Newly revealed figures show the extraordinary scale of charitable giving by two of Satmar’s most prominent philanthropists, Reb Yoel Landau and Reb Lipa Friedman, who together donated approximately $73.42 million to the chassidus’s Torah, chinuch and chesed institutions over just three years.
The detailed figures cover the period from 5783 through 5786 and provide a rare look at the enormous sums contributed by the two philanthropists toward the construction and expansion of Satmar mosdos and communal projects around the world.
Reb Yoel Landau leads the figures with a total of $44.56 million in contributions to Satmar institutions. Among his largest individual donations was $10 million toward the new Talmud Torah building in Kiryas Joel.
Landau also contributed $5 million toward the construction of two new wedding halls in Williamsburg operating in accordance with the community’s wedding guidelines, as well as another $5 million to the Keren Marbitzei Torah.
Millions more were distributed by Landau to an extensive range of botei medrash, educational buildings, campuses and other Satmar communal projects in communities around the world, bringing his overall contributions during the period to $44.56 million.
Reb Lipa Friedman, meanwhile, contributed a total of $28.86 million, with much of his philanthropy similarly directed toward major construction projects benefiting Satmar’s educational and chesed institutions.
Friedman’s largest listed contribution was $12 million toward a new Talmud Torah building. He also donated $5 million for a new Bais Rochel building and an additional $5 million toward another Talmud Torah building.
The remainder of Friedman’s contributions went toward the construction and support of additional major buildings, halls and other Satmar institutions, bringing his total giving to $28.86 million.
Combined, Landau and Friedman donated approximately $73.42 million to Satmar institutions between 5783 and 5786.
{Matzav.com}
