Supreme Court to Rule on Ponovezh Yeshiva Eviction and Debt

Israel's Supreme Court is set to hear a critical appeal on Monday regarding the long-standing dispute over the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. Justice Ofer Groskopf will review a request by Rabbi Shmuel Markovitz and the "Tradition of the Torah" association to delay the enforcement of a lower court's ruling. The ruling mandates they vacate their section of the yeshiva's campus and pay approximately 10 million shekels.

The decision will determine if the yeshiva can continue operating until the appeal is resolved or if its occupants will be evicted beforehand. An eviction now would be irreversible, even if the appeal is successful. The Tel Aviv District Court had initially set the eviction for September 30, during the Sukkot holiday. An interim order granted by Justice Groskopf temporarily halted the eviction and payment.

Ponovezh Yeshiva, often called the "Oxford" or "Harvard" of yeshivas, is a flagship institution for the Lithuanian Haredi public. Founded by Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, who re-established it in Bnei Brak after the Holocaust, it grew into a vast campus. The yeshiva has been embroiled in an internal conflict since the founder's son, Rabbi Avraham Kahaneman, took over. This escalated into a leadership struggle between his son, Rabbi Eliezer Kahaneman, and his son-in-law, Rabbi Shmuel Markovitz, which also reflected a broader rift within the Lithuanian community.

An arbitration in 2000 attempted to divide leadership, with Rabbi Kahaneman overseeing material affairs and Rabbi Markovitz the spiritual. This arrangement collapsed in the mid-2000s, leading to the yeshiva splitting into two entities operating on the same campus, each using about half the space.

In November 2025, arbitrator retired Justice David Hashin ruled in favor of Rabbi Kahaneman, stating Rabbi Markovitz's rights had expired and ordering his eviction and the payment of 10 million shekels. This was affirmed by Justice Yehudit Shevah of the Tel Aviv District Court in August 2026. The eviction order affects 1,266 students and scholars, including minors, with many residing in the yeshiva's dormitories.

The applicants argue that an immediate eviction would displace hundreds of young men, some minors, mid-academic year, leaving them without housing or study facilities. They claim no suitable alternative property exists, and finding and preparing one would take at least two years and cost at least 200 million shekels. They also cite a Supreme Court ruling on the Gaza disengagement, stating eviction is primarily the destruction of a way of life.

Furthermore, the applicants contend that the financial penalty of 10 million shekels would bankrupt the "Tradition of the Torah" association, which has a monthly deficit and relies on Ministry of Education funding. They warn this could lead to the closure of five institutions in various cities, affecting approximately 2,100 students and scholars, including 455 minors, and resulting in 49 layoffs. They also address funds raised by a separate committee, stating these are earmarked for an alternative site, not for paying the arbitration award.