By Ron Friedman
Jerusalem Post
February 10, 2011
http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=207710
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The Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office has called Rabbi Mordechai Elon in for a hearing, following which it will be decided whether to indict him on charges of sexual offenses against two underage plaintiffs.
The prosecutors sent Elon’s lawyers a letter on Thursday, stating that after studying the investigation material, they were considering indicting him for the alleged offenses, which took place on several occasions between 2003 and 2005
According to a statement by the Justice Ministry, the decision to call Elon in for a hearing was approved by Attorney- General Yehuda Weinstein in consultation with State Attorney Moshe Lador.
The allegations against Elon came to light a year ago after Takana, a national religious rabbinical forum that investigates allegations of sexual abuse in the religious community, posted a message on its website demanding that Elon step down from all rabbinical, teaching and community responsibilities, claiming he was a threat to the public.
The police began investigations following the publication of the message and managed to reach a number of teenagers they believed had been victims of Elon’s alleged actions. Elon himself was called in for questioning twice in the course of the probe.
After months of investigation, the police determined that they had enough evidence to charge Elon with committing indecent acts against minors, and passed the information over to the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office, which in turn gave its own recommendation to Lador in January to indict Elon.
Elon’s lawyer Yair Golan told The Jerusalem Post that he was not surprised to have received the request for the hearing.
“This is not the end of the line, but only the beginning of the crucial decision-making stage. We are now waiting to examine the investigation material and will then respond through the appropriate channels – not the media. I believe that at the end of a fair process, no indictment will be filed against the rabbi,” said Golan.
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