parlor meeting in the home of Reb Eliezer Kleinberger — and the traveling guest list grew some more.

So if raising $4.5 million in less than two weeks for an obscure project far away from the consciousness of the donors isn’t enough to paint a picture of the power of giving in Satmar then perhaps the “fight” over the Rebbe’sEretzYisraelaccommodations is.

RavAharonhadn’t been to EretzYisraelin seven years and his visit stirred up major competition among affluent chassidim in chutz l’Aretz who own apartments in Jerusalem. Everyone wanted the Rebbe to stay in his own Jerusalem home for a night and each was willing to donate large sums to Satmar’s institutions inEretzYisrael for the honor.

After some fierce bidding competition the privilege was won by Reb Asher Zelig Lev of London — the son of Reb Yeshaya Wolf Lev rosh hakahal of Satmar’s London community. The honor which cost $1.1 million dollars meant the Rebbe would receive his Jerusalem chassidim at the well-appointed home of Reb Asher Lev on Rechov Minchas Yitzchak where he would also be visited by other rebbes and rabbanim.

All this may sound a bit mercenary to the outside observer but for anyone who has followed the history of Satmar chassidus it’s just another link in the chain of tales about the legendary wealth of Satmar.

G-dly Gelt

It’s no secret that wealth and philanthropy are partners in this chassidus, but how did all that money develop in a generation, from a kehillah cobbled together from Holocaust survivors and other refugees?

When the first Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum ztz”l (the Divrei Yoel or “Reb Yoelish”), came to the United States in 1947 after fleeing the ravages of Europe, he immediately set about establishing communal institutions, embarking on major fundraising from Jews all over America.

Yet when Reb Yoelish took such a vociferous stand against the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, prohibiting his chassidim from collaborating with it in any way, most American Jews — who looked to the fledgling state as the primal and G-d-inspired hope for Jews in the Holy Land — halted their contributions.

But Reb Yoelish was not deterred and remained entrenched in his position. “If the Jews of America won’t give me money, then I will have to create my own philanthropists, whom I will teach to give to everyone, without regard to hashkafic differences,” he declared.

The Rebbe was true to his word. Gradually, due to his blessings, the chassidim began to prosper in business in a way that could only be attributed to the brachos of their rebbe. But there was a tradeoff for the brachos: the Rebbe demanded that the balabatim give tzedakah to anyone who sought their help. And the Rebbe himself served as a personal example to his flock by generously distributing charity to anyone who asked for it.

At the time, opening kollelim wasn’t on the Rebbe’s agenda.

“I want balabatim who work for their sustenance to be chassidish and live the right way, no matter what they do,” the Rebbe declared, adding a stipulation: “Satmar chassidim must arise very early in the morning — both yeshivah students and working men alike — and learn for at least three or four hours before davening. Only after that may someone go out and earn a living.”

And so, the history of Satmar is filled with stories of simple people who became wealthy overnight due to the Rebbe’s blessings, of affluent people who donated unimaginable sums to various causes, and of others who essentially became partners with the rebbes, opening their wallets and their hearts to support the needs of the chassidus in an unusually generous way.

For close to 70 years, ever since Rav Yoel of Satmar established his community on American soil, Satmar has produced dozens, perhaps hundreds, of wealthy philanthropists. And both divisions of Satmar — Rav Aharon’s kehillah in Monroe and Rav Zalman Leib’s kehillah in Williamsburg — claim that theirs is the wealthiest chassidus on earth.

No one disputes the fact that the amount of tzedakah and chesed produced by Satmar every year, for the needy both within and outside of the chassidus, is astounding and surpasses that of any other community. Chesed, according to senior Satmar chassidim, is their motto.

Who are these wealthy chassidim, who are making such large contributions and funding the establishment of Satmar institutions throughout the world? Following the Satmar Rebbe’s visit to Eretz Yisrael, Mishpacha gives readers a glimpse of the philanthropic “mizrach wall” of Satmar, the chassidim who accompanied their rebbe and those who are responsible for carrying on the torch of Satmar’s wealth.

BUILT-UP

Brothers Reb Yitzchak and Reb Avraham Yehuda Rosenberg (America):

Business: The Rosenberg brothers’ fortune comes from importing construction supplies. Their large factory sits on the riverbank near the Williamsburg port, where their two large cargo ships dock. The Rosenbergs are among the biggest importers in the sector, supplying merchandise to hundreds of stores throughout the country.

Communal standing: Reb Yitzchak Rosenberg is the deputy rosh kahal in Satmar. He joined the chassidus toward the end of Reb Yoel’s life and became even more involved in the community when the Beirach Moshe assumed the mantle of leadership after Reb Yoel’s passing.