Ex-MK Dov Lipman ousted by Zionist umbrella group over sexual harassments claims
World Confederation of United Zionists lets go of American-born rabbi who served as secretary-general, citing ‘grave allegations’ by two women who say he harassed them
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
JTA — The World Confederation of United Zionists, one of several groupings within the World Zionist Organization, let go of its secretary-general, American-born Rabbi Dov Lipman, citing his dispute with two women who say he sexually harassed them.
Haaretz, which first broke the story of the harassment allegations, reported Monday that the confederation’s chairman, David Yaari, notified the World Zionist Organization of Lipman’s departure last month, after the allegations were made public.
“Given the grave allegations against former MK Dov Lipman, it was decided to part ways, in order to focus on CUZ’s vital work within the global Zionist forum,” Yarri told Haaretz in a statement.
Lipman is a former Knesset member from the Yesh Atid party.
He denied to Haaretz that he had been fired, saying the confederation post “was a part-time role which I could not continue because I am spending day and night guiding olim and their families who reach out to me for help entering Israel and for assistance in other areas.”
Lipman has denied the harassment allegations, which first arose on a private Facebook page. He sued the two women making the accusations, and they countersued.
The two women, like Lipman, are members of the Modern Orthodox community in Beit Shemesh, a city near Jerusalem
They said the harassment occurred when they and Lipman were part of a movement to push back against ultra-Orthodox harassment of Modern Orthodox women and girls in the city over modesty and other perceived religious infractions.
The Times of Israel Community.