Bickart said he was unfamiliar with the Savannah case but had a theory about why Lebeau spoke on behalf of the rabbis in both cases. [Weiss] is deeply remorseful for the harm he has caused to his family and his former congregation and hopes todays plea can help toward renewal and closure for everyone, Goldberg said. Choose from the CJN's informative e-newsletters. primary care provider first. He had been arrested and charged after a sting operation last April and pleaded guilty to the two felony charges in January. I think Rabbi Lebeau honestly just wants to defend rabbis, he said. Appearing as a character witness for Weiss at his sentencing hearing was Rabbi William Lebeau, a former dean of the rabbinical school and former vice chancellor at the Jewish Theological Seminary. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 2 arrested for over $460,000 in stolen merch in O.C. Lebeau currently serves as a senior consultant for rabbinic and institutional leadership with the Rabbinical Assembly, the professional association for Conservative rabbis. Your primary care team can coordinate the many services you receive such as: Some of our medical doctors are licensed and regulated by the Medical Board of California. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Mainly cloudy. Weiss had previously sent explicit messages to an undercover officer posing as an underaged boy in 2020, and waited for hours in order to separate his target from his parents in 2022, when he was arrested. Weiss, formerly senior rabbi at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, was sentenced for the crimes of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and possessing criminal tools. I respectfully ask you your honor to consider the case of Rabbi Weiss in the context of the life of devotion to his family and to his community that he lived prior to this tragic event.. The longtime rabbi is accused of sending explicit messages to a police officer he thought was a 15-year-old boy. Weiss legal team had argued that his 2022 solicitation of an undercover police officer posing as an underaged boy was an aberration in Weisss three decades of rabbinical activities. Hes a very important person in the movement, Rabbi Noah Bickart, an endowed professor of Jewish studies at John Carroll University in Cleveland, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site. Jewish Jokes: Did you hear the one about Bubbala? His lawyer also cited a 2018 brain injury as a relevant factor in his behavior. Everyone must wear a mask in most areas where Veterans are present. 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Agents arrested Weiss when he showed up to the meeting place, which court documents say was in Newburgh Heights. A Cleveland-area rabbi was sentenced to six months in prison on Monday for soliciting underage sex, capping a sad and shocking saga for the areas Jewish community. He had been arrested and charged after a sting operation last April and pleaded guilty to the two felony charges in January. PEPPER PIKE, Ohio A 60-year-old Pepper Pike rabbi, accused of engaging in sexually explicit online conversations with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old boy, has resigned, according. Some in the community questioned the decision of Lebeau, a widely admired mentor in the Conservative movement, to testify on Weiss behalf. These deeply disturbing accusations betray the sacred trust our communities put in their clergy and must be fully and immediately investigated and dealt with appropriately, the group said in a joint statement with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism at the time. CLEVELAND, Ohio A judge on Monday sentenced the former longtime rabbi of a Pepper Pike synagogue to prison following his arrest as part of an underage sex sting. But, Bickart said, Choosing to support and defend Rabbi Weiss here, as opposed to the community that was victimized or potentially victimized, was the wrong decision to make., In an email to JTA, Lebeau said, I chose to make a personal statement referring to the Stephen Weiss I have known for 35 years and the qualities that defined him, as I said in the courtroom, prior to this tragic event.. I think Rabbi Lebeau honestly just wants to defend rabbis, he said. Still, Bickart said, he found the choice to testify on Weiss behalf meaningful. After Weiss sentencing was announced, the congregations president and senior rabbi emailed congregants to offer counseling services. I chose to make a personal statement referring to the Stephen Weiss I have known for 35 years and the qualities that defined him, as I said in the courtroom, prior to this tragic event.. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. The post Cleveland rabbi sentenced to prison for soliciting underage sex had a prominent Conservative rabbi as his character witness appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. clevelandjewishnews.com. Significantly, over more than 30 years as a rabbi there was nothing close to a grievance about his rabbinic service or his personal conduct, Lebeau said. Appearing as a character witness for Weiss at his sentencing hearing was Rabbi William Lebeau, a former dean of the rabbinical school and former vice chancellor at the Jewish Theological Seminary. In a Feb. 27 email, Rebekah Dorman, president of B'nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike and Rabbi Hal Rudin-Luria, senior rabbi, offered counseling to congregants in the aftermath of former Ive come from New York City this morning because I wanted to share with you in court my experiences with Rabbi Weiss over the more than three decades that Ive known him, Lebeau said as he opened a three-minute statement on Weiss behalf, according to a recording of the hearing. Weiss had already pleaded guilty to the crimes; Lebeau and Weiss daughter appeared as character witnesses as part of his attorneys effort to secure a more lenient sentence. Stephen Weiss has never shared any relevant details about his family on media sources, making it more difficult to talk about Weiss's details. Weiss was sentenced to six months in prison. Back then, Lebeau told the Forward the accused rabbi was one of the kindest, most sensitive, caring people among all the students I met, and expressed particular concern about the damage the incident could do to the rabbis reputation, saying, This is a mans life and a mans reputation. No crime was ever alleged to have taken place with the rabbi in Savannah. If a referral is required, youll need to contact your Richard Belzer was a Jewish comedian. Our outpatient clinic provides primary care and specialty health services, including mental health care, laboratory and pathology services, telehealth, and more. In 2014, according to the Forward, he had supported a rabbi in Savannah, Georgia, who had given a lesson to a class of 9-year-olds about child sex trafficking filled with explicit language, alarming many parents. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 months in prison. 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Back then, Lebeau told the Forward the accused rabbi was one of the kindest, most sensitive, caring people among all the students I met, and expressed particular concern about the damage the incident could do to the rabbis reputation, saying, This is a mans life and a mans reputation. No crime was ever alleged to have taken place with the rabbi in Savannah. Defense attorney Michael Goldberg told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that Weiss has taken responsibility for his actions. Lopezs younger brother, believed to be about 8 years old, has been hospitalized, as has her mother, who is expected to be survive. Bnai Jeshurun, where Weiss had served since 2001, suspended the rabbi immediately upon his arrest in 2022, and he resigned days later. Bnai Jeshurun, where Weiss had served since 2001, suspended the rabbi immediately upon his arrest in 2022, and he resigned days later. From congregational rabbi to Mandel JCC CEO: Why I am doing what I am doing? Pepper Pike. The Rabbinical. And his testimony did not seek to justify nor excuse the behavior for which Steven Weiss was convicted.. Rabbi William Lebeau (right) provides a character witness testimony on behalf of Rabbi Stephen Weiss (left) at Weiss' sentencing hearing for crimes of soliciting underage sex, Cleveland, Ohio, Feb . Click on a service for more details like location, contact, and appointment Call our Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and press 1 for free, private help anytime 24/7. Prices start at $65 per year. Born in Budapest, he was an infant when his family immigrated to New York. Some in the community questioned the decision of Lebeau, a widely admired mentor in the Conservative movement, to testify on Weiss behalf. The Rabbinical Assembly, with which Lebeau is currently associated, had harshly condemned Weiss alleged behavior upon his initial arrest in April 2022 and suspended his membership, making him ineligible to apply for jobs or participate in other activities. You have permission to edit this article. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. He is also eligible for probation. Here are some tips, Gobblefunk: Author Dahls antisemitic legacy heats up, Live life as if you have two weeks left to live. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. How treating Bartonella cleared most of my sons symptoms of autism, Do you know this Jewish St. Louisan? The crash occurred at around 8:45 p.m. near the intersection of Orangethorpe Avenue and Melrose Street in Placentia. He had been arrested and charged after a sting operation last April and pleaded guilty to the two felony charges in January. An official website of the United States government. 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