Jerusalem – The District Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment against former chief Sephardi rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron on Monday for allegedly fraudulently ordaining IDF and police officers while he was the chief rabbi.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The IDF and police officers who were fraudulently ordained went on to receive pay increases, Army Radio reported.
The rabbi was indicted for receiving payment of various sorts under aggravated circumstances for his alleged central role in the affair, according to the report.
Rabbi Bakshi-Doron’s legal counsel responded to the indictment with dismissal, saying there is no basis to try him on criminal charges.
“To put the 72-year-old rabbi on trial is a grave injustice against the only person who fought against the phenomenon of fraudulent certifications,” Army Radio reported.
In November 2007, 10 indictments were handed down over the incident, in which 1,500 members of the IDF and police force received false certificates of rabbinic ordination entitling them to an extra NIS 2,000 to NIS 4,000 a month in wages. The allegations against Doron relate to his activities during his tenure as Sephardi chief rabbi from 1998 to 2003.
t that time, a Higher Religious Education diploma accompanied by rabbinic ordination enabled security personnel to receive additional pay of NIS 2,000 to NIS 4,000 a month. Numerous educational facilities were set up to train security personnel as rabbis, and students at these schools were ordained by the Chief Rabbinate, making them eligible for the salary benefits.
The seminaries where the studies took place received registration fees for the classes, and the security personnel studied for five to 10 hours a week for a period of one to two-and-a-half years at most, but received certification that they had taken a five-year yeshiva program, enabling them to receive the pay bonus.
Approximately 1,500 certificates of Higher Religious Education were issued under the instructions of Doron, through Ohana, from 1999 to 2003.
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post
Rabbis get paid more? Why?
Whats in a name?
Bakshi- Doron:
Ask for presents
Just a thought
The most profitable industry and the least regulated one in Israel is Orthodox Judaism. Israeli government has itself to blame for allowing Judaism to be turned into state supported industry where any violation of basic ethics is justified for tax payers’ money. And the easiest justification is that stealing from a secular state that “does not keep shabbos” isn’t an aveira….ironically, a group of rebel Jews resisted and fought against such ethical corruption 2,000+ years ago.
Their next indictment is going to be against all the Chasidishe Rebbes that don’t pay taxes on the Kvittel gelt.
This scandal is only persisting for political interests of one rich person. These allegations against the Rav are not true.
Ridiculous! This is just the state hassling an old man. I got my bachelors’ degree (four year degree) in two years. Did the paperwork have false dates?
Looks like Israel is competing with Bolivia on who can get more officials indicted.
The whole government needs to be restructured from scratch.
Makes a joke of Judaism.
In that country the out of indictment is to be shot. Premier Minister, Cabinet, Kenesseth members, and who not. What the heck is going on there.
On a second thought, who in US Congress, Senate, white house, etc is clean? h…..? Corruption at work at the elite worldwide.
He old a, leader is not a reason to or not to indict only evidence. Maybe some did the studies faster. TIME WILL TELL
ya, if they passed their tests then who cares how long they studied. and to who did the extra salaries go to? read again! to the IDF and to Police officers? well good for them, they deserve much more.