The fight for 140 children

“These are not Guatemalan children. These are Israeli children. Jewish children. The cult came to Guatemala to escape justice,” Orit Cohen said in an interview with The Media Line. Her brother, sister-in-law and four nephews joined Lev Tahor fifteen years ago.

Among the children rescued and placed in protective custody by Guatemala’s child welfare agency are Cohen’s nieces and nephews. Cohen has made it her mission to ensure the minors are not returned to what she calls a “system of captivity.” “These children were fed only cucumbers, tomatoes and matzah. They were forbidden to receive a hug,” she said. “Some were handed over to cult leaders who raped them.”

She warned that this fragmented approach is enabling Lev Tahor to manipulate the legal system. “They’ve filed false accusations—sexual abuse, violence—against anyone trying to rescue these kids. I’ve seen relatives driven away in fear. We’re treated like criminals while the real abusers are protected,” she said.

“These children are not criminals,” she said. “They are victims. They are hostages—emotionally, legally, physically. And every day they remain there; their lives are in danger.”

The emotional and legal toll on the families is immense. Cohen has traveled to Guatemala multiple times, spending approximately $45,000 on each visit to cover flights, legal representation, accommodations and other urgent expenses. “I came to court in pain, limping. The judge accused me of lying and dismissed my petition,” she recounted, explaining that she postponed critical surgery in order to remain present in the proceedings.

The Guatemalan system has recognized the severity of the situation. “The judge wrote explicitly that these children are kidnapped,” Cohen revealed. “She said their condition is catastrophic—the worst case she has seen in 23 years on the bench.”

Of the 140 children held in custody, an estimated 40 are American citizens, but foreign citizenship has not guaranteed their release. “Their families have been in Guatemala for four months, begging to bring them home,” Cohen said. “These are well-established, responsible families. But the children remain in state custody as if they were criminals.”

Cohen’s family members are Israeli citizens, but despite that, Guatemala has refused to hand the children over to Israel.

“We’re dealing with an absurd situation in which 140 kidnapped children are being kept from their families, and the state that should be protecting them is blocked from doing so,” Cohen said.

She noted that the Jewish Agency for Israel, the paragovernmental organization that promotes Jewish immigration to Israel, has recently become involved. “They’re sitting with us and trying to help, finally,” she said. “But the truth is, the whole Jewish world should be rising up and saying: these are our children, not Guatemala’s. They belong to the people of Israel.”

“There are Israeli families ready to receive them, and in several cases, official guardianship orders have already been issued,” he said. “I welcome the recent progress we’ve seen as a result of our committee’s involvement in recent months, but this process must continue. This is not a private matter concerning 10 Israeli families. It is a national issue that demands leadership from the Israeli government.”

The outcome of the trials will depend on whether the Guatemalan judiciary can move beyond technicalities and recognize the true nature of Lev Tahor, Cohen said. “We are not asking for special treatment,” she said. “We are asking for justice. And justice starts by recognizing that Lev Tahor is not a family. It is a cult. And these 140 children are not in custody —they are still being held hostage.”