Rabbi Shlomo Lorincz, a member of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, and leader of the Agudat Israel party, firmly denied today that he had ever participated in any meeting at which the abduction of Yossele Schumacher was allegedly discussed. Rabbi Lorincz was testifying in the trial of Rabbi Binyamin Mendelsohn of Kommemiut settlement, who, along with three others, is being tried for complicity in the kidnaping of the Schumacher boy.
Rabbi Lorincz said that he had undertaken to mediate for the return of the child, but that he did so with the knowledge and blessings of police officials. He testified that Rabbi Mendelsohn also supported his mediation efforts after ruling that the child should be returned to his parents. He said Rabbi Mendelsohn asked him to convey his ruling to Yossele’s grandfather, Nachman Shtarkes, who is being held in jail in connection with the case.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.