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Aaron Teitelbaum (born 20 October 1947) is one of the two Grand of Satmar, and the Chief Rabbi of the Satmar community in Kiryas Joel, New York.
In 1985, Aaron Teitelbaum was appointed as the chief rabbi and rosh yeshiva of the Satmar congregation in Kiryas Joel, which gave him authority over all the community's affairs. Some of the residents of Kiryas Joel at that time resented the appointment of Aaron, having issues with his personality and controlling nature.
Prior to May 1999, it was assumed that after the death of Moshe Teitelbaum, Satmar would be led by Aaron Teitelbaum, the eldest son. He was his father's representative in communal affairs, and assumed his father's responsibilities when his father traveled.
Moshe's appointment of Zalman as the local leader caused factions to form around Aaron and Zalman. Aaron supporters claimed that Moshe was "swayed by his advisers" to appoint Zalman because the advisers were concerned they would lose influence under Aaron's regime.
In April 2006, when Moshe died, each side declared their rabbi as the chief rabbi. At that time, Aaron supporters already controlled all assets in Kiryas Joel. Aaron supporters initiated legal proceedings to take control of the Williamsburg holdings from the Zalman supporters, including control of the sacred cemetery of the Brooklyn congregation. The court declined to render a decision, leaving the status quo. The non-decision was seen as a victory for the Zalman faction. Aaron's followers constructed, and began worshiping in, their own synagogue on Hooper Street, Brooklyn.
In keeping with the traditional beliefs of Satmar, Teitelbaum is firmly opposed to Zionism. Teitelbaum is affiliated with the Jerusalem-based anti-Zionist Edah HaChareidis, particularly with the organization's vice president, Moishe Sternbuch.
In April 2013, Teitelbaum denounced the proposed draft of Haredi men by the Israel Defense Forces as "a decree worse than the annihilation of the Jewish people".
In June 2014, contemporaneous to the 2014 kidnapping and murder of Israeli teenagers, Teitelbaum blamed the parents of the dead teenagers for their murder, proclaiming in a speech broadcast on Kol Satmar:
"During the funerals, the parents eulogized their sons, but I think it would have been preferable if they had done teshuva repented, if they had said viduy confession with tears, in the nusach style that is used on Yom Kippur, to repent for their decision to live and learn Torah in a place of barbaric murderers."
Teitelbaum has expressed his wishes to establish a Satmar community in Romania.
In a historic first, during the 2024 United States presidential election, he shifted from the Satmars’ traditional stance with the Democratic party to endorse Donald Trump over Kamala Harris for President.
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