Haredi Leaders Receive $5 Million in Grants at Rabbi Sternbuch's Jerusalem Residence

At a ceremony held last Thursday at the Jerusalem residence of Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, grants totaling approximately $5 million were distributed to leaders of Haredi educational institutions who consistently refuse government funding. The event was organized by the "Keren Hatzalah" organization as part of an annual aid package amounting to about $17 million. This distribution coincided with the commemoration of the yahrzeit of Rabbi Yoel of Satmar, the founder of the Satmar Hasidic dynasty, who advocated complete avoidance of government budgets.

Shlomo Yosef Waldman, chairman of the foundation, personally delivered the envelopes containing the substantial sums to Rabbi Sternbuch's home. During the ceremony, the envelopes were placed on the rabbi's desk, who then blessed the donors and the foundation's workers. The event was attended by senior figures from the ultra-Orthodox community, including members of the Edah HaChareidis leadership and heads of seminaries and yeshivas, who expressed their gratitude for the financial support that enables their institutions to operate independently.

This annual financial assistance reflects the community's commitment to maintaining autonomy from state funding, in line with the ideological stance of the Satmar movement and its leaders.