A Petah Tikva court approved on Sunday, November 1, a settlement forcing Shaul Elkariv, the self-styled rabbi known in Israeli media as the “criminals' rabbi,” and his wife Tova to pay NIS 830,000 (about $264,000) to Nechama Gabai, a mother of three who said the couple exploited her distress and drained her savings. The court's approval gives the settlement the force of a binding judgment.
According to The Jerusalem Post, which first reported the ruling, Gabai had sued the Elkarivs for NIS 1.17 million (about $372,000), alleging a long-running pattern of exploitation, intimidation, and financial control. The settlement ends the civil case, but the details that emerged in court documents expose a predatory scheme that should outrage every Israeli who values the honor of the rabbinate and the integrity of our courts.
How the Alleged Scheme Unfolded
Gabai, struggling personally and financially, turned to Elkariv in 2021 after he was presented to her as a rabbi, a kabbalist, and a man with spiritual powers who could help people in trouble. As their relationship deepened, Elkariv became a central figure in her life. She followed his instructions on personal, family, and financial matters, and came to depend on his advice completely.
The lawsuit, filed by attorneys Dov Weinroth and Osher Rubinger, alleged that Elkariv used that trust 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. Most of the money came from the sale of her apartment as part of her divorce. The rest came from government benefits she relied on to support herself and her children.
One detail stands out for its audacity. According to the complaint, Elkariv accompanied Gabai to the bank, told her what to do, and in some cases introduced himself to bank employees as her father. When she expressed doubts, he reassured her by claiming he had spoken with her divorce lawyer, who he said knew about the transfers and approved them.
The money moved in several installments: some into the Elkarivs' joint account, some into Tova Elkariv's personal account, and some in cash. Elkariv presented the transfers as a way to protect her assets and keep them safe, the lawsuit said.
Years of Silence and Fear
Gabai kept the transfers secret from her family for years. Her relatives learned the truth only in late 2025, after she ran into financial trouble and asked them for help. The lawsuit alleged she was afraid to demand the money back because Elkariv had threatened to harm her family if they interfered in his affairs.
Transcripts of conversations between Gabai and her brother, and between her family members and Elkariv, were attached to the complaint. Gabai said Elkariv admitted in those conversations that he had received the money and promised to return it, even claiming he planned to take out a loan to do so. He also allegedly asked the family to sign a document describing the money as a loan. Despite those promises, nothing had been returned by the time the suit was filed.
A Pattern of False Credentials
The lawsuit also cited an earlier case in which Elkariv sued Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and others for defamation over publications about him. In July 2024, the Tel Aviv District Court threw out that suit. The ruling examined testimony and publications about how Elkariv presented himself and allegations that he exploited women who came to him in distress. That case was separate from Gabai's lawsuit, but together they paint a picture of a man who wore the cloak of Torah authority while allegedly preying on the vulnerable.
Gabai sought the return of NIS 745,467, plus interest and inflation adjustments that brought the total to about NIS 970,000, as well as NIS 200,000 in additional damages for the alleged harm and the severity of Elkariv's conduct. At her request, the court froze assets during the proceedings to secure her claim. The parties ultimately settled, with the Elkarivs agreeing to pay NIS 830,000.
Justice for the Vulnerable, Accountability for Impostors
This ruling matters far beyond one family's finances. Israel's strength rests on the rule of law, and this case proves the system works: a woman with no power, no connections, and no money faced down a man who allegedly used spiritual manipulation as a weapon, and she won. The Torah commands, “You shall not oppress the widow, the orphan, or the stranger” (Exodus 22:20), and “Justice, justice shall you pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20). An Israeli court has now honored those commands in practice.
Impostors like Elkariv do more than steal money. They desecrate the name of the rabbinate and give ammunition to those abroad who seek to portray religious life in Israel as corrupt. Every fraudulent rabbi caught and held to account strengthens the standing of the honest majority and protects the vulnerable from the next predator.
Fraudulent misrepresentation is hardly unique to Israel's religious sphere. In Uganda, a court recently ordered a woman to pay Shs165.7 million after she used an impostor posing as her husband to secure a bank loan, with the judge holding that “consent to impersonation does not negate fraud,” according to UG Bulletin. Courts around the world are sending the same message: deception has a price, and victims have recourse.
For Gabai, the judgment means the recovery of what was taken from her and her children. For Israeli society, it is a warning to anyone who would abuse the trust of a person in distress: the long arm of the Israeli legal system reaches fraudsters in rabbinical clothing, and it does not let go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shaul Elkariv and why was he ordered to pay NIS 830,000?
Shaul Elkariv, known in Israeli media as the “criminals' rabbi,” and his wife Tova were ordered by a Petah Tikva court on November 1, 2026, to pay NIS 830,000 (about $264,000) to Nechama Gabai under a court-approved settlement, after she alleged he exploited her trust to extract NIS 745,467 from her.
How did Elkariv allegedly convince Gabai to transfer the money?
According to the lawsuit, Elkariv presented himself as a rabbi and kabbalist, became a controlling figure in her life, accompanied her to the bank, and in some cases introduced himself to bank employees as her father, while reassuring her that her divorce lawyer approved the transfers.
Was the money ever returned before the lawsuit?
No. The lawsuit alleged that Elkariv admitted receiving the money and promised to repay it, even saying he would take a loan to do so, but nothing had been returned by the time Gabai filed suit.