Three former senior Yahud Chevra Kadisha officials were arrested by police on Tuesday 11 Shevat following an undercover police investigation. They are alleged to have violated laws including theft of funds, accepting bribes, money laundering, breach of trust and submitting false official documentation. The persons in custody are former employees of the chevra kadisha and local religious council.

Allegations include when they collected funds for a grave plot, they only turned over a portion to the religious council, keeping some for themselves or not registering the plot at all, keeping the money.

At present, it appears the main victims are persons living outside of Yahud who wished to be buried there as well as those who paid to be buried underground instead of in the wall tiered burial, both costing thousands of shekels. Residents of the municipality are entitled to free burial, but this does not guarantee underground burial, which now costs money in many cities due to the lack of space. Free burial is often in-the-wall burial which not everyone is willing to accept. There are currently dozens of victims and police believe there will be more as the investigation moves forward.

While one of the suspects was released on Wednesday morning to house arrest, the others were arraigned and police requested to keep them under lock and key.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)