A 34-year-old American living in Jerusalem was arrested and remanded in custody. A dozen women say they have been deceived by the rabbi claiming to be single, but in reality married and the father of a family.
A man of faith and a lover. Yosef Mordechai Paryzer, a 34-year-old American rabbi, was arrested and remanded in late August, reports The Jerusalem Post. He is suspected of having had sexual relations with several women contacted on dating sites while concealing his identity, which is considered rape in Israel, although the exact charges of his charge are not known. 18 women say they have been victims of this storyteller.
At least 9 connections at the same time
Online, he called himself Jake Segal, claimed to be a dog breeder for the blind, and mostly single. Originally from New York, USA, and living in Israel, Yosef Mordechai Paryzer is actually a rabbi, married with two children.
In parallel with his life as a man of faith, the rabbi regularly connected to dating sites to meet young women to whom he promised great love, a beautiful marriage and several children, claiming to be entirely profane with some, believing but unpractising to others.
According to Israeli police, the rabbi had at least 9 different relationships at the same time over the past 10 months. At least one of them would have lasted at least 7 years. In total, 18 women have claimed to have had a romantic history with him and claim to have been deceived about his identity. 5 of them did not want to testify to the police and preferred to quickly turn the page.
Invited to the family meal
One of them testified to the Jerusalem Post. Preferring to remain anonymous, she recounts her meeting with this man last January. The young woman sees a profile that interests her on Bumble, a dating application where women take the first step. She said she was immediately seduced by the “irresistible smile” of the thirty-year-old with sparkling eyes and a broad smile.
Quickly, the supposed bachelor exchanges messages with the young woman and confides. He claims in particular to have lost his father, assures that his blind mother raised him alone, which decided him to become a breeder of dogs for the visually impaired.
After a few weeks, he tells her that he has fallen in love with her and asks to meet her parents. She accepts and the thirty-something is invited to a family barbecue. The young woman then has the impression of living on a small cloud.
However, when she proposes to her lover to spend the Shabbat with her, he is suddenly distant. No way for him to spend the night at her house or to introduce her to his relatives. The man communicates less and then pretends to have panic attacks. The couple eventually separate.
Yosep Mordechai Paryzer later told the young woman’s sister that he was in a relationship with another woman, with whom he could not have children. A new lie that leaves his former lover full of grief.
His prolonged pre-trial detention
The truth finally comes out after several young women find out they’ve been tricked and report someone they call Jake Segal to the police.
Arrested, he was questioned by the police. How long did he intend to continue this lie, they ask him. “Until it came back to me,” he says.
Shortly after the announcement of his arrest, Yosep Mordechai Paryzer was expelled from the Jewish school in which he taught, according to the local press. His pre-trial detention was extended this week.
