Aharon Schwartz: The Breslov Community's Spiritual War in Jerusalem's Old City

Aharon Schwartz, the "Operations Officer" of the Breslov Yeshiva Shuvu Banim, shares a poignant account of the community's daily struggles and the ongoing persecution of their spiritual leader, Rav Eliezer Berland, in Jerusalem's Old City.

The Daily Gauntlet of Sha'ar Shechem

Schwartz describes the perilous journey through Sha'ar Shechem (Damascus Gate) to the Yeshiva, a route taken daily by "tens and hundreds of Avrechim" (religious students) as it is the shortest path from their Haredi neighborhoods. This path, known as HaGai Street, stretching from Sha'ar Shechem to the Kotel (Western Wall), has become a gauntlet of danger and hostility.

"The terror wave began with the murder of one of our Yeshiva students," Schwartz recounts. Despite the constant threat, including attempted stabbings every 10 meters, the community sought guidance from Rav Berland. His directive was clear: "Certainly continue to walk, continue to walk through Sha'ar Shechem."

Beyond the physical dangers, the community faces daily harassment. "We are subjected to spitting and curses," Schwartz states. "Sometimes they throw our hat, our fedora. They threw canned goods at me, they threw all sorts of rotten produce at me." The Rav's instruction to his followers is to rely not on physical protection: "The Rav said not to rely on police, not to rely on security guards, not to rely on weapons. On the contrary, the moment you bring a weapon, a weapon attracts a weapon, that's the rule."

The Persecution of Rav Berland

At the heart of the community's struggle is the plight of Rav Berland. Aharon Schwartz, identifying as a "soldier" of the Rav, firmly believes in his leader's innocence. "100% believe that the Rav is completely pure and innocent," he asserts. Rav Berland faces accusations of "touches" and three complaints of touching women, which Schwartz vehemently denies: "He has absolutely no connection to the actions attributed to him."

Schwartz views the Rav's ordeal as a profound "spiritual war," with the physical persecutions being merely "the tip of the iceberg." He highlights the harsh conditions of Rav Berland's imprisonment: "50 days he has been in prison under very harsh conditions. He is in a 2x2 meter room in a wing with murderers." Furthermore, the community struggles to provide him with basic necessities: "They fight over tefillin, a blanket, socks, kosher food." This is particularly distressing as Rav Berland is an elderly man, close to 80 years old, and has a pacemaker.

Schwartz believes the government is targeting Rav Berland due to his potential for significant spiritual change in the country: "The Rav believes 100% that they want to harm him here in the country. He is marked by the government as someone who can and has the potential power to make a real spiritual change here in the country. And that's why Rav Berland is persecuted."

A Community Under Siege

The persecution extends beyond the Rav to the entire Shuvu Banim community. "Our entire community is essentially under persecution," Schwartz explains. He even recounts a conversation with Rav Berland where he admitted, "My parents say I'm in a cult." To which Schwartz responded, "Yes, I admit, I'm in a cult, but I'm in the true cult." The Rav's reply: "Right, well said."

Awaiting the Rabbi's Return

The community eagerly anticipates Rav Berland's return to Israel. Schwartz reveals that they are in discussions with an intelligence officer from Netbag (likely referring to Ben Gurion Airport) to plan for his arrival. "We want to work on a cooperation plan together with the Israel Police towards the return of Rav Berland to the land," he states. They anticipate a massive turnout: "Our estimate is between 50 to 100 thousand people." The goal is to ensure a peaceful and orderly return, free from "chaos" or "friction."

Despite the challenges and the ongoing "spiritual war," the community's faith remains unwavering. "Even if it is decided to extradite him to Israel, to arrest him and humiliate him, we will continue only with prayers," Schwartz concludes, emphasizing their reliance on spiritual strength in the face of adversity.