Six prominent Rabbanim were invited by the White House to a pre-Rosh Hashanah meeting with President Trump: the Skverer Rebbe, both Satmar Rebbes (Reb Aharon and Reb Zalman Leib), the Bobov-48 Rebbe, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey, and BMG Rosh Yeshiva Rav Malkiel Kotler, the only Litvish Rabbi invited.

The special meeting is set to take place this coming Thursday, September 3rd, in the Oval Office at 12:30 PM.

Belaaz has confirmed that White House Jewish liaison Martin Marks personally placed the calls and worked on arranging the meeting for several months.

According to a source who spoke with Belaaz, the White House initially planned to allow only one gabbai to accompany each Rebbe into the Oval Office, but later reversed course. As of this moment, each Rebbe will enter alone and speak with President Trump for as little as two minutes. A roundtable is also being worked on.

A source says that the meeting is part of a White House push, ahead of the midterms, to strengthen ties with the Jewish community.

That format has already shaken the guest list. Belaaz is told that the Skverer Rebbe, 85, has already canceled, specially after the White House floated the idea of no gabbaim entering the meeting; his older son will most likely attend in his place. The Bobov-48 Rebbe, the only Bobover Rebbe invited, has also canceled for now and will possibly send a son as well.

Belaaz is also told that Satmar’s Reb Aharon confirmed his attendance, but a source says he threatened to pull out after learning the meeting would run only two minutes; the White House has since considered extending his slot to five minutes. Reb Zalman Leib has not yet responded and can possibly send a son as well.

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey is currently in Israel and said he will respond upon his return.

A separate source tells Belaaz that l gabaim and askanim of a specific rebbe, who was not invited, are hurt by the exclusion, and are working to get him added to the list.

A Jewish community activist tells Belaaz that Rebbes may very likely leave disappointed regardless: “The question is who will sit near President Trump, how do you decide? Initially they wanted Reb Aharon Teitelbaum to sit near the President.”

Another source says Bobov may withdraw entirely if the event amounts to little more than a midterm-season photo op, calling that outcome potentially embarrassing. “The whole thing is shaky,” one askan said. He added that the compressed format — one-on-one, no gabbai, and as brief as a two-minute meeting — leaves little room for any of the Rabbanim to raise a substantive request with the President. For the Skverer Rebbe, that constraint compounded with concerns about entering alone at 85 without a gabbai.

This is a developing story. Belaaz will update as details are confirmed.