ANT KATZ

On the run again?

International news service Agence France-Presse (AFP) were the first to break the news last Tuesday: “Dutch court okays extradition to Israel of rabbi suspected of sex crimes” read the AFP headline.

The Dutch Supreme Court had, on Tuesday 30 June, authorised the extradition of R. Berland (actually, they overturned his objection to their earlier decision) who is wanted in Israel for alleged indecent assault of women and girls.

Dutch police originally arrested Berland, 78, at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport in September 2014, after he evaded the Hawks who tried to arrest him twice and then slipped through OR Tambo airport security en route to Ukraine via Holland. He had, however, been freed on bail pending a ruling on his extradition.

RIGHT: Rabbi Eliezer Berland in Jerusalem – picture provided by Shuvu Bonim

The rabbi fled Israel almost three years ago and evaded capture in Miami, Switzerland, Morocco, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Spurious reasons for appeal

JTA reported that one of Berland’s reasons for opposing his extradition was on the grounds that the alleged assaults happened in the West Bank and that Israel does not have jurisdiction there. His Yeshiva, where the alleged assaults happened, lay over the 1949 Armistice lines (east Jerusalem) and that Israel therefore had no jurisdiction.

Quoting AFP, ARUTZ SHEVA (Israel National News) said that the extradition process has been dragged out over recent months, as Berland was hospitalised in January for heart-related illness. “The rabbi has opposed his extradition,” said Arutz Sheva, as “he was not an Israeli citizen”.

The JERUSALEM POST said that Berland had told a Dutch newspaper in January that he was a Holocaust survivor. “Official biographies make no mention of this,” wrote the newspaper.

Several dozen of Berland’s followers from Israel followed him around the world, including his three months in Zimbabwe and over four in South Africa. They finally settled in the Netherlands to be near their spiritual leader, whom Dutch media have taken to calling the “sex rabbi.”

Zimbabwe’s Chronicle newspaper reported that Berland, whom it described as a “mega-rich cleric,” had flown into the country on the private jet of a supporter, Yaron Yamin, and was living in one of the country’s more expensive hotels together with “dozens” of followers. He was questioned by local police before being forced out.

When the group arrived in South Africa after Berland’s deportation from Zimbabwe, Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein sent an email, Don’t shelter Berland, to his colleagues throughout the country, warning them not to provide any assistance to the group.

“Our community https://www.sajr.co.za/images/default-source/People/single/berland—jta.jpg” class=”sfImageWrapper”>The rabbi’s defence attorney explained that the implementation of the verdict will be delayed for a number of weeks, permitting him to possibly appeal the ruling to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.”

LEFT: Rabbi Eliezer Berland in Holland – Picture JTA

On Friday 3 July, the same religious media source claimed reports that “there are also rumours that the rav’s condition is serious, calling on chassidim and others to recite Tehillim on his behalf.”

On Sunday 5 July, the same source reported that there were rumours that R. Berland had absconded and that “it is now reported the rav has indeed fled Holland.” They said that Berland’s followers “were instructed to leave the country and return to Israel.”

On Monday an official announcement was made by the Dutch prosecutor informing the media that “We are currently not in touch with the rabbi and we are checking as to his whereabouts. The rabbi must contact police by tomorrow, Tuesday. By then we will know if he has fled or not.”

• Meanwhile, JTA reports that another prominent Israeli rabbi was arrested by police while trying to leave the country amid accusations that he committed rape and other sex crimes. The rabbi was arrested Thursday based on a complaint to police by a woman who claimed that he raped her several years ago, Israel’s Channel 2 reported. According to JTA, the rabbi was on his way to Brazil.

---

Follow the story on SAJR.co.za

• 11 JAN: DUTCH SHUL SHUT AFTER BAD CONDUCT OF BERLANDERS
• 09 JAN: 2014 Top ReadHOW WE CRACKED THE STORY OF THE YEAR
• 01 DEC: R BERLAND OFF THE HOOK AGAIN IN HOLLAND
• 19 OCT:“SEX PEST” RABBI’S FOLLOWER DIES IN RITUAL
• 07 OCT:BERLAND FOLLOWERS EVICTED FROM CAMPSITE
• 17 SEP: EXCLUSIVE! Hear Rabbi Berland’s lawyer speak IN ENGLISH

• 15 SEP:HOW WILL WE BE JUDGED? Blogs Howard Feldman
• 15 SEP: “THEY HAVE NOTHING!” R. Berland speaks to the media
• 14 SEP: FOLLOWERS CELEBRATE AT KOTEL – Video
• 14 SEP: STOP PRESS: R. BERLAND A FREE MAN IN AMSTERDAM
• 14 SEP:PROOF POURING IN – RABBI BERLAND FREED BY DUTCH COURT
• 11 SEP: R BERLAND HELD IN HOLLAND, NEXT STOP: ISRAEL?
• 11 SEP: RABBI BERLAND’S LEFT SA? & THE STAR STORY
• 10 SEP: COPS BOTCH R. BERLAND ARREST ONCE AGAIN
• 09 SEP: BERLAND TAKES ILL AS FOLLOWERS POUR IN
• 13 AUG:Israel calls on SA for R. Berland’s arrest & return
• 28 JULY:See Breslov R. Berland speak live on TV tonight
• 23 JULY: PDF: prayer for israel in Rabbi Berland’s own hand
• 23 JULY: PDF in Hebrew: Rabbi Berland’s prayer for israel printed
• 23 JULY: In Hebrew: podcast on israeli radio
• 23 JULY: BERLAND: Bibi Quit! You’re not doing anything!
• 18 JUNE: Followers forced to sleep in park
• 18 JUNE: Cold comfort as Rabbi Berland’s flock freeze – Reader
• 2 JUNE: All the latest on the Breslovs in South Africa
• 2 JUNE: Who is Reb Nachman Breslover from Uman
• 2 JUNE: Who is Rabbi Eliezer Berland?
• 21 MAY: Berland may be off in three weeks’ time
• 14 MAY: The Rabbi who keeps being mis-identified as R. Berlov
• 14 MAY: Berlands to settle& build new Yeshiva in Zim?
• 13 MAY: Berland’s Zim funder, JR EXCLUSIVE: Who is Yaron Yamin?
• 11 MAY: What it took to accuse Rabbi of harassment – Reader Comment
• 08 MAY: Chareidi world divided over Berland – Reader Comment
• 06 MAY: Rebbetzen Tahila Berland flies into Joburg
• 05 MAY: See Rav. Berland’s FACEBOOK PAGE and ENGLISH WEBSITE
• 04 MAY: First video of Yaron & Berland leaving Zim
• 30 April: First video of Rabbi Berland in Joburg -Reader
• 30 April: Minutes before the Hawks came calling
• 30 April: The Big Breslev Brouhaha Continues
• 29 April: “The day I was called a Nazi” -Reader
• 28 April: Breslev: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW – TOP READ
• 27 April: 8-Page feature article in MISHSHPACHA – PDF
• 25 April: Uproar in Joburg Jewry: by Ant Katz & Robyn Sassen
• 24 April: Religious leaders must be consistent -Reader
• 24 April: Breslov ‘shopper’ says thanks to SA Jewry
• 24 April: Sackstein roasts Sevitz over Breslovs & Pesach
• 23 April: Fugitive Rabbi, followers, cause uproar
• 23 April: Did you hear the one about…?
• 23 April: Vid of R. Berland & Co’s Purim bash
• 23 April: Secrecy & silence leave community confused
• 23 April: Ant’s speculative Op-ed and what to expect
• 23 April: “Chasidic kids need stable environment” -Reader
• 23 April: “Kids need stable environment” -Reader
• 19 April: “Some One” posts dissenting view
• 14 April: Chief Rabbi: Don’t shelter Berland
• 14 April: Goldstein call