The principal of Talmid Torah Tiferes Yaakov, which is affiliated with the Peleg Yerushalmi headed by HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita, was arrested upon his return from abroad. The rav was abroad to collect funds for the talmid torah, Kikar Shabbos News reports.

According to the report, the rav was taken into custody upon his return home on erev Shabbos. He was arrested for questioning and police are seeking to extend his remand.

The talmid torah operates in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak and Beit Shemesh and Rabbi Tombac is viewed as being among those being close to HaGaon HaRav Auerbach. Needless to say, there is fury over his arrest. Persons in the know explain police are holding him on suspicion of money laundering but they say that is just the reason given and in fact, he is being hounded without any connection to alleged illegal activities. They hint this may be the work of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit as part of the new crackdown against those who vehemently oppose the draft and chareidim serving in the IDF.

Talmidim in the talmidei torah have been reciting Tehillim on his behalf.

The report quotes persons in the Peleg Yerushalmi warning “If this harassment continues, the country will burn like never seen it burning before as they seek to operate like the Egyptians, let us deal with them wisely (‘הבה נתחכמה לו’) by ruining the leaders of their institutions by framing them. This is a pipe dream. Those who are familiar with the arrested Rabbi recognize his honesty and the harassment campaign is transparent”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)