A group of prominent ultra-Orthodox Jewish leaders, including several known for their anti-Zionist or non-Zionist positions, is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in a pre-Rosh Hashanah gathering. The meeting, set for Thursday, has prompted debate within the American and broader Jewish communities.
The delegation includes six notable figures: the Skverer Rebbe, the two Satmar rebbes—Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum and Rabbi Zalman Leib Teitelbaum—the Bobov-48 Rebbe, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey, and Rav Malkiel Kotler, the head of BMG Yeshiva, who is of Litvish background. Among them, both Satmar rebbes and the Skverer Rebbe, as well as Kotler, hold explicitly anti-Zionist views. The Vizhnitzer Rebbe is considered a traditional ultra-Orthodox leader with a non-Zionist stance, while the Bobov-48 Rebbe’s position is regarded as non-Zionist but not hostile toward Israel.
According to reports, White House Jewish liaison Martin Marks personally coordinated the invitations, working for several months to arrange the meeting. The format is expected to involve individual two-minute conversations between Trump and each rebbe, followed by a potential group discussion.
Central to the agenda are issues affecting the ultra-Orthodox community, particularly the Israeli government’s efforts to enforce mandatory military service for yeshiva students. This draft policy has generated significant concern within the haredi world. Sources indicate that participants may use the meeting to press for exemptions from military service and to characterize Israel’s enforcement actions as discriminatory, even framing them as antisemitic.
Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, the Grand Rebbe of Satmar, is reported to aim at influencing Trump to make U.S. support for Israel contingent upon securing broad exemptions for yeshiva students. Speaking at a Satmar yeshiva in Kiryas Joel on Friday night, Teitelbaum acknowledged initial reluctance to attend but cited the distress caused by the conscription policy as motivation to engage with the president.
Some leaders in the delegation may not attend personally. The Skverer Rebbe and the Bobov-48 Rebbe are said to have canceled, possibly sending representatives in their places. Similar uncertainties surround the attendance of the Satmar rebbes.
Critics have pointed to past political endorsements by these rebbes, noting their support for anti-Israel Democratic politicians and instances of opposition to certain Republican figures. In response, Satmar leadership from Kiryas Joel emphasized their strong backing of Trump, citing overwhelming support for him in recent elections, suggesting their community ranks among the president’s most loyal Jewish constituencies.
The meeting highlights the complex dynamics within the American Jewish community, where political and religious allegiances often diverge sharply, reflecting varied perspectives on Israel and U.S.-Israel relations.