Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger is suspending himself
from his position as a judge in the Rabbinical High Court and as president of
Israel's Chief Rabbinate Council following a police investigation launched
against him.
Metzger said he understood that self-suspension was the
right thing to do at the moment.
Metzger's lawyers, Attorneys David Libai and Elad Rath,
informed Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Religious Affairs Minister Naftali
Bennett on Sunday morning that until the completion of the investigation, he
would not attend Chief Rabbinate Council meetings as well as discussions of the
committee for the appointment of religious judges.
The lawyers stressed, however, that Metzger had denied – and
still denies – the suspicions against him and believes in his innocence, and
that he hopes the investigation will be completed soon.
Justice Minister Livni said upon receiving the lawyers'
letter that "Rabbi Metzger's suspension is the proper and right thing to
do in light of the circumstances." she added that she respected the
rabbi's decision and that "even if there is a short time left before the
end of his term – this is very important in order to maintain the institution
of religious judges."
On Thursday, officers from Israel Police's National Fraud
Unit raided the home and office of Rabbi Metzger, who is suspected of accepting
bribes, fraud and money laundering.
The raid was the culmination of months-long undercover
investigation. In the course of the investigation, Rabbi Metzger was brought
Thursday morning for a police interrogation under warning.
Suspected of pocketing thousands of shekels
Metzger was released to five days house arrest after being
interrogated under warning for some 10 hours.
He reportedly cooperated with his interrogators and answered
all of their questions. The rabbi is banned from leaving the country or
contacting three other suspects who were arrested as part of the investigation.
The investigation revealed that Metzger was suspected of
pocketing hundreds of thousands of shekels he had raised for different NGOs. It
is suspected that the money had made its way from the donors into the pockets
of Metzger and his associates.
The Rishon Letzion Magistrate's Court remanded an additional
three suspects in the affair. Chaim Eisenshtat, the rabbi's driver and personal
assistant, who is suspected of accepting bribes, was remanded by seven days.
Simcha Krakowsky, the director of a charitable organization,
who is suspected of bribery, was remanded by five days. Nissan Ben-Zion Zioni,
a director of another non-profit organization, who is also suspected of
bribery, was remanded by six days.
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