ISRAEL
Haaretz
Four men claim to have been groped by Rabbi Yona Metzger in cases stretching back to the ’80s, according to a report in Israeli newspaper Maariv.
By Haaretz | Jun.21, 2013
Allegations of sexual abuse against Israel’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger were reported in the Israeli media on Friday, just one day after he was questioned in connection with suspicions of bribery, fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, and breach of trust.
Four men of varying ages and from different sectors of society came forward, and told their stories to the newspaper Maariv, alleging that they had been groped by Metzger in incidents dating as far back as the ’80s. According to the report, two of the complainants were examined by polygraph test at the newspaper’s request, and passed the test.
Rabbi Metzger denied the allegations and stated that it was an attempt to sully his reputation.
Maariv received the first account three weeks ago. David, a secular Jew, alleged that in the late 1980s at a wedding where Metzger officiated, the rabbi touched his chest and his arms. David also alleged that Metzger placed his hand under his shirt during a conversation between the two of them. At the beginning of April, a religious Jewish man told the newspaper that in the recent past he met with the rabbi for a halakhic consultation and at the meeting the possibility of his professional advancement was discussed.
The complainant alleged that at the rabbi’s request, he removed his shirt and the rabbi groped his chest and arms. Maariv’s research for the story led to another man who told of a similar event that occurred between him and the rabbi. According to the Maariv report, the incident with the third man was brought to the attention of Israel’s then Sephardi Chief Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron in 1998, when Rabbi Metzger was a candidate for the position of Tel Aviv chief rabbi. Rabbi Bakshi-Doron was the head of a disciplinary committee that was established to discuss allegations of marital contracts (called ketubot in Hebrew) forged by Rabbi Metzger. However, the committee decided not to publicize the complaint.
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