CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A judge on Monday sentenced the former longtime rabbi of a Pepper Pike synagogue to prison following his arrest as part of an underage sex sting. Rabbi Stephen Weiss, who has served as senior rabbi at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, Ohio, since 2001. by law enforcement officers with the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. We will have no other comment on this situation at this time.". Dorman noted that Bnai Jeshurun Congregation has been strong and vibrant for 156 years and faced many challenges along the way. Learn how your comment data is processed. The longtime rabbi is accused of sending explicit messages to a police officer he thought was a 15-year-old boy. Pepper Pike rabbi resigns after arrest. A bit colder tonight with a few clouds overnight. NEW! Fairmount Temple Rabbi Stephen Weiss , B'nai Jeshurun Congregation. Authorities said they searched his vehicle and found a box of condoms and two boxes of lubricant. We acted quickly to suspend Rabbi Weiss immediately as Senior Rabbi, she said. Philippines Bnai Jeshurun, where Weiss had served since 2001, suspended Weiss the day after leaders learned of his arrest. PEPPER PIKE, Ohio (WOIO) - Pepper Pike Rabbi Stephen Weiss, 60, was arrested after allegedly engaging in sexually explicit online conversations with an undercover law enforcement. Stephen Weiss, 60, was charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, importuning and possession of criminal tools. ; he was fired by his synagogue, which said in a statement that the accusation did not involve a member of the congregation. ", Weiss was a rabbi of B'nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike for more than 20 years, which released the following statement about the situation last year: "Bnai Jeshurun Congregations leadership was shocked to learn of the April 18 arrest of Senior Rabbi Stephen Weiss," said Rebekah Dorman, President of the Congregations Board of Trustees. CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Pepper Pike rabbi will be sentenced in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Monday after pleading guilty to attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and. Rabbi Stephen Weiss, who has served as senior rabbi at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, Ohio, since 2001, was arrested Monday evening by law enforcement officers with the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Rabbi Stephen Weiss, who served as an assistant rabbi at Ahavath Achim Synagogue from July 1990 to June 1997, had been the senior rabbi at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, in Pepper Pike, Ohio, since 2001. DeWine returns to East Palestine, Madison Burger King fire causes total loss, fire department says, House fire in Cleveland brings down power line, Closed Captioning/Audio Description Problems. Abu Dhabi Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. And in Canton, Rabbi Jon Adland was named in a Reform movement report as having previously been engaged in misconduct involving a 14-year-old girl. Weiss vowed not to take those medications in the future. BRAVE Combat Federation [Weiss] is deeply remorseful for the harm he has caused to his family and his former congregation and hopes todays plea can help toward renewal and closure for everyone, Goldberg said. Los Angeles County has agreed to pay Vanessa Bryant and her three daughters nearly $29 million to settle the lawsuit over the dissemination of graphic photos from the January 2020 helicopter crash that killed her husband and former Lakers star Kobe Bryant, their 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Fallon Radigan and the task forces commander, Dave Frattare, urged Hagan to impose a prison sentence. It happened. Texas Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Weiss resigned from his position the next day. Radigan recounted some of the messages that Weiss exchanged with the undercover agent who posed as a teenager on a popular social media application that was not named in court or in court records. Weiss, 60, was arrested April 18 by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children task force. The 60-year-old had traveled to a pre-arranged location to allegedly engage in sexual activity with the purported child, after communicating on a social networking app. Bnai Jeshurun President Rebekah Dorman and Senior Rabbi Hal Rudin-Luria, newly appointed to his position following Weisss suspension, also wrote that the synagogue was unaware of any other alleged criminal incidents involving Rabbi Weiss.. The arrest comes amid a spate of recent revelations about misdeeds by rabbis in Ohio. he community severed ties to Adland after the release of the national report. In April 2001, he started leading B'nai Jeshurun, a congregation on Fairmount Road in Pepper Pike. Want to be among the first to know the most important local and national news? Weiss was arrested in April 2022 after engaging in sexually explicit online conversations with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old boy. Controversy in one local community after the city canceled the police department's K-9 program. Michigan The agent later clarified that he was a freshman and 15 years old. Copyright 2022 WOIO. According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office, Weiss had explicit chats on social media with an undercover investigator posing as a boy aged 15. 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Donald Trump PEPPER PIKE, Ohio A 60-year-old Pepper Pike rabbi, accused of engaging in sexually explicit online conversations with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old boy, has resigned, according to his attorney Michael J Goldberg. Massachusetts CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Pepper Pike rabbi pleaded guilty to attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and possessing criminal tools in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Thursday. COVID-19 Bnai Jeshurun, where Weiss had served since 2001, suspended Weiss the day after leaders learned of his arrest. The agent, acting as the youth, said his mom was home. In the Toledo area last month, Rabbi David Kaufman was arrested after being accused of rape; he was fired by his synagogue, which said in a statement that the accusation did not involve a member of the congregation. Published: Jan. 26, 2023 at 9:13 AM PST CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Pepper Pike rabbi pleaded guilty to attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and possessing criminal tools in Cuyahoga. Stephen Weiss, 60, of Pepper Pike, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States is a rabbi. Nevada According to court records, Stephen Weiss allegedly went to a location in Cuyahoga County to engage in sexual activity with the undercover officer posing as a teenager. The Rabbinical Assembly, the international body of the Conservative/Masorti Jewish movement, suspended Weiss on April 25. He then traveled to a pre-arranged location in Cuyahoga County to engage in sexual activity with whom he thought was a teenager, said Cuyahoga County prosecutors. The longtime rabbi is accused of sending explicit messages to a police officer he thought was a 15-year-old boy. Brave CF Why didnt his obituaries say so? Officers searched Weiss car and found a box of condoms, two bottles of lubricant, and one bottle of ED medication containing a single pill, the prosecutors office stated. . Previously, Stephen was a Rabbi at Hebrew Congregation. Mike DeWine suffered injury while in East Palestine, Court hearing for Eastlake City Council president arrested in human trafficking sting, Ohio Gov. Rabbi Stephen Weiss, the former senior rabbi at B'nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, resigned effective immediately, according to an April 21 statement from his attorney to the. Stephen Weiss, 61, of Pepper Pike, on Thursday . By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. California The 60-year-old had traveled to a pre-arranged location to allegedly engage in sexual activity with the purported child, after communicating on a social networking app. Weiss was senior rabbi at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike. All rights reserved. Singapore The synagogue conducted its own investigation and concluded that Weiss did not engage in any criminal activity within the synagogue community, Goldberg said in court Monday. Richard Bain is the incumbent mayor of the city. Los Angeles County has agreed to pay Vanessa Bryant and her three daughters nearly $29 million to settle the lawsuit over the dissemination of graphic photos from the January 2020 helicopter crash that killed her husband and former Lakers star Kobe Bryant, their 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others. Upon announcing his arrest last year, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office said Weiss "engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old boy on a social networking app. Last few hours of February! CLEVELAND, Ohio The Pepper Pike rabbi, arrested after prosecutors say he tried to meet an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old boy for sex, has resigned from the synagogue where he . Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. (Cleveland Jewish News via JTA) A Cleveland-area rabbi was arrested and suspended from his congregation after allegedly engaging in explicit online conversations and attempting to meet with an undercover investigator posing as a 15-year-old boy. Stephen Weiss will be sentenced on Feb. 27 by Judge Emily Hagan. CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Pepper Pike rabbi was sentenced in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas to six months in prison on Monday after pleading guilty to attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and possessing criminal tools. Fox 8's Kenny Crumpton gets all the details on this year's festival that includes the wineries of the Grand River Valley Debonn Vineyards, Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Grand River Cellars Winery.https://www.grandrivercellars.com/upcoming-events/festivals/ice-wine-festival/. Israeli Orthodox Jew raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for victims of settler riot, Wikipedias Supreme Court tackles alleged conspiracy to distort articles on Holocaust, This Purim, a space for queer Jews to celebrate their identities and dance the night away, Avi Maoz, Israeli politician and proud homophobe, resigns from deputy minister role. The prosecutor's office said Stephen Weiss engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old boy. Kentucky Temperatures tonight will fall back into the 30s with a few pockets in the upper 20s. As a condition of Weisss release from jail, he is required to wear a global positioning system (GPS) standard monitoring device. The longtime rabbi at B'nai Jeshurun in Pepper Pike resigned last week following his arrest in connection with a sex sting. Florida Contact. 2023 jewish telegraphic agency all rights reserved. Brazilian MMA fighters . Ohio Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Emily Hagan will sentence Weiss on Feb. 27. Mike DeWine suffered injury while in East Palestine, Court hearing for Eastlake City Council president arrested in human trafficking sting, Ohio Gov. He has been ordered to cease engaging in any congregational duties and been barred from the premises. Dec 16, 2021. Maybe being ostracized from the community is something he deserved, Goldberg said. New York City He knew it was wrong, Radigan said. Eduard Folayang The arrest comes amid a spate of recent revelations about misdeeds by rabbis in Ohio. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. via JTA) A Cleveland-area rabbi was arrested and suspended from his congregation after allegedly engaging in explicit online conversations and attempting to meet with an undercover investigator posing as a 15-year-old boy. Stephen Weiss, who had preached from the pulpit of Bnai Jeshurun for two decades until his April arrest, pleaded guilty to attempted unlawful sexual contact with a minor, a fourth-degree felony, and possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony. Defense attorney Michael Goldberg told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that Weiss has taken responsibility for his actions. Weiss began chatting with an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old boy on a social media app, and the two agreed to meet up on April 18 to have sex, prosecutors said. Sportscaster Matt Dery is a native of Pepper Pike. He didnt want his identity to be known.. Pepper Pike rabbi to be sentenced on sex charges, Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Lake County Burger King total loss after fire, Firefighters find over 50 animals, including foxes, Erin Brockovich to host second town hall meeting,, DeWine to update East Palestine on waste removal, Kenny previews Spring & Summer Camps at Cleveland, Strongsville High Schools Mustang Express, Soup For The Soul has the right ingredients to, Over the cap: Browns may look to restructure Deshaun, Who Browns will play in Hall of Fame game, UNC hires former NFL head coach Freddie Kitchens, Cleveland Browns to release veteran: AP source, Cleveland Browns announce 2023 coaching staff changes, Heres who the Browns are playing at home next season. All rights reserved (About Us). Categories: crimes, NEWS, North America, Social Issues, United States, Tagged as: Ohio, Pepper Pike, rabbi, Stephen Weiss. On April 19, 2022, the rabbi posted a $50,000 bond. Represented by Michael J. Goldberg of The Goldberg Law Firm in Cleveland, Ohio, Weiss was charged with one count each of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, importuning and possessing criminal tools. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. An. They began to chat. A copy of the complaint says that agents also seized a Samsung cellphone and Smart Watch, as well as a bottle of ED medication that prosecutors say Weiss intended to use criminally. Read More . Weiss also asked the agent to move their conversation to an encrypted text messaging application because its safer there.. Lorraine Hansberrys second play had a white Jewish protagonist. Weiss, the former senior rabbi at B'nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, pleaded guilty Jan. 26 to attempted, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and to possessing criminal tools. The synagogue conducted its own investigation and concluded that Weiss did not engage in any criminal activity within the synagogue community, the Cleveland Jewish News reported. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 months in prison. The prosecutor's office said Stephen Weiss engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old boy. 11/13/2022 4:24 AM. They agreed to meet up at a house, where Weiss believed the boy would be. A community continues to pick up the pieces after a train derailed. Firefighters find over 50 animals, including foxes and snakes, in Youngstown house. "Regardless of the evidence or whether Rabbi Weiss is guilty of anything, his remaining in his position would cause further disruption and pain to his community. According to the court docket, as a condition of his jail release, he is required to wear a GPS standard monitoring device. Also on April 19, 2022, Bnai Jeshurun suspended Weiss from his position as the senior rabbi and barred him from the premises. Weiss also asked whether there were any security cameras at his house. We acted quickly to suspend Rabbi Weiss immediately as Senior Rabbi. ONE Super Series Not to be rude, but the ladies at Arcadia Senior Living in Bowling Green are absolutely prepared to take on Rihanna. Ultimate Fighting Championship Having problems watching FOX 8 on antenna? (LogOut/ Rabbi Stephen Weiss, who has served as senior rabbi at B'nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, Ohio, since 2001, was arrested Monday evening by law enforcement officers with the. Weiss nearly broke down in tears twice as he told Hagan that the incident shattered my world., I have dedicated my entire life to protecting children, Weiss said. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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