Parents of teenage boys approached a senior religious Zionist rabbi with “clear” reports of ritualized sexual abuse carried out under the guise of religious or social ceremonies. Rabbi Yaakov Medan, a senior religious Zionist rabbi and co-head of Yeshivat Har Etzion, spoke on the “Mashav” YouTube channel and urged the public to recognize the phenomenon and act to protect minors.
Medan said the alleged perpetrators are not strangers but people who may be embedded in daily community life, including in synagogues and shared religious study settings. He framed the issue as a communal test of responsibility and vigilance.
‘Social narcissism’ and the pressure to deny
Medan criticized what he called “social narcissism,” arguing that a desire to see the community as “pure, beautiful and clean” can make it harder to confront serious wrongdoing. He said the result can be a reflex to dismiss claims that sound implausible, even when families report harm.
He warned that the cost of denial is borne by children and parents who feel they are not believed. Medan urged religious and communal leaders to listen carefully and to treat reports with urgency.
A wider public debate on “ritual abuse”
The remarks come as Israeli lawmakers have held hearings in the past year on allegations of organized, ritualized abuse, with survivors calling for stronger investigation and accountability. In December 2025, a Knesset hearing heard new testimony, and the Knesset Research and Information Center noted Israel has no legal definition for “ritual abuse,” a gap that can complicate detection and prosecution.
Earlier Knesset discussions in 2025 also included criticism of state authorities’ response and questions about whether existing tools and frameworks are sufficient for complex allegations.
Separate reporting by The Jerusalem Post has highlighted prevention-focused guidance for schools, camps, and religious institutions, including policies that set clear adult-child boundaries and encourage reporting through professional channels.
Medan, in the video, warned that ignoring such reports would amount to collective failure, adding: “Rabbis, this is happening.”