Jerusalem – Less than one week after being convicted on two counts of sexual assault, a well known Breslover rabbi has expressed remorse for his actions and been sentenced to a relatively light prison term.
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As previously reported on VIN News (http://bit.ly/2fnzK1j), Rabbi Eliezer Berland accepted a plea bargain agreement on two counts of indecent assault involving two different women. The 79 year old was also convicted on a single charge of assault against one of his followers who went public with claims of abuse against Rabbi Berland.
Rabbi Berland publicly admitted his guilt today just before his plea bargain was approved, reported Arutz Sheva.
“I regret, from the deepest part of my heart, and apologize to everyone I hurt, man or woman, male or female,” said Rabbi Berland.
After fleeing Israel in 2013, Rabbi Berland criss-crossed the globe hoping to evade Israeli authorities, spending time in the United States, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherland, Morocco, Zimbabwe and South Africa. He was finally extradited to Israel in July and taken into custody by Israeli authorities. Rabbi Berland was sentenced to 18 months in prison but will be credited for the time he has already served.
Rabbi Berland acknowledged that his sentence was relatively light.
“For the things I did, back in Biblical days, they would have stoned me or burned me to death,” said Rabbi Berland. “But today they’re lenient in the punishments and I want to keep this agreement.”
i really don’t understand. His followers all along claimed that this is a blood libel against Rabbi Berland and now he admits to his crimes.
It’s not only that he pleaded Guilty but claims in time of Bais Hamikdosh he would have been stoned,that means he claims he did all those charges,so why did he run in the first place. What will his followers say now?
Why the tallis ? a little more chillul hashem
To 4, 5, & 6 – agreed. This creep deserves life in prison (although at his age, it may be the case.) He is a disgusting cult leader – I feel as sorry for all those who were fooled by this nasty conman as I do for his victims. They must be in a real state of shock… and they now need deprogramming. Not only was I in a situation where I needed some help, I have been involved in deprogramming cult victims. These people are going to be in bad shape. My advice is their families should get a professional deprogrammer to deal with it.
I’m really taken aback by his misuse and bizoyen of the tails and Tfillin.
Also -stoning?
Is he an am haeretz also?
Capital punishment is only with a married women – and even that only full abuse.
Also stoning is not the punishment – only Chenek.
I can’t get over seeing him in that talis. Yuck!!!!
To everyone that shouts – the only law in Israel Is the Torah, Why are you not screaming and carrying on that he should be taken out and stoned to death. You want to have it both ways – use the system when it is benefits you ($$ – the Torah never imposed to take hard earned money from someone else to give to the “Liedigeyers”) and then abuse the system by citing the Torah “we can’t go to the Army” Anyway I have wrote a very interesting piece about Berland in the “ThinkingYid.com”
Rabbi Berland Shlita is indeed innocent. He made a plea bargain and wants to make sure it is not challenged so he is going the extra mile to make it seem like it is genuine. I know though that he is a true tzaddik as do many thousands of those who also follow him and will continue to do so, ad bias hamoshiach.