Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is under fire from some after visiting with Rabbi Eliezer Berland, 79, with the latter released from prison in time for Pesach. Berland was serving a prison term after signing a plea bargain agreement in which he admitted to assaulting women. He was released early from prison due to his deteriorating health.
For the time being, Rabbi Berland is staying in a convalescent facility in Hadassah Mt. Scopus Hospital under house arrest as per the terms of his early release. Deputy Education Minister Meir Porush also visited Rabbi Berland – and he too, came under fire from critics for visiting a convicted offender.
It is noted that Litzman had refused to visit with Rabbi Berland in the past.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
The criticism is unfair.
I’m sure Litzman and Porush visited with his rape victims as well.
And I’m sure they regularly visit convicted rapists and sex offenders, not just those well-connected in the haredi world.
No?
Why these visits? Is it the mitzva of להקביל פני רבו ברגל or are they just old buddies, or what? Or is it that felons deserve visits to show that we aren’t mad at them?
#1 And I’m sure you thrive on loshon hora! There’s no proof he did anything illegal even if he “confessed” – especially in Israel when anyone would admit anything under extreme torture and so would you!
There is absolutely no way the Rav did what he was accused of. This is someone who voluntarily left the litvish world and all the kavod he would have received in order to be moser nefesh to save what now amounts to tens of thousands or more jewish neshamos. he was makoriv all the influential breslev BT rabbis including rav arush, rav ofer erez and countless others. Due to Rav Berland’s efforts he’s responsible for at least 50% of the tshuva movement in israel. it’s probably even more than that. Not to mention how breslev is distributed around the world through rav arush, rav brody, etc. He was the first to go to all the hiloni party places like in the sinai to bring jews back. His fasting is well documented. His learning and davening is other worldly. He was chavrusas with the Steipler who was over twice his age.
He has never ever been accused of anything similar his entire life. nobody came out of the woodwork once this came to light. It is not a small following in breslev that there should be no rabbi after rebbe nachman (only students of rebbe nachman but never a rabbi. rav nosson his primary disciple followed this path). Rav Berland for many years had tremendous opposition because he ‘hijacked’ breslev from its rightful owners.
I do not believe a word of it.
#4. You’re saying that his confession was simply an act of martyrdom? Then part of the martyrdom is to willingly accept that the people will believe the confession and see him as a predator. We can’t be expeceted to hear such an open admission of the crime and to continue honoring him as though he did nothing wrong, because that would be show a lack of concern over such a serious crime which would certainly be wrong.
rebbenachman, you’re naive.Even one of his own sons disowned him and there were frum victims at his trial.He admits to his avairas , why are so many in denial or finding bizarre “kabbalistic” excuses for his immoral acts?
Berland said under oath that he admitted the crimes he was accused of, in every alleged detail. Are you #3 Arye saying he is a liar?
#3 and #4:
Berland admitted to having raped these women in a secret recording, when speaking to one of his followers, not under police torture.
He was also secretly recorded calling for someone else’s murder.
Faced with this evidence and certain conviction, he was allowed to plead guilty. The State accepted the ple, so as to spare his victims the humiliation of testifying.
The “He was tortured” claim comes from his followers who were unwilling to accept the reality that they had been following someone who turned out to be such a menuval.
Shame on him for visiting a convicted sex offender