Rabbi Uri Sofer: B’hadarei Haredim website Tried To Extort Money

Jerusalem - Prominent Chareidi rabbi, Rabbi Uri Sofer is the latest person to come out against Israeli news site B’chadrei Chareidim, saying that the site’s editors demanded $100,000 to halt a campaign to discredit him publicly.

According to a report on Israeli news site Israel Hayom, B’Chadrei Chareidim accused R’ Sofer of child molestation.

“They wrote stories about me, my sons in law and my children that were complete lies,” said R’ Sofer. “I have been teaching children for twenty years and they told parents to take their children out of my classes. They tried to destroy my parnassa, my work, all for their financial gain.

 I tried contacting them with letters, by sending people to speak with them on my behalf but they didn’t even bother to respond.”

R’ Sofer said that he considered taking legal action against B’Chadrei Chareidim but was advised against it.

“They have big lawyers and deeper pockets than me,” explained R’ Sofer. “All that would have happened was the matter would have dragged on in court until I ran out of money.I just gave up.”

R’ Sofer, who spoke with police this week, believes that there are many other blackmail victims who have yet to come forward.

“Everyone knows that if they go to the police their names will become public,” said R’ Sofer, who believes he was targeted by the site after participating in a ban against B’Chadrei Chareidim. “Me? I have nothing to fear here.

I have already been burned. What else can they do to me?”

Police continue to hold the editor who was arrested on Sunday morning and according to one police source the list of those who were blackmailed continues to grow on a daily basis as more and more victims continue to come forward.

“I am not familiar with R’ Sofer’s story and have no idea what he is talking about,” said Sharon Keenan, a lawyer for the main suspect in the incident. “We will study the allegations and respond accordingly.”