Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, the Chief Rabbi of Safed and a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council, has addressed the public storm surrounding the late Shoshana Strook z"l. Asked specifically if the Religious Zionist community suffers from a phenomenon of "ritual abuse," the Rabbi, who has spent years leading a rabbinical court (Beit Din) dedicated to handling sexual abuse cases, flatly rejected the notion.
"Not Even a Single Case"
In a written response to Rabbi Eliav Turgeman, Rabbi Eliyahu emphasized that his experience with hundreds of cases over several years has yielded no evidence of the ritualistic crimes currently being discussed on social media.
"In all the cases we have handled, there has not been a single instance of evidence or serious proof regarding ritual sexual abuse by rabbis or public figures against women," Rabbi Eliyahu stated.
The Rabbi further noted that he consulted with other organizations working in the field of abuse prevention, as well as the Israel Police. He reported that all reached the same conclusion: "It never happened; it was never created." According to the Rabbi, intensive police investigations into such complaints concluded that the issues at hand were of a different nature—not ritual abuse.
A Defense of Minister Orit Struck
Rabbi Eliyahu also addressed the harsh criticism directed at Shoshana’s mother, Minister Orit Struck. He argued that while there is a religious obligation to root out the "abomination of sexual abuse," there is an equal obligation to root out "despicable slanders and libels."
- Lashon Hara (Evil Speech): The Rabbi reminded the public of the Jewish teaching that slander is a sin more severe than idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed combined.
- Protection of the Community: He spoke out against the "smearing" of the Religious Zionist public, which he described as a community that has "sacrificed itself for the People of Israel and the Land of Israel."
The Rabbi concluded with a stark warning to those spreading the rumors: "One must be very careful not to spread these low-life libels... so that we are not held accountable for it, Heaven forbid."
