Court orders fraudulent 'rabbi,' wife to pay NIS 830,000 to woman in exploitation settlement

A Petah Tikva court approved a settlement requiring Shaul Elkariv, known as the 'criminals' rabbi,' and his wife to pay NIS 830,000 to Nechama Gabai, who alleged he exploited her distress and persuaded her to transfer NIS 745,467 from her divorce proceeds and benefits.

A Petah Tikva court on Sunday approved a settlement requiring Shaul Elkariv, known as the 'criminals' rabbi,' and his wife, Tova, to pay NIS 830,000 (about $264,000) to Nechama Gabai, who had sued them for NIS 1.17 million (about $372,000). The court's approval makes the settlement a binding judgment. The lawsuit alleged a long-running pattern of exploitation, intimidation, and financial control, during which hundreds of thousands of shekels were transferred to the couple. According to the complaint, Gabai, a mother of three struggling personally and financially, turned to Elkariv in 2021 after he was presented to her as a rabbi, a kabbalist, and someone with spiritual powers who could help people in trouble. The lawsuit alleged that Elkariv took advantage of her trust and dependence to persuade her to transfer large sums of money to him and his wife. Between February and March 2022, Gabai transferred a total of NIS 745,467 to the couple, mostly from the sale of an apartment as part of her divorce and from government benefits. The lawsuit described how Elkariv accompanied her to the bank, instructed her, and even introduced himself as her father. Gabai said she kept the transfers secret from her family until late 2025, when she ran into financial trouble. The lawsuit also cited an earlier defamation case against Elkariv that was thrown out in July 2024. The parties ultimately settled, with the Elkarivs agreeing to pay Gabai NIS 830,000.