8 mar 2020
Man who killed baby daughter, seriously wounded wife, child named as Barak Ben-Ami
A man who has killed his 10-month-old baby daughter and seriously wounded his wife and three-year-old daughter in an attack in Hod Hasharon has been named by police as Brak Ben-Ami.
The 33-year-old Ben-Ami was arrested; his 36-year-old wife and daughter are still hospitalized in serious condition.
An initial investigation showed that the woman tried to escape the attack and collapsed in the yard of the home. The motive for the attack is unclear.
Ben-Ami's arrest was extended by 10 days during which he will go through a psychiatric examination.
A man who has killed his 10-month-old baby daughter and seriously wounded his wife and three-year-old daughter in an attack in Hod Hasharon has been named by police as Brak Ben-Ami.
The 33-year-old Ben-Ami was arrested; his 36-year-old wife and daughter are still hospitalized in serious condition.
An initial investigation showed that the woman tried to escape the attack and collapsed in the yard of the home. The motive for the attack is unclear.
Ben-Ami's arrest was extended by 10 days during which he will go through a psychiatric examination.
1 mar 2020
The 16-article indictment says Eliezer Berland along with his aides promised his desperate worshippers he will cure them of diseases such as cancer and bring their relatives back from a coma in exchange for thousands of shekels
A rabbi who conned more hundreds of people, some terminally ill, with promises of a miracle cure, was charged on Sunday with aggravated fraud and extortion.
Eliezer Berland, 82, was detained three weeks ago along with his wife and five major fundraisers for his yeshiva. Berland has previously served a 10-month sentence for sexually abusing his female acolytes.
The indictment was filed at Jerusalem District Court by the city's prosecutor's office on numerous charges, including fraud and extortion.
Dozens of his worshippers protested outside the Jerusalem court during Berland's remand - which was extended until Thursday - hearing earlier.
"I guess the noise outside has to do with you,” said the judge to the rabbi during the hearing. “I can't hold a hearing like that. As long as it’s up to you, make sure to take care of it. Otherwise we’ll have to stop and postpone the hearing.”
According to the 16-article indictment, Berland, who was the head of the Shuvu Banim Yeshiva - which is affiliated with the Breslov Hasidic movement - exercised authority over thousands of his worshippers.
He presented himself as a rabbinic and spiritual authority to the yeshiva’s members, who all were asked to act in accordance with Berland’s instructions.
The indictment also says that from the year 2014 until 2020, Berland with the help of his aides, exploited his status in order to extort money from his followers who were all desperate for help.
According to the indictment, Berland managed to convince his worshippers he has supernatural abilities and can “redeem your soul” in exchange for thousands of shekels.
In one particular case, he demanded NIS 20,000 ($6,000) from a daughter of a woman who was sick with cancer. "If the amount is paid to him, the hospital will do an x-ray and everything will come back clear,” one of the rabbi’s assistants told the daughter.
Berland, as the indictment states, promised full recovery from serious and sometimes incurable illnesses, recovery from permanent medical conditions (such as disability) as well as redemption for people whose loved one had gone missing or were imprisoned.
In one instance, somewhere between 2013 and 2016, he promised a man convicted of murder that his sentence would be reduced, and Police Commissioner would be jailed instead within 30 days if the inmate transfers tens of thousands of shekels to Berland’s daughter.
In addition, on one occasion he promised the parents of toddler who near drowned and was hospitalized in a serious condition, that in exchange for NIS 20,000 ($6,000) the child would "wake up" from his coma.
A rabbi who conned more hundreds of people, some terminally ill, with promises of a miracle cure, was charged on Sunday with aggravated fraud and extortion.
Eliezer Berland, 82, was detained three weeks ago along with his wife and five major fundraisers for his yeshiva. Berland has previously served a 10-month sentence for sexually abusing his female acolytes.
The indictment was filed at Jerusalem District Court by the city's prosecutor's office on numerous charges, including fraud and extortion.
Dozens of his worshippers protested outside the Jerusalem court during Berland's remand - which was extended until Thursday - hearing earlier.
"I guess the noise outside has to do with you,” said the judge to the rabbi during the hearing. “I can't hold a hearing like that. As long as it’s up to you, make sure to take care of it. Otherwise we’ll have to stop and postpone the hearing.”
According to the 16-article indictment, Berland, who was the head of the Shuvu Banim Yeshiva - which is affiliated with the Breslov Hasidic movement - exercised authority over thousands of his worshippers.
He presented himself as a rabbinic and spiritual authority to the yeshiva’s members, who all were asked to act in accordance with Berland’s instructions.
The indictment also says that from the year 2014 until 2020, Berland with the help of his aides, exploited his status in order to extort money from his followers who were all desperate for help.
According to the indictment, Berland managed to convince his worshippers he has supernatural abilities and can “redeem your soul” in exchange for thousands of shekels.
In one particular case, he demanded NIS 20,000 ($6,000) from a daughter of a woman who was sick with cancer. "If the amount is paid to him, the hospital will do an x-ray and everything will come back clear,” one of the rabbi’s assistants told the daughter.
Berland, as the indictment states, promised full recovery from serious and sometimes incurable illnesses, recovery from permanent medical conditions (such as disability) as well as redemption for people whose loved one had gone missing or were imprisoned.
In one instance, somewhere between 2013 and 2016, he promised a man convicted of murder that his sentence would be reduced, and Police Commissioner would be jailed instead within 30 days if the inmate transfers tens of thousands of shekels to Berland’s daughter.
In addition, on one occasion he promised the parents of toddler who near drowned and was hospitalized in a serious condition, that in exchange for NIS 20,000 ($6,000) the child would "wake up" from his coma.
28 feb 2020
Convicted pedophile Jimmy 'Yosef' Karow
Opinion: Among the tax evaders and smugglers who have found a safe haven in the Jewish state is a particularly nasty subset of criminals who for some reason are allowed to live freely without fear of reprisal for their heinous actions in their own countries
Welcome to the Garden of Eden. True, the astronomical cost of living, the never-ending elections, the overcrowded hospitals, the rocket fire in the south doesn’t exactly make it feel like heaven.
Nonetheless, there is a certain subsection of people for whom this is indeed paradise: Israel is a haven for all kinds of criminals who exploit Judaism and the Law of Return to flee justice in their own country.
And among these criminals, between the tax evaders and smugglers, shines a particularly horrifying group of pedophiles.
According to a CBS investigation aired this week, more than 60 sex offenders from Jewish communities in the United States have fled to the Promised Land and are hiding mainly in ultra-Orthodox communities in Rehavia, Jerusalem.
The law enforcement agencies have failed to address the problem, leaving the work to civilian organizations like the Jewish Community Watch (JCW) in the U.S., which tracks down these people in Israel and helps arrest them.
This was the case with Jimmy Karow, a dangerous sex offender who appeared on Interpol's 50 most-wanted list and who hid in Israel for last 20 years having fled there after sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl in Oregon.
Since his arrival in Israel, where he is known as Yosef, Karow was convicted in another pedophilia case and even jailed but was never punished for the assault in Oregon.
It was only last year, thanks to the JCW, that he has finally been arrested.
Opinion: Among the tax evaders and smugglers who have found a safe haven in the Jewish state is a particularly nasty subset of criminals who for some reason are allowed to live freely without fear of reprisal for their heinous actions in their own countries
Welcome to the Garden of Eden. True, the astronomical cost of living, the never-ending elections, the overcrowded hospitals, the rocket fire in the south doesn’t exactly make it feel like heaven.
Nonetheless, there is a certain subsection of people for whom this is indeed paradise: Israel is a haven for all kinds of criminals who exploit Judaism and the Law of Return to flee justice in their own country.
And among these criminals, between the tax evaders and smugglers, shines a particularly horrifying group of pedophiles.
According to a CBS investigation aired this week, more than 60 sex offenders from Jewish communities in the United States have fled to the Promised Land and are hiding mainly in ultra-Orthodox communities in Rehavia, Jerusalem.
The law enforcement agencies have failed to address the problem, leaving the work to civilian organizations like the Jewish Community Watch (JCW) in the U.S., which tracks down these people in Israel and helps arrest them.
This was the case with Jimmy Karow, a dangerous sex offender who appeared on Interpol's 50 most-wanted list and who hid in Israel for last 20 years having fled there after sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl in Oregon.
Since his arrival in Israel, where he is known as Yosef, Karow was convicted in another pedophilia case and even jailed but was never punished for the assault in Oregon.
It was only last year, thanks to the JCW, that he has finally been arrested.
Mordechai YomTov
Another offender, Mordechai YomTov, was convicted in the United States on three counts of child abuse and violated his terms of parole in order to flee to Israel under a false identity.
In Israel, he is living a carefree, happy life.
Another offender, Mordechai YomTov, was convicted in the United States on three counts of child abuse and violated his terms of parole in order to flee to Israel under a false identity.
In Israel, he is living a carefree, happy life.
Malka Leifer
And then there is Malka Leifer, who is wanted in Australia for no less than 74 counts of sexual assault and rape involving eight of the girls at the ultra-Orthodox school in Melbourne where she was the principal.
After fleeing to Israel in 2008, Leifer was arrested, but managed to dodge a trial on the grounds of mental incompetence.
Only in February 2018 was she re-arrested on suspicion of pretending to be mentally ill in order to avoid extradition.
Her re-arrest was the result of work by JCW, which documented her leading a normative life despite her claims of mental incapacity.
A short time later, a team of expert psychiatrists determined that the 54-year-old was indeed an impostor and, contrary to her claim, was certainly fit to stand trial.
That should have been the end of it, but Israeli law enforcement agencies seemed to be doing everything in the power to prevent her facing justice.
The fact is that in September 2019, Jerusalem District Court ordered a new panel of experts to determine once again whether Leifer was qualified to stand trial. In January 2020, a new unanimous committee once again determined that Leifer was indeed completely mentally fit to stand trial.
But that wasn't enough: Last week, Leifer's defense attorney received permission to investigate the members of the second committee over their findings.
Who knows, perhaps a third committee of experts will be appointed and they can also determine that Leifer is faking and is actually eligible for prosecution, and then those experts can be grilled on the stand, and then new experts can be appointed and so ad infinitum.
Meanwhile, Australia can keep waiting for her extradition and her victims Dassi Erlich, Ellie Sapper and Nicole Meyer can keep waiting for justice.
And then there is Malka Leifer, who is wanted in Australia for no less than 74 counts of sexual assault and rape involving eight of the girls at the ultra-Orthodox school in Melbourne where she was the principal.
After fleeing to Israel in 2008, Leifer was arrested, but managed to dodge a trial on the grounds of mental incompetence.
Only in February 2018 was she re-arrested on suspicion of pretending to be mentally ill in order to avoid extradition.
Her re-arrest was the result of work by JCW, which documented her leading a normative life despite her claims of mental incapacity.
A short time later, a team of expert psychiatrists determined that the 54-year-old was indeed an impostor and, contrary to her claim, was certainly fit to stand trial.
That should have been the end of it, but Israeli law enforcement agencies seemed to be doing everything in the power to prevent her facing justice.
The fact is that in September 2019, Jerusalem District Court ordered a new panel of experts to determine once again whether Leifer was qualified to stand trial. In January 2020, a new unanimous committee once again determined that Leifer was indeed completely mentally fit to stand trial.
But that wasn't enough: Last week, Leifer's defense attorney received permission to investigate the members of the second committee over their findings.
Who knows, perhaps a third committee of experts will be appointed and they can also determine that Leifer is faking and is actually eligible for prosecution, and then those experts can be grilled on the stand, and then new experts can be appointed and so ad infinitum.
Meanwhile, Australia can keep waiting for her extradition and her victims Dassi Erlich, Ellie Sapper and Nicole Meyer can keep waiting for justice.
Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is under criminal investigation for allegedly helping a pedophile escape justice
Incidentally, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation over suspicions that he used his position to help Leifer. And while the legal shenanigans continue, she stays put in the wonderland for the wicked in which we live.
This is perhaps a paradise lost to those who live here, but to the worst people in the world, it is a friendly haven from the law, where you can leave your victims in your wake as if they mean nothing.
In such a place, we should all be worried for our children.
Related: Wall of shame
Incidentally, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation over suspicions that he used his position to help Leifer. And while the legal shenanigans continue, she stays put in the wonderland for the wicked in which we live.
This is perhaps a paradise lost to those who live here, but to the worst people in the world, it is a friendly haven from the law, where you can leave your victims in your wake as if they mean nothing.
In such a place, we should all be worried for our children.
Related: Wall of shame
