Jerusalem, Israel – Haredi Man Convicted of Killing His Infant Sentenced to Six Years Prison

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    Israel Valas

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    Jerusalem, Israel – Israel Valas, an Orthodox man who was convicted four months ago of manslaughter over the death of his 3-month-old son, was sentenced by the Jerusalem District Court today to six years in prison and two years suspended sentence.

    Valas, 21, was arrested in April on 2006 on suspicion of abusing and subsequently killing his infant son Raphael. His arrest sparked mass protest by haredi youths, who rioted in the capital’s streets, demanding his release.

    The defense denied any wrongdoing on Valas’ part, but according to doctors’ testimony, the baby presented with severe signs cerebral edema, which could only have been caused by someone forcibly shaking him.

    District Court Judge Hanna Ben-Ami noted in her ruling that Valas “has expressed no remorse for his actions whatsoever, since the beginning of the case. All he cares about is getting his life back together.”

    The crimes Valas has been charged with, she added, are some of the gravest noted in the penal code, but the court did see fit to exercise leniency: “We have to consider that this is a young man, who has never before been given any responsibilities besides learning the Torah.

    “It is the court’s belief that he did not intend to kill his son and that his actions stemmed from recklessness.”

    Knesset Member Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism), who recently lost to Nir Barkat in the Jerusalem mayoral elections, testified in court on Valas’ behalf.
    “The defendant is a good man, I can’t say a bad word about him,” said Porush, adding that he was “marked for great things” within the ultra-Orthodox community.

    Porush told the court that he has been acquainted with Valas and his family for six years, and that Valas was one of the “finest yeshiva boys” he had ever encountered.


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    104 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    may he and the family have lots of strenght to get though this hard time.

    770
    770
    15 years ago

    he is jailed just because he is charadi

    Leyb
    Leyb
    15 years ago

    He was jailed because he caused the death of a defenceless baby.

    He should rot in jail.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    the judge put it best, “he has never learned any responsibilit besides for learning tora and therefore had no clue what he was doing” ….
    What an indictment…

    moshe
    moshe
    15 years ago

    This proves one more time that israel has no justice system,this guy is going to jail cause he is a frum guy not for any crime,so to all of you who love that stupid country which has no respect for yidishkit dig out graves that are there for thousands of years and don’t let frum people expand their shuls where keeping shabbos is a joke,to all of you who are always busy who should be mayor or president you should be ashamed of yourselfs,
    Let’s hope moshiach comes soon and this chutzpah against hashem will finally will end,
    We are all paraying for this guy that he should get through this.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    only 6 years??? Sorry I am frum too, and this story makes me really mad!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Nobody here knows really the story, so let’s be quite!

    ubet
    ubet
    15 years ago

    This is so sad. All new fathers should be given lessons BEFORE they become fathers, on how to be a parent. He nebech didn’t know that shaking a baby can cause death. I’m sure he regrets it. Why are you people so hard on him???? He is our brother!!!!!! You’re acting as if he’s some criminal. Shame on you!

    SG
    SG
    15 years ago

    regardless of what actually transpired( & as a human i side with natrual instinmcts of a parent to protect their child( there was no alcohol or drugs..)
    all i can say are ” what a mess”
    dead child
    young wife alone
    husband to suffer 6 long years… for what?? in the worst of cases a minute of frustration….what reprecussions!!!!!!!!!!!! think had you been the judge what would you have done balancing the a productive ending & justice

    taka
    taka
    15 years ago

    he is a 21 year old bochur who know NOTHING about babies. he did not treat it like an esrog. he just didn’t know how to stop the crying. there have been many unfortunate cases like that. .the death is a tragedy as well as the punishment! If some one could inform me had this been a bais din what would have been the possible halachic verdict?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    sara rigler is a reliable person that has done research into this story & believes the husband to be innocent of manslaughter

    AuthenticSatmar
    AuthenticSatmar
    15 years ago

    For all those claiming he’s innocent, how do you explain the childs injuries? I too am willing to believe he might be innocent, but the injuries speak for themselves. If someone else inflicted them, and he is covering for them, then he is just as guilty.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    innocent ? see below for excerpt from his confession.

    I lifted him by his arms and shook forcefully,” he told police. “His head fluttered everywhere. I also smashed him on his bed once.”
    As the reasons for the abuse, Walz cited the baby’s “nonstop” crying, a “revolting” inborn defect he suffered from, and the long hours of absence of his working wife.

    a reader
    a reader
    15 years ago

    sadly, the city of yerushalayim will burn on account of this verdict. but (just like in this case), since it will be chareidim who will be committing awful acts of destruction and mayhem, many posters here will justify their actions and/or defend their absolute innocence.

    listen to the judge’s words:
    “[he] has expressed no remorse for his actions whatsoever, since the beginning of the case. All he cares about is getting his life back together.”

    sounds like many people here, doesn’t it. we don’t care if one of our precious yiddeshe’ kinder was killed (or molested, etc.)…all we care about is denying it happened, covering it up, and “getting our lives back together.”

    rabbosai, LOOK IN THE MIRROR!! WHAT HAVE WE BECOME?? we have become such a mockery and a disgrace to HKBH and every value in our holy Torah!! we have defiled the name of Hashem to such a degree that i don’t even understand why people bother trying to cover things up anymore. THERE ARE NO MORE SECRETS, RABBOSAI!! THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS THAT MOST OF US CARE MORE ABOUT OUR IMAGE AND OUR $$ THAN WE DO HASHEM, TORAH, YIDDISHKEIT, YASHRUS, ETC…THE GAME WE HAVE BEEN PLAYING HAS LONG SINCE ENDED!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    “We have to consider that this is a young man, who has never before been given any responsibilities besides learning the Torah”

    This comment by the judge is quite revealing & says quite alot about the judges’ attitude towards Torah yidden.

    i love jews!
    i love jews!
    15 years ago

    all you hate mongers & slanderers:
    please fill out all your info (e.g. full name & address, phone #) when you post your stupid comments.
    i would love to pay you a visit! you guys are like the Judenraat!!!
    thats right you”ll do anything to make another jew look bad!
    shame on all of you!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    This is to prove you that arrogance does not work. Im sure the guy made a mistake an he had a bad moment. but dont come and say I did nothing wrong. there is nothing wrong with saying IM sorry. It definitley would help him with the judge

    sick
    sick
    15 years ago

    “I lifted him by his arms and shook forcefully,” he told police. “His head fluttered everywhere. I also smashed him on his bed once.”
    As the reasons for the abuse, Walz cited the baby’s “nonstop” crying, a “revolting” inborn defect he suffered from, and the long hours of absence of his working wife.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    a rotzeach, even bshogeg who is a kohen is forbidden to duchen.
    a rotzeah rosh yeshiva, godol hador is not treated any better before a bais din.
    so to allthe am haratzim, and tipshim.
    may this rotzeachs onesh give him mechilla & kapparah before bais din shel MAALAH

    Shaul in Monsey
    Shaul in Monsey
    15 years ago

    What I find most disturbing is the judge’s observation that Valas has demonstrated no remorse, and has focused solely on reconstructing his life. That is unacceptable from any perspective, even if he maintains absolute innocence. Remorse is an integral component of teshuva. Even if Valas is indeed innocent of murder or manslaughter, he was undoubtedly a shaliach of the malcach hamoves and this is something that requires a serious introspection.

    And I also believe that if all Valas did prior to becoming a father was learn, then his learning was flawed. Whether he knew cognitively what he was doing was wrong is one thing. Intuitively, anyone truly infused with the middos of our heritage is an ish tam, and not a baby-shaking, biting abusive bulvan.

    In any event, may the time pass quickly for Valas and may he come to terms with what is no doubt a terrible time for him and his family.

    fed up
    fed up
    15 years ago

    do i feel sorry for him yes. but to say that he is innocent is crazy, how then do you explain for nebach a dead baby?????? do any of you cold blooded selffish people think for a second that nebach there is a young infant that his life ended so short for no reason and nebach couldnt defend itself other than an immature adult criminal…………. and all you ppl that say that these young people getting married should get some tips well here is one tip DONT GET MARRIED SO YOUNG OR DONT HAVE KIDS SO EARLY. maybe all you ppl will learn that shaking a baby isnt teh way it will stop crying. reminds of the tzfardim in mitzrayim the more the egyptians hit the frogs the more they multiplied…. use common sense ooops i am sorry he is too young

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    With all due respect to porush, that is no reason to let such a heinous crime go by the wayside. A person is defined by his thought speech and action. Our Rabbis teach hayin roeh v’haleiv chomed uklei hamaseh gorem whaty this means is that a persons actions are a manifestation of what was in his heart and mind. The fact that onbe influntial man has nothing bad to say about this person after six years of knowing him – well guess what now there is one bad thing – very bad – in that he killed his own infant. There is one area of Limud Zechus that he was influenced by a terrible man – whose name has slipped my mind – that is a good thing because it says shem reshaim yirkav. Do we look at Cain as a great man who happened to have killed his brother or a murderer as a result of his actions (not to judge God forbid because he ended up repenting) Valas has a lot of teshuva to do.

    Proud Jewish Redneck
    Proud Jewish Redneck
    15 years ago

    This case is not so poshut. Here is a young man, and very young man. Unfortunately, most of our yingerleit are VERY inexperienced and unknowledgeable regarding childcare. THAT is the tragedy. We have children raising children, and they make mistakes. Oh sure, this is beyond just a mistake, but consider a young man who loses control. He is a young human, totally ignorant about childcare, and lacking in the emotional skills to handle his frustration.

    What he did was certainly WRONG, and Yes, he needs to be punished for it, for that is how life goes: You kill someone by intent or neglect, and you must be punished. But, we can also show compassion for him and his wife. Neither intended any harm to come to the baby. He just wanted this little person to stop crying.

    We do have a few too many cases like this in our communities. But we should not simply say it is prejudice or hatred, and go on with life.

    We need to help prevent these things from happening in the future.

    How? By making chosson classes and kallah classes go beyond what they are now. Instead of including only taharas hamishpacha and duties to the spouse, they should include EXTENSIVE training in child care, and in anger management.
    There should be a Rov or Rebbetzin or two in each group of subgroup who are TRAINED to help a married woman or man when they need help with anger management, or trouble handling their frustration.

    But, most importantly, is should be ENCOURAGE to do to these people to seek help, and not make it an embarrassment to do so.

    Maybe even make it mandatory for each chosson and each kallah to visit such a person, Rov, Rebbetzin, Therapist, at least during their first 5 years of marriage, quarterly for guidance, and to make sure they are doing okay.

    We need to help our fellow Yidden with these problems, not argue over where the blame lies. Who knows how many lives may be saved if therapy was not so frowned upon in the heimishe world.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    6 years is a long time for what might have been a mistake on his part. Maybe the Isreali hospitals don’t educate new parents about shaken baby syndrome like they do here in the US (or at least where I had my children)

    Maybe if he were an arab they would be able to release him now on goodwill, like they are doing to hundreds of arabs who have committed much greater crimes and killed many more people.

    Simple Layman
    Simple Layman
    15 years ago

    To All The Smart Knowledgeable Fair Self Appointed 39 (or more) Judges Above This Post.
    Chazal tell us “AL TUDIN ES CHAVEIRCHU AD SHETAGIA LIMKOMO”
    do you consider youslef smarter than Chazal????
    Shut Up and stop the Loshon Hora.

    Big Masmid
    Big Masmid
    15 years ago

    You people posting idiotic comments are insane. Why is it that we jump to bad mouth an insistent Tzadik.
    Did any of the above read up on this case and found our that the only reason he was given Six years is because he is Shomer shabbos?
    Why hate him just because of his looks? where is our Ahavs Yisroel?

    Times are hard and it’s going to get worse, if we want Hashem to have mercy on us we have to be kind and loving to each other. etc. etc.

    Shteig
    Shteig
    15 years ago

    You deniers could work for Al Sharpton – he blames every crime on racism -you just call it anti-charedi.

    Charlie Hall
    Charlie Hall
    15 years ago

    Just last week we were all up in arms about the possible death of a frum child in an American hospital.

    Shouldn’t we be as concerned about the death of a frum child in Israel?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    maybe he thought it was a bottle of Orange juice or something where it says SHAKE WELL…. atleast i am trying to be dan lkaf zchis….

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Interesting to know the judge at today’s hearing remarked to Valis’s family that they all belong in jail. I think that is enough to show her prejudice. It doesn’t leave much room to take her psychoanalyze of his interest. I don’t see why he should express remorse for something he maintains he didn’t do. While it is possible a young experienced father didn’t know how to deal with a baby, it is inconceivable the wouldn’t be remorseful if he accidently caused his own sons death. The fact the judge claims otherwise indicates she made her decisions based on prejudice, not on the facts.

    The alleged “confession” is another example of “Israeli justice”. He happens to deny it. The alleged “confession” took place right after the death of his child. The police do their best in such circumstances to squeeze a “confession” out of “suspect” through intimidation , rapid questioning that he can’t necessarily follow or by tricking the “suspect” to “only admit to X and it will be forgotten” which they then present as a “confession”. Considering the pressure a young father had after his son just died he probably didn’t have the mental state to stand up to such an interrogation. Furthermore they don’t have Miranda rights in Israel. He wasn’t given legal counsel and was unaware this would be used as evidence in court. Had he known he might have paid more attention to details and refrained from answering until he was in a better state.

    Most of the doctors who examined the baby did think he is probably innocent, including some who initially said otherwise. The fact they claimed the father’s tooth marks were found on the baby’s neck despite the fact that this is false, as it later turned out, says a lot about the “case” against Valis.

    A charedi doctor in Jerusalem, I know, says people today are scared to take their children to the emergency room for fear of being charged with child abuse & he feels the fears are justified. He was once called for help in such a case & he was able to prove it can’t be by showing that the symptoms don’t match the allegations. Despite this there they had all the “evidence” of the kind they have against Valis.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Obviously non have you have followed the case. This was a railroading ad nauseum. This will go down in history as a blemish or rather a sploch, on the Jewish state.

    May Hashem have mercy on us all

    Shaul in Monsey
    Shaul in Monsey
    15 years ago

    You know guys, whenever its a chareidi you cry railroading / antisemitism / conspiracy, and whenver its anyone else, the SOB got what he deserved. Sad part is that when that really will be the case, all of your whining will fall on deaf ears.

    anonymous
    anonymous
    15 years ago

    you people have a persecution complex There are charedi ganoven, and this guy killed a baby . When will you wake up and face reality. There are charedi child molesters, wife beaters , etc. The strajmel , kapote and pyes are not automatically the sign of being a mensch and an erlicher yid

    berel
    berel
    15 years ago

    The young frum hassidishe man learns all his life to control his yaither hara and he failed big time he deserves what he got he is lucky he only got 6 years

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    How did the baby die? We all had babies. If you shake it a little it doesnt die. Does not the dying of the baby prove something horrible here?

    He did kill his baby, didn’t he?

    Even if they framed all the evidence, but who killed the bay?

    WHO KILLED THE BABY!!!!!!??????

    Shaul in Monsey
    Shaul in Monsey
    15 years ago

    Look how all the frimme yeeden mit gekroizelde peyis run to defend the father and accuse the system. Does even one of them have the guts to stand up for the niftar?

    Realist
    Realist
    15 years ago

    Kalonymus ShemTov Says: . And Hadasah hospital did promptly treat the baby, and his confession is not hearsay – it’s on video tape – and all the gedolei hador go to Hadasah. Cease the rampant paranoia: the heimishe yungerman killed his baby. Only after you accept this reality is it possible to argue about proper punishment.

    Kloynimus, you hit the nail on the head.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    “I lifted him by his arms and shook forcefully,” he told police. “His head fluttered everywhere. I also smashed him on his bed once.”
    As the reasons for the abuse, Walz cited the baby’s “nonstop” crying, a “revolting” inborn defect he suffered from, and the long hours of absence of his working wife.

    anonymous
    anonymous
    15 years ago

    Cerebral edema results from a trauma to the head and induces fluid in the brain which impinges on normal brain function. In babies due to immature brain development it can result in death of permanent brain damage. First you have to know what cerebral edema is and cerebral edema is not spontaneous unless there is brain mass present.

    gerrorist
    gerrorist
    15 years ago

    I am frum to, and beleive the only reason why he got such a slap on the wrist, six years prison for killing his child, is b/c he is frum, he should rot in prison for the rest of his life, for taking anothers!!

    satmer
    satmer
    15 years ago

    if some one is a murder he should go to jail no metter if he is charadi or not

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    this man obviously doesnt know anything about children. The first thing that you do is soothe the child. you dont shake the kid till he stops crying 4 GOOD!! maybe he should be charged with insanity!!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    For all those yelling about the anti-chraidi, unfair Israeli justice system – Maybe it is time for the Charaidim to start demanding judicial reform (as well as gov’t reform and a real constitution) for the good of the entire country in exchange for the charaidi parties holding together the gov’t instead of demanding buildings.

    anonymous
    anonymous
    15 years ago

    The fact of shmone esre l’chupa does not mean that every yungerman reaching age 18 is mature enough to be father. The fact is babies do cry for various reasons, wet diapers, intestinal cramps, maybe insufficient nourishing or missing the caressing of his mother. As a father you have to be an erech apayim and understand that you are dealing with a fragile human being. Not everybody has the maturity at age 18 to be father despite what the Perek says

    Eli
    Eli
    15 years ago

    Unbelievable. It never fails. When a non frum, or non-jewish, person is accused of a crime the frum posters on this board scream accept it and demand justice. The concept of don lkaf zechus goes out the window. However, as soon as it is a frum person being accused, and even convicted, suddently its all lies and no one believes anything. The hypocrisy is unbelievable. The same people who believe every lie and rumor about Obama and deny that racism or bigotry is responsible for that lie, will scream racism and bigotry whenever a frum person is in trouble.

    We are taught to be Dan “kol Adam” lkaf Zechus. This teaches that we should give the benefit of the doubt to everyone, not just frum people. So why is it only with frum people that this applies. There are many people each year jailed for child abuse and neglect. Why are you apologists silent then? why should anyone care when you cry “unfair” now if you ignore the cries of other groups (e.g., blacks, Arabs, Ethiopian Jews) when they are persecuted.

    In any event, it certainly seems this guy was guilty of manslaughter and his sentence was appropriate under the sentencing guidlines. As for those poster who compared this to a car accident or dropping a child. Your comparison is rediculous. This man shook his baby forcefully and purposely> Even if he did not realize the harm he would cause, he is still more comprable to a drunk driver, and they, too, are given stiff jail sentences.

    Proud Jewish Redneck
    Proud Jewish Redneck
    15 years ago

    The fact that he did not “express” remorse in front of the judge has nothing to do with whether he felt it or not. A non-frum female judge is not likely to see the remorse in a Chareidi male. Not due to anything evil or mean about her, just a cultural divide multiplied by the Chareidi man’s reluctance to emote in front of a woman. We are trained to hold back and not emote in front of a woman.

    It is not a lack of respect for authority, it is a cultural difference. Had he been alone with his father or mother, he may have burst into tears. He also was probably not coached as some are, in how to show remorse to a judge.

    This is not justifying his behavior, just understanding his failure to outwardly show remorse. I bet he feel plenty of remorse.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    >>Times are hard and it’s going to get worse, if we want Hashem to have mercy on us we have to be kind and loving to each other. etc. etc.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    He is definately more innocent than the hundreds of Palestinian terrorists who murderer our brethren intentionally and are set free as GOOD WILL gestures. There is no reason not to let him free at least as a good will gesture. Believe me he is not a threat to society and will NEVER EVER touch another baby in any way which may even hint danger. His jail time will not serve any purpose. No one would even think about imitating him irresponsible behavior.

    Blood Libel says
    Blood Libel says
    15 years ago

    I have chareidi brothers in Israel.2 facts are well known:
    A non religious hospital doesn’t value life & cannot be trusted with kids without supervision.
    The non-religious are trying to prove that the Chareidim who burden their society with production are not good parents /people.
    Valles’s Wife parents parents-in-law & grandparents in law are all with him, could anyone who posted here imagine that if someone had killed their offspring, how mad they would be at him that alone proves a link missing in the story. His grandmother said she was with him in hospital, & they waited nine hours to see a doctor, I can tell you I have been to doctors in Israel, & you bet everyone should hope never to need one. There is a cover-up for medical malpractice over here, & the chareidi boy is the scapegoat.
    He is very upset like any father would be, he knows he is not guilty why show remorse?
    I remember when I learned in Eretz Yisroel every second week there would be a hafgonah, I personally tried to stay indoors. At the end of the Hafgona, the nebach bochurim who didn’t know that a hafgona was on, and that when police chased they had to run were arrested & sometimes charged & convicted for hitting police etc, literally the ones who couldn’t chase a fly. That explains what the Zionist justice & police are all about. No different here.
    As for the confession, this was a forced confession, under extreme depressing & lack of sleep, just lost a kid pressure, he denied his confession & was never read a bill of rights, besides the Torah does not allow a confession to be used, Ain Odom Meisim Atzmo Rosha.
    From some of the vile comments above it is evident, that Godal Sinas Am Ho oretz letalmidei Chachomim Yoser Misinas Hoakum Al Habrios. The Eda Chareidis, including the Gavad who visited & spoke to him are convinced he is not guilty, let me tell you if they felt he was a murderer they too would have him locked up. This is a blood libel, many Goyim today in fact almost all, believe in Simon Of Trent, the first blood libel & all the others & claim it is historic facts proven in court part of history & not anti Semitism. Exactly the same as many of the above posters. A simple proof that they are am hoaratzim & hate the Gedoilei Yisroel more than the Goyim hate the yidden.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    These were the words of the defense attorney:

    הסנגור, מנגד, עמד באריכות על כי האירוע בו הורשע הנאשם הוא חריג למסלול חייו ולמערכת היחסים בינו לבין יצחק ז”ל. לשיטתו, הפגיעה בתינוק נעשתה ב”רגע של מצוקה. רגע חולף של אבדן שליטה ושל התנהגות זרה לחלוטין לאופי ולמהות של הנאשם”

    Judge for yourselves.