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May 13, 2005/Iyar 4 5765, Volume 57, No. 37
Rabbi's family linked to teen's beating
DINA KRAFT
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
TEL AVIV - Teens meeting in Internet chat rooms is nothing new.
But a scandal involving two such teens is making international headlines because it involves the family of Israel's Sephardic chief rabbi.
The rabbi, Shlomo Amar, said in a statement May 8 that he was not involved in the bizarre kidnapping and physical assault of an Internet acquaintance of his daughter. The boy is a fervently Orthodox 17-year-old from B'nai Brak.
Police arrested Amar's wife, Mazal; their 18-year-old daughter Ayala; and their 31-year-old son, Meir, for their alleged roles in the incident. Mazal and Ayala Amar are under house arrest.
On May 10, Amar expressed "true anguish" over the ordeal, but maintained his denial of any involvement.
"Since I learned about the acts of my son, Meir, I have been full of sorrow and have experienced profound pain," Amar told reporters outside his Jerusalem office, according to Ha'aretz. "It is very important for me to say I feel true anguish for the youth who was hurt."
According to Israeli news reports, the family decided to take action against the boy because they were opposed to his relationship with Ayala.
The alleged relationship between the two, which began in a chat room several months ago, reportedly had led to several platonic dates. In the religious world, such meetings go against strict religious prohibitions limiting contact between single members of the opposite sex.
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