Serious acts and abuse: Investigation of community leader from Lod concluded

November 30, 2020   

The Israel Police today (Monday) concluded the interrogation of Rabbi Netanel Deri, the leader of the 'Heichal Hakodesh Community' in Lod, 39 years old and father of 14, who is suspected of committing serious offenses against his minor students over a period of years. Rabbi Deri was arrested by Lod police officers on Shabbat evening more than two weeks ago. The investigation revealed suspicions that the suspect, the leader of the community, which includes hundreds of families, used his authority to invite several of his minor students to his room - and there he committed particularly serious offenses against them, over a period of years. The police stated that "during the investigation, the suspect's detention was extended from time to time, and upon its conclusion, the Attorney General's Office filed a prosecutor's statement today, according to which it intends to file an indictment against the suspect." The Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court today extended the detention of Rabbi Deri for four more days. As reported in Haredim 10, according to three complaints filed against him by his students - aged 14, 16 and 19 - he is suspected of committing particularly serious acts and abusing boys. All of the acts were allegedly committed against minors over a period of years. His lawyer, Ze'ev Leket, told Kan Hadesot that after the detention was extended for the second time, he said that his client is a respected rabbi in the community and that he denies the suspicions attributed to him. The rabbi also stated that there is a conflict between him and the complainants over a matchmaking that the rabbi canceled, and now the complainants are trying to take revenge on him, he said. According to a report in Kan Hadesot, the community has determined that girls must be married off before they reach the age of 16, despite the legal prohibition against this. In his lectures to women, he usually turns his back on them. Even before the arrest The community issued a 'moral law', which allows harming anyone who testifies against him. According to a report in 'Kan Hadesot', the police subsequently turned to private rabbinical courts to issue a 'ruling' authorizing students to file complaints. One of the courts granted the police's request, and issued a ruling - which stated: "On 22 Cheshon 5771, we convened a court and received serious testimonies from a group of serious offenses related to the stone, which are in the category of 'you shall not kill and do not pass over' regarding Rabbi ... the director of the institution. "We also heard recordings and saw documents regarding the above-mentioned matter. "We asked the above-mentioned person to appear before us to present his version, but instead of appearing before the court, there was severe violence from those surrounding the above-mentioned person. "We ordered them to stay away and stay away from him, and that it is obligatory and a mitzvah to go to the police, and this is in the category of 'you shall not stand for the blood of your neighbor.' ‘Likewise, anyone who knows or even suspects that the people defined as educators are connected to the above-mentioned serious acts should go to the police to provide the information they have.’ The ruling is signed by Rabbis Aharon Yirchi, Reuven Neckar, and Shimon Gutman. Yesterday, the rabbi Shlomo Yosef Mahfoud also issued a call for anyone who was harmed by the arrested rabbi to contact the police and provide any information about him. "With great sadness, I express my opinion that I have seen a letter from the court headed by the Karaite Yirchi Shlita and a letter from my friends, the Hared Eliyahu Shlita, which ruled that handling of complaints about serious acts – from now on – will be transferred to the legal authorities," wrote Rabbi Mahfoud. He added: "I have also come across very disturbing evidence that requires a thorough investigation and demand, which is beyond the power of a court in our time to do.’ He emphasized: ’Since this concerns a violation of the foundations of our holy religion, I hereby instruct that it is the duty of every person who has information on the subject of holiness and modesty, on the subject of wealth, and on the subject of fraud and human suffering to contact the Israel Police as soon as possible and provide what he knows, so that the matter can be clarified.‘ Rabbi Mahfoud further wrote: ’And whoever refuses to do so under any pretext, is in accordance with the Torah’s decree, ’and if he does not tell, he shall bear his iniquity‘ and the blood of the victims is on his neck.’.