Jewish donors from US will only donate to Torah institutions that support IDF

DIN: This issue may have repercussions as many who signed this letter are on the board of ArtScroll, and pathetic rabbis in Israel are now threatening to ban the Schottenstein Hebrew Talmud! I believe Artscroll will cave and make their donors retract their signatories! After all כסף יענה את הכל ... but whatever the outcome, this shows that people are becoming frustrated with Charedie Torah Leaders!

 A group of Charedi businessmen and Jewish donors from the US has announced the establishment of a new framework titled the “Coalition for Torah Study and Security,” declaring that it will cease financial support for Torah institutions in Israel that publicly speak out against the Israel Defense Forces.

The move, endorsed by numerous donors and community leaders, has sparked controversy within Charedi communities both in Israel and in the US.

In a letter published by the coalition, its founders explained their position against the backdrop of rising global antisemitism. “The Jewish nation is under sustained attack,” the letter states. “The struggle against Jews has become global. Intimidation and violence are taking place on the streets of Europe and North America, reaching a tragic peak recently in the massacre at Bondi Beach in Australia.”

The letter continues by emphasizing the centrality of Israel’s security:

 “Israel’s security has become a critical issue. The future of our people is increasingly tied to the Land of Israel, and the security of Jews throughout the Diaspora depends on the strength of the Jewish state. The IDF bears responsibility for defending the Jewish people in the State of Israel. We support them and pray for their success.”

At the same time, the coalition stressed its ongoing commitment to Torah learning. 

“We remain deeply committed to supporting Torah, yeshivot, and kollelim,” the statement reads. “Precisely because of this commitment, we cannot support institutions whose public stance undermines those responsible for protecting Jewish lives. Accordingly, we will provide financial support only to Torah institutions that do not publicly speak against the IDF.”

The organization clarified that it is not taking a position on the sensitive issue of military conscription. “This stance does not address the debate surrounding the draft law,” the letter states. “It relates solely to the legitimacy of public opposition to the IDF while it is engaged in defending Jewish lives.”

The letter has generated significant discussion within the Charedi sector. In recent years, leading rabbis have traveled abroad to raise funds for yeshivot following government budget cuts, and the coalition’s announcement is now viewed by some as an additional threat to already strained funding sources.

However, the initiative has not received unanimous support among Jewish donors. Several donors have made clear that they intend to continue supporting Torah scholars and institutions and do not plan to cooperate with the newly formed coalition.

List of donors who will not support non-enlistment in the army:

Mr. Aari Kazarnovsky,Mr. Aaron Jungreis,Mr. Abe Hurwitz,Dr. Abe Knoll,Mr. Abe Schonfeld,

Mr. Abraham Posner,Mr. Adam Bari,Mr. Adam Sasouness,Mr. Adir Cohen,Adv. 

Allan Lebovits, Esq.,Mr. Ari Adlerstein,Mr. Ari Cukier,Mr. Ari Klein,Mr. Ari Mandelbaum

Mr. Ari Schwartz,Dr. Ariel Abitan,Mr. Asher Fried,Mr. Avi Jotkowitz,Mr. Avi Rothner,

Adv. Avraham Schachter, Esq.,Adv. Benjamin Fish, Esq.,Mr. Betzalel Labrie

Attorney Brian B. Itzkowitz, Esq.,Mr. Chaim Breier,Mr. Chananya Jaffe,Mr. Charles Abramson

Mr. Daniel Benedict,Mr. Daniel Stok,Mr. Daryl Hagler,Adv. David BenHaim, Esq.,Mr. David Berger

Mr. David Gibber,Mr. David Lyons,Mr. David Schottenstein,Mr. Dov Feder,Mr. Dov Padeh

Mr. Dovi Weise,Adv. David Sussman (Dovid Sussman, Esq),Mr. A.J. Ej Ehrlich,

Mr. Eli Verschleiser,Mr. Elliot Gibber,Mr. Elliot Horowitz,,Adv. Elliot Moskowitz (Esq),

Mr. Eric Paneth,Mr. Erik Lindenauer,Mr. Ezra Beren,Mr. Hudi Abramson,Mr. Isaac Abtan

Mr. Isaac Brown Mr. Isaac Weiss Mr. Israel Weber Dr. Israel Zyskind Dr. Ivan Lebovits

Mr. Jack Mann Mr. Jack Wolcowitz Mr. Jacob Friedman Mr. Jacob Tambor Mr. Jason Lyons

Mr. Jay Glazer Mr. Joe Moser Mr. Joel Friedman Mr. Joel Klein Mr. Joel Lebovits Mr. Joel Leifer

Mr. Joel Wertzberger Mr. Jonathan Leifer Mr. Josh Augenbaum Mr. Josh Kalimi Mr. Lee Cohen

Mr. Lee Rosenberg Mr. Leonard Rox Mr. Lipa Lieberman Adv. Louis Lebovits, Esq.

Adv. Marc Herskowitz (Esq) Mr. Mariel Cayre Mr. Martin Ganz Mr. Mayer Rosen

Mr. Meir Meystel Mr. Meyer Stone Mr. Michael Kohen Mr. Mordechai CukierMr. Mordechai Jacobs

Mr. Morris Betesh Mr. Moshe Neuman Mr. Moshe Ticker Mr. Moshe Weiss Mr. Nisan Hershkowitz

Mr. Oriel Eisenberg Dr. Peretz Lock Mr. Pinchas Roth Mr. Raoul Stein 

Attorney Robert Rimberg (Esq) Mr. Ron Friedman Mr. Salomon Englander Mr. Sammy Eberstark

Mr. Sheldon Cohen Mr. Shimi Jay Mr. Shimon Eisikowicz Mr. Shlomie BrocinerMr. Simcha Hyman

Mr. Steve Rosenberg Dr. Steven Davidowitz Mr. Steven MillerAdv. Steven Szanzer (Esq)

Mr. Yosef Meystel Dr. Yossi Weinstein