Rabbi Convicted At NY Trial Of Molesting Daughter

[Purveyor]

(03-12) 07:18 PDT NEW YORK, (AP) --

An ultra-orthodox rabbi who cross-examined his own daughter at his sex-abuse trial has been convicted of molesting her as a child.

A Brooklyn federal jury convicted 59-year-old Israel Weingarten of five counts of traveling outside the country to have sex with a minor.

The 27-year-old victim says she had been molested while living with her family in Hasidic communities in Belgium, and on trips to England and Israel.

Weingarten, a member of the Satmar community in suburban Monsey, acted as his own lawyer during the trial, delivering a rambling opening statement in which he claimed he was being falsely accused by a daughter who rebelled against a strict upbringing.

Jurors sided with the victim, who turned her head and wept during cross examination, but then lashed out at her father, saying from the stand: "My feeling from your molesting me was utmost fear and blackmail and years of torture ... Didn't I get hit enough?"

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AP: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/03/12/national/a070824D06.DTL

[ogneopasno]

1. How sad. That poor woman. Kudos to her for having the courage to testify against him, to his face,

in front of everyone. I hope she heals.

[oberliner]

2. What a strong woman!

Glad to hear of the conviction - thanks for posting!

[Taverner]

3. Hassidic = Taliban. Know that!

Keep in mind Orthodox =/= Taliban, but Hassidic Jews, which wear a version of the Hajib, arrange marriages, treat women like property, etc, are the equivalent of the Taliban

[Eryemil]

5. That's not true

The ideology might -almost- as nasty in some areas but the Hasidic Jews mostly keep to themselves and don't interact violently or otherwise with the outside world very much.

[Taverner]

6. This is true, the Taliban does have that expansionist mindset

But their treatment of women is very similar

[Mosby]

8. That's a really stupid comparison

Hassidic women do not wear a version of hijab, nor do Hassids treat women like property. Beyond your superficial comparisons, the religious traditions of Hassids and Sunni Muslims are very dissimilar.

[Taverner]

9. OK, so planned marriages at young ages (9,10 years old) show respect for women?

Hassidic Women are expected to cover their hair in public, and are not to speak unless spoken to first. Like the Taliban, Women must walk behind men.

Don't get me wrong, Hassidic Judaism is a fundamentalist sect, like the Wahabists in Islam and the various sects in Christianity (Primitive and Southern Baptists, Assembly of God, Pentacostals, Foursquare, etc.)

[Mosby]

10. Where are you getting this stuff from?

Hasidic women do not cover their hair until they are married, and most use a wig for the covering, some don't cover at all. Hassids do not get married until they are adults and the marriage is not arranged, but friends and family are involved in the dating process. Who walks in front of whom is complicated, but hassidic women walk in front of men all the time, I personally see it almost every day in my neighborhood.

I think Hassids have a long way to go in terms of egalitarianism but it's a far cry from the kind of oppression women suffer in many other cultures.

Chabad is the largest Hassidic sect, this is there site for women:

http://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/default_cdo/jewish/Women.htm

[moggie]

4. What an ordeal for the daughter

I understand that an accused has the right to represent himself (even though it's usually a dumb move), but when a rape victim is cross-examined by her rapist, it must feel almost like being raped all over again. Isn't there a way this could be handled better?

[VenusRising]

7. That's exactly what she said.

After the verdict, the daughter said being questioned by her father was "like being molested again." She added: "I wish he wasn't my father."




I feel horrible for her. :cry: