Secretary of the Beersheba Rabbinical Court, Rabbi Shlomo
Zalman Klein, reacted very sharply at the end of last week to
negative media reports claiming he had accepted bribes in
exchange for conducting fictitious conversions. "Various
politicians wove a wicked, malicious libel against me. There
is absolutely no basis to the charges," Rabbi Klein told
Yated Ne'eman.
Last week, the media reported that the head secretary of the
Beersheba Rabbinical Court, Rabbi Shlomo Klein, along with
the head secretary of the Tel Aviv Rabbinical Court, Rabbi
Dovid Einhorn, had been arrested on suspicion of having
conducted fictitious conversions in exchange for bribery, as
well as on suspicion of forging documents.
Rabbi Klein's lawyer, Benny Nahari, said that the source of
the charges is an error. After Rabbi Klein's replies
satisfied the police investigators and it became clear that
he wasn't involved in the affair in any way, the
investigators also concluded that he was erroneously detained
in the police station. As a result, he was sent home without
any restricting conditions.
Nahari said that unlike what was said in news reports, Rabbi
Klein was not arrested, and thus not released on bail; nor
was he prevented from leaving the country. He is currently at
home and under no legal restrictions, on a brief vacation. "I
unequivocally attest that Rabbi Klein was not dismissed from
his job for even one day. Whoever says this is spreading
misinformation," Nahari said.
Rabbi David Einhorn, secretary of the Rabbinical Court of Tel
Aviv, also adamantly told Yated Ne'eman that the
charges against him are false. He said that he was never
arrested and therefore never released on bail and all the
allegations against him are totally untrue.
Over the past year, various political entities in Beersheba
have been trying to blacken Rabbi Klein's name whenever
possible, and they are apparently responsible for this
affair, too.
Two years ago, Rabbi Klein received a special citation as the
most outstanding employee in all of the rabbinical courts in
the country in recognition of the great dedication and
efficiency with which he runs the Beersheba and Eilat
Rabbinical Courts. All who come in contact with him on a
daily basis in the rabbinical court praise him for his
sympathetic and warm attitude toward those who turn to him or
to the court with their problems. He is also very respected
for his dedication to locating husbands who abandoned their
wives. In many instances he actually risked his life to free
agunos from their shackles.
Rabbi Klein and his wife are also well-known for the
hospitality they extend to all in need. Their home is located
near the Siroka Medical Center in Beersheba and nearly every
week, people who must be near relatives in the hospital spend
Shabbos with the Klein family.
