Moses Teitelbaum
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Moses Teitelbaum
Moses Teitelbaum, the 91-year-old grand rabbi of the Satmar Hasidim, himself was chosen by the sect's board of rabbis after a contentious interregnum in 1979, when the previous grand rabbi, his uncle Joel Teitelbaum, died childless without naming a successor. In his 27 years at the helm, Moses Teitelbaum has presided over the explosive growth of the communities that Joel established in New York after fleeing the Holocaust and helped his followers fight off the pressure to assimilate. But being severely ill, he has been hospitalized since Thursday and is on a respirator. He is being treated for spinal cancer, as well as for an infection apparently caused by radiation treatment, the failure of his one remaining kidney, and a stroke.  Moses Teitelbaum, the 91-year-old grand rabbi of the Satmar Hasidim, is severely ill. He has been hospitalized since Thursday and is on a respirator. He is being treated for spinal cancer, as well as for an infection apparently caused by radiation treatment, the failure of his one remaining kidney and a stroke. He is in critical but stable condition at Mount Sinai Hospital. One indication of the gravity of Rabbi Teitelbaum's condition is that the Satmars declared an official day of prayer for their leader yesterday, gathering in synagogues, schools and at the cemetery in Orange County where his predecessor is buried. Moses Teitelbaum himself was chosen by the sect's board of rabbis after a contentious interregnum in 1979, when the previous grand rabbi, his uncle Joel Teitelbaum, died childless without naming a successor. 