Palm Beach, FL – A rabbi who has overseen South America's largest Jewish congregation for more than three decades has temporarily resigned his post in Brazil, after being arrested on shoplifting charges.
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Henry I. Sobel, who heads the São Paulo Jewish Congregation, was arrested on three counts of theft for allegedly ties valued at $680 from several stores in Palm Beach, Fla.
Sobel gained a strong reputation as a defender of human rights during Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship and is also well-known in Brazil for attempting to forge strong relations among Jews, Christians and Muslims.
"I've never had the intention in my life of stealing anything," Sobel said, "I'm used to facing crises and accusations, and I can defend myself."
Sobel had been scheduled to meet with the Pope when he visits Brazil in May.
The police report said an employee at a Louis Vuitton store in Palm Beach called officers after she realized a man left the store and a luxury tie was missing.
Sobel, 63, initially told officers he was not in the store, and then offered to buy the tie, but continued to deny he took it, the statement said.
He then admitted taking the tie and gave officers permission to get it from his car, police said. Officers found a bag with other ties that Sobel admitted to taking without paying from different luxury stores, the statement said. [Seattle Times]
You guys make it sound like this never happens by ‘unzerer shainer yiddin’.
Please find a better excuse to knock Reform Jews. This one is pretty weak.
nebach. this is a machla amongst many people (inzir menshin oych!).
he is a mechalel shabos befresye
for a few buk he gave out paper for goym he prais together with galochim he eats nevailes y treifos and a yerovom ben neot is littele for hin
durning the holocost era the natzis did not difrientiate bettween reform and orthodox so therefore its up to every yid to look out for for every yid to make them more religous. so we could say at every berocho we make the word elokeini be’shlymus.
since the Reform view is the all halachas are voluntary then by definition he is not a choite u’machte.
he is a reform rabby he is a real yerovom ben nevot a choite y machte es horabim.
for g-d sake would someone give this man a pay raise !! this way he dosnt have to shoplift 200 dollar ties