Hero truck driver rescues Yeshiva student from random attack

"When you see a Jewish child getting beaten, you have to do something to stop it. You don't think." - Yoel Kellner, truck driver (Kol Mevasser interview)

When a friend sent me the security footage of this event on Friday (5/27/2022), I immediately had to share it on twitter.

This is what I posted:

The reason why I was so excited was because, as a survivor of child abuse, there was something so empowering - or hopeful - about seeing a random person stepping in to stop a bully.

I guess I wasn't alone. It must've resonated with many people, because we got a half million views in less than 3 days.

Many of you asked for 'the rest of the story.' So here is a short summary of what happened directly from the suspender-wearing-hero truck driver, Yoel Kellner. He gave a yiddish interview over the dial-in hotline Kol Mevasser. Here is a summary from his perspective: (free translation, edited a bit from the 20-minutes interview to put the story in proper order)

"I was having a bad day... I deliver for caterers and restaurants and there were some issues with scheduling, so I left Monsey earlier than usual to beat traffic. Around quarter to 6 in the morning, I saw a 16 year old Yeshiva student crossing the street by Park Avenue and Spencer - walking toward Bedford Ave (in Williamsburg, Brooklyn).

"My nature is to observe things when driving, as I often drive during late-night hours. When I see something suspicious I usually call shomrim - like when I've seen people breaking into vehicles, etc.

"But this morning, I saw a man who looked dangerous and suspicious, and I decided to keep an eye out. To wait and see. Next thing I remember, the man is on the floor. I don't remember shoving him. I still cannot believe my reaction to the situation.

"The man stood up and shouted antisemitic comments. The 16-year-old looked terrified. Meanwhile, I called shomrim (community watch). Another hasidic man came to help and the antisemite walked away, shouting that he's going to sue me for violently hitting him.

"I shouted back that he was the one who had been violent. I tried to follow the man but he got away and then I waited for shomrim to arrive.

"I had two questions in my mind: was I legally allowed to hit the man? And also, was the yeshiva student ok?

"Later on, I saw the security footage. I was shocked at my behavior but also proud of what I had done. When you see a Jewish child get beaten, you have to do something to stop it. You don't think.

"The surveillance cameras didn't show where the 16-year-old had gone and I was worried for him. He seemed like a quiet person. He looked a little traumatized.

"Then I started getting messages calling me a hero. I think most people would do what I did. But I was still nervous about the yeshiva student who had been attacked.

"Then I got a message that said, "thanks for saving my brother." Through that, I got in touch with the yeshiva student and asked how he felt. Thank Gd he's ok. Together we went with shomrim to file a proper police report and we met with everyone in the police station.

"Shomrim and the police are on the case. They haven't yet found the antisemite but I'm sure they will. It's a matter of time.

"My message to everyone out there is that when you see someone getting abused and beaten, don't stop and think. Do the right thing."

Yoel Kellner is a hero. He saw a Jewish student being abused and he dropped what he was doing to protect the young man. His actions give me hope.

WATCH OUR LATEST VIDEO ABOUT A DIFFERENT YOEL. ALSO A HERO:

And here's a toy replica of Yoel Kellner's truck. It should come with a little suspenders-wearing mentchie. 😉

Note: You are free to post all or some of this content to your website - with credit or link.

Trying to squeeze in an unsubstantiated narrative: Lev Tahor Malka trial day 1

As a service to those following the Lev Tahor proceedings, we present a synopsis of the first day of the United States vs Malka trial.

Background and context - the Malkas dismiss representation

Matityahu and Mordechay Malka are on trial for, among other accusations, successfully kidnapping two children from their mother (who had escaped the Lev Tahor cult), and after the children were rescued, attempting to abduct them again. And then again. For more details, see this court document.

Prior to the trial, numerous rulings as to what would be allowed at the hearings were set. They can be read at the "motions in limine" section of this court document and in this court document. Rulings relevant to day 1 will be detailed below. They also requested (just before jury selection) that Judge Nelson S Roman recuse himself. The request was denied.

Finally, against Justice Roman's repeated advice, the Malkas insisted on representing themselves. Justice Roman stressed that he would treat them as he would any other litigator, and assigned two standby councils to assist them.

Prior to the jurors' arrival - the Malkas attempt an already-denied strategy

Mordechai and Matityahu Malka made numerous motions of reconsideration but were unable to provide arguments supporting their requests, which were denied.

Our analysis is that the Malkas had prepared a strategy similar to what the Weingartens unsuccessfully attempted. Their angle was that they were rescuing children purportedly being abused by their mother. However, that strategy was knocked down during the pretrial as that would require an admission of guilt (and they had already pled not guilty), and they were unable to supply any evidence of the alleged abuse. It is worth noting that these are arguments that had already been denied in the trials of other members involved in the abductions.

For over 30 minutes the Malkas tried to find a way to be granted permission to discuss the abuse, to no avail. The judge did point out that numerous requests from the government had also been denied, for example using the term "forced" when referring to underage marriages in Lev Tahor.

The Malkas also tried squeezing in an untranslated 1,000 or so page document written only in Yiddish but it was ruled inadmissible.

The prosecution's opening statement - a mother's worst fear keeps happening

Finally, the jury was brought in and the opening statements began. The prosecution painted a picture of a single mom of 6 discovering that two of her children had been kidnapping (it's worth noting that the kidnapping was done using cell phones and a vehicle at 3am on a Friday night), waiting anxiously for two weeks as the FBI tracked her children, and then facing two more kidnap attempts.

Prosecutor Jamie Ellen Bagliebter promised to provide evidence demonstrating Sara Helbrans' story. Daughter of the founder of Lev Tahor, she lived with the cult in their isolated Guatemalan compound. After her father's suspicious death, her brother took over and decided to marry Sara's daughter to an older boy at the age of 13.

While the cult had married girls at young ages, this time it hit home. They had never tried to marry a girl that young. Sara objected to the match but was overruled by her brother. After her daughter's wedding, she decided to flee and made it to New York with 6 children, receiving a court order granting her full custody.

Prosecutor Bagliebter gave a synopsis of the kidnapping attempts and the role of the Malkas in the crimes. She promised to provide evidence using audio, video, photos, and witnesses, including testimony from someone on the inside who had participated in the abductions to an extent and decided to work with the government.

Mordechai Malka's opening statement - breaking rules repeatedly

Presenting himself as a family man, Mordechai's opening statement was a long ramble filled with promises of "only sharing the truth." He blasted the "corrupt government" who didn't try to seek out the true story (in our estimation he was clearly trying to find a way to pursue his original strategy of alleging that they were trying to "rescue" the children from domestic abuse).

Numerous times he pushed the limit, and had to be warned by Justice Roman. He briefly tried portraying the team of kidnappers as "caring family members trying to save innocent kids," and was asked to approach the bench.

It was when he launched into a statement that "one month earlier, the kids were living happily in Lev Tahor, but their nightmare began when they moved out -" that Justice Roman interrupted his statement and asked to jurors to step aside.

The judge had a Yiddish translator brought in as he explained once again what was inadmissible. He warned that if Mordechai continues his behaviour, he will be forbidden from addressing the court.

As it was getting late, he decided to end the proceedings for the day. He advised the Malkas to meet with their standby council to go over their opening statement. Then he called in the jurors and asked them to strike what they had heard from Mordechai from their minds.

Day two report to come. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, you can follow the proceedings on a daily basis at 9am by dialing 1-877-336-1839 and entering access code 1231334#.

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This article is free to share with website credit.

Three Lev Tahor Deaths

New Video: Yoel Levy's Dramatic Escape After 3 Suspicious Deaths in Cult

Over the course of one year, in a community of three hundred, three people died. Each death was easily avoidable and markedly suspicious, all were related to Yoel.

A new 35 minute documentary shares the story of a 20 year old survivor of the Lev Tahor cult’s suspenseful escape from their Guatemalan compound.

The film, produced by several members of the Hasidic community who are trying to expose the abuse and help people trapped inside Lev Tahor, follows Yoel Levy as he meets fellow cult survivor Rabbi Yaniv Assis for the first time in 10 years.

Rabbi Assis is a respected educator and Torah scholar who spent time with the cult when they were based in a small town in Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains. Yoel Levy was born and raised in Ste Agathe, Quebec to parents who were members of Lev Tahor, a semi-secluded Jewish cult with members of its leadership sitting in prison for kidnapping, child abuse, and child sexual exploitation. They both allowed a film crew to document their reunion, where they tried to piece together the twisted Lev Tahor puzzle.

Using newly leaked documents, photos, and videos, the documentary details the cult’s dramatic midnight flight from Quebec as authorities were closing in to rescue 14 children, and their travels to several locations, each more contained and enclosed than the previous, tightening the noose around members’ families with stricter rules and regiments.

Once inside their own remote Guatemalan compound, kept inside with barb wire and armed guards, three easily avoidable deaths took place, including the tragic passing of Yoel’s father.

Facing constant abuse, punishment, and hunger, Yoel made a dramatic exit following an engagement to a girl he had never met. He was the first escapee from the compound. His brother Mendy followed, and numerous others have since managed to leave, some (like Yoel) dropping their Jewish observance, while others (like Yaniv) opting to grow in their religious beliefs.

Following the incarceration of four members of Lev Tahor’s administration, including their current leader Nachman Helbrans, more members have left the cult. Providing them with food, travel expenses, and lodging in safe homes with religious families is a group of people who call themselves “Lev Tahor survivors.” They operate a website, LevTahorSurvivors.com, and a phone line those committed to escaping the cult can call (the number is +1-725-226-3636).

“The goal of this documentary is to create awareness about the destruction of lives taking place inside Lev Tahor,” said Meyer*, a member of Lev Tahor Survivors. “We need your help in spreading the video and the information contained inside it to anyone who may be supporting the cult. We are working on several more short documentaries and are preparing to release incriminating documents from a hard drive smuggled out of the compound. We will not stop until the abuse ends and members are in control of their own lives.”