A delegation of rabbonim serving Jewish inmates in federal prisons across the United States met with the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, in Williamsburg ahead of his scheduled meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, asking the Rebbe to raise the plight of Jewish prisoners directly with the president.
The delegation, which also included prominent askanim, discussed the circumstances facing Jewish inmates serving lengthy sentences in federal prisons and a range of issues affecting their religious and personal needs.
The rabbonim urged the Satmar Rebbe to use his upcoming conversation with President Trump to seek assistance for Jewish prisoners and to explore measures that could ease some of the hardships they face while incarcerated.
Among the issues raised were possible improvements to prison conditions, expanded visitation privileges and greater flexibility that could allow qualifying inmates to leave prison temporarily to attend family simchos. The delegation stressed that presidential attention to these matters could help bring about changes quickly.
Also participating in the meeting was the Rebbe’s son, Rav Yaakov Ber Teitelbaum, the Sigeter Rov, who is extensively involved in efforts on behalf of Jewish prisoners. Senior Satmar askanim and community representatives were also present, including Reb Moshe Dovid Niederman and Reb Avrohom Yehoshua Freund.
The planned Oval Office meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 1:30 p.m. The Satmar Rebbe is expected to travel to Washington aboard the private aircraft of Satmar philanthropist Reb Lipa Friedman, son of longtime Satmar gabbai Reb Moshe “Gabe” Friedman. The Bobover Rebbe is expected to join the flight.
According to sources, the invitation was extended to the Satmar Rebbe’s household in a telephone call from the White House by Martin Marks, who headed Trump’s Jewish campaign operation and was subsequently appointed to oversee the administration’s relations with the Jewish community.
The unusual White House gathering is expected to give each participant several minutes individually with President Trump, with the admorim and rabbonim reportedly entering without their gabbaim.
Those invited include the Skverer Rebbe, who is expected to send his eldest son, Rav Aharon Mendel Twersky; the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum; the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum; the Bobover Rebbe; the Vizhnitz-Monsey Rebbe; and Rav Malkiel Kotler.
Under the current White House plan, each invitee is expected to enter the Oval Office individually and speak privately with President Trump for several minutes. Organizers are also considering the possibility of holding a joint meeting with the participants seated together around a table.
Meanwhile, preparations for Thursday’s White House visit have continued within Satmar. In addition to the meeting with federal prison rabbonim at the Satmar Rebbe’s Williamsburg residence, senior askanim and activists have been holding consultations at the Satmar Rebbe Rav Aharon Teitelbaum’s residence in Kiryas Yoel.
