top of page

Mexican authorities have raided a compound used by the extremist Jewish Lev Tahor cult along the Guatemalan border and rescued a three-year-old boy whose father had escaped the cult years ago, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.


The Friday raid was carried out at the city of Tapachula in southeast Mexico and included dozens of local law enforcement and welfare workers. It was approved following an ongoing investigation by Mexican authorities that found evidence of cult members involved in human trafficking, rape, drug trafficking and other serious offenses.


A private Israeli team that was hired by relatives of some of the cult members stood by, as well as Israeli consul Lior Batzov, who was sent to the site to make sure that cult members were not treated with violence and that children are not separated from their parents, according to the Foreign Ministry.



Mexican authorities have arrested several members of the Jewish sect Lev Tahor in Mexico. Children and teenagers have also been liberated, BBC reported.


LEV TAHOR


Lev Tahor is an extremist, religious group that is located in the Mexican jungle, near the border with Guatemala. The group has been banned from Israel. The police had been eyeing this group for a long time because of suspicion of human trafficking in minors.


During the raid, a group of children and teenagers were taken for fear that the members would otherwise kill them to prevent them from falling into the hands of others. The children and teenagers have been taken to Israel where they are reunited with relatives.




Children and older teenagers have been removed from the jungle compound of a Jewish sect in Mexico following a raid by police, the BBC has learned.


Two members of Lev Tahor were arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and serious sexual offences, including rape, Israel's foreign ministry said.


A three-year-old child removed from the compound has been flown to Israel.


Lev Tahor (Hebrew for Pure Heart) is known for extremist practices and imposing a strict regime on members.


It advocates child marriage, inflicts harsh punishments for even minor transgressions and requires women and girls as young as three years old to completely cover up with robes.


The stricture has earned the group the nickname the Jewish Taliban, because of seeming similarities with the dress code enforced by the Sunni Muslim extremist group which controls Afghanistan.


whatsapp_btn.png

If you are a victim or wish to report an incident or share information with us, please email us at  

Or call us at:

(718) 751-0803

אויב איר ווילט פאַרלאָזן לב טהור
מיר וועלן העלפן איר מיט אַלץ
רופן אָדער ווטסאפ דעם ספּעציעלע נומער

(אַלץ איר זאָגן וועט זיין געהאלטן פּריוואַט)

+1(845) 262-4066

Contact Us

Please fill out the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible

Thanks for reaching out to us! We will be in contact with you shortly.

faudak shield 002.png
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

© 2024 Lev Tahor Survivors is powered by Faudak - פאר דער קינדער

bottom of page