Rabbi Yehuda Weinberg, a well-known figure in American Jewish circles and the son of the founder of the Aish HaTorah organization, is accused of sexually assaulting a female relative 20 years ago, when she was between the ages 10 and 15.
Haaretz
Rabbi Yehuda Weinberg, a senior figure in the Aish HaTorah organization and son of the founder, Rabbi Noah Weinberg, was arrested this week and charged with sexually assaulting a female relative over the course of many years.
According to police, the assaults began when the victim was a minor of about 10 years old, until she reached the age of 15.
In a hearing at the Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court earlier this week, police Sgt. Maj. Yehuda Gigi said the charges against Weinberg are grave. ‘According to the complainant, many of the acts were committed when the victim resisted,’ Gigi said.
Weinberg was arrested earlier this week at Ben-Gurion Airport as he prepared to depart for an overseas vacation with his children.
Weinberg’s attorney, Shlomi Ben Dor, requested that the hearing be held behind closed doors and that his client’s identity be subject to a gag order. Justice Limor Khaled-Ron rejected the request and ruled that Weinberg had not proved that he would suffer extraordinary damage beyond that of any other suspect held in remand.
Khaled-Ron ruled that in this case, there is a public interest that tips the scales toward rejecting the request. ‘Publication of the name of a suspect charged with sexual offenses provides the public with a warning,’ she said. ‘Moreover, publication of the details of the case may lead to stronger evidence being received.’
The police asked that Weinberg’s remand be extended by eight days, however the court agreed only to a four-day extension. A confrontation between Weinberg and the complainant is scheduled for next week. Sources close to the complainant hope that publication of the affair will lead additional accusers stepping forward.
Aish HaTorah was established in 1974 with the goal of spreading Jewish values in Israel and around the world. The organization’s headquarters is located in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. The organization is best known in Israel for the large building it owns opposite the Western Wall and for the events it holds on the building’s rooftop. Aish is a far-flung operation that includes meetings, seminars and other organizations, and the organization now has dozens of branches around the world.
Yehuda Weinberg is well-known in American Jewish circles. He served for many years as the director of the organization’s global center in Jerusalem and has been a guest of honor for the organization’s various activities around the world. Images online show him in meetings with senior Israeli political officials, such as Prime Minister Netanyahu, former President Reuven Rivlin and others, and with senior police officers.
For several years, Weinberg has headed the Shiviti Women’s Institute, a seminar for American girls studying in Israel, and which operates under the umbrella of Aish HaTorah. Weinberg also lectures with several other Aish branches in Israel and the United States.