Shabtai Society (Yale)

The Shabtai Society was founded in 1997 by Rabbi Shmully Hecht and Benny Shabtai in Apartment 5Q of the Taft Apartments at Yale University. Benny Shabtai is an IDF Six-Day War veteran and Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) national board member whose family sold its 55.2% stake in Viber to Rakuten for $900 million in 2014. The society operates as a secret senior society at Yale, modeled on the university's traditional senior society structure (e.g., Skull and Bones, Scroll and Key), but specifically focused on cultivating Jewish leaders with pro-Israel alignment. Notable alumni include Cory Booker, Noah Feldman, Ben Karp, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Elbridge Colby.

The Shabtai Society functions as an academic grooming node within the personnel pipeline, identifying and cultivating high-potential Yale students for future leadership roles aligned with the network's objectives. The society provides ideological training, networking opportunities, and career placement services, feeding graduates into strategic positions across government, finance, and media. The Jeffrey Epstein connection—Epstein flew to Israel with Benny Shabtai in April 2008 while under federal indictment—links the society to the broader intelligence and financial network coordinated through the Mega Group.