A rabbi has been convicted of sexually assaulting a woman who visited him for religious guidance in his study at a synagogue in Golders Green, north London.
Aaron 'Chaim' Halpern, 68, was found guilty on two counts of sexual assault involving a woman who approached him for halachic advice on religious law in June 2022. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had sought guidance from Halpern, who led Beis Hamedrash Divrei Chaim, a Shtiebel or house synagogue.
Assault in locked study
Harrow Crown Court heard that Halpern locked himself and the victim into his study, breaching the strictly orthodox tradition that prohibits unmarried men and women from being together in a room. The Haredi, or strictly orthodox, rabbi then moved closer to the victim, who is in her 20s, and touched her body, including squeezing her calf and running his hand up her right thigh.
Stephen Wells, prosecuting, said the rabbi then discussed muscles and power and suggested the pair 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.
Harassment and conviction
Following the assault, Halpern bombarded the victim with emails and pictures and phoned her every night. He also tried to meet her during a visit to Israel in 2022, calling her 10 times in one hour.
In a police interview played in court, the woman called Halpern a 'monster' who repeatedly tried to abuse her for sexual pleasure. She said the rabbi asked in one phone call: 'Should I penetrate you? Do you like it soft, do you like it hard? Should I smother my lips on your breasts?'
Sarah Elliott KC, defending Halpern, labelled the allegations against the rabbi as 'bobe-mayse' – a Yiddish term for an old wives' tale.
Halpern was convicted on two counts of sexual assault. He was released on bail and is due to be sentenced at Harrow Crown Court on January 12.
DC Joshua Dwyer said: 'I would like to commend the victim for the courage, resilience and determination she has shown throughout this complex investigation. By coming forward and giving evidence, she has helped ensure Halpern is held accountable for his actions.'
He added: 'Halpern exploited the trust placed in him as a religious leader to sexually assault a woman who looked to him for guidance and counselling. This was a profound abuse of trust. I hope today's conviction gives victims the confidence to come forward, knowing they will be listened to, supported and that we will always pursue the evidence wherever it leads.'
