Thousands of Satmar Chassidim gathered this week at Eden Palace in Williamsburg for a major emergency assembly led by the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Joel, focusing on strengthening standards of kedusha and tznius throughout the kehillah.

The gathering, titled “Shemirah L’Doros,” was attended by thousands of chassidim together with the community’s rabbanim and dayanim.

Before the Rebbe’s arrival, his eldest son, HaRav Menachem Mendel Teitelbaum, Av Beis Din of Satmar-Williamsburg, delivered a passionate address stressing the importance of tznius, proper head coverings, the dangers posed by modern sheitels, technology, and other contemporary spiritual challenges.

When the Rebbe addressed the gathering, he delivered an emotional and forceful speech calling on families to preserve the mesorah of previous generations.

Quoting the pasuk, “V’hayah B’achalchem Milechem Ha’aretz Tarimu Terumah LaHashem,” the Rebbe explained that “lechem” alludes to a wife, while “terumah” signifies separation. He urged families to separate themselves from the influences and values of the outside world when building a Jewish home.

The Rebbe sharply criticized communities that are meticulous in many areas of religious observance while, in his view, failing to maintain proper standards of tznius.

“We live in Williamsburg alongside communities that are careful with many chumros and customs, yet regarding tznius they are not careful at all,” the Rebbe said. “Our holy forefathers regarded kedusha and tznius as among the most serious matters. We have a clear mesorah for how to conduct ourselves, how to dress, and how to educate our children, and it must not be changed to suit the spirit of the times or current fashions.”

At one point, the Rebbe became visibly emotional as he lamented what he described as the growing differences between generations.

“The gap in dress between the grandmother and the children and grandchildren is terrible,” he said. “In our generation there is a frightening decline. A chassidic Jew must conduct himself with dignity and elevation, not be drawn after neighbors or society, but stand proudly with the traditions that have been entrusted to us.”

The Rebbe also argued that much of the weakening in standards begins when bochurim are sent to study outside Satmar institutions.

“A large part of this weakening comes from sending young men to learn in outside yeshivos,” he said. “There they are exposed to foreign hashkafos and cool off in matters of chassidus and yiras Shamayim. Later, they see nothing wrong with their wives becoming lenient in matters of dress and tznius.”

The Rebbe strongly endorsed the earlier remarks delivered by his son, saying they were “words that come from the heart,” and urged every participant to ensure that proper standards are maintained within their own homes and families.

At the conclusion of the gathering, the Rebbe praised students of the Satmar Beis Rochel schools who recently accepted upon themselves to cut their long hair, commending them for what he described as a courageous step in strengthening the kedusha of the Jewish home.

He concluded by blessing the assembled chassidim that they should succeed in upholding the community’s standards and ended with the words, “In the merit of righteous women our forefathers were redeemed, and through righteous women may we soon merit the final redemption, Amen.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)