A Ukrainian court in the town of Zhytomyr sentenced four Ukrainians to prison for viciously beating Rabbi Menachem Mendel Deitsch and leaving him for dead three years ago, Ynet reported on Sunday.

The two male defendants received prison sentences of 9-11 years. Two female defendants, who were minors at the time of the brutal crime, received seven-year prison sentences. The defendants are also required to pay a fine of about $4,000, which will be transferred to Rav Deitsch’s family.

Rav Deitsch was a Chabad shaliach in France and then Israel for many years. He was active in maintaining the kever of the Alter Rebbe, located in the Ukrainian town of Haditch, and was in charge of organizing tefillos and hospitality at the site. He also was mechazek the Jewish community in Ukraine.

Rav Deitsch was attacked on October 8, 2016, at the central train station in Zhytomyr, a few days after Rosh Hashanah, which he spent in Haditch by the kever of the Alter Rebbe. The Ukrainian thugs stole his money and cell phone and beat him savagely, smashing his teeth, face and skull. They left him bleeding and unconscious under a bridge near the train station. He wasn’t found until the next morning – hours later. When he finally was evacuated to a hospital, he was found to have suffered severe head injuries and brain trauma.

Rav Deitsch underwent surgery at the hospital but his condition did not improve and he remained in a coma. Later he was airlifted to the Tel Hashomer hospital in Ramat Gan, Israel but unfortunately, he never regained consciousness and passed away six months later at the age of 64.

Rav Deitsch was survived by his wife, 11 children, many grandchildren and three brothers.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)