Reb Yoel Involved in Politics

By COLlive reporter

In a new manifest published just before Israel’s national elections the renewed National Religious Party, called Habayit Hayehudi, announced that it enjoys the support of Rabbi Yoel Kahn.

Kahn, familiarly referred to amongst Chabad Chassidim as Reb Yoel, served as the chief ‘registrar’ of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s talks and is a central figure in mainstream Chabad as a Mashpia and author.

The photo attached to his name was of him attending the annual Chabad scholars meeting, “Yarchei Kallah” in upstate New York.

At first, Uri Orbach, a journalist who is a member of the party, told COLlive: “If his photo is in the ad, it’s a sign that he supports us.”

Lubavitch, as is known, is not involved in politics and Rabbi Kahn has always refrained from voicing any political views.

It was only later that the party sent COLlive this comment: “we apologize for inserting the picture of Rabbi Yoel Kahn of Chabad in the list of 120 rabbis who support the ‘Habayit Hayehudi.’

“In the booklet we explain that [a different] Rabbi Yoel Kahn, from Beit Sa’an, who supports ‘Habayit Hayehudi,’ is the head of an organization for increasing Jewish awareness in educational institutions, and is known as a Zionist-religious rabbi.”