Netherlands: Rabbi Berland will remain free until hearing

This afternoon (Monday) court judge in the city Halem, about half an hour from Amsterdam, ruled that Rabbi Eliezer Berland, community leader of Shuvu Banim, will remain free until 17 November and not have to go into custody. The judge made a reservation that the rabbi must show up every day at the police station to prove that he is in Amsterdam.

The rabbi's lawyer, Sharon Nahari, told Behadrey Haredim: "I welcome the decision. This is what we proposed to the court, and I'm glad they accepted it and decided accordingly." A close associate of the Rabbi, Yaron Yamin, reacted with joy: "Thank G-d, a precedential huge achievement, thanks and praise to G-d."

At the same time, the Rabbi surprised and ordered hassidim who stayed with him yesterday: "All Chassidim must leave the Netherlands and fly to Belgium".

The instruction, according to associates of the rabbi, came following the continued harassment of factors who wish to harm the Rabbi, and wherever he arrives they feed the media with allegations against the rabbi. "Those sources do not leave the rabbi in peace and make sure his followers could not stay at his side," they say. Therefore, he said, the Rabbi was ahead of them and instructed Chassidim who were with him during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to leave the country.

Photo: Rabbi Berland with his attorney Sharon Nahari

"Pursuers were disappointed"
As reported in Behadrey Haredim, at the end of the month of Cheshvan according to Israel's request, a hearing will be held in Amsterdam en banc court of three judges. In this hearing, Israel will file a first extradition order.

During Yom Kippur Rabbi Berland was staying, along with 300 of his followers, on the island of Texel camping site in North Holland. The Hasidim put up a tent and settled on the site while preparing for the holy day.

But the Rabbi's pursuers, who follow him all over the place, rushed to the office of the Commissioner of the island (the mayor) equipped with the articles written about him and the legal proceedings being conducted against him, and thereby tried at the last minute to evict them from the island.

Those who stayed on Yom Kippur with the Rabbi say that the mayor actually arrived on the scene, and met with leaders of Hasidism. After a brief conversation he confirmed the presence of members of the group at the resort until after the holiday.

"The rabbi's pursuers were disappointed at the failure to prevent the rabbi to stay at the camping site on Yom Kippur," says a close associate of the Rabbi, Yaron Yamin, "and they were quick to release a false report to the Dutch newspaper "De Telegraaf" which reported a day after Yom Kippur that Rabbi Berland along with hundreds of his followers settled on the Day of Atonement on the island of Texel, in camping tents".

According to the article, the local municipality warned them that the resort is not equipped to accommodate the high number of Chassidim and thus forms a safety hazard, therefore the municipality ordered the rabbi and his followers to leave the area immediately after Yom Kippur.

Yamin refers to the article and vehemently denies, "The judge was booing the media for an unprofessional and unreliable report, for unknown reasons the State of the Netherlands". He also adds that there may be a claim against the media, by the rabbi's lawyers.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!