BishopAccountability.org
	Rabbi Mordechai Gafni Accused of Sexually Exploiting Women By Roni Singer-Heruti Haaretz [Israel] May 18, 2006 http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/717530.html Three female members of the international spiritual community "Bayit Chadash" (New Home) last week filed complaints of sexual exploitation against the head of the community, Rabbi Mordechai Gafni. The three were Gafni's students and worked beside him within the community. They accuse him of using his authority over them to take advantage of them. Gafni, 44, is the founder of Bayit Chadash, a self proclaimed "neo-Orthodox" spiritual-cultural Jewish community. Gafni is also known for his research work as well as being the author of several books and host of a television show on Channel 2. The three women, along with another woman who has decided not to make an official complaint, all claim that they were manipulated into having sex by Gafni, who used his authority as their rabbi. The women told the police Gafni swore them to secrecy after having sex with them. The affair came out accidentally when two of the women discussed their respective sexual relationships and realized both of them had been sexually exploited by Gafni. After discovering that two other women had had similar experiences, the four women approached "Bayit Chadash" leaders and told them about the encounters. The women were then referred to the organization's lawyer, to whom they gave detailed depositions, and to the police. The three separate complaints were filed at the beginning of May. Gafni fled Israel a few days later, headed to the United States. The heads of the "Bayit Chadash" community decided to remove Gafni from all of his positions within the community following a detailed investigation into the matter. In a letter sent to hundreds of community members the Bayit Chadash leaders wrote: "We must inform you that official complaints against Rabbi Gafni have been filed with the police. He is charged with sexual offenses against women in our community. "We unanimously agree that under the circumstances we must recommend to the organization's committee to terminate Rabbi Gafni's employment. It has been decided that he will be removed. The situation is extremely serious because of the involvement of women from within the community. We will not tolerate this kind of behavior between a rabbi and a student, or between an employer and his employees. We have no doubt that the women are truthful. Rabbi Gafni does not deny the accusations. We feel cheated." Gafni wrote a remorseful letter to the members of the community Tuesday, saying that he understands he is ill and must undergo treatment. He added that he takes full responsibility for hurting the women and regrets having done so. Rabbi Jacob Ner-David, a leader of "Bayit Chadash," told Haaretz that he hopes that Gafni will in fact get treatment, but even so, will probably not return to the community.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.