New Danger: Lev Tahor Cult Families Vanish to Central America, Escaping Supervision During Holiday

Just weeks after the Lev Tahor cult was ostensibly dismantled in Guatemala and its members scattered across the globe, approximately ten families connected to the group have reportedly fled to Honduras. The disappearance occurred secretly during the Jewish holidays of Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah, reigniting fears that the cult's jailed leaders still exert dangerous control over former members.

The families had recently been resettled in New York and had successfully regained custody of their children from Guatemalan welfare authorities. A critical condition for this custody return was their complete separation from the cult's influence.

Escape Orchestrated by Jailed Leaders

The calculated escape appears to have been orchestrated directly under the instruction of the group's leaders, who are currently serving lengthy prison sentences in Brooklyn, New York, for severe crimes committed against sect members. These incarcerated leaders allegedly manipulated the families and instructed them to flee specifically during the Jewish holiday to maximize their chances of evading detection by authorities and welfare organizations.

Honduras was reportedly chosen as the new haven due to its suitability for the group's covert needs. One source described the destination as “a corrupt country, very similar to Guatemala,” noting that “the imprisoned leaders manipulated the families into believing it was better to live in a country without Jews than to remain in America.”

A History of Holiday Violations

This is not the first instance where Lev Tahor’s leadership has commanded members to violate Shabbos or Yom Tov (Jewish holidays) to facilitate their criminal and escape plans.

In October 2021, dozens of Lev Tahor members were ordered to fly into Moldova on Shabbos, only to be immediately denied entry and deported back to Turkey after nightfall. Earlier, in 2018, the group’s then-leader, Nachman Helbrans (who is now serving a US prison sentence), orchestrated the kidnapping of two children on Shabbos, disguising them as non-Jews in a desperate attempt to smuggle them out of the country.

In 2019, US authorities brought forth a sweeping indictment against the Lev Tahor leadership, which meticulously documented a pattern of criminal activities, including kidnappings, all carried out under the warped guise of religious obedience.

The latest disappearance to Central America has deeply concerned advocates and relatives. They fear that despite the physical disbanding of the cult and the incarceration of its senior figures, Lev Tahor’s powerful and manipulative ideology continues to command allegiance, leaving vulnerable families exposed to further exploitation and danger far from any oversight.