Renowned Haredi author and educator Haim Walder was found dead on Monday in a suspected suicide following accusations of sexually abusing women.
Police said the 52-year-old's body was found near his son's tomb at a cemetery in Petah Tikvah, after a passerby reported gunshots.
Walder was well-known in the ultra-Orthodox world as an author of books for children and young adults, writing 80 books, including the popular "Kids Speak" series that sold over two million copies.
He was also known as an educator and therapist in the Haredi community, Walder allegedly used his popularity and status to commit the acts.
On Sunday, a rabbinical court in Safed heard 22 testimonies from people — including young boys and girls — alleging abuse at Walder's hands when they had come to him for treatment over the years, considerably expanding upon the allegations already lodged against him.
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Police and medical personnel at the scene of Haim Walder's apparent suicide in Petah Tikva
(Photo: Flash90)
The first accusations against Walder first cropped up back in November and included testimonies by three women who said the prominent Haredi figure had sexually assaulted them, two of which when they were underaged.
Chief Rabbi of Safed, Shmuel Eliyahu, who was presiding over the hearing, issued a statement shortly after Walder's death.
"It is too bad he chose this path. We had offered him the option to fix what he had broken. To apologize to his victims. To change his ways. To ensure that no more women would be harmed," he said. "We send strength to the many victims in these difficult times. Their lives precede his life."
i24NEWS contributed to this story