Rabbi Eliezer Berland, leader of the Shuvu Banim community and wanted for extradition by Israel, has received citizenship from South Africa. Rabbi Berland fled Israel to avoid arrest and has been traveling the globe for some two years to avoid being extradited to Israel to stand trial in charges made by multiple women.
According to R’ Nachum Berland, a son, the Rabbi received citizenship and this changes everything for now, as he cannot be held should Israel file an extradition request with S. African authorities.
Since fleeing Israel the rav has been in the USA, Switzerland, Morocco, Zimbabwe, S. Africa and Holland. The rabbi lost his final appeal in Holland but managed to flee before being handed over to Israel as the court permitted him to remain free on bail. Now it appears that things are looking up for him in S. Africa and while he cannot return to his beloved Eretz Yisrael, he may be free of extradition concerns in S. Africa.
This report is based on reports quoting R’ Nachum and to date there has not been an official response from Israel Police or other Israeli authorities.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
This must be a neis.
to his followers, he is a tzaddik, to his detractors, he is a rasha, and to the rest of us, we may never know what he did or did not do.
His name will for ever be besmirched in our eyes as being suspect…
If one sees a Talmid Chacham committing a sin at night one is not allowed to think badly of him the next morning since it is presumed that he has certainly done teshuva, and that’s if one has actually seen him do the aveira. When we’re dealing with a Talmid Chacham who is alleged by the Israeli Police, who are not known for their committment to truthfulness to put it mildly, to have done aveiras, I suspect that the halacha does not allow any ben Torah to think any worse of him at all. When he first arrived in Holland and appeared in court the next day, the judge said that after reviewing all the documents presented by the Israeli representatives he was convinced, based on his extensive experience as a criminal judge, that there was no legitimate case and told the Israelis that they should be ashamed of themselves for making trouble for an elderly Rabbi on the basis of such flimsy evidence. Criminal judges are not easily convinced of such things.
garlic, besmirched? If we may never know then how can you say besmirched? Doesn’t every yid have a chezkas kashrus until proven otherwise in a Beis din? Have you gone through all Hilchos lashon hora to know if you can say that?
Garlic are you joking? The man is weak and is almost 80. The allegations against him are rape. It makes zero sense it’s all garbage. If a woman would sneeze in his vicinity he would collapse. It’s so stupid. Hey corrupt Israeli government next time you try to ruin rabbis’ reputation come up with a realistic story.
I personally know him. I have never met a bigger Tzadik Kadosh and Talmid Chacham. May He be blessed with added years of Health and Hatzlacha.
Just knowing he has been on the run for so many years to so many countries makes him appear guilty. Innocent people don’t run all over the world.
Computerbuddy are you joking? Just because he’s running all over makes him guilty? maybe he’s running away because he’s being falsely accused by the Israeli government. Why don’t you think before you write stupid things?