Rabbi's family said to kidnap, beat teen

Rabbi's family said to kidnap, beat teen
5/18/2005, 8:04 p.m. CT
By AMY TEIBEL
The Associated Press



JERUSALEM (AP) — Kidnapped, beaten at knifepoint and told he would not leave his makeshift prison alive — that was the punishment the family of Israel's Sephardi chief rabbi meted out to a 17-year-old youth who sought the attention of the rabbi's daughter, according to an indictment issued Wednesday.

The rabbi, Shlomo Amar, is not a suspect in the case, but his wife, Mazal, son Meir, and two Arab accomplices were charged, variously, with kidnapping, assault, wrongful imprisonment and extortion through threats, the Justice Ministry said.

The case has prompted isolated calls for the rabbi's resignation or the dismantling of the office of chief rabbi, a government position. Israel has two chief rabbis — one Sephardic, one Ashkenazic — for Jews of Middle Eastern and European descent, respectively.

Speaking after the indictments were filed in Tel Aviv district court, Rabbi Amar said he would stand by his wife and again pinned the blame for the incident on his 31-year-old son Meir, who has broken with his ultra-Orthodox upbringing.




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http://www.nola.com/newsflash/topstories/index.ssf?/base/international-23/111646383280430.xml&storylist=topstories

and it's dangerous no matter what the religion.

Anyone who believes they have a direct hotline to God is trouble, no matter what flavor of God they worship.

I didn't even know there was a Chief Rabbi of Israel, much less one for each eye color. Only in America!

</sarcasm>