Moshe Margaretten (born 1980) is an American Orthodox rabbi and criminal justice activist. As founder and president of the Tzadek Association...
Biography edit
Moshe Margaretten is an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and lives in Brooklyn, New York. He is the son and grandson of Holocaust survivors from Hungary.[1]
Margaretten founded the non-profit Tzedek Association, initially to focus on improving conditions in the United States. The association's remit gradually expanded to focus on criminal justice reform, obtaining PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic, and providing humanitarian assistance around the world.
Criminal justice reform edit
Margaretten worked with Kim Kardashian on the First Step Act.
He was seen as critical in getting congressional Republicans to back the legislation. The act is viewed as one of the major successes of the Trump administration, and for Trump’s Jewish son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner. Margaretten lit the candles at the 2019 White House Hanukkah party.[2]
He was one of the major activists responsible for the First Step Act, which passed Congress in 2018 (Hamodia)
https://mishpacha.com/fast-track-to-freedom/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/walterpavlo/2022/12/21/tzedek-association-worked-the-halls-of-congress-to-push-first-step-act-into-law/ https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-braun-launch-bipartisan-working-group-to-examine-u-s-prison-conditions-promote-transparency/
Humanitarian assistance edit
Margaretten was described by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency as a "haredi Orthodox fixer whose passion is bringing Jews out of danger". Margaretten raised $80,000 from the haredi Orthodox Jewish community in Willingsburg, Brooklyn, for Israeli-American businessman Moti Kahana to extract at least 46 people in Afghanistan at risk due to the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021. Khalida Popal, former captain of the national women’s soccer team, publicly thanked Margaretten's Tzedek Association, specifically its assistance with coordination, logistics, and political connections, on Twitter.[2]
Leverage political connetions and fundraising network
Margaretten got on a Zoom call with Kardashian and asked her to charter a flight. About an hour later, Kardashian texted Margaretten that she and her SKIMS brand would fund the flight.[3]
A plane chartered by the reality star and carrying more than 30 teenage players Afghanistan’s women’s youth development soccer team and their families, about 130 people in all, landed at Stansted Airport near London.[3]
He received international attention when, this fall, he helped rescue Zebulon Simantov, one of the last remaining Jews in Afghanistan. He also helped four young siblings from Afghanistan reunite with their mother in the United States.[4]
After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Margaretten raised money, including $1 million from the New York-based Skver Hasidic Jewish community to buy 33 ambulances for Ukrainian refugees. In December 2022, Margaretten flew to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodmir Zelensky.[5]
Honors edit
- Medal of Valor, Simon Wiesenthal Center[citation needed]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Siret, Mal (2021-10-13). "Afghanistan: The New York rabbi evacuating desperate Afghans". BBC. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ a b Kampeas, Ron (2021-08-27). "After Afghanistan's last Jew refused to leave, his would-be Jewish rescuers helped dozens of other Afghans escape instead". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ^ a b Lawless, Jill (2021-11-18). "Kardashian West helps fly Afghan women soccer players to UK". Associated Press. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Cohen, Benyamin (2021-11-19). "Kim Kardashian and rabbi rescue girls soccer team from Afghanistan". The Forward. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Borchardt, Reuvain (2022-12-15). "Zelensky Meets With, Thanks Moshe Margaretten of Tzedek for Humanitarian Work". Hamodia. Retrieved 1 August 2023.