More than a month and a half have passed since the article in the time newspaper was published, according to which the writer and journalist Haim Velder allegedly committed serious sexual offenses against young women. The investigation, conducted by Aharon Rabinovich and Shira Elek, collected testimonies from three women, who say that for many years they experienced harm from the writer, who took advantage of his senior position after being referred to him for treatment by rabbis and educators.
A special court that convened to investigate the serious affair, headed by Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, which also includes Rabbi Reuven Nakar and Rabbi Aharon Yirchi, received 22 complaints about sexual offenses allegedly committed by Velder, Aharon Rabinovich reports. Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu is the rabbi of the city of Safed and one of the leading rabbis in dealing with sexual matters in the religious sector. The meaning of the tribunal is not criminal and so far no complaints have been filed with the police against Walder, who refuses to appear before the tribunal.
22 Evidence against Haim Velder
The tribunal that convened received testimonies from caregivers, educators as well as the case owners. A woman who appeared before the committee said that Velder had sex with her even before she turned 14. Another claimed that when she was in a difficult financial and mental situation and when she came to Velder for treatment, he sexually exploited her in his office in Bnei Brak.
The earliest evidence is from about 25 years ago, and according to the suspicions against him, Velder committed the offenses in his office in Bnei Brak, in his car, in his book warehouse and in various hotels. In one case, a woman testified that her friend had a full-fledged relationship with Velder on a regular basis when she was not yet 16. More women testified on behalf of their girlfriends, and therapists and activists testified on behalf of boys and girls in cases to which they were exposed.
time even published a recording in which Velder was heard explaining to a woman how the picture could be turned around and blaming the other side. Velder was even heard saying that if things were published he would have shot himself and that this was the “end of life”, as he put it.
“We heard recordings in his voice indicating serious acts of incest he committed, and we found him guilty no doubt.”
“We checked and investigated and asked well,” wrote Rabbi Eliyahu, “witnesses came before us who testified that he committed adultery with married women for many years until he caused them to divorce and be forbidden by their husbands. Recordings in his voice testifying to serious acts of incest he committed, and we found him guilty no doubt. Although it was clear to him that he was destroying houses. And although it was clear to him that he was tripping and defiling the house of Israel, He hit them, and there is no doubt that these cases are only a small part of his bad injury. ”
The rabbi goes on to explain the attitude of the Torah towards Velder’s actions, “because when a man rises up against his neighbor and kills his soul, this is the thing” At the same time, “We do not use all these ways, but we must stop him. If we do not warn the public of his actions and he will continue with them, the blame will be on us, God forbid. (Nada SA.). Stop his abominations. ”
“We called on Chaim Velder to accept a way of repentance. We sent people to persuade him to repeat it so that there would be no great blasphemy when all these deeds were published. Instead of repenting, he chose to threaten and discredit us through his emissaries, as they tried to threaten Rabbi Yehuda Silman “A. who stopped taking his books out of the houses. It is a great pity that he does not subdue himself and get through the answer.”
“A field court to which the truth is foreign and the rules of justice do not belong to it”
Advocate Mickey Hova and Advocate Guy Shemer, on behalf of Velder, responded: “The writer Haim Velder vehemently denies any allegation of immoral conduct on his part, mild or severe. Rabbi Eliyahu is interviewed by every media channel and expresses his opinion against our client with insults and harsh remarks towards him and even called for his books to be taken out of the houses. “Decides his case clearly.”
“Only after Rabbi Eliyahu decided the law of our client, since he was invited to present his version before the Torah court where he serves as the court’s father. Rabbi Eliyahu also addressed the Knesset, in this language: ‘He has two options at this stage. Either admit and accept an answer or he will have to face a verdict that will embarrass him and his wife and family greatly. Especially if materials published by different journalists are published. ‘ And see this is a miracle – after our client informed Rabbi Eliyahu that the tribunal is not the proper forum to discuss such matters, the rabbi’s promise was fulfilled through the current article. We will make it clear that a court that appoints itself and decides a person’s guilt and only then invites his version to be heard is a field court to which the truth is foreign and the rules of justice do not belong to him. We would like to express our astonishment at the conduct of the time newspaper, which persecutes our clients and serves as a platform for publishing gossip. “Our client will not give up and he is ready to fight for his good name, to the end,” they said.