Friday, August 27, 2004

Case of Rabbi Nachman Weisfeld

Case of Rabbi Nachman Weisfeld
Teacher - Haifa, Israel


Convicted of physically and sexually abusing children under his care in an ultra-Orthodox education institution.  The children were between the ages of four to six-years-old.  

The court also instructed Weisfeld to pay NIS 7,000 to each student in compensation for the abuse, which took place between 1995 and 1999, and handed him a two-and-a-half year suspended sentence.  

If you have a photograph of Rabbi Nachem Weisfeld, please forward it to The Awareness Center.

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Table of Contents:  

2004
  1. Haifa court sentences rabbi to 4 years for abusing students  (08/27/2004)
  2. Rabbi sentenced for sexually abusing students (08/27/2004)
  3. The Rabbi that sexually abused sent to jail (08/27/2004)
  4. 4.5 year sentence for Rabbi who abusing students ages 4-6 (08/27/2004)

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Haifa court sentences rabbi to 4 years for abusing students
By Itim
Haaretz - August 27, 2004 (Elul 10, 5764)

The Haifa District Court sentenced a rabbi to four-and-a-half years in prison on Friday for sexually, physically and emotionally abusing seven of his students, all of them between 4 and 6 years old.

Rabbi Nachman Weisfeld, 47, was convicted of abusing the children he was teaching at an ultra-Orthodox education institution, where he was supposed to be providing religious instruction.

The court also instructed Weisfeld to pay NIS 7,000 to each student in compensation for the abuse, which took place between 1995 and 1999, and handed him a two-and-a-half year suspended sentence.
The court determined that Weisfeld hit the children and threatened additional corporal punishment if they told their parents of the sexual abuse.

The judge rejected the defense attorney's argument that corporal punishment is considered acceptable in ultra-Orthodox institutions.


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Rabbi sentenced for sexually abusing students
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Jerusalem Post - Aug. 27, 2004 

Haifa district courts sentenced Nahman Weisfeld, 48, of a northern town, to four and a half years in prison for sexually abusing seven of his students.

All of the children were between the ages of four and six and were enrolled in the Haredi school system, Army Radio reported.

The court also ordered him to pay a NIS 7000 fine for each of the children that he abused.

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The Rabbi that sexually abused sent to jail
By Eli Levi
Maariv (Hebrew edition) - August 27, 2004
http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART/774/935.html

הרב שהטריד מינית נשלח לכלא
ביהמ"ש המחוזי בחיפה גזר שבע שנות מאסר על רב מהצפון שנהג להתעלל פיזית ומינית בתלמידיו

דפדף בחדשות אלי לוי
27/8/2004 11:06

במשך שנים התעלל הרב נחמן וייספלד פיזית, מינית ונפשית בתלמידיו בני 4 עד 6. היום הוא משלם את המחיר. בית המשפט המחוזי בחיפה גזר היום על הרב המתעלל שבע שנות מאסר, מהן ארבע שנים וחצי בפועל. בנוסף חויב הרב לפצות כל אחד מקורבנותיו בסכום של 7,000 שקל. 

הרב וייספלד, כיום בן 48, שימש בין 1999 ל-1995 מורה ב"חדר" חרדי שפעל באזור הצפון. במסגרת עבודתו לימד ילדים, במה שהוגדר בקהילה החרדית כמכינה לקראת עלייתם לכיתה א'. כמו כן הוא שימש מורה לילדים בכיתות א' עד ג' ואף שימש בחלק מהתקופה סגן מנהל ה"חדר".

בגזר הדין שפורסם הבוקר בבית המשפט המחוזי בחיפה, כתבו השופטים סלים ג'ובראן, ראיק ג'רג'ורה ורון שפירא: "במשך כל שנות עבודתו של הנאשם בחדר הוא נהג להתעלל בילדים אותם לימד. בעיקר פגע הנאשם בתלמידים שלמדו אצלו בכיתת המכינה. הנאשם איים על הילדים שאם יספרו להוריהם על מעשיו, הוא יכה אותם".

הפרקליטות חשפה במהלך המשפט את מסכת ההתעללות הקשה אותה עברו הילדים חסרי הישע. לטענת הפרקליטות, הרב התעלל בשבעה ילדים שאותם לימד. לפי כתב האישום, הרב היכה במקל ובחגורה תלמיד בן 5 ואף התעלל בו מינית. במקרה נוסף נטען שהרב אחז באבר מינו של ילד בן 4, הכניס את ידיו מתחת לתחתוניו של הילד והיכה בחוזקה באחוריו. באחד המקרים וייספלד אף החדיר את אצבעו לפי הטבעת של ילד בן 5 כדי להענישו. 

"אין לראות את תפיסת עולמו החינוכית של הנאשם, כפי שהוא עצמו הודה בה וכפי שעלה מהראיות שהובאו בפנינו, כחלק מתפיסת העולם של הקהילה הדתית חרדית", כתבו השופטים בנימוקים לגזר הדין. "תפיסת עולמו החינוכית של הנאשם אינה משקפת את גישת ההלכה, והאלימות בה נקט כלפי הילדים חורגת מהמותר בענישת ילדים. 

"המכות שהיכה את הילדים, הכנסת האצבע אל פי הטבעת והאלימות בה נקט חורגים גם מהמותר לגישת אלה המתירים לנקוט בענישה גופנית כלפי ילדים... בנסיבות אלה איננו סבורים כי יש מקום לתת משקל של ממש בטענת 'ההגנה התרבותית'".

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(English Translation by Google Translate)

Rabbi sexually harassing sent to prison
Haifa District Court sentenced to seven years in prison for a long north who physically and sexually abusing pupils
By Eli Levy
Maariv (Hebrew edition) - August 27, 2004

Abused for years Weisfeld Rabbi Nachman of physical, sexual and mental pupils aged 4 to 6 . Today he pays the price. Haifa District Court today sentenced Rabbi abuser seven years in prison , of which four and a half years in practice. Rabbi was also required to compensate all victims in the amount of NIS 7,000 .

Rabbi Weisfeld , now 48 , served between 1999 and 1995 cheder teacher " Orthodox operated in the north. In his work teaching children , in what was offered preparatory haredi community prior to their grade. He also served as a teacher for children in grades A to C and served as deputy director in the period Heder . "

The court ruling published Wednesday in Haifa District Court , the justices Salim Jubran , Ryan Jarjoura and Ron Shapiro : " Throughout his career, the defendant's room he used to abuse those children taught . Mainly hit students who accused him preparatory class . Defendant threatened the children if they told their parents about his actions , he beats them. "

During the trial the prosecution disclosed the abuse to her difficult past the helpless children . The prosecution said the rabbi molested seven children whom he taught. 

According to the indictment, and clubbed a great belt 5 year old student and sexually abused . In another case argued that the rabbi took his penis of a 4 year old boy put his hands under the bottom of the child and hit hard from behind . In one case Weisfeld also inserted his finger in the anus of a five year old boy to punish him .

" It should not be the educational world view of the defendant , as he himself admitted and as shown by the evidence brought before us , as part of the worldview of orthodox religious community ," wrote the judges sentencing arguments . " Educational worldview of the defendant does not reflect the attitude of law , and violence adopted towards children exceeds maximum punishment of children.

" Plagues that struck the children , the introduction of the finger into the rectum and the violence which took well exceed those permitted approach permitting to take corporal punishment against children ... Under these circumstances we do not believe that giving weight to the claim is ' Cultural Defense ."

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4.5 year sentence for Rabbi who abusing students ages 4-6
By David Ratner
Haaretz (Hebrew edition) August 27, 2004 Elul 10, 5764

4.5 שנות מאסר לרב שהתעלל בתלמידים בני 4-6
הרב נחמן וייספלד הורשע בהתעללות מינית, פיסית ונפשית בשבעה תלמידים; חויב לשלם 7,000 שקל 
בית המשפט המחוזי בחיפה גזר ביום שישי ארבע וחצי שנות מאסר בפועל ושנתיים וחצי מאסר על תנאי על הרב נחמן וייספלד, בן 47, שהורשע בשורה ארוכה של עבירות התעללות בשבעה מתלמידיו, בגילאים 4-6. בנוסף חייב בית המשפט את הנאשם לפצות כל תלמיד ב-7,000 שקלים.


הרב הורשע כי התעלל מינית, פיסית ונפשית בתלמידים שלימד במוסד חינוכי חרדי לקראת עלייתם לכיתה א' בין השנים 1995-1999.

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(Translated using Google Translate)
4.5 year sentence for Rabbi who abusing students ages 4-6
By David Ratner
Haaretz (Hebrew edition) August 27, 2004 Elul 10, 5764

4.5 years in prison rabbi who abused pupils aged 4-6
Rabbi Nachman Weisfeld was convicted of sexual abuse , physical and emotional seven students , was required to pay NIS 7,000

Haifa District Court on Friday sentenced four and a half years in prison and two and half years probation for Rabbi Nachman Weisfeld , 47, was convicted of numerous counts of abuse seven students , ages 4-6 . In addition , the court ordered the defendant to compensate each student in 7000 dollars.

Rabbi convicted for sexually abused , physically and mentally students taught religious educational institution prior to their first grade in the years 1995-1999 .

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