Nathanael Kapner

Why aren’t people donating to me? What am I doing wrong? AM I TOO TRUTHFUL? Is THAT the problem? Milton Kapner, better known as Brother Nathanael Kapner or Brother Nathanael, is a self-proclaimed "monastic with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR)" anti-Semite who is rather popular in some conspiracy theorist circles such as Smoloko News while condemned by others, notably the white supremacists on Stormfront. He is a street protester and has a following on the internet via The Brother Nathanael Foundation and Real Jew News. He had a YouTube channel, which was terminated on June 8, 2019, and replaced by smaller independent site.

In the comments section of the articles on Real Jew News, Kapner can frequently be seen asking for donations to continue his work of standing on various streets with provocative signs. He has garnered some attention from media in Colorado by displaying signs with such noteworthy and intellectual messages as "ACLU Jews are Antichrist", and "Alex Jones is the voice of Satan" Much like the Westboro Baptist Church, he appears to enjoy provoking negative reactions out of people so he can claim he is being persecuted especially noted with his notorious public protests, hateful rhetoric, and attacking prominent members of society notably Chuck Schumer, Barack Obama, and MC ART Automatic Rifle Thug.

Religious affiliation
Kapner was born to "progressive" Jewish parents in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was educated in the local Jewish school that he deemed "satanic". In time, he cycled through various Christian groups, including Jews for Jesus, before quitting his job as a pharmaceutical salesman to become a monk with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR).

Kapner joined the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline, Massachusetts (affiliated with the Holy Orthodox Church of North America), then transferred to the Dormiton Skete monastic community in Buena Vista, CO. (It has been affiliated with several denominations but was founded by the ROCOR.) However, he eventually was expelled from the monastery, supposedly for suggesting to the bishop that they protest Wal-Mart's for a new policy of greeting customers with "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" which Kapner referred to as "the final destruction of mankind"

Kapner states that he "speaks and writes ... not in any official capacity with ROCOR." A July 19, 2013, statement from Chancery of the Synod of Bishops of the ROCOR declares that Kapner has no relation to the ROCOR diocese in which he lives and that his "actions ... do not have the blessing of the Synod of Bishops." The statement further urges him to cease his activity on the internet and to repent. The statement was signed by Archbishop Kyrill (Dmitrieff), who is the ruling hierarch of the Western American diocese in which Kapner lives: "The clergymen and laity of the Russian Church Abroad are hereby informed that the actions of Nathanael (Kapner) do not have the blessing of the Synod of Bishops. Profoundly saddened by the state of his soul, we call upon Nathanael (Kapner) to refrain from posting on the Internet, to a life of repentance of peace in Christ, “where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11)"

In a forum post, a person claiming to be Kapner insisted that the person who gave this declaration was "blackmailed for alleged homosexual activity". Kapner claims to enjoy the support of Bishop Jerome (Shaw); however, Bishop Jerome was involuntarily retired by the ROCOR on July 10, 2013, during an Extraordinary Session of the Synod of Bishops. Bishop Jerome was censured and stripped of his episcopal duties and rights.

Criticism
Someone claiming to have known Kapner personally, identified only as "Fr. John," has stated that the real reason Kapner was rejected from Dormiton Skete was his lack of discipline, not because of any political conflicts. During the course of their relationship, Kapner supposedly revealed to him that he suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder, had been hospitalized many times, frequently failed to take his medication, and had cut off all relationships with his old friends and family. "Fr. John" characterized Kapner as a "very dangerous [and] angry" man who "often threatened to hurt people."

White supremacists have been known to distrust Kapner due to him being ethnically Jewish. Andrew Anglin, founder of The Daily Stormer, wrote in his earlier popular fascist blog – fittingly titled Total Fascism – that "first and foremost my opposition to him is because he is a biological Jew."