Introductory Note: In this story, I am reporting the claims of four Israeli women that they were raped by the same man. Obviously, as I’m not a private investigator nor physically present to investigate this case, I am reporting my impressions of the case and the credibility of both parties. I have read material offered to me and spoken with individuals connected with the case. I have read the claims of the accused. My judgments below are based on these deliberations. Despite my having opinions on this subject, I am not making absolute claims as to the veracity of either party.
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I report here for the first time that prominent Israeli attorney, Uri Daniel (Hebrew), a member of the Tel Aviv bar ethics committee, has been accused by four women of rape. Daniel runs an 8-lawyer firm in Tel Aviv. The focus of his practice is bankruptcy. He liquidates companies. He is a pillar of the local legal community. He has deep connections not only among lawyers, but also with judges and the police.
Daniel is in his late 40s. He is divorced from his first wife and remarried. He has two young daughters with his second wife. He lives in a penthouse in a tony Tel Aviv neighborhood and drives a Mercedes SUV.
Over 20 years ago in the northern Tel Aviv suburbs, a child educator began a nursery school that was influenced the philosophy of the Waldorf schools (though it has no formal affiliation). The nursery schools have been very successful and educated thousands of young children. They brought together educators, parents and others from the outside, who decided they wished to study philosophical questions on a regular basis. The approach of the group is influenced by anthroposophy, a school of philosophy founded by Rudolph Steiner, founder of the Waldorf movement. Other renowned Israelis who were students of anthroposophy were Martin Buber and Hugo Bergmann.
Uri Daniel joined the study salon as well sometime in the 1990s and participated for ten years. It was during this period that the alleged rapes took place. The women attacked were also members of the group.
When the alleged victims approached the police, strange things happened. In one case, the police recorded the questioning on video, but later lost the audio. This has led some to believe that Daniel has a source inside the police who is doing “favors” for him. In another case, the police woman who conducted the questioning began in a friendly manner, and was called out of the room. When she returned, her manner altered radically and she assumed an aggressive, intimidating approach that filled the complainant with fear. The latter went home not only depressed, but with thoughts of dropping the case. In a third case, the police questioning was so hostile and insulting that apparently the station commander was embarrassed, and wrote the victim a letter of apology the next day.
All four victims have taken polygraphs, which they passed with flying colors.
The four women have, between them, had five lawyers take their cases and then drop out after being intimidated by Daniel. One of those attorneys, just before she stopped representing her client and after being threatened by Daniel, asked for a gag order, which was approved. Gag orders are almost never requested by rape victims. In this case, it didn’t benefit them and only benefited the accused. Therefore, one has to suspect a level of collusion between Daniel and the lawyer who shortly thereafter abandoned her victim client. In this sense, the alleged victims have been abused once by the accused and then abused yet a second time by his intimidation of their legal representatives.
One anecdote from court is indicative: during the hearing, after the judge had left the courtroom during a break, Daniel approached one of the victims’ counsels and made a threat on his life. When the judge returned, that attorney asked that the judge note the threat for the record. After the hearing ended, Daniel went to the police and filed a complaint alleging that it had been he who was threatened. This appears to be pure psychopathology and illustrative of the mental functioning of serial abuser-predators.
The gag has been in place since then (Daniel later requested his own gag on all aspects of his case, including all the victims). It has prevented them and their supporters from publicly soliciting other women who might’ve been similarly harmed, from coming forward. The gag has not, however, prevented Daniel himself from serving as a mouthpiece for an article in Maariv abusing both victims and their supporters.
Another follow-up article called the philosophy study group “the Bullshit Cult.” I can’t imagine a more prejudicial headline and it reeked of sensationalist journalism. It painted the group’s lecturer, Riki Shaham, as a guru leading a “secret, closed society” that imbued “disciples” with special powers. Daniel is quoted in the article calling her, “Planetary Empress.” It is, in one of his typically overreaching claims, “one of the most dangerous sects in Israel.” Daniel claims to have “fought the ‘sect’s’ legal wars’ taking “hundreds of thousands of shekels” from his own pocket to do so. Among these sums allegedly were $90,000 worth of gifts offered to Ms. Shaham including a Land Rover and home. In such an “investigative” article I would expect any self-respecting journalist to have asked for evidence to support Daniel’s claims. The reporter offers none.
Returning to the rape case, the current attorney too was threatened with a lawsuit by Daniel, as have several of the other former lawyers.
Let’s go back to the story of the philosophy salon. The students pooled their resources and hired a lecturer to help facilitate their sessions. The number of students participating varied between 20-30. They studied the history of science, theology, and any subjects that interested them. The members also socialized outside the study sessions and formed strong personal, even familial bonds. They attended each others weddings, helped each other through tragedies and divorces. Among those who joined were couples, related individuals, and singles. It was a cozy family of people who cared for each other.
Among them was Daniel. At the time, he was a litigator for the Tel Aviv municipality, at the beginning of his legal career. At the beginning, people found him a powerful, captivating speaker. He argued his views forcefully and passionately. People looked up to him. He had a certain power or charisma. Since members were mutually-supportive many used Daniel as their lawyer when they created businesses, filed for bankruptcy, or needed other sorts of legal help. In effect, they helped launch his independent legal career.
But gradually, for some in the group, his strong-willed demeanor turned nasty. He began insulting those who disagreed with them. He became a bully. People had had enough. After a decade, he announced that he’d learned everything he had to learn from the group and would be leaving. The other members breathed a sign of relief. But they weren’t done with him.
After leaving the salon, he forged a document claiming Ms. Shaham owed him a sum of money. The document has been examined by a forensic investigative firm which found it to be a fraud. Though she maintains she did not owe him anything, the threat of a lawsuit caused her to decide it would be easier to pay him off. There is only one word for what is alleged: extortion. But he didn’t go away. He then sued, demanding that she return gifts he alleged that he’d given her. At that point, some members began to see a truly ugly side of him which they’d suspected, but hadn’t fully appreciated.
Gradually, female members of the group shared their own personal experiences with him. He’d allegedly raped four of them. When a male member of the study group confronted Daniel about one of the rapes, the lawyer acknowledged he’d had intercourse, but told him that she had seduced him. And the power of this man was such that the other man believed Daniel.
Some of those who have known Daniel describe as a sociopath, and even a sadist. He possesses both immense charm and immense cruelty and can wield either when it’s to his advantage. For some dark psychological reason, he’s alleged to have exploited the closeness of this group to brutalize some of its female members. In the process, whether intentionally or unintentionally he tried to destroy the community itself through sexual violence.
The female victims filed their complaints three years ago. In each case, the police refused to refer them to the prosecutor, dropping them for “lack of evidence.” They have now turned to the Supreme Court asking that it direct the police to reopen the case.
In the meantime, refused a criminal trial, the women have turned to the civil courts and filed for damages. Last week was the first day of the civil trial. During the hearing, testimony was heard from the victims for the first time in open court.
I have railed many times before about the abuse of gag orders in rape cases in Israel. They serve the interests of the male accused. They allow him to control the discourse just as he controlled the women when he raped them. I call on the judge hearing this case to remove the gag. Allow Israelis to know about this case as they now know about the similar case of Emmanuel Rosen.
It’s miraculous that despite the gag, Daniel served as the source for the two Maariv articles I mentioned above. Apparently, there’s one law for powerless female victims and another for powerful male suspects.
Throughout all this, Daniel has retained his position on the bar disciplinary panel. The lawyer’s association has not seen fit to remove him, nor has he taken a leave of absence until his case is resolved. One reason for this may be that if he does so, then every lawyer who was disciplined before the committee would have the right to demand their case be reopened because of the ethical stain on Daniel’s legal reputation.
There are cases pending against Daniel brought by ex-clients in which he’s accused of theft, fraud and money-laundering.
The Israeli media has not yet reported this case. Partly due to the gag. But also because Daniel, being a powerful individual, wields enough power to suppress any bad press about him. That’s one of the reasons I’ve agreed to report this story.
Those of you who read this blog know that my reporting on Israeli society shows that it is one in which power is wielded by a small, tight-knit élite. Its members look out for each other’s interests. That’s why the police refused to pursue an investigation. That’s why five lawyers resigned from representing these clients.
But beyond the notion of the power of the élite, there is a special sense of privilege that some Israeli men take on. They have the world on a string. It owes them. For such men, women are entitlements or objects meant to flatter their egos.
As I was listening to their stories, I asked the those familiar with Daniel if they knew anything about his childhood. He had told them that his father had beat him as a boy. In revenge, he’d gotten hold of a poisonous snake and put it in his father’s drawer hoping it would bite him. Hearing stories like this, it’s not hard to see how the boy grew into the man Uri Daniel turned out to be.
Among other alleged sexual predilections he has is wearing women’s clothing underneath his business clothes, even to court. He’s aroused by wearing women’s panties and by violently abusing his sexual “partners.” Ex-girlfriends have said he engaged in intercourse rarely, but that when he did it was always abusive, violent, and filled with rage.
This is anonymous testimony (Hebrew) from yet another of his alleged victims.
I’m not sure that I understand what the mission of your blog is anymore.
Did you ever ?
I’m not sure you understand a lot of things. The mission of my blog is only one of many.
I have no idea why you chose to violate this GAG order ?
gag order is issued to protect the victim, not the accused, why do
you want to expose her identity ? specially when it’s such a
twisted story ?
I didn’t expose any victim’s ID. Why don’t you try reading my post more carefully. Riki Shaham was not rated by Daniel. She was robbed by him, but not raped. Four other women were taped by him allegedly.
Further, if my blog has proven anything it’s that gag orders in rape cases protect the power of mLe privilege. It’s almost never in the interest of the victim to have a gag order in such a case. Only a man could say this gag protects the victims. BTW, no victims in this case want a gag.
So wrong again,my friend.
I still think this is in really poor taste, and that the identity of accused rapists should be concealed until a guilty verdict is reached. Even a British judge, Maura McGowan reached that conclusion not too long ago.
The fact is, false rape claims are a serious problem, and run as high as 50% in Israel. And once you are accused of rape, you will live with the handle “rapist” forever, even if found not guilty. We should offer some protection to the accused; concealing their identities until guilty, and harshly punishing false rape claims.
@Zeevik: Funny you use the phrase “bad taste.” If a rape accusation is a “bad taste,” then what are actual female victims supposed to do? Suffer in silence because you find their protestations in bad taste? What’s in bad taste is your supercilious male prerogative.
I don’t believe a word of what you claim. Not to mention that you’re a man defending the position of the rapist or accused rapist. That doesn’t instill confidence in your objectivity. Any proof for your claims about the level of false accusations?
Every time I report on a rape case, Israeli men come out of the closet saying precisely the same nonsense that you are. Happens every time!
Elad’s source is where I got it from. And it’s not just in Israel, some studies in the US show false rape claims are 40% of all claims
http://www.theforensicexaminer.com/archive/spring09/15/
In any event, I’m not calling for women to remain silent. I just think it would be prudent to conceal the identity of anyone accused of rape until a conviction is secured, and to make the penalty for filing a false rape complaint the same as the penalty for rape.
@Zeevik:
You’re nuts! You want a woman who makes a false rape claim to be sent to prison for life? And you equate the damage a false rape claim does to the damage an actual rape does?
As for gagging reporting on rape suspects, that’s not the way democracies work nor is it the way legal systems work in democracies. Once again showing Israelis don’t really believe in democracy, nor do they have one.
Zeevik, where do your numbers come from?
False rape claims, in Israel, like anywhere in the western world where criminal justice data are gathered, is very low and acc to Israeli police less than 6%.
In comparison some, 20% of property crime data are considered false (one of the reasons for false property crime claims being insurance fraud).
Women have not much to win and far more to loose by complaining. As a result it is estimated by the police and criminological research, the ministry of health data and more, the only about 1 in 10 sexual assaults lead to a police complaint in Israel.
Of those complaints investigated, few end up eventually in court, NOT because they didn’t happen, but because the police were unable to find the perpetrator or because there wasn’t enough evidence etc. That does not make it into a false claim.
@yuyu: I knew he was either a bluffer or a liar. Despicable for him to impugn the motives of rape victims & create fictitious “statistics.”
Have no idea where zeevik got his numbers, but when you google “תלונות שווא על אונס” the first result will bring you to a page of an attorney http://tinyurl.com/c53qxxh in which she states, that according to the police publication issuee #187 of the police dated 2007, 50% of all sexual harassment and rape complained file with the police are false claims.
“לאור המצב העובדתי כי למעלה מחמישים אחוזים (לפי נתוני משטרת ישראל משנת 2007 ולפי גיליון 187של המשטרה), מכלל התלונות על אונס והטרדה מינית הינן תלונות שווא.”
Why would I accept as fact the unsubstantiated claim by a supposed Israel attorney on this subject that is supposedly based on a purported Israeli police publication from 2007??
You are doing a very respectable job in fully utilizing the power of digital age technology which places gag orders as obsolete.
I loved it when you did this in your posts about the Shin Bet and abominable Mossad, and in your posts that led to the public shaming of sexual abusers.
I’ve been following your blog for some time now. This post exposes such a shocking and Kafkaesque story, I felt compelled to comment.
Thank you for this Information!
From my experience, this story and others like it, have been hidden from the public eye for a long time.
Courts are subject to outdated gag order litigation, and lag behind 21st century technology that exposes these cases out in the open.
Psychopaths are really exhubarence at trying to cover up their ass, and to them any means justifies this end. Threats, gag orders, newspaper articles, suing everyone and their wives.
If bending the truth doesn’t work well for this lawyer Uri Daniel, he’s certainly doing a fine job in over burdening the legal process.
Richard,
As far as I understand from your article, there is a civil claim discussed in court which is not under a gag order? Is it possible to get the court protocol for the case? It should be available.
As for Ricky Shaham et al. I really couldn’t understand what this has to do with the rapes. OK, he met all the women at this specific group, so what? And maybe he’s trying to vilify the group now, but I don’t see how it helps him defend himself against charges of rape.
By focusing on the controversy over the group, you really emphasize that there could be a completely different interpretation of the situation – that the four women are members of the cult that are bringing charges against Daniel in the service of their guru. I’m not saying that that’s what happened, but by connecting the issue of the study group/ cult with the rape allegations, you’re shifting the focus from the rapes to arguments about the activity of this group.
But all this is less important, the most important thing is to produce some kind of a beginning of a paper trail that will pressure the media to try and remove the gag order.
No, Daniel has placed all cases under gag.
As for reporting the story of Ricki Shaham, I had to do this because of the two Maariv articles that Daniel arranged to be published. I simply couldn’t report the rapes without adding that context. I certainly would’ve preferred to focus on the most heinous of alleged acts. But Daniel cleverly and deliberately made that impossible through his manipulation of Maariv.
I agree about removing the gag order. There is a hearing in a few hours that may do so.
First of all,
i want to say to you Richard , i think you are playing an important roll that
sets some balance in this a-priori unbalanced situation when the victims have to face
the cruelty of the police brutal investigations, the court part and confront and face again the person who
decided to take control over their body and soul.
As being rape victim myself, i want to answer the talkbacks entered by men here.
The Mental strength and courage needed for a woman in order to press charge are beyond the ability of a normal man’s perception.
It takes all here resources to make the step.
When doing so, she knows that she is going to face again the person who raped her, she will have to dig in all the rape’s details she wanted to forget and more horrible things she will have to go through.
Believe me, its ain’t fun at all.
I don’t say it is impossible to find cases where the woman made the story up but in these cases she must be totally lunatic. The price a woman has to pay when starting this process is so high that i can’t think of a reason that can motivate a normal person (not mentally ill) to do so. Again, you must understand the cruelty of this process for a woman.
In the following case, there are 4 women (and maybe more that will get the courage to got to the police if they here they are not alone). It is just statistically impossible to find 4 women that are all mentally ill and also would like to press a false charge.
Believe me, it is so hard and dirty process that if you did not experienced it yourself or with someone you care for, you would not be able to fully understand why it make no sense the blame the woman for being a liar.
Richard,
I was left speechless in light of this story and some of the comments above.
I do not envy these women. It requires enormous powers to deal with such a trauma especially dealing with a man of power, as he appears in the article.
You used the word ‘Study Salon’ describing the philosophy salon while in the comments the word ‘Cult’ was used.
Cult? Salon? Is it relevant?? I find it relevant only if focusing on the study group is this lawyer’s way to cover his tracks and to hush up the truth about the rapes.
If indeed it was woven in his twisted mind, I believe we should not let him succeed in inciting the discussion. Women were raped and found the strength to stand against him. My heart is with them. This is a story that the public must know. Thank you for the important work you are doing.
Dear Richard,
First, I’m thankful for your courage and integrity.
Unfortunately we live in a country where basic civil rights are regularly violated. The thing is, that it takes huge strength, persistence and money to fight for basic justice.
What can a sole woman, who was violently raped, do against an entire legal system?
What can she do when her rightful cry for justice results with offensive actions by the police? The same police that should protect her?
How many men and women who have just let it go, who couldn’t fight it anymore – are still out there?
In Israel, if you are well connected, a male, a lawyer and has no shame – You can do anything you want.
Four women had testified a brutal raped, tested by polygraph – And there is still a Gag. There is still no police investigation.
The whole Cult thing in deed smells as a bullshit. People are free to do anything they want, as long as they do not offend others. I don’t understand how this is even an answer to rape accusations. Maybe it is some kind of sick defense line by the rapist. It definitely shouldn’t be for the police.
It looks like he has created the ‘perfect crime’ – building his own alibi by inventing the ‘cult’ story. Its a confusing word that creates a ‘smoke screen’ for the police and the court. he sounds clever…
Hello Richard.
This post is truly disturbing. Moreover, I find the comments with the stats and numbers lame and totally vapid. It’s pretty clear the rape cases ars just the tip of the iceberg. What is evident, is he’s fighting a handful of battles, and he’s hiding in the crevices of the legal system while doing so.
I just don’t believe that it’s the truth he’s after. There’s a stronger force that’s motivating him: simple destrucion. A typical psychotic mind.
Zeevik,
In Israel rapists are never penalized as harshly as the victims are penalized in the process of hurdling the emmense difficulties of proving themselves right.
Hi, I like this blog and read it regularly and see it as a great source of interesting information. This time, sir, something in this post smells suspicious to me. I don’t know any of the persons concerned and never heard of the group, the lawyer, or the story in general. But I do know something about the generic behavior of what is called “cults”. And I can damn recognize the footprints of cults.
Now: I just followed the thread you provided in this post. First, I believed every word you said and indeed it sounded credible – a faithful description of a sociopathic behavior on part of that lawyer. Then I clicked that link to what you called an “anonymous” testimony about one of his rapes. Well, not anonymous of course. I got to this blog, fully identifying the writer and the characters she refers to. The WHOLE blog is dedicated to crucifying one target: the blogger’s mother, described as a witch etc, who has mentally abused the blogger throughout her life etc, this includes allegations about the mother,s sex life etc, AND an allegation that the the said lawyer raped her (the mother) one time and now all of a sudden 20 years later she is seen on his side again and using his services as a lawyer, which is in itself is regarded by the blogger as another example of mental abuse towards HERSELF by the mother. Each and every post – all dedicated to spilling garbage on the mother – is followed by a choir of comments, all very empathetic and in a very similar tone, mostly saying things like, yeah, what a bitch she is etc. Then I google the name of the mother. She is mentioned already in 2009 in a maariv story by the same reporter that wrote the later story. And this is what you failed to mention in your post: this “abusive” mother (maybe, maybe not), too, was suing this group/cult, for brainwashing and manipulating her for many years and taking all her money (which is what cults do, usually) and for taking her daughter from her. It’s very easy, from tracking the timeline of that blog, plus the content of the maariv stories (which sound very reliable, and include lots of details – much more details than are found here in your post, including descriptions of the many parents of cult members who came to the court session), very easy to infer what happened here. That Pnina Spiegel, the mother, left the cult after many years and decided to sue. The 24-year old daughter is talked by the brainwashing cult leader into “revealing the truth” about her mother (I wonder why just now and not before, when she was in the cult with her and all was fine). And of course, the lawyer Uri Daniel who left the cult too, is now revealed to have been a rapist.
I don’t think I have to go further. As people are not that stupid.
Usually I believe complaints about rape. Almost always. This is one particular story with very unique characteristics – very different from other rape stories. Because it really seems to be a story of a cult fighting to defend itself. It’s a very known strategy of cults, to bash ex-members like that in all means, including allegations that usually are more descriptive of the cult leader.
Now, another inference I seem to make, and that doesn’t seem to be far fetched (is based on how you write about that nice family-like group), is that you are probably associated with them and now they turned your esteemed blog into another platform in their campaign.
If it’s true, it will be very disappointing.
Of course, maybe I got it all wrong and this little detective story I composed has no connection to reality. However, from adding whatever available bits of information I have – all provided by you – this seems as the most plausible story. Unless that lawyer, AND his excellent friend in Maariv, are really two very creepy psychopaths and the whole story in Maariv is a total lie from end to end. Doesn’t read like one!
Hope you’ll approve this comment….
Assaf, you are timid or pretending to be.
Rape is rape, no matter where it takes place. This is the issue here, none other.
A lawyer has to have an impeccable record, and this one here certainly does not.
Rape may and, unfortunately, does happen between strangers, in schools, at work, in army platoons, inside families, inside sects and religious groups, in the media and even in the Israeli government. Rape is rape is rape, no matter where, who, or why. And believe me, women have the toughest time all over again when they set out to complain, let alone sue the bastard who perpetrated them. A person has no life after being raped. And yet there are people out there trying to excuse sexual abuse with all sorts of reasons and circumstances. It seems you are doing just that.
I salute Richard for all his blogs, including this very complicated one, which, as you well noticed, outlines the doings of perfect psychopath.
If it were a straight-forward case, with no big questions pointing at the the accused, or the Israeli police, media and legal system, and the ability to manipulate them, it would not have been posted here. Richard is voicing exactly what the gag order placed by the lawyer is concealing.
I found this post a very important one for women in Israel who are fighting to increase punishment of rapists and ease the process of filing complaints of rape, empowering victims to push forward in their fight to reclaim some of their dignity back through rightful justice.
By the way, the mother depicted in the linked blog sounds like a psycho too, and I also find the plot thickens when you try and understand this post fully – this is exactly why the gag order must be lifted!
Oh, and just for the sake of argument, now that you tried to taint Richard’s credibility in your comments, have you thought of this: Maybe this abusive mother and this psychopathic lawyer are in this together. Imagine that!
A.R. – I am 100% with you on everything you wrote about rape, rapists and their victims. Believe me, you don’t have to educate me on this. And, not only women want to increase punishment for rapists. Many men too, myself included. And you know what, probably the case against gag orders in any rape case, including this one, is wrong. Lift the gag order. Plus: claiming I “seem to be doing just that” (excusing a sexual perpetrator!!!) is way, way off. It’s far from what i was trying to say. If he indeed committed ANY sexual offense – and, no matter the environmental context (whether “only” against his fellow “cult” members, or whether it was not a “cult” but an inncocent study group, etc) – he must be punished. Life, at least, as far as I am concerned. You just seem to not get me right, or I probably wasn’t clear myself.
The case itself here seems strange, judging from the sources linked in the post. The linked blog, which, as I read, looked somewhat weird to me (a daughter accusing her mother for being a monster, in ALL the posts of that blog, always with a cheering crowd of comments all sounding the same in all the posts); and then, two maariv stories about a very manipulative sociopathic cult leader in ramat hasharon, who has brainwashed her all-wealthy students into giving her “gifts” etc, and separated sons and daughters from their parents (like usually is the case with cults), with one pnina spiegel (the mother referred in that blog) suing her after she left the group and wanting her daughter back… The stories on Maariv being so specific and packed with details, and the blog of the daughter looking weird to me to begin with (and by the way, the accusation in that blog- as far as i remember – is not that Daniel raped the blogger but that he raped the mother, and that the mother now sides with who she claimed – I quote the blogger here, from my memory – to be her rapist, which is in itself – according to that post in that blog – another blow from that mother to her mentally abused daughter. Who is now an adult of course).
So, to sum up, the only point I was trying to make is, that something in the story, judging only from the “evidence” referred to by Richard, looked strange enough to me to ask whether it could be, just in this particular case where a cult might be involved, that the lawyer himself as well as the mother have fallen victims to false allegations by a very manipulative cult leader whom they left – as such strategy of intimidation is too familiar when it comes to cults. Of course, perhaps this conjecture is wrong, but do you have the EVIDENCE to rule it out completely? I didn’t see such evidence; I saw a very compelling convincing story on Maariv (if false, then not only Daniel is a psychopath, the reporter too!). So this is all I was trying to say. One thing I was NOT trying to do is to make a case for rapists!! please!
Actually it is the first time I find myself on THIS side, which is very odd to me – of raising the possibility that a rape accusation COULD be false. And, I even not in particular am fond of lawyers in general.
Just the whole story, especially as reported by Maariv, for me sheds a very different light on the whole case. Prove the Maariv reports are false, and you win my full support for the perspective of the story as presented by Richard. Of course, the fact that there is a gag here, makes it hard, and I say, lift the gag. If indeed four women complain, and if I can have a confident impression that it has nothing to do with a wicked guru who brainwashed their minds into making false complaints to defend the sect (everything is possible when it comes to many cults, I have read a LOT and know a lot about this subject), then i will be convinced that the sociopath here is the lawyer and then I want him to get the most severe punishment, believe me. On the other hand, the fact that there is another woman there on his side suing the alleged cult, that woman herself claimed (so i understand) by that group to be one of his victims, makes it a strange and complicated one. Who should I believe? Again – I side with you on that the gag order should be lifted. But then – i am also saying, that reporting this case by Richard as well should be from a more objective standpoint and not deciding the matter (deciding that indeed this is a rape case, that he indeed raped) before the court. And if he does so – then at least give us the evidence… The “anonymous testimony”, that only turns out to be what it turned out to be (not anonymous for one, not really a testimony but a very general allegation that the lawyer once raped her mother and now the bitch sides with him, and the whole blog being fully dedicated to attacking the blogger’s mother for several years, and then I read on Maariv the supposed context for that, which for me sets that blog in its logical context). So – I don’t think you have to judge me for just reading the materials and drawing my logical conclusions from that by adding one and one… Again, if for example the stories on maariv were a most wicked thorough lie from end to end, then I am taking back all this theorizing of mine and I will be very sorry for having turned out being on the side of the rapist as it were (which is not my intention).
And one more thing, like all commenters here, I too salute Richard for the work he’s doing in this blog, for bringing us information, for raising the issue of gag orders and for helping expose the maladies of israeli society… I’m all for it.
I meant to say, of course, “the case against gag orders is right”, not “wrong”.
Richard, while your blog is an excellent source of important and credible information, this particular time it looks like you’ve fallen in the trap of manipulative cult leaders who see your blog as an appropriate platform (gag order! Israeli elite! Rape!) to advance their campaign of attack and intimidation against one who left them and sues them. As I wrote in the comment you deleted, 1. He’s not the only ex-member suing them, 2. The other ex-member is under a similar attack by them (describing her not as a rapist but as a whore), 3. The blog post (“testimony”) you referred to is not “anonymous”! And the blog is very strange. The only way to understand that blog is as a tool by the cult to intimidate the blogger’s mother (the other ex-member), and now recently, the lawyer as well.
In this particular case Richard, it seems you haven’t look thoroughly enough into it. And it’s a pity. Surely you haven’t read some other posts from the blog you refer to. Also, think of the fact that all women complaining of rape are from the same group, described to you as nice weekly meetings to discuss waldorf philosophy (which is NOT – have you really read the stories in Maariv? With all the reservations about israeli journalism, you can discern they are credible. It’s a highly manipulative selfish cult leader). How come he never raped women outside this group? And why they recalled this only after he left the cult and decided to sue their leader? I believe that in this case, gag order can be interpreted as a tool necessary if indeed there is likelihood for a cult’s orchestrated attempt to stain the name of an ex-member and “kill” him.
In short: while your general outlook on the shortcomings of Israeli society is at least largely true, to me it seems that in this particular case you got a wrong example! Which is a shame BECAUSE your blog is important. I’d be grateful if you could address the points and doubts I raised here. PS – in the deleted comment I raised the question of whether you’re associated with that group yourself. That strange did this post seem to me. Then I googled you and saw you live in Seattle… I obviously haven’t thoroughly read the introductory note to this post.
@Asaf: We do not know whether Daniel raped other women. THe fact that you’ve claimed he didn’t with no proof whatsoever tells us a great deal about your bias. That’s precisely why the gag order must be lifted. Victims cannot discover other victims unless they can inform the public of the charges.
There is absolutely no evidence that there is a “cult.” I find offensive your use of the term & remind you a primary comment rule here is to support claims with evidence. If you don’t have any, don’t make such nasty claims.
I do not concede any of the reporting of Maariv is credible in any way whatsoever.
The charges of rape were not made after Daniel decided to sue. As far as I know, they preceded them. Daniel’s modus operandi is to retaliate and cover his tracks once charged with wrongdoing.
Gag orders are NEVER necessary tools unless you support rapists & accused rapists, which you appear to do.
As for being associated with the “cult.” I am indeed. I’ve just established a Seattle branch called Waldorf Cult. I’ve opened a bank account to cash all the checks that are flooding in from grateful cultists.
I find your question beyond offensive. I reported this story just as I’ve reported numerous previous charges of rape. I am moderating you for being just plain offensive. You piss me off.
Richard,
1. As you could have understood from my second comment, it was made when I thought, I guess by mistake, my first one was deleted (probably because i hadn’t refreshed the browser or something and didn’t see it). I was glad it was deleted in a way, because of the speculation about your association with that group, which only later I checked and saw you’re from Seattle and realized it was a foolish speculation in light of this. So in my second comment I explained this and took it back. I am even ready to apologize about it now. By the way, I am personally involved with Waldorf and I think it’s great. Definitely not a cult… Only, the stories in Maariv made the point that the actual “philosophy group” has nothing to do with Waldorf philosophy. Although Waldorf kindergartens are run by the group leader’s family associate who is also a member of the group.
2. To say I appear to be a supporter of rapists is for me far more offensive than if someone would claim I am associated with a cult. I think rapists must get the most severe punishments. Just like murder as far as I am concerned. I also said in my comments, that usually, rather always even, I believe whenever I hear of a rape complaint. All I said was, that in THIS particular case something felt strange. I don’t know and never heard of uri daniel, and don’t personally care about HIM. I don’t KNOW what the truth is in this case. If the theory I raised is the wrong one and he really raped, then he must be kicked to hell. I only appraoch this story as a reader from the outside. And all I said – and based on all that YOU provided in your post (link to the blog of eyal spiegel – not an anonymous testimony, as i said, and you didn’t comment on that – and link to maariv story), is that something here looks weird. That the stories in Maariv look more credible than that blog. They are so full of details, that is just hard to believe all are made up. And that ring familiar to anyone who knows something about cults. Did the reporter invent the interviews with parents? And how about the blog of eyal spiegel, that REALLY looks – sorry about it – weird to me, ALL its posts, for several years, being devoted to one subject – her witch mother, and one can easily infer the blog was started after the mother left the group herself (the daughter remained a member).
I am SAYING I don’t have evidence beyond these sources. I am just a READER of your blog! I hope it is allowed to comment and raised hypotheses based on online evidence quoted by yourself, and again, I took back the silly conjecture about you being involved with the group. But you have to understand it was made in face of how strange the case and your treatment of it seemed to me on the surface.
Now, if I was wrong and the lawyer sued AFTER he was sued for rape, that changes something. (Though not necessarily everything, maybe they knew he was going to sue, or maybe they were afraid, maybe the leader was that pissed he left the group… And again, maybe my conjecture is wrong!)
I respect the rule of commenting based on evidence, but I am also saying that in this specific post, you should also apply this rule on this post and bring more evidence to support the claim that he did rape OR that the story on Maariv is a lie and Riki Shaham is an innocent teacher (or whatever) and not the manipulative person described. Can you bring evidence to the allegations that that lawyer wears panties etc under his clothes?… Even these sound weird to me, in the same manner of weirdness that that blog seemed to me. You know what I mean?
And also – I didn’t mean to say that he didn’t rape women outside the group but only in the group… If he indeed raped anyone, no matter where, he should of course be punished in the most severe way. What I meant to say and didn’t articulate it very clearly, is, is it only incidental that the only complaints about him come from within that group, after he left the group? Again, I am raising questions that come out of this story by themselves (sorry for my limited english), just pointing at them, and I would be GRATEFUL, as a a reader whose main motive in this specific case is CURIOSITY, if you address these questions and please don’t attack me. I would be GLAD for answers and evidence that support your version (or the other possibility), simply because I want to know the truth. I really don’t have an interest here to this side or the other… What did disturb me, is the possibility that you took a side when you don’t have enough evidence to support it, maybe only because such story reassures your outlook on the maladies of the Israeli society. And maybe – just maybe – this case is not the good example. But again – I don’t know, and if you have more evidence than what you cite in your post, I wish i could hear them.
Didn’t mean to be aggressive in my comments or to intimidate you so please don’t be aggressive or ad hominem in your comment… And remember: I HATE rapists (It’s silly I even have to say it. It is most offensive I was claimed by yourself and another commenter here that I defend rapists!!!! What do I know about uri daniel? Nothing!! However, what arouses my attention to this story is the alleged cult element, and I have particular aversion toward cults as well, when exploit and abuse is involved, and you have to understand in my comments I am driven by this particular interest of mine in cults).
More than everything – I would like to know how do you KNOW that the stories on Maariv, that are so long and full of specifics, are a lie? Can you prove it in any way? Have you checked from both sides of the story? From what sources have you heard about Daniel? Only those involved in the case or is such sociopathic behavior verified from other directions too?
Regarding another comment made here – how do you KNOW the mother is a sociopath beyond what was written about her in that blog by her daughter ( who, as I said, remains a member of that group – according to the story on Maariv…).
Just by the way – one of the posts on the daughter’s, where the mother’s photos (in court, so it seems) are published, drew a choir of responses, almost all said the same thing, referring to her ugly outer appearence, as follows: “one sees she’s a yemenite”, “yeah, she looks like a primitive Yemenite from Sanaa”, and many more like this – what is this if not racism. Which obviously is not advocated in this blog. That was exactly one of the posts in that blog that made me feel something is weird there and that the allegations about a cult seemed to be true. Can you comment on that? Now, allegations about a cult are “nasty”, richard, just as much as allegations about a rape are (in case they are false of course).
And the gag order topic? If it’s the only issue here, then OK, gags are wrong, I am with you here. My intention was not really to make a case for gag orders, oh no!! My only intention is – as a reader of your blog (which i applauded to) – to seek more evidence and solid ground to the specific case in this specific post. Would be grateful if you could address such request as it is and not as if it was an attack on you. Thanks.
hi asaf,
actions speak louder than words. let’s see what we have here:
rape,
rape,
rape,
rape (4 times, at least),
forging a document,
extortion,
publishing “yellow” newspaper articles,
suing,
intimidating the police,
threatening opposing lawyers,
placing gag orders,
maintaining the disciplinary panel job,
theft,
money-laundering.
we do have a word here too – cult, and you seemed to be taken by it. this is because uri daniel applies it like an action, disguising his long list of wrongful actions.
Hi Sylvia,
Again, if these actions really took place (for example, if the document was forged; if he intimidated the police and was the cause for closing the complaints; if he is the one behind the “yellow” stories on Maariv – which doesn’t appear like, but, maybe, if you say… I don’t know…) – then you’re right. And why am I caught by the word “cult”, in face of all these terrible, terrible actions. The thing is, that the claim that all these actions occured, at this point in time is just one version of the story (the version reported by Richard, as he heard it, I believe, from one of the two sides, unless he has done a thorough research and verified everything), a version for which I (truly) would like to see even a little a bit of more evidence than just saying it happened. The two main factors that shaped my reaction to this post is that the stories on Maariv looked very persuasive and credible to me as a reader (perhaps I am a very naive newspaper reader – I’m not sure I am); and that the linked blog (including the comments in it) seemed somewhat strange (seemed to me like the comments there were “orchestrated” against the blogger’s mother, which brought to my mind a familiar cult dynamic), and this is what “took me”. But you’re right – there is a probability that my initial conjecture was all wrong; and that I should believe what is reported by Richard and not what was reported on Maariv; and that the Maariv stories by Alon Hadar were actually by Uri Daniel and were not verified by Hadar (or that the writer willingly cooperated with the lawyer’s lies), the lawyer who also controls the police and the courts, in a country where a president was already, thank god, put in jail for rape, and a judge recently was investigated and suspended for suspected domestic child abuse. If indeed my initial conjecture/hunch feeling was wrong (and at the moment I am already less sure about it indeed than I was in the beginning – but again, it’s all very subjective as I have no real ground for either), then the man is indeed a very frightening monster and criminal, and I am really disgusted by the notion that I, at one time, “took his side” as it were.
One last thing: from what I understand, Daniel does not apply the word “cult” like an action (neither do I by the way), he obviously didn’t sue Shaham for the offense of being a cultist, but rather, for certain actions (that are usually associated with cults), such as theft and manipulation. Could be that he doesn’t have a case anyway (can ex-cult members sue the guru for their own weakness while being in the cult? Can one sue another for brainwashing?). I don’t have a problem with cults per se as long as they don’t brainwash and abuse their members after weakening them and lowering their self esteem to below zero and poisoning them against their parents etc.
Anyway – the gag order, I repeat, should be lifted.