Court bars Rabbi Aaron Ramati - accused of running cult out of Jerusalem seminary - from teaching women

JPost

After being arrested on a litany of charges related to running a cult out of a women’s seminary in the capital, the Jerusalem District Magistrate’s Court barred Aaron Ramati from teaching women for 70 days or until an indictment is filed.

Ramati, an ultra-Orthodox rabbi who heads the Be’er Miriam seminary with his wife, was arrested earlier this month for multiple alleged crimes after parents filed complaints to police over their concern that their daughters were lured into a cult run out of the seminary.

A subsequent investigation determined that Ramati committed financial fraud, gas theft, and numerous social welfare and health violations. His wife and six students have since been detained for questioning, although none were arrested, police said.

According to the judge’s ruling this week, Ramati is prohibited from “managing, directly or indirectly, Be’er Miriam seminary, or any other educational institution, including as a teacher, acting as a supervisory rabbi or spiritual counselor, for 70 days, or until an indictment is filed.”

Ramati’s attorney, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who contended that his client is innocent and did not derive any profits from the seminary, demanded that he be allowed to continue running the seminary as the investigation continues. [...]