Imprison Rabbi Mordechai Elon, Prosecution Tells Court

The penalty phase of the trial of convicted sexual abuser Rabbi Mordechai Elon began this morning with prosecutors asking the judge for a prison sentence of 8 to 18 months.

Rabbi Mordechai Elon

Imprison Rabbi Mordechai Elon, Prosecution Tells Court
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com

The penalty phase of the trial of convicted sexual abuser Rabbi Mordechai Elon began this morning with prosecutors asking the judge for a prison sentence of 8 to 18 months, Israeli media reported.

Elon was convicted of two counts of indecent assault late this summer.

As late as yesterday, the prosecution was allegedly undecided on whether to ask for a prison sentence time or to settle for community service.

But Elon was professionally evaluated to determine his potential to reoffend. That evaluation found that his threat level is “low to medium” and the evaluators wrote that Elon should not be left alone with potential victims, Channel 10 reported.

Elon was the leading Zionist Orthodox rabbi of his generation. He served as the rosh yeshiva of Zionist Orthodoxy’s flagship yeshiva, Yeshivat HaKotel in Jerusalem’s Old City. He also taught classes for the public that drew hundreds of rapt students.

He resigned from Yeshivat HaKotel after allegations of sex abuse against teenage male students were brought to the Modern Orthodox Takana Forum whose rabbis and lay leaders attempt to deal with clergy sexual abuse in the Modern Orthodox community.

But Elon retained the support of the leading Zionist Orthodox rabbi worldwide, Chaim Druckman, who allowed Elon to teach in his yeshiva and demonized Elon’s victims.

After Elon was convicted late this summer, Druckman made a point to publicly invite Elon to continue teaching there.

Elon’s politically powerful and well-connected family has also intimidated alleged victims and harassed some of those few Zionist Orthodox community members and rabbis who have spoken out against Elon.

Comments

[jancsibacsi]

This guy looks like a modern anthropod,an animal not yet human,what he did for that he deserves death not jail i would break every bone in his body let him feel the pain that he caused the children.

[Bas Melech]

Don't understand the short sentence. He may no longer be a threat (doubtful), but he should be punished for past crimes. He should get sentenced to years not months!

[HavaMina]

I know the Elon brothers. I would like to think his teshuvah is sincere and, insofar as he distances himself from educating young people and agrees to supervised therapy, I am inclined to give him a chance to prove he return to the ranks of human beings. At the same time, only H' can know the depths of a man's heart and human courts can't know if he is sincere. They also have to consider such matters not only with an eye towards individual justice, but public order as well. This is a rabbi from a prominent dati leumi family who violated a sacred *and* public trust. A light sentence gives the impression that the patina of religiosity and an "I'm sorry" is sufficient to earn one leniency - which in Israel is often the case. On the other hand, the potential civil liability he is facing could devastate him financially for the rest of his life. I think a median sentence was called for. But, I am not the judge. I am also an American and circumspect about my own cultural biases. We tend go with "hang 'em high" and "throw away the key" and vote for judges who always go for "the max." My time in Israel led me to question whether that is *always* for the best.

[Maskil]

Shmarya,

He was just sentenced to community service; no prison time.