Rabbi convicted of sex crimes claims he can revive the dead for $5,000 fee

ed note–yes, ladies and Gentile-men, time for another uncomfortable episode of our regular series here known as ‘The Hotel Reality’…

Doubtless that people from all across the spectrum, excepting of course those brain-dead zombies who count themselves as part of the loyal following of the rebbe Eliezer Berland, will smirk smugly at all of this and then ask themselves the question ‘How do sane, intelligent people not SEE this for what it is?’

But the truth is, no one who proudly and loudly claims to be either a Torah-loving Jew or an Old Testament-loving Christian should be scoffing, because the only difference between the antics of rabbi Eliezer Berland and his predecessors of yesteryear (as described in the lore of that ‘old tyme religion’ known as Torah Judah-ism) is time and ink.

This is how they do it and how it’s always been. The ‘priesthood’ of Judah-ism, going all the way back to the beginning, is rife with precisely this prototype of ‘holyman’. At least as described within the pages of the Torah, virtually all the shamans, priests, rabbis, whatever name we want to use in describing them, cast spells over the minds of their intended victims by claiming special powers, and virtually all of them had issues involving the taking of sexual liberties with others to which they had no right. From Abraham selling Sarah into forced sexual servitude to Pharaoh so that he (Abraham) would be ‘well-treated’ to Lott selling his 2 virgin daughters to a gang of sex freaks from Sodom, instructing the soon-to-be-gangbangers to ‘abuse them as you see fit’, the theme of sexual deviancy within the ‘priesthood’ of Judah-ism has been a very powerful and repetitive issue.

So, for those who smugly and self-confidently snicker at the entire spectacle involving the convicted rapist/molester Berland and his fleecing others out of their $ by claiming powers to ‘raise the dead’ while still adhering emotionally and reverently to Berland’s great, great grandfathers and uncles as they are described within the pages of the Old Testament, perhaps some ‘R&R’, not ‘rest and relaxation’ but rather, ‘recuperation and rehabilitation’, is what’s needed by checking in as a guest at the Hotel Reality.

Times of Israel

Sex convict rabbi Eliezer Berland promises he can revive people who were officially declared brain dead if family members pony up some NIS 20,000 ($5,400), according to a television report on Thursday that exposed the working of the miracles-for-cash services offered by the shadowy leader of the Shuvu Bonim community.

Berland has long been known to offer ‘pidyonim,’ or kabbalistic benedictions, to the ill, whereby they receive a blessing after donating money. In late-night visits, and surrounded by dozens of followers, Berland frequently shows up at Israeli hospitals across the country, unattended by staff, to bless the sick, according to footage uploaded by his followers.

Israeli journalists from Channel 12 news, seeking to unearth how it works and after encountering victims of Berland’s scheme, invented the case of a 35-year-old woman, ‘Yael,’ who was declared brain dead.

They contacted Berland’s aide Natan, who was initially circumspect, saying he would have to check, as it was a case of brain death. ‘If it wasn’t brain death, I would promise you that he would revive her,’ he tells them, tacitly acknowledging the irreversible loss of all cognitive functioning.

But getting back to them after consulting with Berland, Natan says his mentor is confident he can do it. It would cost NIS 20,000, he says, vowing that the woman will be brought back to life. ‘At least once a week, the rabbi revives the dead in all sorts of ways in the hospital,’ the Berland aide reassures them.

After they balk at the price, Natan puts Berland on the line.

‘Bring NIS 20,000 within an hour, at 1 a.m. I’ll be at Rambam [medical center in Haifa],’ the rabbi tells them.

‘Wait, but Rabbi Berland, the doctors said she’s brain dead,’ interjects Channel 13 reporter Yoav Even.

‘The rabbi knows this,’ replies Natan the aide.

‘Yes, I can revive her. I’ve already revived people who were brain dead, who were totally paralyzed, people with cancer… against which they didn’t stand a chance,’ Berland says, adding that he performed ‘total miracles, total miracles.’

‘If you bring me NIS 20,000, she’ll wake up. There will be a miracle. Her brain will start to work, you’ll see her brain starting to work again,’ said Berland.

Natan later updated the journalists that Berland would offer the blessing remotely after the money was transferred, and wouldn’t show up at the hospital.

In a statement to the TV station, associates and supporters of Berland insisted that his religious services do not cost money.

‘There is a matter of pledging money to charity during a time of suffering. The rabbi himself blesses and prays and doesn’t deal with money at all. If the money comes, it’s immediately distributed to the needy,’ a statement from his associates said.

‘We are witness to hundreds and thousands of stories of people who were saved by the blessings of the rabbi, which are supernatural,’ the statement added.

Activists who have spoken to The Times of Israel in the past have cited several cases of followers who, they say, have sold their houses or have been plunged into debt for these benedictions, in what they argue is tantamount to extortion by a cult-like leader with undue influence over his followers.

The donations — provided by ostensibly consenting adults for a religious service — are not illegal under Israeli law.

In a recording recently obtained by The Times of Israel, which is punctuated by derisive laughter by his followers, Berland boasted of exploiting a woman who donated tens of thousands of dollars.

Long considered a cult-like leader to thousands of his followers, Berland fled Israel in 2013 amid allegations that he had sexually assaulted several female followers. After evading arrest for three years and slipping through various countries, Berland, 81, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in November 2016 on two counts of indecent acts and one case of assault, as part of a plea deal that included seven months of time served. He was freed just five months later, in part due to ill health.

Since then, he has resumed his activities as the leader of the Shuvu Bonim community, an offshoot of the Bratslav Hasidic sect that has been disavowed by the broader Bratslav dynasty.