As YWN readers know, YWN has been at the forefront of exposing the depraved Lev Tahor cult for nearly 23 years.
In the early years, many accused YWN of attacking what they called “ehrliche Yidden.” But as time went on, the horrific reality of the cult became impossible to ignore.
Forced marriages involving girls as young as 12 years old. Widespread physical and emotional abuse. Allegations of systematic molestation carried out by cult founder Shlomo Helbrans, who later died under mysterious circumstances in Mexico — officially ruled a drowning, though speculation has persisted for years.
After his death, his son, Nachman Helbrans, took over and reportedly pushed the cult even deeper into extremism and violence while dragging hundreds of innocent children across multiple countries to evade authorities.
Over the years, YWN has personally heard countless firsthand testimonies describing unimaginable abuse inflicted upon children trapped inside the cult.
Thankfully, several senior cult leaders were eventually arrested and extradited to the United States, where they are now serving lengthy prison sentences.
But despite the arrests and international scrutiny, quiet rescue operations have continued behind the scenes.
Over the past several years, several tzaddikim and askanim from the New York area have quietly traveled to Guatemala and other countries, working hand-in-hand with U.S. authorities and local governments to rescue children from Lev Tahor. These Askanim have reportedly helped rescue nearly 300 souls from the cult in recent years.
Many of those rescued have since relocated, integrated into mainstream society, received therapy, and begun rebuilding shattered lives with the help of warm families and support systems arranged by volunteers.
This past week, another dramatic rescue operation unfolded — this time involving six children hidden away in Ecuador.
According to information confirmed to YWN through conversations with numerous individuals involved in the operation, along with officials from both the United States and Ecuadorian governments, the children had been living under horrifying conditions after their mother fled Guatemala roughly seven months ago.
The woman’s husband — a Lev Tahor member currently serving a lengthy prison sentence with approximately ten years remaining — allegedly continued exercising complete control over the family from behind bars.
According to sources familiar with the case, U.S. authorities had amassed substantial evidence and testimony and obtained legal authorization to remove six of the woman’s children, ranging in age from 4 to 12, from her custody.
However, before authorities could act, the family vanished.
For nearly seven months, officials reportedly had no idea where they were hiding.
Eventually, after what sources described as extraordinary investigative work, the family was located inside a secluded home in a tiny village in Ecuador.
According to officials, the mother had entered Ecuador using American passports and claimed refugee status, allowing her temporary entry into the country.
Once her location was confirmed, askanim coordinated with authorities in both the United States and Ecuador to organize a joint operation.
Ecuadorian officials reportedly wanted the woman deported for overstaying her visa, while U.S. authorities sought to place the children in safety.
The operation was carried out Thursday morning.
Thanks to a generous sponsor, Hatzalah Air dispatched an aircraft for what participants described as a literal mission of pikuach nefesh.
Authorities successfully took the children into custody despite the mother screaming and violently protesting throughout the operation.
Sources who saw the children described shocking levels of malnourishment and neglect.
According to multiple individuals involved, the six children had allegedly been confined for months inside a tiny room and deprived of proper nutrition, surviving almost entirely on fruits and vegetables with little or no protein.
One source told YWN that the 12-year-old child weighed approximately the size of an average 6-year-old.
The children were escorted to the aircraft by Ecuadorian agents together with officials connected to the U.S. Embassy.
Two Ecuadorian officials reportedly remained onboard the flight to ensure the deportation process was completed without incident and that the mother would not return.
Upon landing in New York, authorities escorted the family from the airport while the children were transferred into the care of a warm and loving family.
Extensive therapy and rehabilitation efforts have already begun.
YWN has also personally spoken over the years with former Lev Tahor children who described horrifying abuse inside the cult.
One former child victim told YWN that a mother once placed children inside an oven “to scare them.”
Yet despite all this, some people continue sharing viral videos portraying Lev Tahor parents as victims whose children were “kidnapped.” Some people actually give these cultists money to help fund them! YWN urges anyone thinking of giving them money, should not provide them a penny of assistance.
Over the years, YWN has spoken to dozens of victims of the Lev Tahor cult who managed to escape. To say they were terribly abused sexually, suffering constant violent beatings, forced starvation and other horrific abuse, would be an understatement.The mothers have been told to shecht their children if authorities were to take them away.
Lev Tahor was founded and led by Shlomo Helbrans, from the 1980s until his drowning death in Mexico in 2017. The leadership then moved into the hands of his son Nachman Helbrans, along with Mayer Rosner, and Yankel and Yoel Weingarten – who were even more radical and aggressive than the late founder. (Interesting note that Helbrans daughter died two weeks after his drowning from an allergic reaction.)
A federal judge has sentenced Lev Tahor cult leaders Nachman Helbrans (a son of Shlomo) and Mayer Rosner to 144 months (12 years) in prison followed by 5 years of supervised released for the2018 Shabbos kidnapping of two childrenwho escaped the cult.
Back in November of 2021, Helbrans and Rosner were found guilty on all six charges they faced, including conspiracy to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and conspiracy to commit international parental kidnapping.
U.S. District Judge Nelson Roman handed down sentences of 14 years for Shmiel and Yakov Weingarten, and 12 years for Yoil Weingarten – another three cult leaders who assumed leadership after Helbrans senior drowned to death.
In 2014, YWN ran an article titled Cults and the War of the Jewish Magazines – in response to Mishpacha and Ami magazines running articles on Lev Tahor. Mishpacha Magazine had run a fifteen page expose on the group, essentially describing Lev Tahor as a cult that has some serious issues involving medicating children, and behaviors that resemble child abuse. Rabbi Yitzchok Frankfurter of Ami Magazine claimed the exact opposite and ran the following sentence below their headline, The unjust persecution of a group of pious Jews, and the unsettling silence of the Jewish community.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
