Head of the Immanuel Regional Council, Ezra Gershi, and the Chabad Rabbi of Immanuel Rabbi Chaim Kischner, were notified on Sunday by the Financial Division of the State Attorney’s Office that they may be brought to trial on the accusations of bribery during an election. Both Gershi and Kischner have the legal right to a defense hearing before any indictment will be put forth.

Two former residents of Immanuel, who were previously part of the Chabad community in the town before they moved out of the city, were also sent letters allowing them a hearing prior to indictment.

Current suspicions surrounding the municipal elections in 2013 suggest that Gershi promised the Chabad members that should he be elected he would provide certain benefits for them and their community. The suspicions further suggest that this was done in order for the men to show their support for Gershi as a candidate and bring other members of the Chabad community to vote for him.

Thus, according to the suspicions, Gershi swayed the elections to an unfitting and dishonest outcome. The investigation is being conducted by the national fraud investigations unit of the Israeli police.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)