Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., December 15, 2007 Tevet 6, 5768 | | Israel Time: 03:18 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah

Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger. (Archives) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 09:02 14/12/2007 Criminal charges could topple Ashkenazi chief rabbi from office By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: fraud, Rabbinical Court  The Rabbinical Court of Appeals will convene January 3 for a meeting that may decide whether Rabbi Yona Metzger resigns as Israel's Ashkenazi chief rabbi, sources close to the situation told Haaretz Thursday. The court will discuss removing Metzger in wake of a recommendation by Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann that the chief rabbi be impeached for alleged breach of trust and fraud. Though the court is not authorized to impeach Metzger itself, legal experts believe the chief rabbi will resign if the court rules against him. Advertisement Metzger is suspected of staying at the David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem for a minimal fee during the Jewish holidays of Pesach, Sukkot and Shavuot in 2003 and 2004. According to the police, he also enjoyed similar discounts at other hotels. In April 2006, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz decided not to open a criminal investigation against Metzger over the suspected discounts, but he recommended that the chief rabbi resign. In response, Metzger filed a petition against Mazuz at the High Court of Justice, arguing that the recommendation he resign was invalid because Mazuz was not authorized to make it. High Court President Dorit Beinisch sided with Metzger, saying that "it appears that the attorney general has placed the cart before the horses." Mazuz then retracted his recommendation that Metzger resign and handed his report to Friedmann to decide on the matter. The police probe against Metzger began in 2004 after a TV report claimed he had received discounted lodging at the David Citadel Hotel. Metzger's room was paid by the Chief Rabbinate, while the room where his three children stayed was paid by a religious charity. The second incident related to the discounts the family was given for its stays at the hotel on four occasions between October 2003 and October 2004. Participants in the affair dubbed the discount for the chief rabbi "the Metzger tariff." Critics chided Metzger for staying at the hotel because he had a state-funded apartment in Jerusalem. Ahead of the January hearing, the chief rabbi's lawyers relinquished their client's right to a preliminary hearing with Friedmann and announced they would address the Rabbinical Court directly. In addition, Metzger has told the High Court that he will not sit as a Rabbinical Court member during his own hearing. The chief rabbi's pledge came after the Omets human rights group petitioned to bar Metzger, citing a conflict of interest. Metzger's lawyers are expected to argue that the court is not authorized to discuss the removal of chief rabbis because it does not appoint them. In addition, they will claim that Mazuz's decision not to open a criminal investigation into the affair proves that Metzger need not resign. More Jewish World news and features Related articles: High Court: Mazuz should not have called on Metzger to quit High Court rejects chief rabbi's petition against AG Mazuz Metzger calls on Islamic leaders to help free hostages Bookmark to del.icio.us Righteous King Morocco's King Mohammed V could be first Arab 'righteous gentile'. Life of color Israel's first graffiti-supplies store owner loves to paint walls.   1.   Free Hotel stays 05:25  |  Clara Jellinek 14/12/07   2.   big deal!!!! 06:18  |  chamor 14/12/07   3.   FRUM 101 06:35  |  Eitan Taylor 14/12/07   4.   Criminal charges could topple Ashkenazi chief rabbi from office 07:21  |  H.Kahn 14/12/07   5.   Discount Rates at a Hotel 07:42  |  Straight Talk 14/12/07   6.   Ashkenazi chief rabbi 08:43  |  kurt mann 14/12/07   7.   #5 Corruption 09:01  |  chuck 14/12/07   8.   I don`t understand, please explain 09:05  |  eliezer 14/12/07   9.   #5, of cause you`re absolutely right. 09:15  |  Terry 14/12/07   10.   I would like to ask my secular brothers and sisters a question... 09:44  |  Jew 14/12/07   11.   Presidents, Prime Ministers and Chief Rabbis 09:53  |  Yaakov Sullivan 14/12/07   12.   Straight Talk and the Enemy 10:01  |  Yaakov Sullivan 14/12/07   13.   Answer for #10 10:06  |  Jewtoo 14/12/07   14.   Jew in Jerusalem on Shame 10:07  |  Yaakov Sullivan 14/12/07   15.   eliezer in jerusalem on metzger 10:18  |  Yaakov Sullivan 14/12/07   16.   #9, 10: immoral! 10:38  |  religious woman 14/12/07   17.   to # 10 jew 11:10  |  Robert 14/12/07   18.   Reply to Chuck (Post No. 7) 11:32  |  Johnny Weintraub 14/12/07   19.   On and on and on...... 11:43  |  Esther 14/12/07   20.   To #s 13, 17, 16, from #10 12:05  |  Jew 14/12/07   21.   # 8 Eliezer, I am a secular Israeli Jew. Travel a lot on 12:13  |  Max Zinger P.Chim. 14/12/07   22.   #15, still does not make sense 12:15  |  eliezer 14/12/07   23.   So what if he has a flat in Jerusalem? 12:19  |  Sherlock Holmes 14/12/07   24.   Am I a criminal? 12:25  |  Motic 14/12/07   25.   Better pack quickly 12:37  |  Yosef 14/12/07   26.   Free good publicity 12:42  |  Avi 14/12/07   27.   Hotel adverts for chagim 12:45  |  Joseph 14/12/07   28.   Catskills 12:53  |  JAF 14/12/07   29.   #10 13:12  |  Stephen 14/12/07   30.   Metzger 15:01  |  j10 14/12/07   31.   free enterprise 15:20  |  dav zee 14/12/07   32.   this of course never happened to Olmert, or any orther public fig 15:25  |  Gaabriel 14/12/07   33.   Societal Sickness 16:08  |  B 14/12/07   34.   Religious charity paid for Metzger`s children 16:16  |  Azohun Vei 14/12/07   35.   #21 Max Zinger 17:13  |  Sol 14/12/07   36.   Yes! What is the big deal? 17:28  |  JB 14/12/07   37.   Licensing 20:31  |  Ethan 14/12/07

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