In his testimony on Monday Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Bakshi Doron Shlita told the court that he did nothing wrong, pointing a finger of blame at Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu Shlita, the daily Yediot reports.

The state alleges rabbonim were involved in permitting 2,000 people to receive rabbinical ordination without completing the mandatory 5-year program, and in most cases, the recipients were employees of state agencies. Their academic rabbinical title earned them handsome pay increases, costing the state hundreds of millions of shekels.

The additional academic degree as the state views the ordination entitled recipients to a handsome monthly salary increase, from NIS 2,000-4,000.

The state alleges that the recipients received their ordination after 1 to 1 ½ years of studying, a far cry from the five year demands of the course. Yediot reports that Rav Doron told the court Rav Eliyahu telephoned all 14 members of the Chief Rabbinate Council pressuring them to accept his fast track program, stating he, Rav Doron, was opposed. He added that Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau Shlita was also opposed, but their view remained the minority opinion, with the majority agreeing to support Rav Eliyahu’s position.

Persons close to Rav Mordechai Eliyahu declined comment. The Rav recently underwent a number of surgical procedures and he is still in need of Am Yisrael’s tefilos, Mordechai Tzemach ben Mazal.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)