You’ve probably seen the headlines about the "Jewish Taliban." It’s a heavy label, but for the people living near the Lev Tahor in Guatemala compounds, or the families desperately trying to get their kids out, it feels literal. This isn't just about some group wanting to pray in peace. Honestly, it’s much darker than that.
Over the last decade, Guatemala has become the primary theater for a group that has been chased out of the US, Canada, and Mexico. They aren't just moving for the scenery. They move because the law eventually catches up to them.
The December 2024 Raid and the Chaos After
Things hit a breaking point late in 2024. Guatemalan authorities finally stormed a farm in Oratorio, Santa Rosa, about 90 kilometers away from the capital. They weren't just checking permits. They were looking for evidence of human trafficking and systematic abuse.
They found 160 children.
Imagine that for a second. 160 kids living in a compound where, according to investigators like Carlos Figueroa, they found buried bones that might belong to an infant. It’s the kind of detail that makes your stomach turn. The police also grabbed Jonathan Cardona, a member who tried to bolt for the El Salvador border. He’s since been extradited back to face some very serious charges involving rape and human trafficking.
But here is where it gets messy.
By early 2026, many of those kids were actually returned to the group. How? Well, the Guatemalan legal system is complicated. Instead of looking at the sect as one big abusive organization, the courts broke everything down into over 100 individual custody cases.
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Why the Sect Stays in Guatemala
Basically, Lev Tahor treats the legal system like a game of whack-a-mole. If you’ve ever wondered why they chose Central America, it’s because the rural areas offer a mix of isolation and a government that is often too stretched thin to keep a 24/7 watch on them.
They first landed in San Juan La Laguna back in 2013. That didn't last. The local Tz'utujil Mayan elders basically kicked them out after a year, saying the group’s refusal to interact and their rigid ways were clashing with the local culture. Since then, they've been bouncing around. Oratorio was their big "stronghold," but they've also been spotted in the clouds of Colombia and even trying to get into Iran for "asylum."
Uriel Goldman, one of the group's vocal leaders, has been defiant. He told reporters that if any of the children die in state custody, the "Guatemalan government will fall."
It’s bold. It’s scary. And it’s a tactic to keep the state from interfering.
Life Inside the Compound
What is it actually like? If you walk past a member, you’ll see women and girls as young as three covered head-to-toe in black tunics. It looks like a burqa.
- Marriage: They've been accused of marrying off 12 and 13-year-old girls to men twice their age.
- Diet: Former members and relatives like Orit Cohen say the diet is basically just tomatoes, cucumbers, and matzah.
- Control: Everything is regulated. Even a hug between a mother and child is sometimes forbidden because it’s seen as "emotional" or "secular."
It’s important to understand that mainstream Jewish communities have completely disowned them. They aren't seen as "ultra-Orthodox" by most; they are seen as a fringe cult.
The Interpol Factor
The world hasn't just sat back. In January 2025, Interpol caught Yoel Alter in Guatemala City. He’s a big deal in their hierarchy. This followed the 2024 sentencing of the Weingarten brothers in New York—leaders who got 12 years for kidnapping.
Even with the leaders in prison, the structure in Guatemala stays intact. They have an incredible ability to reorganize. When one "rabbi" goes to jail, another steps up.
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What Most People Get Wrong
People often think this is a religious freedom issue. It’s not. Most of the families of the people inside are the ones begging the government to intervene. They aren't trying to stop them from praying; they are trying to stop 14-year-olds from being forced into "servile pregnancies," a term actually used by the Guatemalan prosecutors.
Actionable Insights and Reality
If you are following this story or trying to understand the risks of groups like Lev Tahor in Guatemala, here is the reality of the situation:
- Legal Fragmentation: The biggest hurdle to stopping the abuse is that the group uses the "parental rights" argument in court to get children back, even when those parents are under the total control of cult leaders.
- International Pressure: Unless countries like the US, Canada, and Israel coordinate with Guatemala to take their citizens back, the sect will likely just keep moving from one rural farm to another.
- Local Awareness: If you are traveling in rural Santa Rosa or near the borders, be aware that these communities are closed. They do not want outside help, and "rescuing" someone isn't as simple as driving them away—the psychological grooming is deep.
The fight for the 140+ children still in the mix is ongoing. Some are American citizens, some are Israeli, and some are Canadian. Until the Guatemalan judiciary decides that the group's collective behavior outweighs individual parental rights, the cycle of "raid and return" is probably going to continue.
To keep tabs on this, watch for updates from the Children’s Ombudsman’s Office in Guatemala and the Global Hope Network, which often tracks the movement of sect members across borders.