Laws against sexual harassment by spiritual leaders pass preliminary reading
The Knesset plenum passed a preliminary reading of two bills stipulating that offers or treatment of a sexual nature suggested by religious or spiritual instructors to their students be considered sexual harassment. This also would apply if the recipient does not expressly decline the offer. The bills were initiated by MK Zevulun Orlev (Habayit Hayehudi) and MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima).
In reference to the Rabbi Mordechai Elon sexual harassment affair, Orlev said, "There is no connection to the Elon affair. The connection between the scheduled vote on the bill and the break of the affair is entirely coincidental." (Amnon Meranda)
