Sons of Both Satmar Rebbe’s Shake Hands By Simcha
In a rare and heartwarming moment that stirred excitement across the Satmar community, two grandsons of the late Satmar Rebbe, HaRav Moshe Teitelbaum zt”l, were seen shaking hands at a simcha this past week. HaRav Menachem Mendel Teitelbaum, son of HaRav Aharon Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel, and HaRav Yaakov Ber Teitelbaum, son of HaRav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg, greeted each other warmly at the bar mitzvah of the son of R’ Chezky Berkowitz, a prominent and respected figure in the Satmar kehillah.
The encounter, captured by attendees and quickly shared across frum circles, marked a significant moment given the well-known divide between the two branches of Satmar leadership. The Kiryas Yoel and Williamsburg factions, led by HaRav Aharon and HaRav Zalman Leib respectively, have historically followed distinct paths since the passing of their father, HaRav Moshe Teitelbaum, in 2006. Public interactions between the two sides have been exceedingly rare, making this handshake a symbol of unity, even if fleeting, for many in the community.
In 2020 YWN previously reported on a historic phone call between HaRav Aharon and HaRav Zalman Leib themselves, which took place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. That call, lasting just one minute, occurred as their brother, the Zenta Rov, lay on a respirator in critical condition. The brief conversation, a rare moment of direct communication between the two Rebbes in the past two decades, was recorded and shared widely, offering a glimpse of familial connection amid a time of crisis.
