Israeli living with 17 women arrested for enslavement, rape
Police launched undercover probe into Goel Ratzon in June 2009 after receiving complaint of abuse.
By Yaniv Kubovich Tags: Israel newsA Tel Aviv man who has been living with 17 women with whom he fathered 38 children was arrested on Monday on suspicion of enslavement, rape, extortion by threat and sexual assault of minors, among other charges, police said after a gag order was lifted on the case.
Police launched an undercover investigation into the suspect, Goel Ratzon, in June 2009 after receiving a complaint about abuse from one of his "wives."
Ratzon, 60, allegedly subjected his family to strict disciplinary measures, but has claimed that the women and children lived with him on their own accord.
Click here to read Goel Ratzon's 'rulebook'
More than a year ago, Channel 10 aired a documentary on Ratzon and his many wives, which gained widespread attention and criticism after he said that there had been several attempts at collective suicide after some of the women thought he was going to leave them. Also in the film, some of the women said they would commit mass suicide if anyone tried to harm their leader.
Wary of mass suicide, police were accompanied to his home by social workers and psychologists on Monday so as to avoid hysteria and any attempts at mass suicide after his arrest.
Police confiscated a rule book by which Ratzon forced his family to abide. The women were forbidden to communicate with men, be in physical contact with their biological family, eat meat, smoke, drink alcohol or dress immodestly.
Ratzon is considered by his companions to be the savior (Goel in Hebrew) of the universe, and is attributed godly and supernatural abilities. Many of the women have tattooed his name and portrait to several parts of their bodies.
The names of every one of Ratzon's children include his own first name. For instance, one of his sons is called Avinu Ha-Goel (our father the savior) and he has a daughter named Tehilat Ha-Goel (glory of the savior).
Son of Goel Ratzon talks
Goel Ratzon's son Yigal said following his father's arrest on Thursday that he does not believe the allegations against his father are true, even if the court decides to charge him.
"There have been times in the past when the court has been wrong and then retracted an indictment" he said, "and I believe that is what will happen in my father's case."
"Everyone has always gone after my father and tried to bring him down because they didn?t approve of his lifestyle," he said. "Now they've finally found a way to do it."
Yigal, who was born into a conventional family, "I remember the times when we were a normal family with only one mother and one father," he said, "but i don?t remember when things started to change and my father started to pick up other women."
"Every house has its own rules," Yigal commented on the rule book found in one of his father's houses which stated the amount of money each violation of the rule the women were fined. "I don?t know about a rule book, but if it did exist then i am curious how they manage to run the household in good financial stability, how did the children go to school with a new bag and books every year?"
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Goel Ratzon arrested on Monday on suspicion of extortion, rape, and enslavement. |
| Photo by: (Moti Kimche) |
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That was King Solomon's downfall. These women must have no-self-respect. I feel sorry for the innocent children... The traditional marriage ordained by Abba Father is the only wise option. May Abba bless those children & get them into safe, holy homes, in Yeshua name I pray
You mean like David and Solomon who had hundreds?
"Jews are native to Israel. Arabs native to Arabia. Deviants are everywhere. Revisionist of history tend to come from Europe and the Arab world." So by *your* reasoning, there were no Jews prior to 1948, now what was that about Revisionist of history, BTW, you might like to look up what being Jewish actually is.
#2 & #7 You are escalating tension between muslims and jews. Is this soemthing that you really want to accomplish? Perhaps it's funny to you but certainly not for muslims... You need to appologize!!
Jews are native to Israel. Arabs native to Arabia. Deviants are everywhere. Revisionist of history tend to come from Europe and the Arab world.
Co-dependency The adult women have to share part of the blame also. If they allowed (encouraged?) access to their daughters they are rapists too.
Abraham practised poligamy as he had Sarah and Hagar!
Prophet Mohamed didn't have 17 women and 3l children! In Islam it is permitted to have just 4 wives if you have condition to treat them equally.
to accept this situation.Or this man must be very special for women
I would like to know how he supports this huge family. This sounds similar to a polygamous Morman living in the Arizona/Utah area. The Morman church has prohibited polygamy, but some Mormans outside the church still do it. What a racket this is. The wives go on welfare to support their children and also do telephone-solicitation jobs to sell magazines, etc. The Morman man doesn't have to work, although he may claim he's the one working the telephones, but he's not. I recall the states' authorities were after him but am not sure of the present status. So how does Ratzon support this family that he has so brainwashed they think he is a g-d?
Application after sentencing will be considered. Thanks for helping.
Imagine the nachas his mother must have? So many eineklach!! From just one child!
b"H Who's going to pay the bills, while he is imprisoned ? Somehow this sounds counterproductive. Obviously he spread himself a little thin, but somehow it is hard to know how abusive he was, if he was. Aside from the tatoos, it would appear that he may have overdone it just a tiny bit with regard to the negative Mitzvah lo leharvot beNashim. The cult business seems also to have gone too far, but his so-called rules are really meritorious. Perhaps the complaints that have arisen are just a product of the more egocentrically oriented backgrounds of some of the women. It is a shame that he is already so far advanced in life, for it would appear that he and his entourage could be aligned into a slightly more normal way of Jewish life with more Kedusha.
"More than a year ago, Channel 10 aired a documentary on Ratzon and his many wives, which gained widespread attention and criticism..." So, this was known for more than a year and nothing was done?
number 2 is right exactlly like muhammed
This actually sounds like typical traditional marriage as defined by 10th Century BCE Kings. They are having a trial about traditional marriage practices in San Francisco right now. This situation doesn't look healthy. But the 10th Century BCE situations I've read about didn't either. In the Middle Ages of the Common Era, it was not all that unusual for children of 3-5 to be married and then be raised together or for a 5 year old to be married to a 15year old. They were mostly down to a single spouse then in Europe.
this character belongs in a secure prison so he can never harm another woman or child!
Grow up...
No, not prophet Muhammad, Semites don't do this kind of thing. Definitely behaviour imported from Europe...which is where most of YOU are from..
He can definitely plead insanity and it will be accepted the court.