Two years ago, Rabbi Moshe Zigelman went to prison rather than testify against fellow Jews in a federal tax-evasion case and receive a lesser punishment.
Now, federal prosecutors are threatening him with a return to jail unless the 64-year-old devout Hasid agrees to testify before a grand jury regarding the federal government’s ongoing probe of tax evasion in his Orthodox Jewish sect. On Wednesday, they will ask a judge to order him to testify or be found in contempt.
His attorney says Zigelman, a teacher of scripture and son of Holocaust survivors, will again refuse, citing his religious principles.
Zigelman’s unyielding religious stance has led to attorneys wrangling in a federal courtroom over the rare intersection of the modern U.S. legal system and the ancient Jewish doctrine of mesira, a prohibition for Jews against informing on other Jews to secular authorities.
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19 Responses
Please…Your treporting is so slanted it’s a travesty.
Moshe Zigelman was one of two co-conspirators who in 2008 plead guilty in a tax fraud and money-laundering scheme to defraud the U.S. government out of millions of dollars in tax revenues…by setting up secret bank accounts in Israel for bogus trusts…all to help finance Spinka. So called “Charitable Contributions” would be made to organizations set up under Spinka…Spinka then refunded most of the money back to the “contributors” for a cut in the tax deduction action…all a HUGE Chillul Hashem.
You should leave well enough alone, but if you’re going to publish an article about how “Holy” the fellow is, then publish the whole story and let the reader judge what is going on. You seem to care far more about slanted images than you do truth.
Wow
Rabbi Zeiligman is a real tzadik,what a shame!
We should daven for him. Does anyone have his full Hebrew name?
אשריך רבי משה אליעזר! ד’ עמך גיבור החיל
He has the zechus that because of him the Spinka Rebbe Shlita saw the inside of a jail cell and YWN praises him.
A true Tzadik. We should all learn from him.
Yoneson, please get your facts straight before blabbing..
Spinka rebbe saw the inside of the prison because of an infamous well known moiser in LA, the whole reason why Zigelman went to jail because he didn’t report on what he saw, he was never accused of laundering himself, and could’ve avoid prison in the first place if he would’ve open his mouth.
He’s a real tzadik and good example for other yidden, may he be set free with no more pain ontop of the pain and suffering he went through till now.
Is poster #1 correct?
#9: No. See #8.
click on the link to read the complete la times article. it gives you the rest of the story…..
If #1 were correct, he would be guilty of Lashon Horah. And if he’s incorrect, he is guilty of Motzi Shem Ra.
popa, what are you doing in the news section?
It is not important what he did or did not do. It is important what he is refusing to do. He is refusing to testify against other Jews. For that he must be praised.
B”H I didn’t even read what #1 wrote! I hope hashem is with is Tzaddik.
the name for tehillim is MOSHE ELIEZER BEN ESTHER
Haleivi: I am on vacation and a bit bored.
There are laws of believing “lashon harah” and “motzie sham rah”.
We cant believe hearsay, or what we read, only what we personally know 100 percent ourselves.
Certainly NOT circumstantial evidence!!
We are nobody to judge Anybody under Any circumstances, and especially another fellow Jew.
Its nothing but horrible to read people’s comments what they write without even knowing the full truth. (both sides of the story) Its totally not relevant what they say he did,what is relevant, that he for sure did thshuva on what they say he did and withstanding his nesoyin of not talking bad on another Jew even with such a consequences of Chv”s going to prison.
People blog bad, on other Jews for no reason and in the name of Hashem,saying that him not saying is a Chillel Hashem, I agree, its a great Chillel Hashem to talk bad on another Yid, he is not going to talk on another Jew even with such consequence.