fbpx

Rabbi charged with felony sex abuse pleads not guilty

A rabbi arrested on felony charges of sexual abuse of a child entered a plea of not guilty at his arraignment Nov. 10 at the Airport Courthouse in Los Angeles.
[additional-authors]
November 11, 2015

A rabbi arrested on felony charges of sexual abuse of a child entered a plea of not guilty at his arraignment Nov. 10 at the Airport Courthouse in Los Angeles. Sholom D. Levitansky, 39, of Sherman Oaks arrived at court wearing a suit and yarmulke, flanked by a handful of other men in similar dress, and one woman.

At the arraignment, Judge Keith Schwartz issued two oral orders restricting Levitansky’s behavior while he’s out on $370,000 bail. Schwartz told the rabbi that he’s prohibited from having contact with the two alleged female victims in the case, and that he is also forbidden from any contact in general with females younger than 18 years old.

The only condition Levitansky may make contact with female minors is if there’s another adult present who is aware of the charges against Levitansky. 

“They’re going to watch you to make sure nothing else allegedly happens,” Schwartz said.

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has charged Levitansky with five counts of oral copulation of a person under 18 years of age, five counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object of a person under 18, and one count of lewd act upon a child.

When the Journal approached Levitansky at the courthouse to ask him about his case, he had no comment. Levitansky has retained a private attorney, Glen Jonas of Torrance-based Jonas & Driscoll; the preliminary hearing for Levitansky’s case has been scheduled for Dec. 16.

The charges against Levitansky are dated, Jonas said in his client’s defense. Any time there’s a delay in  reporting allegations, “the narrative of that accusation needs to be investigated.”

The rabbi was arrested Sept. 30 when he turned himself in to the Santa Monica Police Department. The allegations of abuse against Levitansky took place from 1998 to 2002, when the victims were 15 and 16 years old, and Levitansky was in his mid-20s, according to a statement from Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks. Levitansky met the girls while working at the Living Torah Center on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica.

Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.

Editor's Picks

Latest Articles

Sushi Day Recipes with Marisa Baggett

Whether you’re a longtime sushi lover or a newbie to preparing this creative cuisine, Baggett’s recipes are a delicious way to mark the holiday.

What Antisemitism Requires of Us

The current Jewish debate cannot end with a choice between fighting antisemites and strengthening Jewish life. Both are necessary, but neither fully answers what this moment requires.

Is History Asking Too Much of Us?

The question for the Jewish people today is not merely whether we believe in the future but whether we are willing to become the kind of people that the future requires.

Rosner’s Domain | Can Israel’s Image Be Fixed?

Israelis view themselves as fighting for survival, just, fair, moral and brave, while the rest of the world sees something else entirely, viewing Israel as a country that has lost its brakes, destabilizing the order and running amok without justification.

Nothing to Fear but Fear

If I toss out a can of baked beans that expired one day earlier for fear of botulism, what do you think goes through my mind when it comes to bears, mountain lions, sharks and rattlesnakes?

The Many-States Solution

As we weigh the benefits and downsides of a potential two-state solution, the unguaranteed but plausible prospect of an unprecedented regional peace should be considered as part of that discussion.

What Can AI Do for Us?

The question is not whether Jewish communities will use AI; they already are. The question is whether we will adopt these tools passively, or shape them deliberately according to Jewish values, Jewish learning, and Jewish responsibility.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.