Sex Abuse Trial Of Israeli Zionist Orthodox Leader Resumes

The trial of Rabbi Mordechai Elon has resumed. Elon is charged with indecent assault against minors and indecent assault that exploited student-teacher relations. He was originally sanctioned by the Zionist Orthodox Takana Forum, which deals with alleged sexual abuse and related crimes in the Zionist Orthodox community. Elon was forced to resign from his job as rosh yeshiva at Yeshivat HaKotel in Jerusalem, give up teaching and leave the city for a small town. But soon after Elon left Jerusalem, he resumed teaching students.

Rabbi Mordechai Elon

The trial of Rabbi Mordechai Elon has reportedly resumed.

Elon is charged with indecent assault against minors and indecent assault that exploited student-teacher relations. He was originally sanctioned by the Zionist Orthodox Takana Forum, which deals with alleged sexual abuse and related crimes in the Zionist Orthodox community.

Elon was forced by Takana to resign from his job as rosh yeshiva at Yeshivat HaKotel in Jerusalem, give up teaching and leave the city for a small town. But soon after Elon left Jerusalem, he resumed teaching students. Then another alleged victim came forward.

That set off the spiral that led to Elon's arrest and the trial.

What, if anything, does Elon say in his own defense? This:

In a press conference in the northern Israeli town of Migdal on Nov. 3, 2011, Elon denied claims that he performed indecent sexual acts with minors, saying he had hugged, kissed and embraced, “even strongly,” boys under the age of 18, solely with the intention of helping them, but that his actions had been misinterpreted.

Comments

[Rebbe Zalmen]

How does one misinterpret tongue?

[Moshe Katsav]

Extraordinarily sad story.

[Yerachmiel Lopin]

They misinterpreted his intent which was his anxiety that if he spared the rod he would spoil the child.