Documentary record Bound by Fear
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Conviction Jewish institutions and contexts Other Jewish institution or hearing Jerusalem, Israel · 2013

Israel: Moti Elon — leading religious-Zionist rabbi convicted of indecent acts against a minor student

Record class

Core record

Evidence status

Convicted

Authority role

head of Yeshivat HaKotel; one of religious Zionism's most revered teachers

Organization

Yeshivat HaKotel, Jerusalem

Spiritual nexus

A boy seeking his revered teacher's guidance — the classic counsel-seeking nexus, at the summit of a national religious movement.

  • Guru or spiritual-teacher authority

Evidence structure

Proceedings

  1. 2013-08-07 · conviction; no appeal filed — final

    Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, Israel. Mordechai 'Moti' Elon, head of Yeshivat HaKotel and among religious Zionism's most influential rabbis, was convicted on 7 August 2013 of indecent acts by force against a male minor who had come to him for guidance, and sentenced in December 2013 to a fifteen-month suspended term, six months' community service and compensation. He announced in February 2014 that he would not appeal, making the conviction final. Later reported admissions of further misconduct were never charged and are not asserted.

Documented coercion mechanisms

  • spiritual counsel sought by a minor student
  • national religious stature that made accusation nearly unthinkable

Primary record

Sources

national news agency verdict report JTA, 7 Aug. 2013.

Wire report of the verdict.

national newspaper court reporting disposition update The Jerusalem Post: Elon not appealing.

Confirms finality.

Related record

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