CLEVELAND 61-year-old Stephen Weiss, who was arrested last April amid allegations he arranged to have sex with somebody he thought was a teen boy, has . information. for the crimes of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and possessing criminal tools. Lopezs younger brother, believed to be about 8 years old, has been hospitalized, as has her mother, who is expected to be survive. 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. 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. Weiss was sentenced to six months in prison. There was nothing that would have predicted this aberrant moment in his life. The Rabbinical Assembly began publicizing a list of suspended and expelled rabbis in 2021, amid a widespread reckoning over whether Jewish organizations had inappropriately obscured misconduct by rabbis and other leaders. There was nothing that would have predicted this aberrant moment in his life. Weiss, formerly senior rabbi at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike. The longtime rabbi is accused of sending explicit messages to a police officer he thought was a 15-year-old boy. A strong network of family and internal medicine specialists and services can offer you the best possible care. Rabbi Stephen Weiss, of B'nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, was. 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. 1 injured after shooting on 110 Fwy in Carson, RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan denied parole by California, Home Depot has open positions for L.A. residents, Teen stabbed to death at Northern California school, Why Im not celebrating Lillys insulin price cut, Cat spends 6 days alone in Vegas hotel room, Explosive found in bag at PA airport, man arrested, Fraudster extradited to U.S. after more than a year, San Bernardino Co. leaders address mountain snow, LAPD may stop responding to these 28 calls, Burger King brings back fan-favorite item, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He had been arrested and charged after a sting operation last April and pleaded guilty to the two felony charges in January. 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.. (JTA) 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. Social workers are here to help Veterans, familiesand caregiverswith almost any need, from help with finances or housing to questions about treatment to just feeling overwhelmed. I have a great deal of respect for Rabbi Lebeau. Stephen Weiss has never shared any relevant details about his family on media sources, making it more difficult to talk about Weiss's details. As we already mentioned, Rabbi Stephen Weiss is a married man, and he has a family. Weiss, 61, will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years. 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 first met Rabbi Weiss when he was a rabbinical student and Ive maintained a close relationship with him to this day. The congregation, that Weiss had not engaged in any illegal or illicit activity at the congregation itself. You may qualify even without enrolling in VA health care. 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 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. Contact us to schedule, reschedule, or Lebeau had previously defended a different rabbi accused of inappropriate behavior towards children. The St. Louis Jewish Light is a community partner with Jewish Federation of St. Louis. 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. Lebeau had previously defended a different rabbi accused of inappropriate behavior towards children. Prosecutors for Ohios task force on internet crimes against children disputed the arguments of Lebeau and Weiss attorney that Weiss conduct was a brief irregularity, saying that he had shown evidence of premeditated action. His lawyer also cited a 2018 brain injury as a relevant factor in his behavior. Study of blood, urine, and other bodily fluids for illness management, Cytopathology (study of unusual cells) and surgical pathology (study of tissue removed during surgery), Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression, Anxiety, addictive behaviors, and personality disorders, Bariatric surgery (visit remotely with your weight-loss surgery team before and after your operation). And his testimony did not seek to justify nor excuse the behavior for which Steven Weiss was convicted.. Will the streaming wars destroy the golden age of Jewish TV? NEW! Prosecutors said that he had. 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. Call our Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and press 1 for free, private help anytime 24/7. 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. Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call Placentia Police Traffic Division at 714-993-8157. Rabbi Stephen Weiss, senior rabbi at B'nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, was arrested April 18 after allegedly engaging in explicit online conversations with an undercover investigator posing as a 15-year-old boy. He has been arrested for felony DUI. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site. Prosecutors for Ohios task force on internet crimes against children disputed the arguments of Lebeau and Weiss attorney that Weiss conduct was a brief irregularity, saying that he had shown evidence of premeditated action. Weiss' arrest shocked members of both the Pepper Pike synagogue and a synagogue in Atlanta where he served as assistant rabbi from 1990 to 1997, according to the Atlanta Jewish Times. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. An official website of the United States government. Rabbi Stephen Weiss, who has served as senior rabbi at B'nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, Ohio, since 2001, was arrested Monday evening by law enforcement officers with the Ohio. He had been arrested and charged after a sting operation last April and pleaded guilty to the two felony charges in January. 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.. Subscribe today! His lawyer also cited a 2018 brain injury as a relevant factor in his behavior. Prices start at $65 per year. Stephen Weiss, who for two . Robin Beth Danaceau (nee Kutash), age 71, was born Nov. 20, 1951, and passed away Feb. 28, 2023. Your primary care team can coordinate the many services . Our laboratories provide a full range of clinical and diagnostic testing services. 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. In the rest of the statement, he described the Rabbi Weiss that I know as beloved by his classmates and respected by his teachers, especially admired for his qualities of kindness and sensitivity, his inspirational teaching of children and adults and his support for congregants experiencing trouble. Some in the community questioned the decision of Lebeau, a widely admired mentor in the Conservative movement, to testify on Weiss behalf. The congregation had determined in its own investigation that Weiss had not engaged in any illegal or illicit activity at the congregation itself. 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. CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Pepper Pike rabbi pleaded guilty to attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and possessing criminal tools in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Thursday . 2023 jewish telegraphic agency all rights reserved. ) 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. 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. 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 After Weiss sentencing was announced, the congregations president and senior rabbi emailed congregants to offer counseling services. The Rabbinical Assembly, the international body of the Conservative/Masorti Jewish movement, suspended Weiss on April 25. I think Rabbi Lebeau honestly just wants to defend rabbis, he said. Mario Armando Paz, 24, of Santa Ana man was driving under the influence and ran a red light before striking the van, which was driven by a pastor who was taking parishioners home from a church service, police said. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Still, Bickart said, he found the choice to testify on Weiss behalf meaningful. Stephen Samuel Wise (March 17, 1874 - April 19, 1949) was an early 20th-century American Reform rabbi and Zionist leader in the Progressive Era. 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Find out if you qualify for beneficiary travel benefits. From congregational rabbi to Mandel JCC CEO: Why I am doing what I am doing? Weiss, 61, must register as a sex offender every six months for 25 years as a result of the plea. Weiss arrest shocked members of both the Pepper Pike synagogue and a synagogue in Atlanta where he served as assistant rabbi from 1990 to 1997, according to the Atlanta Jewish Times. If a referral is required, youll need to contact your Those who died included Lucero Lopez, 10, her stepfather, Alberto Vicente Lopez, 36, and Gregoria Ramirez, 65, relatives told KTLA. The https:// ensures that you're connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and sent securely. (Screenshot). Bickart had been a student at JTS when Lebeau was its dean. 61-year-old Stephen Weiss faces up to 2.5 years behind bars. Among those who testified on Stephen Weiss behalf in a bid for leniency was a prominent rabbi in the Conservative movement. High 43F. Bnai Jeshurun, where Weiss had served since 2001, suspended the rabbi immediately upon his arrest in 2022, and he resigned days later. 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. After Weiss sentencing was announced, the congregations president and senior rabbi emailed congregants to offer counseling services. Bickart had been a student at JTS when Lebeau was its dean. His lawyer also cited a 2018 brain injury as a relevant factor in his behavior. Talk with an advice nurse if you have questions about your care or for help in deciding whether you need an urgent or routine appointment. Please self-screen. 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 . Our local suicide prevention coordinators can also connect you with ongoing counseling and services. How the Jewish family behind the empire left theirmark on St. Louis, Whos behind these Messiah Is Here! signs, The five biggest problems facing the U.S. today. Still, Bickart said, he found the choice to testify on Weiss behalf meaningful. Apply for the 2023 Citizens Academy. Stephen Weiss, who for two . Weiss was previously rabbi at Ahavath Achim Synagogue in Atlanta and Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, Michigan. 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. We can help you and your family manage stress-related problems due to injury or illness, and find VA community resources to meet your needs like: Check our classes and support groups listed inThe Bulldog. In the rest of the statement, he described the Rabbi Weiss that I know as beloved by his classmates and respected by his teachers, especially admired for his qualities of kindness and sensitivity, his inspirational teaching of children and adults and his support for congregants experiencing trouble. He served on many Cleveland-area and national Jewish boards, including. Check for signs when you arrive so you know whats required. Rabbi Stephen Weiss (Courtesy of Cleveland Jewish News, via JTA) JTA Two groups associated with Conservative Judaism called the allegations against a Cleveland-area rabbi arrested for. 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. 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