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Rabbi Berland’s Hospitalization Pushes Off Hearing Over Possible Plea Deal


Almost a year has passed since Rabbi Eliezer Berland was arrested for crimes of exploitation, fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering of up to 130 million shekel. Ten months after his initial arrest, his attorneys have finally begun to work with the prosecution in order to develop a plea bargain. The State Attorney’s office is asking for a minimum of a year-and-a-half in prison, however, the gap between Berland’s defense attorneys and the State Attorney’s office is wide with regard to the final judgment.

Due to the severity of his crimes, the court ruled in April that Berland will await the proceedings of his trial from his prison cell. In August, the State’s Attorney requested that the official indictment transcript be edited and the additional crimes of tax evasion and money laundering be added to the list of felonies perpetrated by the leader of the Shuvu Banim movement.

On Tuesday, the case was supposed to be brought before a judge in a district court, but the hearing was postponed due to Berland’s deteriorating health. Berland was hospitalized recently as his health situation continues to deteriorate.

Last month, the court partially accepted the claim of Berland’s attorneys that stated that Berland was not healthy enough to remain in prison during the proceedings of his case and that the Israel prison service does not have the capacity to adequately deal with Berland’s deteriorating health situation. His attorney’s requested that he be released until the end of his trial.

The court ruled that the state must provide proof from medical experts that Berland is healthy enough to stay in prison, within a month’s time of the ruling, and that doing so would not pose a danger to his life.

The hearing that was supposed to be held today to discuss the plea bargain was pushed off due to Berland’s hospitalization.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)



8 Responses

  1. What does this mean? Basically he didn’t do anything that every other amutah in Israel isn’t doing…

    What about all of the lashon hara that was spoken about doing inappropriate things?
    There’s no mention of him being tried or convicted of any of that. If the Israeli courts aren’t addressing it, why are news outlets like yeshivaworld reporting it. Rumor has it amongst a lot of other non breslov groups that he’s a tzaddik.
    Yeshivaworld would you like to weigh in on that?

  2. Rumor has it amongst a lot of other non breslov groups that he’s a “tzaddik”…Yeshivaworld would you like to weigh in on that?

    This serial abuser and convicted felon has made a mockery of the Israeli criminal justice system, running around the world dressed up in talis/teffilin like he was leading a purim parade with a small group of Breslov zealots running after him and funding his efforts to stay out of jail. Tzaddik?? Likewise, the Israeli prosecutors seem unable to quickly file charges, conduct the required court hearings (vritually) and dispose of the case. For now, the tzibur is better off letting him just rot in jail. I don’t see any word here about the many women and others who suffered from his actions, other than some occasional references to his “alleged victims”.

  3. Huju: Both. He uses the teffilin as props for his “show” and tries to convince the courts wherever he goes that he is a “crazy man” and should not be prosecuted because of his mental illness and deteriorating physical health. A true “gadol” doesn’t show up in a civil court wearing tallis and teffilin while attempting to convey the appearance of a deranged street-person.

  4. Please read the important Yeshiva World News article linked here.
    https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/featured/1863386/three-chareidi-batei-dinim-rule-that-eliezer-berland-is-guilty-and-should-be-ostracized.html
    Three Batei Dinim paskened that “someone who is concerned about his soul must stay away from him and we are obligated to observe this.”
    The Tzaddikim of the previous generations warned us not to be involved with Breslov and not to their Sefarim as it will lead a person off the path. He is the biggest of all the Breslovers and is living proof how Breslov can turn Talmud Chacham into a self-admitted Rasha.

  5. @ The Truth. I dont know where you get your information. No one in Breslov respected him over 25 years ago and nothing has changed since. He has a cult following of ex gangster baalei tshuva and random people who dont know any better. R Yaakov Mayer Shechter, Rav Kenig, and Rav Moshe Kramer among countless others have warned people to stay away from him for well over 25 years.

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