Behind Closed Doors: How Israel Is Working to Bring Back Lev Tahor Children from Guatemala

As Guatemalan authorities continue the dismantling of the radical Lev Tahor cult, it has emerged that ten families—comprising approximately 20 children under the age of 18—have already arrived in Israel. While the children are currently under partial care, primarily with one of their biological parents, Israeli officials acknowledge that a full and coordinated response is still lacking.

The Israeli Health Ministry noted that the returning families harbor deep mistrust toward government institutions, which is complicating efforts to provide comprehensive care.

On Sunday, the Knesset’s Aliyah, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee convened its 22nd follow-up meeting, including both open and closed sessions, to discuss Israel’s efforts to extract children from the Lev Tahor cult in Guatemala.

In recent months, Israel has been working with Guatemalan authorities to dismantle the cult. Many of its members have since fled to the United States and Canada, but, as it turns out, a significant number have also made their way to Israel.

Dr. Tamar Rozmarin Ze’ev of the Prime Minister’s Office explained, “We are operating on two fronts…efforts to bring back the minors, and support for those already in Israel and their families. A formal agreement has been signed between the Foreign Ministry and the Jewish Agency to return the children from the cult to Israel. The Welfare Ministry is responsible for overseeing the absorption of the survivors. We are monitoring the services being provided across various government offices, and working to create a full support framework together with all relevant ministries. These services are defined under the legal classification of ‘cult survivors.’”

Ilan Avitan, head of the Welfare Ministry’s unit for children harmed by the Lev Tahor cult, said, “We’ve made significant progress. We’ve assembled a task force that includes representatives from every relevant government agency. Every issue we address requires thorough preparation. At this point, we’ve made contact with all the families currently in Israel. There is one family that has been less cooperative, but they are in contact with their local municipality. We’re drilling down into each family’s specific needs to identify the most suitable framework for every survivor who arrives in the country. All children who have returned are currently with one of their biological parents. As mentioned, ten families, including around 20 children under the age of 18, are already in the country, and all are living with a biological parent.”

Dr. Yuval Reva from the Health Ministry added, “There’s a clear distrust of the system among these families. We’ve created a support structure around them, and we’re working closely with the health funds to share relevant information about the children. Four hospitals are on standby for acute admissions if needed. In the meantime, the children are receiving supportive medical services like dental care. However, the families are still refusing to allow the children to undergo mental health treatment.”

Orit Cohen Amir, representing the families, voiced a pressing concern: “Until now, the Israeli government has not issued any formal document for the families still in Guatemala. We need to actively communicate to the children and families in Guatemala the support they’ll receive once they arrive in Israel. There are competing efforts by various groups to bring them to other countries. There must be a clear and pre-defined system to ensure their rights are upheld, so they don’t end up elsewhere.”

Committee Chairman MK Gilad Kariv concluded the meeting by noting, “It feels like the work with these families is very fragmented at the moment. In terms of an overall strategy, each family needs one point person who is responsible for helping them navigate the bureaucracy and access their rights across government ministries. The next wave of children arriving in Israel will present even greater challenges, as they may not have biological parents in the picture. I’m pleased to see that families are receiving an absorption package from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, but unfortunately, I don’t see sufficient financial support from the rest of the government.”

{Matzav.com Israel}