Gush Etzion Council Admits There Has Been Ritualistic Sexual Abuse
Reposted from JFeed, May 27, 2026
In a dramatic reversal that marks a turning point in one of Israel’s most disturbing abuse scandals, the Gush Etzion Regional Council has issued an unprecedented public statement acknowledging ritualistic sexual abuse cases within its communities, ending a prolonged period of denial and silence.
The extraordinary statement came in direct response to a bombshell investigative report by journalist Roni Zinger, aired on Kan 11‘s “Zman Emet” program. The broadcast presented testimonies from five different women, most of whom did not know each other, who described strikingly similar patterns of multi-perpetrator ritualistic sexual abuse occurring in the same areas of Gush Etzion. The program also featured recordings, filmed confrontations, and testimony from professionals who had accompanied the complainants over the years, building an evidentiary foundation that left little room for doubt.
From Denial to Public Condemnation
For an extended period, allegations of severe and ritualistic sexual abuse within the religious community had been met with denials, dismissal of witnesses, and deep skepticism from within. This time, the council chose a starkly different path.
“The acts described, attributed among others to people from Gush Etzion, are an expression of pure evil and moral depravity that has no place in human society, and certainly not in our community,” the council’s official statement read.
The leadership delivered an unambiguous message to victims still afraid to speak: “We wish to state in the clearest possible terms: we condemn acts of abuse and those who commit them. Sexual abuse, and certainly that described as systematic and ritualistic, is a heinous crime that wounds not only the victims, but the entire fabric of our community.”
A Direct Call to Victims
The council’s statement concluded with a concrete operational step, publicly listing direct phone numbers for the security hotline, welfare officials, psychologists, and dedicated helplines at sexual assault support centers. Victims were urged to reach out discreetly and immediately: “Our hearts are with the victims, wherever they are.”
What Comes Next
The Kan 11 investigation, combined with the council’s formal and unprecedented acknowledgment, is now expected to trigger the reopening of previously closed police complaints and a significant expansion of the criminal investigation — into what is emerging as one of the most organized and disturbing sexual abuse cases ever exposed in Israel.
*Additionally*
‘Ritual sexual abuse’ of minors: Senior religious Zionist rabbi warns of ‘social narcissism’
Reposted from JPost, January 25, 2026
Parents of teenage boys approached a senior religious Zionist rabbi with “clear” reports of ritualized sexual abuse carried out under the guise of religious or social ceremonies. Rabbi Yaakov Medan, a senior religious Zionist rabbi and co-head of Yeshivat Har Etzion, spoke on the “Mashav” YouTube channel and urged the public to recognize the phenomenon and act to protect minors.
Medan said the alleged perpetrators are not strangers but people who may be embedded in daily community life, including in synagogues and shared religious study settings. He framed the issue as a communal test of responsibility and vigilance.
‘Social narcissism’ and the pressure to deny
Medan criticized what he called “social narcissism,” arguing that a desire to see the community as “pure, beautiful and clean” can make it harder to confront serious wrongdoing. He said the result can be a reflex to dismiss claims that sound implausible, even when families report harm.
He warned that the cost of denial is borne by children and parents who feel they are not believed. Medan urged religious and communal leaders to listen carefully and to treat reports with urgency.
A wider public debate on “ritual abuse”
The remarks come as Israeli lawmakers have held hearings in the past year on allegations of organized, ritualized abuse, with survivors calling for stronger investigation and accountability. In December 2025, a Knesset hearing heard new testimony, and the Knesset Research and Information Center noted Israel has no legal definition for “ritual abuse,” a gap that can complicate detection and prosecution.
Earlier Knesset discussions in 2025 also included criticism of state authorities’ response and questions about whether existing tools and frameworks are sufficient for complex allegations.
Separate reporting by The Jerusalem Post has highlighted prevention-focused guidance for schools, camps, and religious institutions, including policies that set clear adult-child boundaries and encourage reporting through professional channels.
Medan, in the video, warned that ignoring such reports would amount to collective failure, adding: “Rabbis, this is happening.”
*Additionally*
Shocking Ritual Abuse Exposed in Gush Etzion – Israeli TV Investigation
Reposted from PLVS VLTRA Society, May 30, 2026
JFeed is an Israeli news website and app that provides news in English, focusing on political, security, and cultural updates related to Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. It has been active since 2023 and features a team of both Israeli and international journalists
The Jerusalem Post is an English-language Israeli broadsheet newspaper based in Jerusalem, Israel, founded in 1932 during the British Mandate of Palestine by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post.
PLVS VLTRA Society is an organization self described as being dedicated to safeguarding the fundamental rights of individuals in an increasingly interconnected world.
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