A former yeshiva lecturer pleaded guilty Sunday to deceiving multiple women into relationships through online dating platforms, marking a significant development in a case that has shocked Israel's religious and secular communities alike.
Rabbi Yosef Paryzer, who posed online as "Jake Segal," admitted to 12 counts of defrauding women, though investigators say the total number of victims may be as high as 30. Paryzer, an American citizen in his 30s and former instructor at Yeshivat Ohr Yerushalayim, created elaborate false identities on dating apps and social media platforms to pursue relationships with multiple women simultaneously.
The case has drawn particular attention due to Israel's legal framework, where consensual relations obtained through identity deception can be classified as rape. This provision, though controversial, is part of the country's criminal code section on sexual offenses.
According to police investigations and victim testimonies, Paryzer, who also used the alias "Jake Westman," carefully crafted his persona to match each target's religious background, presenting himself variously as secular to traditional. He typically portrayed himself as a single, new immigrant from Brooklyn working with guide dogs for the blind, concealing his true identity as a married father and religious instructor.
The deception came to light in August 2023 when Paryzer was arrested in Jerusalem, leading Yeshivat Ohr Yerushalayim to immediately terminate his position and remove his profile from their website. His professional biography had previously described him as being in "high demand from other yeshivos" and noted his education at New York's Yeshiva Darchei Torah and Jerusalem's Yeshiva Kodshim.
Victims' accounts suggest Paryzer maintained simultaneous serious relationships with at least nine women over a seven-year period. One victim's statement emphasized the serious nature of his actions: "Consensual sex performed under false pretenses, i.e., the false identity of the perpetrator, is a criminal offense that is legally defined as rape."
The case began to unravel when police collected testimonies from initial victims, prompting authorities to release Paryzer's photos from both his yeshiva and dating profiles to help identify additional victims. The investigation revealed a pattern of deception where he promised potential long-term relationships, marriage, and family life to multiple women while hiding his married status and religious role.
Law enforcement officials continue to investigate additional claims, as the case highlights growing concerns about dating app fraud and identity deception in Israel's dating scene. The guilty plea represents just 12 of the total 30 counts initially brought against Paryzer, with legal proceedings ongoing.
Jpost contributed to this article.
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