Williamsburg, Brooklyn - NYPD Gearing Up For Rebbe's Sons Dueling Services

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY - NYPD Cops are boosting manpower in Brooklyn as they brace for a Shabbas showdown at sundown today between followers of the late Grand Rebbe Moses Teitelbaum's feuding sons.

The two sons of the late grand rebbe, who died Monday, are both claiming to be their father's successor as religious leader of the 120,000-member Satmar sect.
Zalmen Teitelbaum, leader of a sect in Williamsburg, and Aron Teitelbaum, leader of a sect in Orange County, are planning to hold dueling Shabbas services at sundown in Williamsburg.

Aron Teitelbaum's followers have erected a tent in a playground at Lee Ave. and Taylor St., just 2-1/2 blocks from his brother's synagogue. "We're expecting a huge crowd, coming to wish Grand Rebbe Aron the best," said Rabbi Moshe Indig, a Satmar community leader and follower of Aron Teitelbaum, 57.
Zalmen Teitelbaum, 53, also will be holding Shabbas services for the first time since a rabbinical court deemed him grand rebbe, in accordance with his father's will.

Satmar member Abraham Berkaur of Williamsburg was praying for a peaceful Sabbath - even though both factions have brawled before, most recently at the grand rebbe's funeral early Tuesday.
"Usually Jews are together. It's against our tradition and Jewish law to fight," said Berkaur, a follower of Zalmen Teitelbaum. "The whole situation is bad."
Berkaur said some children are afraid to come out of their houses.
"It's very frightening," Berkaur said. "He [Aron Teitelbaum] is coming here with force and that's not the way to do it."