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Rabbi Daniel Hershkowitz has suspended the rabbi in charge of religion and training at Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya after a complaint was filed alleging an inappropriate sexual encounter with a 17-year-old boy.

The Makor Rishon newspaper reported that there had been numerous previous complaints against the rabbi alleging sexual abuse of boys, girls, and adult women.

Tzfat Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu congratulated the Civil Service Commissioner on his decision. "In this important decision he removes a great disgrace from us, from the Government Hospital in Nahariya and the Civil Service Commission who about ten years ago decided to keep Shimon Garelick in his position as the rabbi of the Nahariya Hospital."

"Shimon Garelick has been suspected countless times of sexual harassment of girls and boys, of young women and adult women, and of anything that moves. He is blessed with great eloquence and charisma, and instead of exploiting these gifts to multiply light and good, he exploited them to multiply impurity and perform all sorts of abominations," he said.

Rabbi Eliyahu continued: ''The Chief Rabbinate of Israel received testimonies and four years ago removed Shimon Garelick's rabbinical certification. The rabbinate had no doubt. There is a great deal of evidence and photographs that leave no room for imagination. All this was not enough for the disciplinary tribunal of the Civil Service in Haifa, which gave him backing to continue in his position at the hospital in Nahariya."

''From experience we know that anyone who indulges in these lusts in this way, does not stop (unless he is treated by top professionals) and we had no doubt that this Shimon Garelick would not stop and would continue to take advantage of anyone who falls into his hands. We do not know how many people he has already abused, how many girls he has already hurt. There are children still suffer because of him, in one case he was caught, when under the guise of helping a sick boy he did something which must not be done.

''We all congratulate Prof. Daniel Hershkovitz who took advantage of the new complaint and threw this evil out of office. Let all the wicked know that there is justice in the world. 'Every sinner who sins in secret shall be punished in the open.' Anyone who sexually exploits women or men will sooner or later be caught and hanged on the pillar of his infamy.

"We congratulate Prof. Hershkovitz for removing this disgrace from us. We congratulate the Takana Forum which has fought to remove this abomination. We congratulate all those who fight against sexual harassment. Especially if it is a rabbi who exploits his religious and Torah status for this purpose. There is no greater desecration of G-d's name than these people and there is no greater sanctification of His name than their removal," Rabbi Eliyahu stated.