A week has passed since Guatemalan authorities rescued 200 children, teenagers, and women from the controversial Lev Tahor cult compound. The rescued individuals are currently housed in the Elida España welfare center in Guatemala City, where officials aim to ensure their safety.
However, members of the sect have gathered outside the facility, which is heavily guarded by police, in an apparent effort to regain custody of the children.
Members of Lev Tahor a week after the rescue of the children
According to Guatemalan authorities, the children and teens were subjected to forced marriages, abuse, and other related offenses while under the sect’s control. Cult representatives told local media that a judge has ordered an investigation and a review within five days, after which a decision will be made regarding the children’s return to their families. They also claimed that around 20 community members have been hospitalized, though it remains unclear whether this includes the rescued minors or protesting adults from the sect.
Cult members defended their practices in media interviews, citing their "interpretation of the Bible" to justify marrying boys and girls as young as 14. Meanwhile, footage shared on social media by sect members shows children being forcibly taken to welfare facilities. One video features an adult handing out fruit to children on a government bus.
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Despite their rescue, some children have reportedly refused assistance, alleging involvement by "Zionists" in the operation. A young boy, while being taken into care, shouted at welfare workers: “You’re a Zionist! I won’t go with you. Leave me alone!” Authorities suspect the children were indoctrinated during their time with the sect.
Guatemalan Welfare Minister Marvin Rabanales addressed the situation in a media interview, noting that many of the children participated in Hanukkah celebrations at the welfare center alongside their mothers. He described the atmosphere as "much calmer" after weeks of tension, adding, "There was anxiety among community members due to various circumstances, but conditions have significantly improved. We are ensuring all basic needs are met for the families."
Local officials have reported difficulties communicating with the children, many of whom are unwilling to speak with investigators. In some cases, they were seen resisting authorities during the rescue. Jacob Flitschkin, an American activist who arrived in Guatemala to assist the detained children, has been translating for the authorities from Yiddish. He has also provided food that adheres to the children’s strict dietary rules, such as vegetables and matzo. “I’m here to save children and victims,” Flitschkin stated.
During the children’s custody, adults from Lev Tahor reportedly communicated instructions to them in Yiddish, encouraging them to hit and bite police officers and welfare workers.
A survivor of the sect told local media that the children had been trained to remain silent or scream instead of speaking. “It will take time to break the fear and help them open up about what happened,” the survivor explained. “They’ve been manipulated, and they just need time to regain a sense of normalcy.”