PHOTOS: Two women from the ‘Lev Tahor’ group seen in Lakewood recently caused alarm among some residents, TLS has learned.
Several residents recently contacted TLS regarding the group members, who are dressed in all black from head to toe and wearing shawls – an unusual dress code for the area, and for Orthodox Jews in general.
However, a resident familiar with the situation tells TLS there’s nothing to be concerned about.
“They are very sweet, Temimisdige girls who have been brought up to dress this way and are waiting for visas to leave the country and join their family in Guatemala.”
Lev Tahor, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish group headed by Shlomo Helbrans, has moved frequently, with the majority of its members most recently being forced to leave in August 2014 from the Guatemala town San Juan La Laguna after fleeing trouble with government authorities in both the Provinces of Ontario, and Quebec, Canada.
[TLS]
Lakewood doesn’t have to be concerned that a new trend is starting here. I know the girls well and #1 is correct. They are just waiting to be able to leave here to rejoin their family in Guatemala.
And while we’re on the subject, although they dress extreme to us, it wouldn’t hurt the general population of Lakewood to improve in all areas of tsnius, regarding tight , short or form revealing clothing as well as sheitel styles and too much makeup. That’s my opinion, you may not necessarily agree, but, I believe it is holding Moshiach back. There was an excellent presentation in Zichron Shneur about this Inyan last week. It was very eye opening.
I am concerned abouy the potential bad publicity Lakewood could suffer should they decide to stay.. And cause.
To #2. The publicity about the lack of tsnius in Lakewood is a bigger concern
To by my take, this is a free country and I don’t believe the general public should be told how to dress.
Hey Worried? Your worried about bad publicity from the way they dress, act? You should listen to what you wrote.
Why should a tzniusdike woman spark any concern?TUnless all of the other women would be jealous that their tznius is not on par with the lev tahor women.Or the husbands might want their wives to dress more tzniusdik like the lev tahor women.Look at how low we have sunk.We see tzinusdike women and the Lakewood scoop has an article that it sparks concerns.OY GEVALD!!!
I believe that moshiach is more concerned about how we judge our friends and neighbors.and about the fact that schools play games with student admissions. Lets take this oppurtunity to make it loud and clear that we should not be judging others.
We should not be concerned for ourselves, rather we should be concerned for the welfare of these girls when they will be reunited with the Lev Tahor community.
They had to leave Canada because of the abuse and neglect of some Lev Tahor children done by their parents and “rabbis”.
Some of those children were placed into foster care in the Toronto Jewish community because of the extreme situation they were living in.
We should welcome these girls into our safe and loving community and not push them to return to a harmful situation.
To #1 it may be an issue but maybe the genaiva that happens thats what’s holding moshiach back we dont know the reason we can improve on everything
to: Wondering
I am not telling people how to dress, rather I am stating that some people do dress not in accordance with halacha. If you feel you are dressing properly then you shouldn’t consider that offensive because I am obviously not talking to you. Perhaps some people are unaware that they are doing something wrong so there is nothing wrong with trying to enlighten them. Or perhaps you feel guilty that you may be doing something not quite in the spirit of halacha and that is why it bothers you that I speak out this way. Yes people should be told how to dress, just like people should be taught any aspect of proper Avodas Hashem.
To anyone familiar with these people they are a cult like radical group. Please save yourself and stay far away from these people. Part of being jewish is to know when to use what midah. The midah of rachmanus is badly misplaced in this instace!!!
To all those busy with tznius here, r u online now? (yes) Did u see any imodest pictures? (yes) so y r u talking anout tznius here? Our sages describe it as “moom sh’boch” in two words “phony, fakers”. U dont mean it cause if u would REALLY be botherd by tznius u wouldnt be online now!
Regarding “lev tahor” colt that someone previously mentioned about their “rabbis”, its a “cult” beung ked by one person named shlomo helbrans, he calls himswlf rabbi but he was never ordained, theres a reason why he doant live where all the jews live n thats cause EVERYONE is aginst him! Hes not a rabbi, hes a psyco that brainwashed less than ten familys into his group (they have kids which got married thats how its 25-30 familys now), NONE of the familys with him were religious before they came to him. Hebrainwashesvthem n holds them hostage via medication.
The main posting wasn’t clear about this. Just to clarify: The concern was that some people called LCSW that they saw “two Arab women” in town who don’t belong here and were worried about potential terrorist threats. The concern had nothing to do with tznius, nor was it because of how these girls dress and how that would affect other Lakewood women, one way or another.
We should reach out to them and be mekai’im the mitzvah of hachnosas orchim and Tzedaka.
First of all, who gave anyone to take a picture of these girls and publish it? Does anyone have the right to photograph someone without his knowledge and post it without his permission?
Second of all, everyone who thinks these girls are going back to a cult of abuse is dead wrong, because I know them personally very well and they are going there of their own free will. They could have stayed in Toronto. No one forced them to leave. They WANTED to leave. They left Canada with their family last winter, but were abducted by the “child protection services” and brought back to Canada against their will.
Why is it worse for them to dress their way than for some so called frum people to wear short skirts, men who run around in shorts and T shirts etc.?
Everyone should mind his own business and do what’s right in his own eyes and in the Eyes of Hashem
I do believe me and everyone can become better in our tznius, as long as we are all looking to grow. We are all good!! but please don’t even try to compare being tznius to a cult that has mixed up hashkofos. I’m sure the girls are sweet and nice and I would love to meet them but HaShem does not want us walking around in burkas and running from one country to the next.
Not judging others is a good point. Poor girls but please don’t cry tznius over this.
These people were condemed by all our heilige gedolim in eretz yisroel as a radical sect.they are not foinv the will of hakodosh baruch hu!and to all those who think they bringing up the level of tznius in yiddishket,my fellow yidden its not so! In fact its just the opposite the fact they dress weirdly draws attention to themselvse! Let us ask our selvse is this kol kevuda bas melech penima?No! Its not it absolutly UNTZIUSDIG!!!
Nowhere in this article do you explain that Lev Tahor is an extremist, cult-like sect that is not recognized by the vast majority of the mainstream Orthodox community. They are outcasts. We neither approve of nor accept their beliefs and practices.
To “My Take”. Wow! You are really privileged to have a seat next to G-D to know exactly why Moshiach is not here?!?!
to: Hocker
people would mind their own business if these people woudn’t be a danger to society!!! I warn again stay far away from them!!!!!! Treat them as if they were sick with ebola!!!!! Don’t even talk to them.
To upholder of truth: Which gedolim ate you refering to they are absolutely being moser nefesh for tznius! I comend them very highly and halivei more people in klal uisroel should be like them. I heard from my rebbe z”l that in the days of the gmarah women didnt leave their jouses at all and when they fid only one eye was uncovered! If they were on that level , at least women today sjouldnt were such tight clothes that their whole body shows ! We should be zocheh to shteig veiter in upholding tznius in klal yisroel and that is the real truth to be upheld!
to: Jack
You sound as if you are terrified of them, as if you could catch something dangerous like e bola from them!! You and your ilk just make me shake with laughter. I know these people very well and have known them for many years and I have never been in any danger from that acquaintance.
So far any place that welcomed them and treated them with respect was in for a real surprised…this cult dries out the place theyre in and moves on without caring about the mess the made or left…the bad publicity will come when the antisemetic goyim in NJ will connect any troubles the cult will have or cause on all jewish law abiding citizens that are here….we should make it known that religious jews don’t marry off kids and steal tax money and cheat govt agency and run away from the law…let them leave before they taint the name regular ppl…
Halbrens colt
This is the opposite of tznius. Tzinus really means hidden and
Not standing out. These people get more attention than anyone, with everyone looking at them.
To nissim the kav hayasher says that imodest dress holds back moshiach
Why the cynasism maybe learn a little and educate yourself on judiaism
And someguy what in the world are you talking about he could be filtered with either no pictures or bad sites???? Refuah shlaima
I guess i know u aint ….kol shpossel bemumo posoul
Ps doubt u know where that is anyway
Did the brisker rov’s wife dress like this or Reb aarhon etc…. are you saying they are more tznieus!!! weird
I wonder what it would be called if my daughter followed their path – off the Dee or just random off?
i am shocked because i know lev tahor for many years and they are grate neshamos who are realy concern to fulfill rotzon hashem ,they are very good to their children,no abuse at all ,the only” sin “is their dressing . and insted of offering any help for them in their exile , we are just busy to be or not to be concern,i did ask many rabbonim about them but most of them are not interesting to be involved .i can testify that i have never seen anything against halacha there just opposite.please dont let” sinas chinam ” in our community
Don’t be fooled. These children and many more are brain washed prisoners of an insane man who abuses the children, and marries them off at an early age.
I have a friend whose sister and 7 children have been trapped in this group.
Many children have grandparents in Eretz Yisrael who are waiting for them. Call the Israeli embassy and send them to Israel and not Guatemala.