Arizona Rabbi and Boro Park Askan Yonasan Schwartz Warn Jewish Communities To Exercise Caution Over Woman Claiming to Be Jewish
A Chabad rabbi in Arizona and Boro Park askan Yonasan Schwartz are warning Jewish communities to exercise caution when welcoming unfamiliar individuals into their homes and institutions, following concerns they say emerged during an investigation into a woman who has been presenting herself within Jewish communities as “Ester Levi.”
Rabbi Moshe Sasonkin, co-director of Chabad of Casa Grande, said the woman had spent approximately three years moving among different Jewish communities, including parts of Brooklyn, Texas, California and Arizona. He said communities sometimes accepted her for temporary teaching or babysitting positions without thoroughly checking her background because she had already been hosted or accepted by other Jewish families.
On Wednesday, Schwartz posted a video, along with a picture and “shidduch resume,” which went viral on Whatsapp groups and Jewish social media, in which he lays out Rabbi Sasonkin’s concerns.
According to Rabbi Sasonkin, the woman has concealed information about herself, using the last name Levi while her Zelle account reads “Hernandez,” 🤯 and that those investigating her were unable to establish contact with her parents. Her story, says the rabbi, has changed several times when questioned. He also said that attempts to verify her references failed to provide a clear account of her background.
Rabbi Sasonkin described another alleged pattern involving the woman’s housing arrangements, saying she would remain with families until they asked her to leave and would then become highly distressed and resist leaving.
A Brooklyn Rebbetzin tells us that she had the same issue and that after Schwartz’s video gained popularity, others had come forward with similar experiences, prompting warnings to additional families not to host her.
The rabbi’s concerns have particular significance because the woman has sought acceptance in frum circles, and has even entered shidduchim. One wedding was called off when the Rav who was planning on being mesader kiddushin could not verify the woman’s yichus status.
On her resume, she identifies herself as “Sara Ester Gerda Levi,” age 23, born April 19, 2002, and currently living in Boro Park, Brooklyn (she has since moved), while stating that she is originally from Spain and “Half Germany- Half Spain.” It describes her as a single, never-married Baal Teshuvah who grew up Conservative (Masorti), and lists her occupations as a children’s book author and babysitter.
In seeking a shidduch, the résumé says she is looking for a “masculine, Frum hasidic guy” who is financially secure, family-oriented and “with a huge heart.” She says he should be caring, respectful and “Fully shomer negiah everywhere (not living a double life).”🙈
After being exposed as likely not Jewish, the woman has posted WhatsApp status posts in which she threatened to expose a list of “hasidic men” whom she accused of being unfaithful to their wives.
Rabbi Sasonkin said the broader lesson is that Jewish families should remain welcoming while taking reasonable precautions when someone whose background is unknown seeks to enter their home or community.
“Whenever someone claims to be a Ba’al Teshuva you need to call the rabbi that knew him or her,” he said, stressing that people should verify an individual’s background with those who actually know them rather than relying solely on people who happen to be associated with them.
#Yichus….
