Colombia Rescues 17 Children Connected to Controversial Lev Tahor Sect

Seventeen minors removed from Lev Tahor group during hotel inspection

Colombian authorities say they recovered 17 minors linked to the ultra-Orthodox group Lev Tahor during an inspection at a hotel in Yarumal, in the country’s northwest. The children — citizens of Guatemala, the United States and Canada — were placed under the care of the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare while investigators review their cases.

Operation and immediate actions

The recovery was carried out in a joint operation by Migración Colombia with military and intelligence units after officials received an anonymous tip reporting the sect’s presence. Five of the minors were found to be the subjects of Interpol yellow notices related to disappearances or suspected kidnappings; those alerts had been issued after the children entered Colombia and had hindered earlier detection.

Migración Colombia detained nine adults who were traveling with the group. Although none faced arrest warrants in Colombia at the time of the operation, the migration agency is reviewing administrative procedures that could lead to their expulsion. Authorities placed the children and their mothers in a state facility in Medellín while social services begin efforts to restore and protect the children’s rights.

Background on Lev Tahor

Lev Tahor (Hebrew for “pure heart”) was founded in Jerusalem in 1988 by Rabbi Shlomo Helbrans. The community is known for an extreme and insular interpretation of Jewish law, including strict dress codes, early-age marriages, rigorous kosher practices and severe limits on technology. Over three decades the group has relocated through Israel, the United States, Canada, Guatemala and Mexico.

Founder Shlomo Helbrans died in 2017 during a ritual in Chiapas, Mexico. Leadership passed to his son, Nachman Helbrans, who was later arrested and convicted in the United States on charges including kidnapping and child exploitation.

International concerns and prior investigations

Authorities in multiple countries have investigated Lev Tahor members on allegations including child neglect, sexual abuse, forced marriage, kidnapping and human trafficking. Earlier this year, Guatemalan authorities removed roughly 160 children from a compound in the municipality of Oratorio and arrested several leaders on allegations including forced pregnancy and child marriage.

Colombian immigration officials said background checks showed several adults linked to the group have open investigations abroad. Local checks also indicated the group had been seeking to rent a rural property in Antioquia to settle permanently — a pattern similar to prior moves that preceded investigations in other countries.

Next steps

The investigation in Colombia remains active and is being coordinated with international agencies to determine the adults’ legal and immigration status and to follow up on cross-border records. Marcos Peckel, executive director of Colombia’s Jewish community, welcomed the intervention and emphasized that the sect’s practices do not reflect mainstream Jewish traditions.