Rabbi Sentenced to 18 Years for Sex Crimes Against Students

Jerusalem's District Court has sentenced Rabbi Moshe Yizdi to 18 years in prison, along with a suspended sentence and compensation for his victims, for committing sex offenses against his students. The sentence aligns with the prosecution's request for 20 years, a significant payout to the victims, a fine, and the confiscation of property and funds.

In her ruling, Judge Chagit Mak-Kalmanovitch noted that Yizdi never accepted responsibility for his actions or the harm caused to the complainants, even admitting to sinning but not against the victims, whom he blamed for the acts. The judge described Yizdi's offenses as exceptional in scope, involving dozens, possibly hundreds, of acts against each complainant over periods of approximately 12 years for one charge and 3-4 years for another.

The prosecution characterized the case as a prolonged series of sexual and financial offenses committed by exploiting his status as a rabbi, religious authority, and the trust and dependency he fostered with his female students. Yizdi was convicted on some or all counts in four out of nine charges brought against him.

One victim expressed hope that justice would be served and that the sentence would prevent him from harming others in the future. The prosecution emphasized the severity of the crimes, Yizdi's systematic and ongoing pattern of behavior, and his use of religious manipulation to present the acts as 'spiritual corrections.' They highlighted the multiple rape and indecent assault charges, the severe harm to the victims, and the lasting damage they continue to suffer.