Rabbi convicted for sexually assaulting woman seeking religious guidance

Detailed summary

Rabbi Aaron ‘Chaim’ Halpern sexually assaulted a woman while she was seeking religious advice at a synagogue in Golders Green, north London (Picture: Met Police/Getty) A rabbi has…

A rabbi has been convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in his study at a synagogue in Golders Green, north London.

Aaron ‘Chaim’ Halpern, 68, has been found guilty on two counts, which involved a woman who visited him for religious guidance in June 2022.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, approached Halpern for halachic advice, guidance on religious law.

Halpern, who led Beis Hamedrash Divrei Chaim, a Shtiebel or house synagogue, locked himself and the victim into his study.

This was a breach of the strictly orthodox tradition which prohibits unmarried men and women from being together in a room.

Harrow Crown Court heard the Haredi, or strictly orthodox, rabbi then moved closer to the victim in her 20s and touched her body, including squeezing her calf and then running his hand up her right thigh.

Stephen Wells, prosecuting, said the rabbi then went on to discuss muscles and power and suggested the pair should have an ‘arm wrestle’.

‘Again, that seemed strange to her because, again, in their culture men and women do not touch each other’, he said.

Halpern offered the woman £100 and gave her a ‘bear hug’ before rubbing her breasts over her clothes, insisting that she keep quiet before he unlocked the door.

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