After more than thirty years of tension and division at Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, a final ruling has been issued that will dramatically reshape the future of the yeshiva. Retired judge David Cheshin, who has served as the official arbitrator between the two sides for the past four years, released his long-awaited ruling this afternoon, establishing that the camp led by Rav Shmuel Markowitz must vacate the yeshiva’s hill in Av 5786.
The decision brings to a close one of the most prolonged and painful internal conflicts in the Torah world, dating back to the early 1990s, when tension erupted between the brothers-in-law, Ponovezh nosi Rav Eliezer Kahaneman and Rav Shmuel Markowitz.
For decades, the split cast a shadow not only over Ponovezh but across the broader chareidi community. On the yeshiva campus itself, the two groups have functioned as effectively separate institutions for close to twenty years, the Rav Markowitz camp in the beis medrash with the famed golden aron, and the Rav Kahaneman camp in the adjacent Ohel Kedoshim building.
Four years ago, both sides formally agreed to appoint Judge Cheshin as arbitrator. Over that period he heard thousands of hours of testimony and reviewed extensive documentation. His final ruling, spanning more than 160 pages, was emailed to both sides today.
The ruling states clearly that the Rav Markowitz camp—including Rav Markowitz himself, the mosad Masores HaTorah, staff, and talmidim—must fully vacate the Ponovezh hill, including dormitories and batei midrash, by July 30, 2026. This timetable was chosen to avoid disruption to talmidim in the middle of a zman. Judge Cheshin concluded that Rav Markowitz had violated the original “Psak 2000,” acted independently of the yeshiva’s hierarchy, and effectively established a competing institution on the grounds of the yeshiva.
The ruling also prohibits Rav Markowitz and his mosdos from using the Ponovezh name or logo, and bars him from presenting himself as a rosh yeshiva of Ponovezh. The ruling affirms that the name Ponovezh constitutes a recognized trademark belonging to the entities controlled by Rav Kahaneman.
In addition, the arbitrator ordered Rav Markowitz’s side to pay Rav Kahaneman’s entities a total of 10 million shekel plus VAT—7.5 million to the Ponovezh company and 2.5 million to the associated amutah. This amount represents “fair usage fees” for properties over many years, as well as a share in maintenance costs. The award is significantly lower than the original claim of approximately 45 million shekel due to the arbitrator’s authority to apply “compromise close to judgment.” Counter-claims filed by the Rav Markowitz side were dismissed.
Judge Cheshin noted that the attempt at forced coexistence since the year 2000 had failed completely, leading to repeated conflict and tension. His conclusion: full separation. Under the ruling, Rav Kahaneman remains the sole owner and administrator of the original Ponovezh Yeshiva and its properties, while Rav Markowitz and his group must relocate, cease using the Ponovezh name, and compensate the yeshiva financially.
A separate decision regarding the kever of the late rosh yeshiva, Rav Asher Deutsch zt”l, is expected later today.
{Matzav.com}
