 The main Satmar synagogue in Kiryas Joel, New York | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| around 26,000 households | |
| Founder | |
| Joel Teitelbaum | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| United States, Israel, United Kingdom, Canada, Romania, Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Austria | |
| Religions | |
| Hasidic Judaism | |
| Languages | |
| Yiddish |
Satmar (Yiddish: סאַטמאַר; Hebrew: סאטמר) is a group in Hasidic Judaism founded in 1905 by Grand Rebbe Joel Teitelbaum (1887–1979), in the city of Szatmárnémeti, Hungary (now Satu Mare in Romania). The group is a branch of the Sighet Hasidic dynasty. Following World War II, it was re-established in New York and has since grown to become one of the largest Hasidic dynasties in the world, comprising around 26,000 households.
Satmar is characterized by extreme conservatism, complete rejection of modern culture, and strong religious anti-Zionism. The community sponsors a comprehensive education and media network in Yiddish, which is also the primary language used by its members. Satmar also sponsors and leads the Central Rabbinical Congress, which serves as an umbrella organization for other highly conservative, anti-Zionist, and mostly Hungarian-descended ultra-Orthodox communities.
Following the death of Joel Teitelbaum in 1979, he was succeeded by his nephew, Moshe Teitelbaum. Since Moshe's death in 2006, the dynasty has been divided between his two sons, Aaron and Zalman Leib, each leading separate communities and institutions.