The head of the Shuvu Banim community, Rabbi Eliezer Berland, spent Yom Kippur in northern Holland together with hundreds of his chassidim.
A Dutch court held a hearing last week to entertain an Israel Police request to remand the rabbi. Officials in Israel have filed for extradition and they want the rabbi held behind bars until that hearing so he cannot flee again. He has remained a step ahead of Israel Police for two years and has traveled to many countries including Morocco and S. Africa in his effort to avoid arrest.
The court last week released the rabbi on bail despite the Israel Police request. The extradition hearing is set to take place in about six weeks.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
Most countries do not extradite for a political offense, so if the court in Netherlands determines the crime charged by the Israelis is political, they will reject extradition.
He was actually released on bail about a month ago, a day after he arrived in Holland. Since then he’s been accepted warmly by the Jewish Community with many flocking to him for brachos and advice.
Last week Israel Police issued an appeal to have him held until the next hearing but was denied without the need for further bail.
November 17th is the date of the next hearing.
he’s innocent! enough! i choose not to believe otherwise. somebodys out to get him causing much Tzaar to a tzaddik.
there is no proof otherwise… DONE!
PLEASE STOP POSTING UPDATES ON THIS RAV! IT IS CAUSING PEOPLE TO LOOK INTO HIS STORY AND THE DETAILS ARE VERY DISPARAGING. WHO CARES WHERE HE IS??? SEND HIM BACK TO ISRAEL AND LET HIM STAND TRIAL OR WHATEVER, PLEASE – YOU ARE LEGITIMIZING HIM BY POSTING THESE SILLY UPDATES ALL THE TIME!
The Dutch judge reviewed the papers submitted by the Israeli representatives very thoroughly and told the Israelis they should be ashamed of themselves for pursuing him on the basis of such flimsy evidence. Then the judge apologized to the Rav for insisting on bail, saying he was doing so only because the law required him to.
Dvash
And what will you do if hes not? Continue to be in denial?
por and David Cohen- where are your sources? you’re just sreading propoganda- do you have the minutes of his hearing?
“flocking to him for brachos and advice”? were you paid to write that? who are you?
Why not just stop writing about this topic altogether and let the police handle it- this has no place on yeshiva news