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Yoel and Mendy Levy, who escaped as teens from Lev Tahor's Guatemalan complex in 2016, returned to the site of their trauma yesterday as part of their recovery process. It was the first time the brothers had returned to the site since leaving the location where the bulk of their trauma took place. Inside, they found streimels, hats, and other religious items strewn on the ground and ruined by the rain (more info: https://www.levtahorsurvivors.com/post/dozens-of-streimels-discarded-at-lev-tahor-cult-s-guatemala-compound). They also found the demolished and charred remains of every structure including the Synagogue, Matzah bakery, and tents that served as cult members' homes. They then went to pay respect to their father who was buried near the road in a makeshift cemetery. However, they were spotted on surveillance equipment set up by Lev Tahor's security team - who quickly dispatched an armed guard to the cemetery. The guard ordered the brothers to leave the premises and escorted them out of the complex. Mendy and Yoel are currently working on rebuilding their lives from scratch - having learned little to no life-skills that an average person takes for granted. They are also working to bring awareness to the plight of their family still trapped in the cult, in the hopes they will be reunited once again - in a healthy environment. Yoel's story: Mendy's story:

New York - Two important members of the Lev Tahor Jewish cult have been convicted for their involvement the brazen 2018 kidnapping of a 12-year-old boy and his 14-year-old sister, who were taken to Mexico where the girl reentered into a sexual relationship with her 20-year-old “husband.” One of the members was convicted for his role in another attempted kidnapping of the same children at a later date. It took just one hour of deliberation for a jury to find Matityahu and Mordechay Malka guilty of conspiracy for kidnapping, international kidnapping, and attempted kidnapping. Current cult leader Nachman Helbrans and member of Lev Tahor administration Mayer Rosner have already been convicted and sentenced, and five more alleged co-conspirators have been charged. During the trial, testimony brought to light some of the inner-workings of the cult and significant details of the kidnapping conspiracy. On July 7, 2017 Lev Tahor cult founder and leader Shlomo Helbrans died under suspicious circumstances in a remote Mexican river. His son Nachman took control of the cult and added stifling new restrictions as he secured his new power. Within a week of his leadership, he forced his hyper-allergenic sister Miriam to consume sesame at a public gathering where she died. (More details on those deaths and the cult can be found in these two recent documentary films that we produced: https://youtu.be/fMLBIwiEv3I https://youtu.be/m95BTIEpvOc) Nachman’s younger sister Sara Helbrans-Teller, mother of the kidnapped children, testified during the trial that several weeks after her father and sister’s death, Nachman informed her that her then-12-year-old daughter was to be engaged with a 19-year-old man. When Sara protested, Nachman publicly excommunicated her for a year, removed her 6 children from her home, and proceeded with the marriage of her daughter. In October, 2018 Sara managed to escape from the cult compound near Oratorio, Guatemala along with several of her children. She made her way to the home of friends in New York where she obtained orders of custody and protection. On December 6, 2018 Mordechay Malka rented a vehicle. Working with numerous co-conspirators that included his cousin Matityahu Malka and cult leader Nachman Helbrans (currently serving 12 years for his role in the abduction), they rented a motel room and purchased disguises. The Malkas smuggled drop phones to the 14-year-old girl and her 12-year-old brother (at a later attempted kidnapping, Matityahu Malka gave the girl a drop phone and sedatives). Two days later, at around 3:00 in the morning, the children snuck out the house and into a waiting vehicle that drove them to Scranton airport, where Nachman Helbrans was waiting. Using passports belonging to Nachman’s children, they spent the day flying through several airports, eventually entering Mexico. Incredibly, they not only broke numerous federal laws but as it was a Saturday, the Jewish day of rest, their behavior went against basic Jewish Halacha (law), a code the cult claims to adhere to more strictly than any other Jewish sect. It took three weeks and over a hundred officers from law enforcement agencies in three countries to eventually track down the children in Mexico and reunite them with their mother. In 2019 and 2021, Lev Tahor cult made two more attempts to kidnap the children. Mordechay and Matityahu opted to serve as their own council at the trial but after repeatedly proving incapable of abiding by court proceedings, that privilege was revoked and they were replaced by standby council. During the trial, the court heard from numerous witnesses including the husband of the 14-year-old girl, officials from several agencies, and a former member of the cult who had participated in the plotting and carrying out of the abduction, and who detailed the atmosphere of fear and punishments inside the cult. Evidence produced included recorded phone conversations, photographs, video footage, and documents. After an hour of deliberations, the jury found both Malkas guilty on all charges, including conspiracy for kidnapping, international kidnapping, and attempted kidnapping. “I feel bad though,” admitted Lev Tahor survivor Mendy Levy, who escaped the cult a few years ago. “Because Mordechai Malka was not really a bad guy. He was just forced to do what he did by the Weingartens, Nachman Helbrans, and Mayer Rosner." Sentencing for Matityahu and Mordechay Malka will be in September. IMAGES ASSOCIATED WITH PRESS RELEASE —- Quotes “I feel bad though, because Mordechai Malka was not really a bad guy. He was just forced to do what he did by the Weingartens, Nachman Helbrans, and Mayer Rosner. They made him do the crimes he did. He’s naturally a nice guy, based on my experience with him in Lev Tahor.” Lev Tahor survivor Mendy Levy — Department of Justice Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/lev-tahor-operatives-convicted-trial-kidnapping-offenses __ Detailed written reports and analysis from the Malka trial Day 1: https://www.levtahorsurvivors.com/post/lev-tahor-malka-trial-day-1-synopsis Day 2: https://www.levtahorsurvivors.com/post/lev-tahor-cult-leader-took-3-flights-on-shabbat-malka-trial-day-2-report — Documentaries related to the above story https://youtu.be/fMLBIwiEv3I https://youtu.be/m95BTIEpvOc

A journalist from Kikar Hashabbat recently visited Lev Tahor's compound near Oratorio, Guatemala and discovered dozens of valuable streimels and other hasidic clothing strewn on the floor. The clothing were in somewhat poor condition due to exposure to the elements and they appeared to have been used by cult members. Streimels typically cost between $500-$8000. Judging by items trashed nearby, the streimels were likely left behind when cult members fled Guatemala seeking a new home where they can continue to mentally, physically, and sexually abuse men, women and children under the guise of religious fundamentalism without facing the scrutiny of outsiders. The strewn streimels indicate a further distancing from mainstream hasidism in terms of how they dress. Initially, they required all women to wear muslim-style chadors. Then after the death of Shlomo Helbrans they gradually changed their clothing from standard hasidic bekishes and streimels to distinct hooded brown coats made from material purchased in India and sewn by Guatemalan women. These garments are now reportedly being worn by both men and boys belonging to the cult. A member of Lev Tahor told Kikar Hashabbat that the changes in clothing are based on "research" done by Yoil Weingarten as to how Jews "originally dressed." Weingarten did not share any sources or evidence to support his theory. Cults often take on extreme religious views (particularly related to a distinct look) to distance their followers from mainstream society (in this case similar-looking hasidic Jews) and to be able to use the excuse that anyone critiquing them is out to get them because of their religious views (as opposed to their abusive behavior).

Background and brief synopsis of day one In November 2018, Sara Helbrans escaped from the Lev Tahor cult's compound near Oratorio in Guatemala. She managed to rescue 6 children, including a 13 year old girl (dubbed "Jane Doe" in the trial) who had been married in a religious ceremony to Jacob Rosner. She made her way to the United States and received orders of protection. A month later, two of her children ("John and Jane Doe") disappeared. It took several weeks to track them down and determine that they had been kidnaped by leading members of the cult, including Matityahu and Mordechay Malka, cousins who are members of Lev Tahor and opted to represent themselves in their trial. They were assigned standby council by Judge Nelson S Roman. Day one of the trial saw the defense attempt to push an unsubstantiated narrative that claimed Sara Helbrans was an abusive mother which had not only been shot down during pre-trial (and in the trials of others involved in the abduction) but also been precluded as inadmissible during the trial. Mordechay Malka was unable to hold himself back in his opening statement and after twice alluding to allegations of domestic abuse was warned that he would be forbidden from addressing the court. You can read a more detailed report on day one of the United States vs Malka case here: https://www.levtahorsurvivors.com/post/lev-tahor-malka-trial-day-1-synopsis. Judge Nelson Stephen Roman (photo: NY Courts) Allowing member of kidnapping team to be present: pre-trial postulations Day two opened with Justine Roman having to clarify to Matityahu Malka that mentioning the Kasho hasidic group's alleged "decades of crimes against Lev Tahor" had been precluded from the trial (Kasho is a small hasidic group who had warned its community to avoid having anything to do with Lev Tahor back around 2008), and stressed that the defense cannot argue that they were rescuing the minors or that the children had been abused by their mother unless it becomes relevant and evidence of the alleged abuse submitted. Justice Roman read and clarified those instructions several times, advised the Malkas to use their standby council and yiddish translators, warned them that he would treat them as he would any other lawyer, and stated on the record that they consistently appeared to be attempting to delay proceedings. The defense put in an application requesting that Mordechay Malka's wife Chaya Weingarten be permitted in court. The government requested that it be denied on the basis of her involvement in the abduction of the children by reaching out and attempting to influence Jane Doe's testimony in past trials. Justice Roman approved the application provided Weingarten leave during the testimony of all witnesses. Revocation of self-presentation: Mordechay Malka's opening statement When the jury was brought in, Mordechay Malka started in on a new opening statement. After several attempts to allude to maternal abuse, prosecutor Jamie Ellen Bagliebter interrupted. After sending out the jury, she put in an application to revoke Mordechay Malka from representing himself. The request was sustained and Justice Roman appointed standby council to work directly with Matityahu Malka for the duration of the trial. Standby council was furious. After several objections, they finally proposed that instead of a total revocation, perhaps Justice Roman could instruct Mordechay to move along or simply sustain the government's objections. The judge argued that Mordechay Malka seemed incapable of abiding by court proceedings and doing so would cause endless delays. Then standby council asked for two days (and then one day) to prepare their defense. The prosecutor argued that they had plenty of time to prepare. Justice Roman agreed and noted that he had repeatedly advised them to arrive prepared and that they had been in attendance at a previous case involving the same defendants. Standby council asked if they can provide the language for what Justice Roman should tell the jurors when they return and the judge agreed. The text they submitted stressed that just as doctors don't operate on family members due to a lack of detachment, similarly standby council will be stepping in to work with Matityahu Malka, and the jury should not read into that decision. Awake for a thousand nights: the defense's opening statements The jury was brought in and Justice Roman delivered the statement. Then, standby council Susan Wolf delivered her opening statement, promising that an entire story will unfold that will prove that the government are solely focused on part of the story. She urged the jury to hold onto the presumption of innocence. Matityahu Malka's opening statement was next. He rambled about his lack of experience in court, about "staying awake over a thousand nights wondering if I did the right thing until concluding that I did what I had to do," and promised to expose government lies. He argued that "giving someone a phone is not an attempt to kidnap!" He concluded with the statement that "evidence will show that I gave her the phone to contact the authorities. I had no intention of removing this woman from her mother's custody, or the pills you heard about from the prosecution." Initial abduction reports: the agent in charge of the case testifies The prosecution then called their first witness to the stand. Joseph Nuzzo of the New York State Police, who has 15 years of law enforcement experience. He constructed an evidence-based tale of a daring kidnapping that involved numerous members of Lev Tahor's leadership. He started by detailing when he first learned of the abduction. It was December 8th and it was reported by their mother Sara Helbrans and the owner of the residence where the children went missing. Temporary orders of custody and protection (that were extended numerous times) were presented to the court. They clearly defined that the father of the children, Aaron Teller, was not to contact them in any way or form or through any messenger or friend. They were sent to Teller. An expelled relative turns informer: initial suspects Nuzzo described how he tracked down the children and their kidnappers, with over 100 agents working together from law enforcement agencies in the USA, Mexico, and Guatemala, tracking via GPS, credit cards, and missing persons flyers. Their initial suspects were Shimon and Mordechay Malka. Shimon had been expelled from Lev Tahor and was living in the same home as the children. Mordechay had visited several times. They located Shimon. At first he was uncooperative, but within a day or two he provided details of the planning, the people involved, and the meeting locations. Law enforcement then tried tracking down Mordechay Malka, and eventually discovered that two days before the abduction, he had rented a vehicle. Evidence for the rental was provided to the court via documentation from the rental agency. Tracing the UPC code: the first clue They recovered the vehicle in Brooklyn and searched it, finding their next clue. In the trunk was a tag for a jacket purchased in a Walmart. The tag contained a UPC code which led them to a particular item (a boy's jacket) in a specific Walmart. Screenshots and video footage proved that member of "hanhala" (administration) Shmiel Weingarten had purchased the items together with Jacob Rosner, the religious husband of Jane Doe. The two had exited Walmart and driven off in a gray van. Two weeks later, police pulled over that van at a traffic light and arrested its driver, Aaron Rosner, uncle of Jacob. The Walmart receipt contained other items that would later be of significance. A baseball cap, a fur hat, and other identifiable clothing. Creativity isn't a strength when it comes to pseudonyms: the second clue Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies had been tracking the GPS of Mordechay Malka's cellphone, and it led them to a Super 8 motel in Monticello, about 20 minutes or so from the home in Woodridge where Sara Helbrans and her children were staying. The court was shown booking reservations made out to "Chaimel Weinberger." Receipt, vehicular, and video evidence seen at the trial proved that it was a pseudonym for Shmiel Weingarten. Next, the court saw video from surveillance cameras at the home in Woodridge. Taken around 2:57am on an early Shabbat/Saturday morning, the two children are seen walking across the yard toward a road where a parked vehicle is waiting for them. 26 minutes later, security footage from the motel proves their arrival in Monticello. At 4:00am, the vehicle leaves and is next spotted at 5:22am at Scranton airport. Cult leader gets directly involved: tracking the travels of the children Incredibly, on December 8, 2018, a Saturday - on Shabbat, a day in which all Orthodox Jews avoid using any electricity, current Lev Tahor cult leader Nachman Helbrans took several flights, demonstrably breaking numerous basic Jewish laws during this abduction. Evidence in the form of flight information, manifests, and video from surveillance cameras showed Nachman Helbrans going through security with children wearing the exact clothing purchased in the Walmart, and the three then traveling to Dulles, Virginia, then to O'Hare in Chicago, and finally to San Antonio. The children traveled using the passports and identities of Nachman's children Mendel and Ruth. Their actual names were not on any manifest. Nuzzo and his team were able to track the trio to Mexico after placing a search warrant on an email address associated with a member of Lev Tahor. That led to a meeting at JFK Airport in New York with law enforcement agents from Mexico who provided photos and other evidence, some of which was presented to the court. Reunited at last: Nuzzo's testimony concludes The FBI also discovered a cell phone belonging to Jacob Rosner (religious husband of Jane Doe - she had been married to him when she was 13 at their Guatemalan compound) and extracted from it GPS data and lots of photographs including numerous selfies and pictures of his airplane tickets. Almost all the activity on the phone was from December 2018. On December 31, 2018 Mexican law enforcement informed Nuzzo and his team that they had tracked down the children. Nuzzo flew out together with Sara Helbrans and she was reunited with her kids. It had been a three week nightmare for the single mother trying to rebuild her life and overcome the trauma of spending most her life in the Lev Tahor cult. With Nuzzo's testimony concluded, cross examination was scheduled for day 3. The jury was sent out, and Justice Roman addressed an application by the defense to remove an FBI agent who had been in court and would later be testifying, asked the defense to cut their submitted list of 200 witnesses to 20 to avoid redundancies, and got permission from the marshals to allow Matityahu and Mordechay Malka to stay an extra 30 minutes to confer and strategize with their standby council. Stay tuned for our day 3 report. Related articles Trying to squeeze in an unsubstantiated narrative: Lev Tahor Malka trial day 1 https://www.levtahorsurvivors.com/post/lev-tahor-malka-trial-day-1-synopsis ‘Jewish’ cult planned to abduct Brooklyn kids again https://nypost.com/2019/03/28/jewish-cult-planned-to-abduct-brooklyn-kids-again/ Man accused of helping Jewish ‘cult’ kidnap kids released on bail https://nypost.com/2019/01/15/man-accused-of-helping-jewish-cult-kidnap-kids-released-on-bail/ Four Alleged Leaders And Members Of Lev Tahor Charged In White Plains Federal Court With Kidnapping Children https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/four-alleged-leaders-and-members-lev-tahor-charged-white-plains-federal-court Brooklyn man charged with kidnapping in connection with Jewish extremist ‘cult’ https://nypost.com/2018/12/24/brooklyn-man-charged-with-kidnapping-in-connection-with-jewish-extremist-cult/ Five 'Lev Tahor' leaders arrested in FBI raid in Mexico https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Five-Lev-Tahor-leaders-arrested-in-FBI-raid-in-Mexico-574960 Mom goes to war against father’s Jewish ‘cult’ to protect her children https://nypost.com/2018/12/19/woman-goes-to-war-against-fathers-jewish-cult-to-protect-her-children/ Two Escapees From Lev Tahor Kidnapped in the Catskills On Shabbos https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/1639381/breaking-two-escapees-from-lev-tahor-kidnapped-in-catskills-on-shabbos.html

"When you see a Jewish child getting beaten, you have to do something to stop it. You don't think." - Yoel Kellner, truck driver (Kol Mevasser interview) When a friend sent me the security footage of this event on Friday (5/27/2022), I immediately had to share it on twitter. This is what I posted: The reason why I was so excited was because, as a survivor of child abuse, there was something so empowering - or hopeful - about seeing a random person stepping in to stop a bully. I guess I wasn't alone. It must've resonated with many people, because we got a half million views in less than 3 days. Many of you asked for 'the rest of the story.' So here is a short summary of what happened directly from the suspender-wearing-hero truck driver, Yoel Kellner. He gave a yiddish interview over the dial-in hotline Kol Mevasser. Here is a summary from his perspective: (free translation, edited a bit from the 20-minutes interview to put the story in proper order) "I was having a bad day... I deliver for caterers and restaurants and there were some issues with scheduling, so I left Monsey earlier than usual to beat traffic. Around quarter to 6 in the morning, I saw a 16 year old Yeshiva student crossing the street by Park Avenue and Spencer - walking toward Bedford Ave (in Williamsburg, Brooklyn). "My nature is to observe things when driving, as I often drive during late-night hours. When I see something suspicious I usually call shomrim - like when I've seen people breaking into vehicles, etc. "But this morning, I saw a man who looked dangerous and suspicious, and I decided to keep an eye out. To wait and see. Next thing I remember, the man is on the floor. I don't remember shoving him. I still cannot believe my reaction to the situation. "The man stood up and shouted antisemitic comments. The 16-year-old looked terrified. Meanwhile, I called shomrim (community watch). Another hasidic man came to help and the antisemite walked away, shouting that he's going to sue me for violently hitting him. "I shouted back that he was the one who had been violent. I tried to follow the man but he got away and then I waited for shomrim to arrive. "I had two questions in my mind: was I legally allowed to hit the man? And also, was the yeshiva student ok? "Later on, I saw the security footage. I was shocked at my behavior but also proud of what I had done. When you see a Jewish child get beaten, you have to do something to stop it. You don't think. "The surveillance cameras didn't show where the 16-year-old had gone and I was worried for him. He seemed like a quiet person. He looked a little traumatized. "Then I started getting messages calling me a hero. I think most people would do what I did. But I was still nervous about the yeshiva student who had been attacked. "Then I got a message that said, "thanks for saving my brother." Through that, I got in touch with the yeshiva student and asked how he felt. Thank Gd he's ok. Together we went with shomrim to file a proper police report and we met with everyone in the police station. "Shomrim and the police are on the case. They haven't yet found the antisemite but I'm sure they will. It's a matter of time. "My message to everyone out there is that when you see someone getting abused and beaten, don't stop and think. Do the right thing." Yoel Kellner is a hero. He saw a Jewish student being abused and he dropped what he was doing to protect the young man. His actions give me hope. WATCH OUR LATEST VIDEO ABOUT A DIFFERENT YOEL. ALSO A HERO: And here's a toy replica of Yoel Kellner's truck. It should come with a little suspenders-wearing mentchie. 😉 Note: You are free to post all or some of this content to your website - with credit or link.

As a service to those following the Lev Tahor proceedings, we present a synopsis of the first day of the United States vs Malka trial. Background and context - the Malkas dismiss representation Matityahu and Mordechay Malka are on trial for, among other accusations, successfully kidnapping two children from their mother (who had escaped the Lev Tahor cult), and after the children were rescued, attempting to abduct them again. And then again. For more details, see this court document. Prior to the trial, numerous rulings as to what would be allowed at the hearings were set. They can be read at the "motions in limine" section of this court document and in this court document. Rulings relevant to day 1 will be detailed below. They also requested (just before jury selection) that Judge Nelson S Roman recuse himself. The request was denied. Finally, against Justice Roman's repeated advice, the Malkas insisted on representing themselves. Justice Roman stressed that he would treat them as he would any other litigator, and assigned two standby councils to assist them. Prior to the jurors' arrival - the Malkas attempt an already-denied strategy Mordechai and Matityahu Malka made numerous motions of reconsideration but were unable to provide arguments supporting their requests, which were denied. Our analysis is that the Malkas had prepared a strategy similar to what the Weingartens unsuccessfully attempted. Their angle was that they were rescuing children purportedly being abused by their mother. However, that strategy was knocked down during the pretrial as that would require an admission of guilt (and they had already pled not guilty), and they were unable to supply any evidence of the alleged abuse. It is worth noting that these are arguments that had already been denied in the trials of other members involved in the abductions. For over 30 minutes the Malkas tried to find a way to be granted permission to discuss the abuse, to no avail. The judge did point out that numerous requests from the government had also been denied, for example using the term "forced" when referring to underage marriages in Lev Tahor. The Malkas also tried squeezing in an untranslated 1,000 or so page document written only in Yiddish but it was ruled inadmissible. The prosecution's opening statement - a mother's worst fear keeps happening Finally, the jury was brought in and the opening statements began. The prosecution painted a picture of a single mom of 6 discovering that two of her children had been kidnapping (it's worth noting that the kidnapping was done using cell phones and a vehicle at 3am on a Friday night), waiting anxiously for two weeks as the FBI tracked her children, and then facing two more kidnap attempts. Prosecutor Jamie Ellen Bagliebter promised to provide evidence demonstrating Sara Helbrans' story. Daughter of the founder of Lev Tahor, she lived with the cult in their isolated Guatemalan compound. After her father's suspicious death, her brother took over and decided to marry Sara's daughter to an older boy at the age of 13. While the cult had married girls at young ages, this time it hit home. They had never tried to marry a girl that young. Sara objected to the match but was overruled by her brother. After her daughter's wedding, she decided to flee and made it to New York with 6 children, receiving a court order granting her full custody. Prosecutor Bagliebter gave a synopsis of the kidnapping attempts and the role of the Malkas in the crimes. She promised to provide evidence using audio, video, photos, and witnesses, including testimony from someone on the inside who had participated in the abductions to an extent and decided to work with the government. Mordechai Malka's opening statement - breaking rules repeatedly Presenting himself as a family man, Mordechai's opening statement was a long ramble filled with promises of "only sharing the truth." He blasted the "corrupt government" who didn't try to seek out the true story (in our estimation he was clearly trying to find a way to pursue his original strategy of alleging that they were trying to "rescue" the children from domestic abuse). Numerous times he pushed the limit, and had to be warned by Justice Roman. He briefly tried portraying the team of kidnappers as "caring family members trying to save innocent kids," and was asked to approach the bench. It was when he launched into a statement that "one month earlier, the kids were living happily in Lev Tahor, but their nightmare began when they moved out -" that Justice Roman interrupted his statement and asked to jurors to step aside. The judge had a Yiddish translator brought in as he explained once again what was inadmissible. He warned that if Mordechai continues his behaviour, he will be forbidden from addressing the court. As it was getting late, he decided to end the proceedings for the day. He advised the Malkas to meet with their standby council to go over their opening statement. Then he called in the jurors and asked them to strike what they had heard from Mordechai from their minds. Day two report to come. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, you can follow the proceedings on a daily basis at 9am by dialing 1-877-336-1839 and entering access code 1231334#. --- This article is free to share with website credit.

New Video: Yoel Levy's Dramatic Escape After 3 Suspicious Deaths in Cult Over the course of one year, in a community of three hundred, three people died. Each death was easily avoidable and markedly suspicious, all were related to Yoel. A new 35 minute documentary shares the story of a 20 year old survivor of the Lev Tahor cult’s suspenseful escape from their Guatemalan compound. The film, produced by several members of the Hasidic community who are trying to expose the abuse and help people trapped inside Lev Tahor, follows Yoel Levy as he meets fellow cult survivor Rabbi Yaniv Assis for the first time in 10 years. Rabbi Assis is a respected educator and Torah scholar who spent time with the cult when they were based in a small town in Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains. Yoel Levy was born and raised in Ste Agathe, Quebec to parents who were members of Lev Tahor, a semi-secluded Jewish cult with members of its leadership sitting in prison for kidnapping, child abuse, and child sexual exploitation. They both allowed a film crew to document their reunion, where they tried to piece together the twisted Lev Tahor puzzle. Using newly leaked documents, photos, and videos, the documentary details the cult’s dramatic midnight flight from Quebec as authorities were closing in to rescue 14 children, and their travels to several locations, each more contained and enclosed than the previous, tightening the noose around members’ families with stricter rules and regiments. Once inside their own remote Guatemalan compound, kept inside with barb wire and armed guards, three easily avoidable deaths took place, including the tragic passing of Yoel’s father. Facing constant abuse, punishment, and hunger, Yoel made a dramatic exit following an engagement to a girl he had never met. He was the first escapee from the compound. His brother Mendy followed, and numerous others have since managed to leave, some (like Yoel) dropping their Jewish observance, while others (like Yaniv) opting to grow in their religious beliefs. Following the incarceration of four members of Lev Tahor’s administration, including their current leader Nachman Helbrans, more members have left the cult. Providing them with food, travel expenses, and lodging in safe homes with religious families is a group of people who call themselves “Lev Tahor survivors.” They operate a website, LevTahorSurvivors.com, and a phone line those committed to escaping the cult can call (the number is +1-725-226-3636). “The goal of this documentary is to create awareness about the destruction of lives taking place inside Lev Tahor,” said Meyer*, a member of Lev Tahor Survivors. “We need your help in spreading the video and the information contained inside it to anyone who may be supporting the cult. We are working on several more short documentaries and are preparing to release incriminating documents from a hard drive smuggled out of the compound. We will not stop until the abuse ends and members are in control of their own lives.”

A new 35 minute documentary shares the story of a 20-year-old survivor of the Lev Tahor cult’s suspenseful escape from their Guatemalan compound. The film, produced by several members of the Hasidic community who are trying to expose the abuse and help people trapped inside Lev Tahor, follows Yoel Levy as he meets fellow cult survivor Rabbi Yaniv Assis for the first time in 10 years. Rabbi Assis is a respected educator and Torah scholar who spent time with the cult when they were based in a small town in Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains. Yoel Levy was born and raised in Ste Agathe, Quebec to parents who were members of Lev Tahor, a semi-secluded Jewish cult with members of its leadership sitting in prison for kidnapping, child abuse, and child sexual exploitation. They both allowed a film crew to document their reunion, where they tried to piece together the twisted Lev Tahor puzzle. Continue reading at https://collive.com/new-documentary-shares-story-of-escape-from-cult/

Two leaders of the Lev Tahor sect, Yaakov and Shmuel Weingarten, will be extradited from Guatemala for trial in the United States, The Yeshiva World reported Monday. Both are accused of taking part in a plot to kidnap a 14-year-old girl so that she could procreate with her "husband" in 2018. Those same charges landed cult leader Nachman Helbrans — son of late founder Shlomo Helbrans — and his right-hand man, Mayer Rosner, behind bars in late March. They were sentenced to 12 years in prison, followed by five years on parole. Leaders of Lev Tahor “have embraced extreme practices, such as intrusive surveillance of its members, frequent beatings, and marriages between minors and adult members, says the US Department of Justice. Lev Tahor's children are often subject to physical, sexual and emotional abuse”. Continue reading at https://www-lapresse-ca.translate.goog/actualites/2022-04-28/le-debut-de-la-fin-pour-la-secte-lev-tahor.php?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp Read this article in French: https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2022-04-28/le-debut-de-la-fin-pour-la-secte-lev-tahor.php

Two Lev Tahor leaders who were arrested last year in Guatemala have been extradited to the United States to face trial, according to a report on Monday on the Yeshiva World News web site. Yaakov and Shmuel Weingarten are facing charges of suspected kidnapping and abuse of children. The kidnapping attempt was intentionally perpetrated on Shabbos to make it more difficult for the parents to pursue them, the YWN report indicated. Continue reading at https://thejewishvoice.com/2022/04/lev-tahor-cult-leaders-extradited-from-guatemala-to-the-us-to-face-kidnapping-charges-2/

A new short film released by Lev Tahor Survivors contains leaked audio and video proving that the Lev Tahor cult has been using lies and manipulation to fool Orthodox Jewish supporters and the government of Canada. Uriel Goldman has raised millions of dollars to fund Lev Tahor, a cult that has been accused of child abuse and neglect, whose leaders are in prison on charges of kidnapping and child exploitations. The cult has continued to thrive following the death of its leader Shlomo Helbrans and the one constant driver managing the fundraising, abuse, and media representation is Uriel Goldman. Continue reading at https://collive.com/leaked-audio-exposes-cult-leaders-lies-and-manipulation/

He has raised millions of dollars to fund the Lev Tahor cult, which has continued to thrive following the death of its leader Shlomo Helbrans.