The Struggle For Control Of The Haredi Mouthpiece Yated Ne’eman

Almost two weeks ago, two newspaper executives filed complaints at an Israeli police station. Each accused the other of assault. One is Rabbi Yaakov Labin, the outgoing director of the non-hasidic Ashkenazi haredi newspaper Yated Ne’eman. The other is Yated Ne’eman’s new director, Shimon Glick. The two allegedly fought over control of the haredi mouthpiece at its offices in Bnei Brak.

Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman, left, and Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, right

The Struggle For Control Of The Haredi Mouthpiece Yated Ne’eman
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com

Almost two weeks ago, two newspaper executives filed complaints at an Israeli police station. Each accused the other of assault. One is Rabbi Yaakov Labin, the outgoing director of the non-hasidic Ashkenazi haredi newspaper Yated Ne’eman. The other is Yated Ne’eman’s new director, Shimon Glick. The two allegedly fought over control of the haredi mouthpiece at its offices in Bnei Brak.

The fight for control of Yated Ne’eman was settled shortly before the two pillars of the haredi community duked it out, when leadership of the non-hasidic Ashkenazi haredim (the Lithuanian yeshiva world) went to 99-year-old Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman, a Bnei Brak moderate (in haredi rabbinic terms). Steinman got the nod after it could no longer be concealed that the condition of 102-year-old Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, lying for months in an intensive care unit in a Jerusalem hospital with multiple organ failure, would not improve enough for him to continue to lead.

Jerusalem-based Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, the 86-year-old son of former haredi leader Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach – a noted moderate who detested haredi politics – was backed in his losing leadership bid by the more extreme faction within the haredi yeshiva world. That’s because Auerbach, who saw his father suffer years of attacks for being too moderate, had become more extreme than many of those attackers.

Under Elyashiv’s control, Yated Ne’eman was often hostile to Steinman, and its management – originally put in place decades ago by Yated founder and the haredi leader before Elyashiv, Rabbi Elazar Menachem Man Shach – backed Auerbach for haredi leadership. When Auerbach lost they got booted, and Steinman’s followers took over.

Last week, the new management published a letter written by Rabbi Elyashiv’s son-in-law Rabbi Haim Kanievsky, himself in the top tier of haredi rabbinic leadership. Kanievsky declared that Shteinman was the new leader of the haredi yeshiva world.

“The leadership of the generation is passed on today to our master the revered Rabbi Aharon Yehudah Leib Shteinman, whose every deed is for the sake of heaven, and we have now merited to put upon him the leadership of the Yated Ne’eman newspaper,” Kanievsky wrote.

Auerbach’s close followers reportedly called on haredim to cancel their Yated subscriptions, but few did. That left Steinman firmly in control.

Over its existence, Yated Ne’eman gained a reputation similar to Pravda’s in the old Soviet Union – a mouthpiece for the ruling party that shamelessly attacked opponents and covered up for the party’s leaders. What was true in Pravda’s reporting was what was missing from it, not what was printed on its pages.

And just like Russians did with Pravda, a favorite sport among haredim was reading between Yated’s printed lines to try to discern the facts Yated was trying to conceal.

It is unlikely that Yated’s leadership change will also change that longstanding tradition.

Comments

[Alexander]

Shimon Glick lives on Viola Road in Monsey, NY for him the Gadol is Rabbi Shteinman and wants everybody to accept as the Gadol, but Greatness is not bought.....The question is who is the current Gadol, Glicl invested a lot of money on it, he broght Rabbi Shteinman from Israel on a private jet etc etc. He wants to use it for his KAvod, and also to amaze more moeny.

[jancsibacsi]

Alexander-People who listen to gadolim look like you,cant even spell amass which yeshiva did you go to? amaze oy vey .

[Dovy]

jan: I wouldn't lecture others re spelling (or grammar). Just sayin'!

[Alexander]

You r right, aint easy typing from a blackberry. LOL

[jancsibacsi]

Alexander- OK ALEX MOIDE BEMES YOU KNOW THE REST:)

[Steven]

When I was in high school, I had a French teacher who loved to tell us about the palace intrigue at Versailles. Just change the names.

[danny]

We need a new generation in the leadership. Let the 80-something Rabbis have a shot at running things.

[Ezra]

In reference to Pravda - there's a great Cold War story that may provide a glimpse into the Hareidi future.

The story goes, that after the USSR collapsed, a Russian immigrant to NY spent a few weeks in the NY public library, catching up on 50 years of history. He was asked which single event surprised him the most. His answer was the Challanger disaster, the space shuttle which blew up during take-off in 1985. His response elicited shock: wasn't the disaster covered in the Soviet press? He answered: yes; all the newspapers & TV were filled with stories of the American disaster....so naturally, everyone thought it was a lie.

Ezra

[Abracadabra]

CAPTION CONTEST

What do you think the 2 gedolim in the above picture are REALLY saying to each other, or are thinking as they shake hands?

What is the kid standing in between them thinking?

Best answer gets an extra dessert at our FM get together.

[Abracadabra]

R' CHAIM KANIEVSKY: "Hey Shteinman, you're not looking so good. What's with the long, sallow face? I'll tell ya what - my hoise bochur makes a mean mashed-potatoes. I'll send him over to you for a couple of days. Those mashed-potatoes will put some meat on your old bones and some color back in your checks. Remember, they're taking pictures of us to hang on their living room walls for the next 50 years! You gotta take care of yourself man!"

R' SHTEINMAN: "Thanks Reb Chaim. And here I was trying to capture the look of your father-in-law. But you're right. Rosey cheeks would do me some good. And that hoise bachur might have just what I need!”

KID STANDING IN THE MIDDLE: "Oiylam Habbah better be worth it!!"

R’ SHTEINMAN: “By the way, what can you recommend to get that snowy white beard look?"

R’ CHAIM: “Sorry, I can’t help you with the beard color - mine’s natural. But I heard there’s this guy Claus who makes a formula that some of my friends use. I’ll tell my buddy Shlomo to text you his info.”

KID STANDING IN THE MIDDLE: “The guys would never believe this!”

[jancsibacsi]

Abracadabra-They are thinking wow we fooled the world for so long now they really think we are for real:) there is a yiddish saying az der narishkeit derlingt em me meint er is a chuchem,translation if he is successful in his stupidity the world will think he is very smart.

[Abracadabra]

Jancs - Yes! Great expression!

[jancsibacsi]

Abracadabra-Thees hassidim define themselfs with being stupid look at the clothing they wear in 90 degree temperature a hat with a heavy yarmulka under it when i came to usa over half a century ago i tought what in the world is going on here, this is insane a heavy yarmulka under a hat in 90 s,since then it got worse much worse this new generation is tottaly out of it so the hassidim are having a competition with each other who can behave more stupid then the other guy they are so out of it that they dont even see how insane they are,as the saying goes shoite anoi margish a shote doesn not feel like a sane person when its hot he doesnt feel it because he is a shote their trade mark is being a fool and being proud of it sicjk and getting sicker.

[Abracadabra]

Any good captions? Anyone?

[AnarchyGirl]

R. Kanievsky (on the right): "Did you hear the one about the two frum homosexuals?"

R. Steinman (on the left): "Sure. Shalom al Yisroel."

[Justsayin]

Shmarya the article is lacking in detail. we know you could do better. keep up the good work. Much obliged