New witnesses come forward in Moti Elon trial

Prosecutors say 4 young men who studied under rabbi accused of sexual offenses have agreed to come forward.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Rabbi Mordechai Elon 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski )
Rabbi Mordechai Elon 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski )
Jerusalem District prosecutors are seeking to introduce new witnesses in the trial of Rabbi Moti Elon, who has been charged with two counts of sexual offenses against two underage students.
The trial is set to enter the testimony stage next week, and prosecutors have said that four young men who studied under Elon have agreed to come forward with new, allegedly incriminating information.
The offenses are said to have occurred between 2003 and 2005.
Elon, a charismatic and popular figure, has denied any wrongdoing and furiously dismissed allegations of inappropriately touching the students.
When accusations first surfaced in 2010 against the prominent rabbi from the national religious camp, Elon vowed to remain silent. The allegations rocked the national religious world.
In the following year, he issued an official denial, saying any physical contact with students, such as a hug, had been innocent of any dubious motive.
In January of 2011, prosecutors recommended that Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein place Elon on trial for carrying out indecent acts on two minors.
The prosecutors passed the recommendation on to Weinstein after concluding that the police’s opinion that Elon should stand trial was correct. The police completed their investigation into the allegations in August 2011.