Shuvu Banim leader Rabbi Eliezer Berland has called on his talmidim to be mispallel for him as he plans to return home to Eretz Yisrael next week. The Rabbi made his statement from his current home in Zimbabwe.
The Rabbi called on talmidim to be mispallel for him at the Kosel on Wednesday evening, erev Taanis Esther, quoted as saying “It all depends on your tefilos. Wait for me at the airport next week”.
Over 150 chassidim are spending Purim with Rabbi Berland as hundreds of others who were planning to go as well have decided to remain in Eretz Yisrael to be mispallel for him.
Rabbi Berland fled Israel about 18 months ago to avoid arrest amid accusations of law-breaking. He spent a period of time in Morocco and is now in Zimbabwe. He has to be in countries that do not maintain extradition agreements with Israel.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
7 Responses
so now when he comes back , they will arrest him ?
Its a culture war. Its us against the pork eating secular zionist and their modern ortho gang of rebels. The more friction the less chareidim will be lured into their atheistic army.
Israel arrests Chareidim without cause based on false allegations on a regular basis.
I think it is smart to come back and stand trial for his activities and hopefully he will be found innocent rather than run away and try to hide and let others think he ran because he is guilty.
Will the Israel Prison authority please order in a large store of glatt kosher food now.
My Dear Fellow Chareidim,
Is it possible to raise the level of this thread (discussion)and stop assuming that it’s always about the secular state hating the Chareidim? This issue is much to complex for such (incorrect)interpretations.
It is my personal opinion that to describe this case and the allegations against Rav Berland as such is a disgusting attempt to once again silence the voices of those who have been abused in un-Tznius ways (to put it mildly) by people of hold authority.
YWN’s choice of wording, “to avoid arrest and accusations of law breaking” is misleading. This case has nothing to do with anti-Charedi tendencies of the secular authorities what-so-ever.
I am not judge or jury and don’t pretend to know all the facts of this case; however, I have researched the issue and spoken to members and former members of Rav Berland’s community and the accusations and allegations are formidable enough to warrant appropriate legal investigation.
Additionally, I believe that it’s about time that our community stops whitewashing the behaviors of predators and begin to explore ways of assisting the victims of abuse. Time to grow up; face reality; and stop crying “anti-Charedi”… the victims are also Charedi.
As someone who works to heal the victims of such abuse, I believe that it’s about time we face the facts. It exists and is in our community.
About time that the Rav is ready to deal with his court case and allegations.