Rabbi Yonah Metzger
Rabbi Yonah MetzgerFlash 90

The Jerusalem district court judge Moshe Yoad Hacohen sentenced former Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger to four-and-a-half years in prison, after the Rabbi admitted within the framework of a plea bargain to bribery charges.

The judge did not accept the plea bargain on the matter of the penalty; the plea bargain stipulated three-and-a-half years in prison.

As part of the plea bargain, a revised indictment was submitted against the Rabbi in which it was asserted that Rabbi Metzger had committed during his tenure as Chief Rabbi a number of offenses including taking bribes, fraud, and tax offenses, while functioning in his official capacity and taking advantage of his exalted status. Likewise, during investigations, Rabbi Metzger committed obstruction of justice.

As a result of the offenses, the Rabbi received bribes amounting to 5 million shekels, from which he pocketed 3 million shekels after dividing the money with his driver, who served as his emissary for receiving the bribes.

The revised indictment includes 6 offenses with which the Rabbi is charged.