Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on February 11, 2015

Tel Aviv (dpa) - Israels attorney-general will indict a former chief rabbi, Yona Metzger, for accepting bribes and other alleged financial crimes, local media reported Tuesday.

Metzger was arrested in November 2013 after police said he pocketed more than 7 million shekels (1.8 million dollars) in bribes. He also reportedly tried to obstruct investigations against him.

Metzger, who denies the charges against him, served as the chief Ashkenazi rabbi from 2003 until 2013. Ashkenazi Jews generally hail from central and northern European countries.

Globes newspaper reported that Metzger used his chauffeur to collect the bribes. The driver then got a cut of the funds.

The report also said Metzger allegedly received money in order to convert people to Judaism, a process that is often complicated and lengthy in Israel.

He is the latest in a string of Israeli public officials in trouble.

Former prime minister Ehud Olmert last year received a six-year jail sentence for bribery, while former president Moshe Katsav is serving a seven-year sentence for rape.

Continued here:

Former Israeli chief rabbi to be indicted for bribery

Category: Ashkenazi
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