One of the two rabbis claiming leadership of the Satmar Hasidic dynasty excoriated former President Donald Trump Wednesday, and condemned support for Trump in the Orthodox Jewish community.
Speaking to yeshiva students in the New York Satmar enclave of Kiryas Yoel, Grand Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum accused Orthodox Jewish supporters of the former president of spreading “Trump meshigas [madness]” in the community, denouncing “Trumpism.”
“Trumpism has infiltrated the Jewish camp and twisted so many minds of Yidden [Jews],” Rabbi Teitelbaum said in a recording released of his address.
The Satmar grand rebbe went on to claim some Orthodox Jewish supporters of Trump have been “brainwashed.”
Trumpism “brainwashed people, and that is so painful,” Rabbi Teitelbaum said, referencing strong Orthodox Jewish support for Trump, and for Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin, who lost his challenge against incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul in Tuesday’s election.
As one of only two Hasidic rabbis to endorse Hochul ahead of the midterm election, Teitelbaum received the governor’s thanks, via a post-election call to his wife.
When some in the audience Wednesday suggested Satmar was responsible for Hochul’s victory, Teitelbaum downplayed the significance of his endorsement.
“I am not a candidate, I didn’t run, I didn’t even win,” he said. “I thought about what is the best way to battle the decree on our education.”
“Why did we think otherwise? We are not going to fix America. It’s not our job to fix America. Our goal is to protect ourselves.”