NEW JERSEY
JTA
(JTA) — Three rabbis were convicted in federal court of planning to kidnap Jewish men in order to force them to grant their wives a religious writ of divorce.
The three Orthodox rabbis were convicted late Tuesday in federal court in Trenton, N.J. of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Two of the rabbis also were convicted of attempted kidnapping.
The jury debated for three days after a two-month trial on the case of Rabbi Mendel Epstein, 69, of Lakewood, N.J.; Rabbi Jay Goldstein, 60, of Brooklyn; and Rabbi Binyamin Stimler, 39, of Brooklyn, CBS New York reported.
They are part of a group of men, including at least one other rabbi, who operated a ring that kidnapped men and used violence, including beatings and stun guns, until they agreed to the religious divorce.
Under Orthodox Jewish law, a wife cannot divorce without obtaining the writ, known as a get, from her husband. She also can not remarry in a Jewish ceremony without the get.
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