On Monday, the Nazareth Illit District Court discussed a plea bargain made with Ezra Sheinberg, while dozens of women protested the plea bargain outside.
Sheinberg, a former rabbi and yeshiva dean, was indicted in 2015 for rape, sexual assault, sodomy, disrupting legal proceedings and obtaining objects through fraud. He was accused of sexual abuse by no less than thirteen women.
"I am connected to this issue because I am a person, I am a woman, I am Israeli and I am a Jew, and I see injustice happening before my eyes," one of the protesters said. "I see women who are alone in their extremely difficult struggle. I feel that I have an obligation to myself and others to come and support these women."
Another protester said the plea bargain "forgot that the justice system's goal is to do justice and protect the public. In these types of cases, the public has an interest in seeing justice done. It is important to all of us that a man who harmed women in such a severe fashion, and who women trusted, will be brought to justice. The hilariously light punishment they want to give him is outrageous and infuriating."
"The court is currently discussing a plea bargain signed with him, despite the fact that six out of the eight women involved opposed it," one of the women told Arutz Sheva. "We call on the court to do justice with us, and to hand Ezra Sheinberg the maximum punishment."
On Monday, members of Sheinberg's family said they were "seriously considering" suing three of the women for slander and financial damage, since the final indictment, as per the plea bargain, did not include charges for sodomy and rape.