On Wednesday, June 27, 2018, three Torah scholars – Shlomo Zalman Weissfish, Mendel Tepp, and Yehuda Leib Zilberberg, all of Beis Shemesh – went to visit several famous leading rabbis the day before they began serving prison sentences.
The three were arrested about two years ago, during a protest held in front of the house of a certain Zionist rabbi, who had supported the bill to draft the religious community into the Israeli army.
When the event was re-examined at a recent court hearing, the Zionist rabbi testified falsely against the three, claiming that they had attacked him and his wife, among other lies. In the end, Weissfish was sentenced to 4 months in prison, while the others were sentenced to two months, in addition to fines.
The men went to visit the rabbis accompanied by their young children, parents and entire families.
These rabbis took special time out from their schedules to give them encouragement and support, urging them not to weaken, and showering them and their children with blessings. They also passed out candies to the dear children to show their solidarity.
The three men visited the following rabbis: Rabbi Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss, the anti-Zionist chief rabbi of Jerusalem; Rabbi Zalmen Fulop, member of the Satmar Beis Dinof New York; Senior Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shechter, leader of Mosdos Keren Ohr Breslov; the Rebbe of Kehal Chassideim Yerushalayim; and Rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, rosh yeshiva of Brisk.
The prisoners came out of the meetings with renewed strength, proud to be ready to sit in prison to sanctify G-d’s name.
Read more about the celebration that took place the following day as they were escorted to prison by the Jewish community.