Rabbi Elon accused of 'long-term' sexual relationship with student
Relative of Elon accused of threatening leading figure in group that published the allegations against him.
By Yair Ettinger Tags: Israel newsTakana, the group that published allegations against Rabbi Mordechai Elon of sexually exploiting his students, said it did so because of "a long-term relationship that was clearly of a sexual nature."
Elon Wednesday began to form a defense team to deal with the allegations and the possibility of criminal proceedings resulting from them.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, a leading figure in religious Zionist circles, and a member of Takana, a group that seeks to root out sexual exploitation by authority figures in the Orthodox community, said a relative of Elon's had threatened his life.
Lichtenstein told his students at Har Etzion Yeshiva in the Gush Etzion town of Alon Shvut, that the person "said he would hurt me in every way he could."
Takana Wednesday released a position paper with more information in the form of questions and answers, following queries to its members about their conduct in the matter.
"The affair was made public now because we had become increasingly concerned that we had no other way to protect the public from the possibility of more harm," the document states. The rabbis said they had to go public because "Rabbi Elon did not follow the restrictions imposed on him, particularly in the area of personal relationships."
The group said that when the first claims of sexual exploitation by the rabbi came to light, they included "the most serious acts that cannot be interpreted any other way." However, the forum's decision to force Elon to retire from public and educational life and impose restrictions on him came after the members realized, a year later, there was "another complaint more severe than the first." The committee dealing with the matter said it was shocked to discover the second complaint was made while it was deliberating the first one.
The committee also presented details of the restrictions imposed on Elon: Immediately after receiving the first complaint, Elon was asked not to be alone with a man. However, "the committee lost faith in statements by the rabbi, who concealed his acts during deliberation on the first complaint," and further restrictions were therefore imposed "that would distance him from the possibility of hurting anyone else in the future." He was forced to step down as head of Yeshivat Hakotel in Jerusalem and from other public positions. The forum said his move to the north was not "on its initiative."
In contrast to Takana's statement, Elon says he refused the committee's demand that he sign a document. He told Haaretz through an associate that he had only given the committee a letter in which he explained that he was stepping down from his posts because he had been "compelled" to do so.
Wednesday, the day after Elon said he accepted "the torments with love," his associates limited their public statements after an attorney was hired following Elon's consultations with relatives, including his two brothers, former MK Binyamin Elon and Judge Yosef Elon.
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what,s the big bla..bla about ? the man has the right 2 enjoy life,s pleasures ...what,s the big deal in this ? the female-student didn,t oppose or reject....right ? so what,s the problem here ? the rabbi is free 2 live his life as he wishes .my suuport 2 the RABBI .
It's obvious and about time that Orthodox Jews of all colours came to accept and embrace gay and lesbian Jews. It is obvious that gay people are born gay- ie in God's image and should be accepted. Rabbi Elon is a gay Jew and there is NOTHING wrong with that. If Orthodox Jews accepted gay people for who they are, gays would not have to live in secret and engage in illicit affairs- they could be upright, outstanding members of our Orthodox Jewish community and live their lives openly with a same-gender partner. This is 100% natural and the way it should be. it is not an issue of right or left, religious or secular, Gay people are reality (as they have been since the beginning of humankind in all civilizations). Being gay is NOT a disease or immorality, it is simply a part of our diverse human nature! Perhaps some good will come out of Rabbi Elon's situation!
Rabbi Elon has been subjected to the Israeli Media 'Inquisition.' Rabbi Elon has been accused, verbally abused and tortured. Why the silence you are all wondering? Rabbi Elon cannot bring himself to respond because he realises in trying to protect himself he may well destroy the reputation of the 9-accusers on the Takana protocol. Shame on you (including the HAARETZ TALKBACK RESPONDERS) who partake in this sensational Inquisition of a role model to tens- if not hundreds- of thousands!
we are all quick to jump to all sorts of conclusions and make radical statements about one of the Gedolei hador with out anyone really knowing the facts. Perhaps we should wait for a proper investigation AND conclusive evidence before we start assuming anything. let me make it clear that i am not defending such immoral behaviour. im just suggesting that we hold out on making any comments until such time that there is conclusive evidence. we can never know how our assumtions may impact a readers opinion.im not sure that its fair to give any opinion without all the facts.
Bad move: Implying that heterosexual seksual relationships are more sound and healthier than homosexual ones. You'll get lynched for that over here and would have to hide in the Muslim neighbourhoods. Feminists would not like it too. Is Philly not a liberal east-coast city? Good move: You did not give your name, if you are not mr. Jewboy that is.
I'd feel a lot better about it if the Rebbe sought out pretty, ripe young women rather than being a tuchas bandit
They have thousands of years of experience of muffling away and talking down sex crimes committed by their barbaric hordes who call themselves 'man of God'.
Why not focus on the positive aspect of religion? 1) Find a rabbi that has never been caught with his dick where it didn't belong. 2) Publish his name. 3) Offer a cash prize for anyone who can tag him. (It has to be more money than the rabbi has, else the person who nails him will go backdoor and it will never get public). You could vary the cash amount by factors like "the prestige of the rabbi" and "level of misconduct". A low level rabbi caught with a hooker might be $500. An internationally famous rabbi caught agreeing to buy white slaves to sell as prostitutes in Brunei would be worth, say, $50,000. If a rabbi stays on the list for 6 months with nobody being able to snare him, then he should get some money. And a vacation to, say, Rio...
Homosexuals and Lesbians exist in all fractions of society, they are part of the normal distribution curve of nature.Why all the surprise ?
2009-2010 has been a tough year with sex, drugs scandals involving rabbis in Israel, U.S. and U.K. I hope the frum world can cope with these scandals and that it won't look like the global catholic church sex scandals.
No one is allowed to rape any one and especially a Rabbi. He should be charged, tried, sentenced and jailed w/ others like himself a pervert not worthy of any Rabbinical practice.