ISRAEL
Jerusalem Online
Jul 22, 2015 Gal Cohen
Rabbi Yaakov Deutsch, who was convicted of sexually assaulting young boys and girls, was sent to prison for nine years. Judge Teofik Katili from the Nazareth District Court also sentenced Deutsch to three years probation. Deutsch, who served as a congregational rabbi in Afula and was charged three years ago for serious offenses, will also be required to compensate the victims.
In 2012, an indictment was filed against Deutsch for sexual offenses against boys and girls aged 13-15. Although Deutsch pleaded not guilty, the Nazareth District Court convicted him last year and said that he took advantage of his religious status.
Among other things, the indictment detailed a case in which he ordered a 15 year old girl to touch him, claiming that in this way “energy would be transferred from his body to hers”, which he claimed would heal an illness that she was dealing with. After she recovered, the two resumed their relationship and had sex. According to the indictment, one of their meetings was held in the synagogue.
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