Trump meets delegation of ultra-Orthodox rabbis that include members of anti-Israel sects

President Donald Trump and his Vice President, JD Vance, convened with an assembly of ultra-Orthodox rabbis, among them representatives of anti-Israel factions, on Thursday. This meeting formed part of Mr Trump's routine interaction with the Jewish community in the lead-up to Rosh Hashanah. Upon concluding the meeting, a delegation member opined that it provided an opportunity for the president to engage with the chief rabbis of the most prominent ultra-Orthodox sects, describing them as "distinctly Jewish individuals."

Besides exchanging holiday greetings, the meeting may have been a platform to address matters concerning Hasidic communities within the US and Israel. According to reports, the delegation urged Mr Trump to advocate for exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox men in Israel, a matter that has sparked sometimes violent protests in the country.

The delegation comprised members from the Satmar and Skver communities, ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups that, among other convictions, reject the state of Israel's legitimacy. They believe that Jews are prohibited from establishing a sovereign state before the advent of the messiah. In contrast to the fringe Neturei Karta community, whose anti-Israel sentiments have often prompted members to participate in pro-Palestine demonstrations, the Satmar and Skver communities focus on opposing Israeli governmental authority.

These communities have organized protests in New York, a city with a significant Hasidic population, against the Israeli military draft. In 2024, the Israeli government announced that ultra-Orthodox community members would be subject to the nationwide military draft, a decision that many ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel view as a disruption to their full-time religious studies.