Corruption among world’s richest rabbis
Quote from Timothy Fitzpatrick on January 3, 2025, 17:22By Mikhail Zhurenkov
February 1, 2019
Abuhatsira clan and "Rav X-ray" in the top 13 richest rabbis
We continue the story about the luxurious and sometimes depraved life of priests of various religions and denominations. Last time we talked about the palaces and business empire of Ayatollah Khamenei. Before that, they talked about high-ranking priests of the Anglican Church and the Dalai Lamas, who built themselves gorgeous palaces in the highlands. This time we will talk about the wealth of rabbis in different countries of the world.
Carry your money
Unlike Christian and Buddhist clergy, who, according to dogmas, should lead an ascetic lifestyle and not indulge in covetousness, rabbis are not forbidden to be rich. Moreover, many Jewish theologians consider wealth even useful for the rabbi. After all, he should be an example for his flock not only in the service of God, but also in earthly life. Therefore, the rabbi is required to provide his family with a decent standard of living, educate children and, in general, be an exemplary member of society.
Therefore, rich and very rich rabbis were enough at all times. Nevertheless, the wealth of some Jewish clergy is impressive even in comparison with their counterparts from other religions. For example, the Israeli Forbes calculated the fortunes of Israel's richest rabbis in 2013.
[newsru.co.il, 10.06.2012, "Top-13 richest rabbis of Israel: Forbes Israel rating": The editorial staff of Forbes Israel published a rating of the richest Israeli rabbis in the June issue of the magazine. According to experts, the seven most influential rabbis of Israel control capital of 2.8 billion shekels.
The richest rabbi, according to the rating, is the 36-year-old grandson of Kabbalist Baba Sali, Rabbi Pinhas Abuhatsira, who manages capital in the amount of 1.3 billion shekels. The publication notes that most of his fortune went to him from his father, Rabbi Eliezer Abuhatsira, who was killed a year ago.
Pinhas Abuhatsira's uncle, Rabbi David Hai Abuhatsira (70), "costs," according to sources, 750 million shekels. In third place is the spiritual leader of the Gur community, Rabbi Yaakov Arye Alter with 350 million shekels.
The fourth place is in the ADMOR of the Belgian shchare of Rabbi Isashar Dova Rokah (65), whose fortune is estimated at 180 million shekels. In fifth place is Rabbi Nir Ben-Artsi (55) with 100 million shekels.
Next comes Rabbi Israel Ifargan (46), also known as "Rav Rhengeny" with 90 million shekels, followed by Kabbalist Yeshayahu Pinto (38) with 75 million shekels.
Eighth place is taken by another descendant of Baba Sali, Rabbi Barukh Abuhatsira (71) with 50 million shekels. Rabbi Reuven Elbaz (68) with 40 million shekels and Rabbi Yoram Abarjil (55) with 35 million shekels close the top ten.
Rabbi Amnon Yitzhak (69) 30 million shekels, Rabbi Yekutiel Abuhatsira (51) has 25 million shekels 12th, and last is Rabbini Bruria Zvuluni (51) with 20 million shekels.
It should be noted that the 13 richest rabbis of the country have more than 60 children. The record holders for this indicator are David Hai Abuhatsira and Yaakov Arye Alter (9 children each). Amnon Yitzhak and Bruria Zvuluni have 8 children each - K.ru box]
The total fortune of the ten richest rabbis was $620 million. However, half of this amount was accounted for by Pinhas Abuhatsir, whose fortune was estimated at $367 million (1.3 billion shekels).
Abuhatzir inherited his fortune from his father. Pinchas is a hereditary rabbi. His grandfather is the legendary Israel Abu Hatzira, better known as Baba Sali. The grave of Baba Sali is a place of worship for pilgrims, and the network of educational institutions named after him has become the main source of wealth for his family.
The creator of the network, Baba Sali's grandson Rabbi Elazar Abuhatsir, was killed in 2011 at the age of 70 by one of the visitors, who accused the clergyman of the disavery of his personal life. In addition to educational institutions, the Abuhatsir family owns the production and distribution network of various amulets containing the blessing of Baba Sali.
However, Baba Sali himself began to earn good money, whose house was sometimes called the "blessings factory". In exchange for a donation, petitioners received advice, a blessing or an amulet from him. The flow of petitioners did not dry up until the death of the rabbi, and the queue stretched for hundreds of meters.
Unclean hands
However, sometimes rabbis are still too zealous in the pursuit of a prosperous life. Due to the fact that the tzdakah - donations to the poor - is one of the mandatory commandments in Judaism, the financial flows through synagogues are usually large. And sometimes the rabbi himself becomes the addressee of charity. Thus, former chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger was sentenced in 2017 to 3.5 years in prison after he made a deal with the investigation.
Metzger admitted to receiving bribes under the guise of donations in the amount of about 5 million shekels (1.4 million dollars). At the same time, twice the amount appeared in the investigation materials. In exchange for "donations," Metzger, taking advantage of the position of the chief rabbi, helped his clients solve various issues. The rabbi also managed to avoid allegations of money laundering, despite the recommendations of the investigation. It followed from the case materials that Metzger spent money on long trips abroad, buying expensive cars, apartments and mansions on the coast.
Baba Sali's heirs also did not escape prison. The grandson of St. Baruch Abuhatsir, also known as Baba Baruch, served five years in prison for corruption and embezzlement in the performance of his duties as deputy mayor of Ashkelon. Criminal cases in Israel and the United States were also brought against another great-grandson of Baba Sali, Rabbi Yeshayahu Pinto, one of the most famous Kabbalists in the world.
For attempting to bribe an official, fraud, misappropriation of donations and obstruction of the investigation, the rabbi was sentenced to a year in prison, two years of probation and a fine of one million shekels (about $270,000). Both Baba Baruch and Yeshayahu Pinto, by the way, were included in the list of the richest rabbis of Israel according to Forbes. In 2013, their fortune was estimated at 50 and 75 million shekels (13.5 and 20.3 million dollars), respectively.
Corruption and fraud among rabbis is not only today, and not only Israeli. Loud scandals also shook Jewish communities in Israel in the 1980s, when the authorities conducted large-scale anti-corruption campaigns at all levels, and recently the problem of violation of the law by the rabbis has reached the United States.
In 2009, the state of New Jersey was shaken by the "scandal of the century": the rabbis of the local Jewish community of Syrians were engaged in... illegal organ trafficking. Priests bought kidneys in Israel cheaply, smuggled them into the United States and resold them 16 times more expensive. The earned money was legalized through a network of charitable organizations. With the proceeds, the rabbis bought luxury cars, expensive mansions on the Atlantic coast and apartments in elite houses.
Nomageous faces
Regular scandals also occur because of the special attitude towards rabbis, which puts them above other citizens. Thus, in February 2018, Rebbe Yaakov Arye Alter demanded for himself and his relatives three wards at once in the Hadassah hospital, for which other patients had to be evicted - most of the patients were moved to other wards, and one bed was placed in the corridor. Aryeh Alter is number three in the Forbes list of the richest rabbis with a fortune of 350 million shekels ($95 million). According to the Israeli business publication The Marker, the fortune of the rebbe family reaches 200-250 million dollars.
Arye Alter's father made a fortune in the real estate market, he himself owns large plots of land throughout Israel, which he rents out. At the same time, followers note the amazing modesty of Yaakov, who, despite his wealth, lives in a modest apartment in the town of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv. In response to the public wave of outrage at the special attitude towards Arya Alter in the hospital, the rabbi's secretariat said that he received "normal care for high-ranking officials in the hospital."
At the same time, in many countries, rabbis receive salaries from the state and enjoy numerous benefits, and taxpayers do not always like this. In October 2018, The New-York Post published an investigation revealing the expenses of the city treasury on one of the rabbis of Brooklyn - Moshe Morris Ausfreser. In addition to a salary of almost $100,000 per year, the rebe was put a free car and a driver with a salary of $59,000 per year.
At the same time, the Ausfresser used the car not only during working hours and for official necessity, but also for personal purposes on weekends. In defense of the rebbe, it should be said that he does not use a luxurious Lincoln or Cadillac, but an old Ford Fusion, and even in a less environmentally harmful hybrid version.
Kids in a cage
Jewish clergy have repeatedly participated in scandals related to the corruption of minors, not only in Israel, but also in the United States and Canada. Sexual violence against boys and girls has long remained unpunished, as under Talmudic law, it is not allowed to denounce to secular authorities about what is happening in the Jewish community, the so-called mesira. Those who knew about the crimes simply did not report them.
As a result, in 2003, at the congress of the Council of American Rabbis, the largest organization of Orthodox Jews in the United States and Canada, a resolution was adopted according to which a rabbi convicted of sexual abuse and abuse will be transferred to the authorities. Since then, the detection of sexual crimes committed in Jewish communities has increased.
Rabbis and sexual harassment do not shys The same Jon Metzger, convicted of money laundering, was accused of sexual violence by four women, but he was able to avoid punishment. In 2014, the Jewish community in the United States was shaken by the arrest of Barry Frendel, Rabbi of the Kesher Israel Synagogue in the prestigious Georgetown district of Washington.
He installed a video camera in the ablution room and filmed about 150 women naked. He was arrested after a synagogue employee discovered a hidden video camera that was installed in a stationary electronic clock with a radio.
Sometimes rabbis just use the services of prostitutes. In 2018, the scandal occurred in the long-suffering Jewish community of New Jersey. Rebe Arye Goodman was arrested on charges of sexual intercork with a 17-year-old Latin American prostitute from the Bronx. For the married father of two children, this scandal was not the first: in 2013, Goodman was accused of a 13-year-old boy in a Jewish summer camp, but then Arya managed to avoid punishment.
Fortunately, in both Israel and the United States, in case of unworthy and illegal behavior, the status of a rabbi does not relieve either public censure or criminal liability. Russia has a lot to learn in this sense.
Anton Shiryaev
rospres.com
Source: https://kompromat1.online/articles/108100-bogatenjkie-rebe
By Mikhail Zhurenkov
February 1, 2019
Abuhatsira clan and "Rav X-ray" in the top 13 richest rabbis
We continue the story about the luxurious and sometimes depraved life of priests of various religions and denominations. Last time we talked about the palaces and business empire of Ayatollah Khamenei. Before that, they talked about high-ranking priests of the Anglican Church and the Dalai Lamas, who built themselves gorgeous palaces in the highlands. This time we will talk about the wealth of rabbis in different countries of the world.
Carry your money
Unlike Christian and Buddhist clergy, who, according to dogmas, should lead an ascetic lifestyle and not indulge in covetousness, rabbis are not forbidden to be rich. Moreover, many Jewish theologians consider wealth even useful for the rabbi. After all, he should be an example for his flock not only in the service of God, but also in earthly life. Therefore, the rabbi is required to provide his family with a decent standard of living, educate children and, in general, be an exemplary member of society.
Therefore, rich and very rich rabbis were enough at all times. Nevertheless, the wealth of some Jewish clergy is impressive even in comparison with their counterparts from other religions. For example, the Israeli Forbes calculated the fortunes of Israel's richest rabbis in 2013.
[newsru.co.il, 10.06.2012, "Top-13 richest rabbis of Israel: Forbes Israel rating": The editorial staff of Forbes Israel published a rating of the richest Israeli rabbis in the June issue of the magazine. According to experts, the seven most influential rabbis of Israel control capital of 2.8 billion shekels.
The richest rabbi, according to the rating, is the 36-year-old grandson of Kabbalist Baba Sali, Rabbi Pinhas Abuhatsira, who manages capital in the amount of 1.3 billion shekels. The publication notes that most of his fortune went to him from his father, Rabbi Eliezer Abuhatsira, who was killed a year ago.
Pinhas Abuhatsira's uncle, Rabbi David Hai Abuhatsira (70), "costs," according to sources, 750 million shekels. In third place is the spiritual leader of the Gur community, Rabbi Yaakov Arye Alter with 350 million shekels.
The fourth place is in the ADMOR of the Belgian shchare of Rabbi Isashar Dova Rokah (65), whose fortune is estimated at 180 million shekels. In fifth place is Rabbi Nir Ben-Artsi (55) with 100 million shekels.
Next comes Rabbi Israel Ifargan (46), also known as "Rav Rhengeny" with 90 million shekels, followed by Kabbalist Yeshayahu Pinto (38) with 75 million shekels.
Eighth place is taken by another descendant of Baba Sali, Rabbi Barukh Abuhatsira (71) with 50 million shekels. Rabbi Reuven Elbaz (68) with 40 million shekels and Rabbi Yoram Abarjil (55) with 35 million shekels close the top ten.
Rabbi Amnon Yitzhak (69) 30 million shekels, Rabbi Yekutiel Abuhatsira (51) has 25 million shekels 12th, and last is Rabbini Bruria Zvuluni (51) with 20 million shekels.
It should be noted that the 13 richest rabbis of the country have more than 60 children. The record holders for this indicator are David Hai Abuhatsira and Yaakov Arye Alter (9 children each). Amnon Yitzhak and Bruria Zvuluni have 8 children each - K.ru box]
The total fortune of the ten richest rabbis was $620 million. However, half of this amount was accounted for by Pinhas Abuhatsir, whose fortune was estimated at $367 million (1.3 billion shekels).
Abuhatzir inherited his fortune from his father. Pinchas is a hereditary rabbi. His grandfather is the legendary Israel Abu Hatzira, better known as Baba Sali. The grave of Baba Sali is a place of worship for pilgrims, and the network of educational institutions named after him has become the main source of wealth for his family.
The creator of the network, Baba Sali's grandson Rabbi Elazar Abuhatsir, was killed in 2011 at the age of 70 by one of the visitors, who accused the clergyman of the disavery of his personal life. In addition to educational institutions, the Abuhatsir family owns the production and distribution network of various amulets containing the blessing of Baba Sali.
However, Baba Sali himself began to earn good money, whose house was sometimes called the "blessings factory". In exchange for a donation, petitioners received advice, a blessing or an amulet from him. The flow of petitioners did not dry up until the death of the rabbi, and the queue stretched for hundreds of meters.
Unclean hands
However, sometimes rabbis are still too zealous in the pursuit of a prosperous life. Due to the fact that the tzdakah - donations to the poor - is one of the mandatory commandments in Judaism, the financial flows through synagogues are usually large. And sometimes the rabbi himself becomes the addressee of charity. Thus, former chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger was sentenced in 2017 to 3.5 years in prison after he made a deal with the investigation.
Metzger admitted to receiving bribes under the guise of donations in the amount of about 5 million shekels (1.4 million dollars). At the same time, twice the amount appeared in the investigation materials. In exchange for "donations," Metzger, taking advantage of the position of the chief rabbi, helped his clients solve various issues. The rabbi also managed to avoid allegations of money laundering, despite the recommendations of the investigation. It followed from the case materials that Metzger spent money on long trips abroad, buying expensive cars, apartments and mansions on the coast.
Baba Sali's heirs also did not escape prison. The grandson of St. Baruch Abuhatsir, also known as Baba Baruch, served five years in prison for corruption and embezzlement in the performance of his duties as deputy mayor of Ashkelon. Criminal cases in Israel and the United States were also brought against another great-grandson of Baba Sali, Rabbi Yeshayahu Pinto, one of the most famous Kabbalists in the world.
For attempting to bribe an official, fraud, misappropriation of donations and obstruction of the investigation, the rabbi was sentenced to a year in prison, two years of probation and a fine of one million shekels (about $270,000). Both Baba Baruch and Yeshayahu Pinto, by the way, were included in the list of the richest rabbis of Israel according to Forbes. In 2013, their fortune was estimated at 50 and 75 million shekels (13.5 and 20.3 million dollars), respectively.
Corruption and fraud among rabbis is not only today, and not only Israeli. Loud scandals also shook Jewish communities in Israel in the 1980s, when the authorities conducted large-scale anti-corruption campaigns at all levels, and recently the problem of violation of the law by the rabbis has reached the United States.
In 2009, the state of New Jersey was shaken by the "scandal of the century": the rabbis of the local Jewish community of Syrians were engaged in... illegal organ trafficking. Priests bought kidneys in Israel cheaply, smuggled them into the United States and resold them 16 times more expensive. The earned money was legalized through a network of charitable organizations. With the proceeds, the rabbis bought luxury cars, expensive mansions on the Atlantic coast and apartments in elite houses.
Nomageous faces
Regular scandals also occur because of the special attitude towards rabbis, which puts them above other citizens. Thus, in February 2018, Rebbe Yaakov Arye Alter demanded for himself and his relatives three wards at once in the Hadassah hospital, for which other patients had to be evicted - most of the patients were moved to other wards, and one bed was placed in the corridor. Aryeh Alter is number three in the Forbes list of the richest rabbis with a fortune of 350 million shekels ($95 million). According to the Israeli business publication The Marker, the fortune of the rebbe family reaches 200-250 million dollars.
Arye Alter's father made a fortune in the real estate market, he himself owns large plots of land throughout Israel, which he rents out. At the same time, followers note the amazing modesty of Yaakov, who, despite his wealth, lives in a modest apartment in the town of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv. In response to the public wave of outrage at the special attitude towards Arya Alter in the hospital, the rabbi's secretariat said that he received "normal care for high-ranking officials in the hospital."
At the same time, in many countries, rabbis receive salaries from the state and enjoy numerous benefits, and taxpayers do not always like this. In October 2018, The New-York Post published an investigation revealing the expenses of the city treasury on one of the rabbis of Brooklyn - Moshe Morris Ausfreser. In addition to a salary of almost $100,000 per year, the rebe was put a free car and a driver with a salary of $59,000 per year.
At the same time, the Ausfresser used the car not only during working hours and for official necessity, but also for personal purposes on weekends. In defense of the rebbe, it should be said that he does not use a luxurious Lincoln or Cadillac, but an old Ford Fusion, and even in a less environmentally harmful hybrid version.
Kids in a cage
Jewish clergy have repeatedly participated in scandals related to the corruption of minors, not only in Israel, but also in the United States and Canada. Sexual violence against boys and girls has long remained unpunished, as under Talmudic law, it is not allowed to denounce to secular authorities about what is happening in the Jewish community, the so-called mesira. Those who knew about the crimes simply did not report them.
As a result, in 2003, at the congress of the Council of American Rabbis, the largest organization of Orthodox Jews in the United States and Canada, a resolution was adopted according to which a rabbi convicted of sexual abuse and abuse will be transferred to the authorities. Since then, the detection of sexual crimes committed in Jewish communities has increased.
Rabbis and sexual harassment do not shys The same Jon Metzger, convicted of money laundering, was accused of sexual violence by four women, but he was able to avoid punishment. In 2014, the Jewish community in the United States was shaken by the arrest of Barry Frendel, Rabbi of the Kesher Israel Synagogue in the prestigious Georgetown district of Washington.
He installed a video camera in the ablution room and filmed about 150 women naked. He was arrested after a synagogue employee discovered a hidden video camera that was installed in a stationary electronic clock with a radio.
Sometimes rabbis just use the services of prostitutes. In 2018, the scandal occurred in the long-suffering Jewish community of New Jersey. Rebe Arye Goodman was arrested on charges of sexual intercork with a 17-year-old Latin American prostitute from the Bronx. For the married father of two children, this scandal was not the first: in 2013, Goodman was accused of a 13-year-old boy in a Jewish summer camp, but then Arya managed to avoid punishment.
Fortunately, in both Israel and the United States, in case of unworthy and illegal behavior, the status of a rabbi does not relieve either public censure or criminal liability. Russia has a lot to learn in this sense.
Anton Shiryaev
rospres.com
Source: https://kompromat1.online/articles/108100-bogatenjkie-rebe