An unprecedented arbitration decision issued by retired judge David Cheshin delivered a decisive resolution to the long-standing internal dispute within the Ponevezh Yeshiva.
The ruling, which spans 169 pages, states that the Ponevezh Yeshiva will remain under the exclusive management of Rabbi Eliezer Kahaneman, whose faction is known as "The Haters," and that the faction of Rabbi Shmuel Markowitz, known as 'The Terrorists,' must vacate the yeshiva’s main buildings.
The arbitrator extensively reviewed the history of the conflict, the claims made by both sides, previous rabbinical court rulings, and the conduct of each faction over the years.
Based on the full body of evidence and testimonies, he determined that control of the Ponevezh institutions belongs to the Kahaneman side, and that the Markowitz faction has no legal or moral right to continue holding the yeshiva’s facilities.
The ruling states that the Markowitz faction has no property or institutional rights in the yeshiva, and that its longstanding physical presence in the buildings does not grant it any legal standing.
The arbitrator ordered the evacuation of the yeshiva’s main hall, the platform, the Ark, the dormitories, the public areas, the kitchen, and the library within a defined timeframe. He also stipulated that both sides must avoid provocations or confrontations during implementation.
The decision further states that the Markowitz faction has the right to establish a new, independent yeshiva-but only outside the historic Ponevezh campus and entirely separate from its name and brand. Any attempt to use the name “Ponevezh” or claim continuity was explicitly prohibited.
Cheshin also appointed a supervisory mechanism to oversee implementation of the ruling and instructed both sides to maintain mutual respect, refrain from defamation, and avoid incitement in the media. The decision concludes with an expression of hope that the parties will fully comply with the ruling and internalize the weight of their public and educational responsibility.