ISRAEL
Times of Israel
Safed Rabbi Ezra Sheinberg, who is in detention after being accused of rape and sexual misconduct by numerous women, has been harassing prison guards ahead of his trial later this week.
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A number of guards and police officers lodged formal complaints with the Israel Prisons Service claiming Sheinberg attempted to intimidate them by placing a curse on them, Israel’s Army Radio reported Monday.
Staff at Tzalmon Prison, in the Galilee, said that Sheinberg singles out certain employees, copies down their names from their uniform name tags, and then declares, “I place on you a kepeida.” A kepeida is a spiritual curse falling on someone who has provoked anger or offense.
Religiously observant prison staff have become frightened of Sheinberg and are avoiding interacting with him.
Sheinberg also threatens staff by telling them he is a personal friend of the chief rabbi of the Israel Prison Service, Ofer Elimelech, and warning that Elimelech will see to it that they contract illnesses and suffer other misfortunes.
The IPS has opened an investigation.
Safed Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, who also serves as Tzalmon’s chaplain, said he attempted in vain to intervene and stop Sheinberg’s intimidation and verbal harassment. “I asked him to stop threatening people, but it didn’t work,” he said. “I don’t believe that the Almighty pays attention to his curses, I’ve encouraged the staff not to be afraid of him,” Eliyahu said.
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