Israeli Court Orders Ponovezh Faction to Evacuate Yeshiva Premises by September 30

Judge Yehudit Shvach rejected Rabbi Shmuel Markovitz's petition to annul the arbitration ruling by retired Judge David Cheshin concerning the internal dispute at the Ponovezh Yeshiva. The ruling mandates that the faction led by Rabbi Markovitz vacate all premises by September 30 and pay approximately 10 million shekels in compensation for usage fees, maintenance costs, and legal expenses. This decision legally endorses the eviction plan against the so-called "terrorist faction" occupying parts of the yeshiva campus.

The judge emphasized that the coexistence of two separate yeshiva groups under one roof inevitably leads to violence and desecration, affirming exclusive property rights to the institutions controlled by Yeshiva President Rabbi Eliezer Kahaneman. Furthermore, Rabbi Markovitz and his institutions are prohibited from using the "Ponovezh" name or logo and from styling themselves as "Ponovezh Yeshiva heads."

This dispute dates back to the early 1990s and intensified after Rabbi Avraham Kahaneman's death in 2009, splitting the yeshiva into two rival camps operating independently. The current ruling follows five years of intense arbitration aimed at legally separating the factions. While the victorious side welcomes the decision as a fresh start, Rabbi Markovitz's faction plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, signaling ongoing uncertainty about whether the September 30 deadline will end this long-standing conflict within the Haredi community.