Rand admitted to negligently causing damage • Meretz MK: Deny him the award

July 13, 2016   

As if his recent troubles weren't enough: singer Shuli Rand pleaded guilty to the offense of negligently causing damage, the Israel Hayom newspaper reported today (Wednesday).

Following the publication, MK Michal Rozin from Meretz appealed to Education Minister Naftali Bennett, asking him to reconsider giving him the Minister's Award for the "For Life" - Creators in Jewish Culture for 2016, which was awarded to him this week. The decision to award the award - in the amount of 150,000 shekels - to Rand was first revealed in Haredim 10.

According to the report, on the afternoon of November 2013, according to the complaint, a relative of his returned a bag that belonged to him. Rand himself tried to take the bag from her and in the struggle between the two, the relative fell to the floor, resulting in abrasions and redness on her neck and shoulder blades.

Rand's lawyer, Attorney Asher Ohayon, reached a plea agreement in March of this year, according to which Rand would retract his confession, confess to the indictment, and it would be determined that he committed the offense attributed to him.

Rand himself said at the hearing: "I understand what I am accused of, and I understand that if I confess to the facts of the indictment, it will be determined that I committed the offense attributed to me and the court will impose a sentence on me.".

The prosecutor at the hearing, Attorney Aryeh Brand, said: "We attach great importance to the fact that the defendant took responsibility for the offense attributed to him in the indictment, and the complainant also expressed her blessing and joy that this is how the matter ended.".

Jerusalem Magistrate's Court Judge Dov Pollock convicted Rand and a sentencing hearing will be held in November of this year.

Following the publication, MK Rozin wrote: ""In my view, in awarding a lifetime achievement award to a person... weight should be given not only to the products he has produced in the defined field, but also to his personality and his influence on society in all spheres.".

""I fear that in Rand's case, on a personal level and in his immediate environment, this influence was not at all positive.".

The award committee that awarded Rand the prize stated in its reasoning: "Shuli Rand left his mark on both Jewish and Israeli culture. In his artistic work, he was able to give meaning to Jewish culture in a renewed Israeli language – to bring Judaism into Israeliness and vice versa.".

Over the weekend, it was reported that the singer had disappeared. It later emerged that Rand had left his home for personal reasons.

According to his family, the reason for his disappearance was probably related to the fact that his financial resources were exhausted. His wife Michal later gave an interview to Galei Tzahal and spoke about the severe financial hardship the family was in.