Moshe Friedman
Moshe Aryeh Friedman | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1972 (age 53–54) |
| Occupation | Haredi activist |
| Known for | Anti-Zionist activism, legal activism concerning circumcision practices |
| Movement | Anti-Zionism |
Moshe Aryeh Friedman (born 1972 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City) is a Haredi Jewish activist based in Antwerp, Belgium. He is known for his anti-Zionist views and for controversies involving Jewish communal authorities in Europe.
Rabbinical status
Friedman has publicly referred to himself as "Rabbi Moshe Friedman". His use of the title has been disputed by Jewish communal authorities, including the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Yona Metzger. The Central Israelite Consistory of Belgium stated in 2014 that he is not authorised to use the title "rabbi" in Belgium.[1]
Friedman has rejected these claims. In a 2026 interview with Humo, he stated that he had been recognised as a rabbi in Austria and had stepped down from a synagogue leadership role while retaining the title.[2]
Views and controversies
Friedman is an outspoken opponent of Zionism. His views have been described as broadly similar to those of the Satmar Hasidic movement, although he is not affiliated with it.[3]
In 2006, he participated in the International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust in Iran. At the conference, he stated that he did not deny the Holocaust, but questioned commonly accepted figures.[4][5] His participation drew international criticism.[6]
Disputes with Jewish communities
Following his participation in the 2006 conference, Friedman was ostracised by the Jewish community in Austria in 2007.[7]
After moving to Antwerp in 2011, Friedman became involved in a legal dispute over schooling. In 2012, a Belgian court ordered a Jewish girls' school to admit his sons due to a lack of alternatives,[8] but the decision was overturned on appeal in 2013.
Legal activism
In 2023 and 2024, Friedman filed complaints in Antwerp and Brussels concerning circumcision practices performed outside recognised medical frameworks.[9][10]
According to reporting by VRT NWS, his complaint contributed to a judicial investigation into controversial circumcision practices in Antwerp.[11]
He has been particularly critical of metzitzah b’peh, a traditional circumcision practice involving oral suction.
In May 2026, it was reported that Friedman had filed additional complaints in Vienna and Zurich concerning circumcision practices, stating that procedures performed in those cities posed risks to newborns due to inadequate hygiene and medical oversight.[12] The Zurich Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed that his complaint was under investigation.[12]
Around the same time, the Antwerp Public Prosecutor's office announced its intention to criminally prosecute two Jewish circumcisers on charges of assault and battery and the unauthorised practice of medicine. The prosecutions prompted criticism from the United States Ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, who argued that such criminal charges constituted a restriction on religious freedom.[12] The Belgian government rejected this position, accusing the ambassador of interference in domestic and judicial affairs.[12]
The Antwerp Public Prosecutor's Office subsequently confirmed that the two men would be charged with intentional bodily harm with premeditation against minors, with a hearing before the pre-trial chamber scheduled for 18 June 2026.[13] Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar condemned the indictments, and representatives of Antwerp's Jewish community distanced themselves from Friedman, stating that he was not affiliated with any recognised Jewish institution and that his positions were widely rejected within the community.[13]
References
- ^ "Joodse Palestina-activist misbruikt titel van Rabbijn" (in Dutch). Joods Actueel. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
- ^ "Rabbijn Moshe Friedman over de besnijdenisrel en Bill White" (in Dutch). Humo. 21 February 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
- ^ "Wie is 'rabbijn' Moshe Friedman, antizionist én verdachte van negationisme?". Knack. 20 February 2026.
- ^ Fathi, Nazila (13 December 2006). "Israel Fading, Iran's Leader Tells Deniers Of Holocaust". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 February 2008.
- ^ Tait, Robert (11 December 2006). "Holocaust deniers gather in Iran for "scientific" conference". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ "In Antwerp, a haredi pariah forces school to go coed". The Jerusalem Post. 9 January 2013.
- ^ "Jewish Sect Ostracized Over Iran Meeting". The Washington Post. 27 January 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
- ^ "Antwerp girls' school forced to admit boys". Ynetnews.
- ^ "Rabbijn dient klacht in tegen 'illegale' besnijdenissen". De Standaard. 23 November 2023.
- ^ "Moshe Friedman diende klacht in tegen omstreden besnijdenissen". VRT NWS. 17 February 2026.
- ^ "Moshe Friedman diende klacht in tegen omstreden besnijdenissen". VRT NWS. 17 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d El Baye, Anas (11 May 2026). "Two European countries investigate alleged illegal Jewish circumcisions after Antwerp case". The Brussels Times. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ^ a b Heller, Mathilda (6 May 2026). "Belgium indicts two mohels, citing sufficient evidence of 'bodily harm with premeditation'". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 11 May 2026.