In a bizarre twist, the victim of an alleged assault and kidnapping this week appears to be an Orthodox Jew on the lam from Israel's high rabbinical court for refusing to divorce his wife, according to Israeli news reports.
Yisrael Briskman, 36, who police say was kidnapped, beaten and robbed last Saturday by a local Orthodox couple, was the subject of a religious ruling two years ago that called on all observant Jews to shun him, Ynetnews, the Israeli English-language news website, reported.
"The High Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem calls on the Israeli communities and the judges and rabbis of Israel wherever they may be to implement these rules of alienation and refuse the "divorce refuser' Israel Meir Briskman any financial, physical or legal aid until he carries out his sentence and grants his wife an unconditional, immediate divorce," a bulletin circulated by a rabbinical judge stated, according to the news site.
Ynetnews stated in a September 2008 article that Briskman fled Israel, despite a hold-departure filed against him, and that he was believed to be in the United States.
While there is no mention of violence, the court order calls into question for some people the motive behind this week's alleged attack against Briskman.
Lakewood police said they see no connection between the rabbinical court ruling and the attack on Briskman. They said the motive was money.
David Wax and his wife, Judy, lured Briskman to their home, where they handcuffed him and put him in a room before beating him and ordering that he call his family for money, according to Lt. William Addison. Briskman's Palm Pilot, thumb drive, hat, coat and up to $300 in cash were stolen.
"We have a good solid kidnapping case," said Addison, who identified Briskman's photo from the Israeli news article. "We don't have any other motives on the table."
According to Addison, no one has approached police with information contradicting that view. And even if a connection to an Israeli order did exist, he said, it would have no bearing on secular law. Addison did say others were "probably" involved.
No one answered the door Friday at the Waxes large brick home on Somerset Avenue, in an upscale neighborhood just north of Kennedy Boulevard, where a white fence circles the backyard and neatly trimmed shrubs line the walkway.
Judy Wax, 46, was released from jail on $400,000 bail, according to an Ocean County corrections officer. Her husband, David, 48, was still being held on $750,000 bail. They appeared in court for the first time Wednesday but offered no plea.
Police say Briskman was eventually dropped off in New York the evening of the assault and treated at a hospital for a broken nose, black eyes and several cuts to his head. He had been staying in Lakewood and was seeking employment with the Waxes. Efforts to reach Briskman, who is reportedly in Brooklyn, were unsuccessful.
An e-mail sent to the Directorate of the Israeli Rabbinical Courts seeking information about the Briskman case was not returned.
According to Ynetnews, the religious tribunal instructed Jews not to associate with Briskman, to allow him to join a congregation or to provide him lodging. One Israeli blogsite, The Muqata, posted his picture among others with the headline: "Israel Most Wanted."
The issue of divorce has been a contentious one recently in Orthodox circles.
Last week, a couple of New Yorkers used a megaphone on a Lakewood street corner to protest loosened religious divorce laws.
Rabbi Moshe Zev Weisberg, an Orthodox leader in Lakewood, said the rabbinical courts work closely with secular courts in Israel. He has no knowledge of the Briskman case, but said, in general, that someone who refuses a divorce order can face a range of penalties, from the loss of a driver's license to jail.
"They take it very seriously," Weisberg said, adding that it's why people sometimes flee — "to escape jurisdiction."
APP
Lt. Addison is playing dumb to get the "kidnappers" to tell the whole story.
It's clear the "kidnapping" was all about money. It's very common for fugitive husbands who have no money to be lured to a large family's home and held for ransom (and they took his valuable palm pilot). Sounds like an open and shut case to me.
Don't forget his hat, coat, thumb drive, and $200-$300 cash that were taken from the "victim".
I'm surprised they let the "kidnappers" out for only 1.2 million dollars bail.
Somerset Ave. is unfortunately a high kidnapping crime area. It's a quiet winding road through a residential neighborhood with a pizza shop nearby for both the criminals and their victim to enjoy a quick meal. They don't even have to risk eating together in the store----one of the bad guys can go in and get a pie to go.
Orthodox leader in Lakewood? since when? Since he robbed the taxpayers via the Vaad. What happened to the no show job for his mother for $50,000 of taxpayer dollars. His no bid County program of Kosher meals on wheels. All of his other under the table geshften?
And it's also yoshon.
I don't think it's halachically kidnapping since they didn't try to sell him. I wish there was a sefer on the aseres hadibros that discusses in detail this mitzvas lo saseh.
Were this couple also involved with the Lindbergh baby?
Glatt Bite delivers.
And why can't the bad guys and their hostage order sushi?
I think the hostage should decide what to eat. Sort of like choosing his last meal.
You should always do what the baal habbos wants.
Just blame all of them.
Don't get me started about him. someone should open a site just dedicated to the stuff this skunk has been, is, & will be up to.
HAVE YOU NO SHAME???
HH for bail bondsman.
Why can't HH also wear a hat and tie?
Israeli Rabanut should ask the USA to extaidite Briskman to Israel. If you don't have a plaintiff, you don't have a defendant. The Mafia always worked that way.
There are plenty of moyney hamitzvos...
please leave mr weissberg alone he means well
Weisberg is a spokesman from the Lakewood orthodox community?, Aren't you ashame to have such an individual proclaim to be our spokesman?.
I was recently threatened with being locked up unless I paid a huge sum of money.
I had no choice but to pay my property tax bill.
It's rude to call Zach "pulitzer" Patberg a skunk.
Moshe Zev tried putting in his mother in a tax paid no show job for a stagering $50,000 anual salary. Moshe Zev are you looking for a partner?
The CEO wasn't mentioned in the article, because he might just shut down the APP, ask Hasenfeld.
Anyone who goes near The Estates on Somerset Ave. is out of his mind. It's safer to be a
a drug enforcement agent in Mexico.
It's more dangerous to live in Forest Park and not vote for Bob Singer.
It's more dangerous to drive a school bus in Whispering Pines.
It's more dangerous to write a candid article for TLS.
It's more dangerous to be a chicken on 7th street during aseres y'mei teshuvah.
Ask the County to allow bidding on the Kosher meals on wheels currently held for years by Weisberg/Kanerak.
It's more dangerous to make a left turn leaving Chateau Park.
It's more dangerous to turn the Bob the Builder video off by Dr. Shanik.
It's more dangerous to be a driveway mailbox on County Line rd.
It's more dangerous to ask for a discount at Toys for Thought because you're a friend of HH.
Or a free yogurt at Swirls.
Its more dangerous than not telling weissberg that his mother called the office within 30 seconds of the phones first ring.
It's more dangerous to ask "do you still eat KCL?" As the Governors assistant said what's KCL?
It's more dangerous to eat my wife's spaghetti squash.
It's more dangerous to write that it's dangerous to eat my wife's spaghetti squash.
Its swirlz with a Z
, he'll swirl you till you don't realize he emptied your tax dollars from your pocket (into his friends pockets).
It's more dangerous not to devorce your wife!
Just because of spaghetti squash?
Who'll swirl you? Zev W. The self proclaimed Orthodox rep.
If you are willing to pay the PROTECTION money, KCL is the way to go.