By John Marzulli
New York Daily News
May 4, 2011
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2011/05/04/2011-05-04_rabbi_who_is_married_and_the_father_of_11_kids_on_trial_for_allegedly_molesting_.html
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| The alleged assailant, Gavriel Bidany, married and the father of 11, claims the touching of her groin and breast occurred while he was asleep and was a mistake. |
She's an officer - and says he's most definitely not a gentleman.
An Israeli Army officer testified yesterday she was molested by an orthodox rabbi sitting next to her on a trans-Atlantic flight.
The alleged assailant, Gavriel Bidany, married and the father of 11, told authorities the touching of her groin and breast may have occurred while he was asleep and was a mistake.
"I want justice to be made," said the 23-year-old victim, who commands a missile defense unit back in Israel.
She was on Delta flight 269 last March 27 traveling to New York City on a fundraising trip sponsored by the group Israeli Bonds.
After watching the in-flight flick "Narnia," she lowered her head on the food tray and tried to sleep.
Bidany was sitting to her right covered by a blanket, she said. Suddenly she awoke with a start. "I felt someone touching my groin," she testified in Brooklyn Federal Court.
"He jumped also and took his hand away."
Bidany appeared to be pretending he was asleep so she wanted to catch him "red-handed," she said.
"A short time afterward his hand was on my breast," she said. "I said 'What are you doing?' And he said, 'No, no, it's a mistake. I'm asleep.'"
She reported the incident to crew members and Bidany was arrested at Kennedy Airport.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sarratt called Bidany's actions a "brazen assault."
"The defendant was leering at her with his eyes wide open," the prosecutor said.
Defense lawyer Saul Bienenfield said the rabbi has consistently maintained that he did not "knowingly" touch the woman.
On the stand, Bidany insisted he never touched her at all and could not understand why she was "slandering" him.
"I would not undertake a risk to do such nonsense and risk my entire life," Bidany, 47, said through a Hebrew translator.
The lawyer said Bidany is a respected rabbi in Israel and also performs marriage counseling in New York.
Bidany faces up to six months in prison if found guilty of the misdemeanor sexual contact charge by Magistrate Ramon Reyes.
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