In first, rabbi stripped of title over sexual harassment claims

In an unprecedented move by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, a rabbi was stripped of his rabbinical certification due to claims of sexual harassment and improper sexual relations.

According to a report by Channel 2 on Tuesday, the rabbi, who was in charge of a neighborhood religious council in a northern Israeli city, had his title removed following a number of complaints against him of sexual harassment.

The rabbi also allegedly had an affair that ran contrary to Jewish law.

The rabbi has not been charged with any crime and the investigation against him was closed by the Israel Police due to a lack of evidence.

Nonetheless, the rabbinate decided to revoke the rabbi’s title for what it said was “behavior unbefitting someone with the status of a rabbi in Israel.”

In response, the rabbi’s lawyer said he would appeal the decision and may file a defamation lawsuit.

“We received the rabbinate’s decision today and it will need to be studied in-depth. These allegations were stirred up by a few parties, some of them with their own interests, and they brought about this decision. This decision would not stand any objective judicial test because of the fact that the rabbi did not receive an opportunity to present any evidence supporting his case and therefore it is our opinion that this decision needs to be appealed and to even sue for defamation.”

The rabbi was not identified by the TV report.