After a long and exhausting saga in which our teacher, the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, faced an aggressive system that spared no means to afflict him, it seems that the period is nearing its end with Hashem's help.

Attorney Amit Hadad answers all the questions regarding the plea deal that our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a was forced to sign, due to his severe health condition that prevents him from managing the case and proving his complete innocence.

"The question many ask: Why does Rav Berland have to admit time and again to things that are not offenses at all? Why does he need to reach a deal and cannot prove his innocence that he did nothing?"

The interviewer from Breslov Line (*9148) opens with a painful and burning question for the tens of thousands watching from the side at the scandalous legal proceedings against our teacher, the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

"To our sorrow, we are aware of Rav Berland's condition, I think there is no one who does not know how ill the Rav is and how his strength cannot withstand it, and in this context, we were required to balance different considerations. I think we reached an arrangement that is excellent from the Rav's perspective, but we do this with great pain, we truly thought and still think that managing this case, if Rav Berland were in his youth, we could have achieved significant results. Nevertheless, this arrangement is good and correct, I think the state also ultimately showed responsibility regarding the Rav's condition, and I hope that very soon we will be past this episode."

"If we had continued to the finish line, would the Rav have been acquitted despite all the slanders in the media and press against him?"

"The Rav admitted in the indictment and we certainly do not retract this statement, but as a defense attorney, I think there is much to be done in this case. I believe that if the cases had reached court, we could have done a lot, and I am very optimistic about the outcome if we had managed the case."

"I think in terms of the case, we have beautiful arguments, I think the cases would have collapsed on themselves, but we must remember, we are managing considerations beyond the court case, there is a consideration of what is right for the Rav, but we reached a decision to come to an arrangement. Again, I think the other side also finds it hard to swallow this arrangement from their perspective, this shared bitterness suggests that we probably did something very good."

"What is the discussed deal?"

"The Rav was in detention for about 13 months, this time is, of course, counted for him. The sentence that will be imposed on the Rav is 18 months minus the 13 he has already served, he will... serve his sentence at the beginning of October, during which he will continue to be under house arrest. He can see family members more, talk more, and be more in contact with his close environment, certainly."

"We hope that we can later argue that the Rav is also entitled to a third, etc., this matter will end and we can part from this sad episode that we have mentioned all along."

"We have always believed that the attempt to take a religious practice and turn it into a criminal offense is a bad and incorrect attempt. I think the other side also thinks it was not a successful attempt from their perspective."

"In the past, a 14-month deal was offered that fell through?"

"The Attorney General, to our sorrow, decided that the previous deal was incorrect, in many respects we signed the same deal, on a substantive level we are in the same place at least in our view, so it is a pity there was interference then, but we respect the decision. This deal has already passed his approval."

"What is the next step?"

"There was a signing and presentation of the arrangement, next Sunday we will hold arguments for the sentence, and we will jointly argue that the plea agreement should be adopted regarding the sentence and we will receive a verdict."

"Attorney Amit Hadad, this is the place to thank you for all the time you worked on the case. Many in the community would like to thank you personally..., we thank you on their behalf."

"We saw your big heart, you did everything wholeheartedly, you connected with the Rav..., thank you."

Amit Hadad: "I must admit that the Rav is truly a special figure and the case against him is so unjust. To assist as much as possible is truly a great privilege, Baruch Hashem."

The interviewer: "I want to tell the listeners how they presented the Rav to you when you came to represent him, and what you saw afterwards, it was a completely different world."

Amit Hadad: "Unfortunately, there are quite a few people who took it upon themselves as a mission to try and harm..., it is not my place to judge them, but I think it is time for everyone to calm down."

The interviewer: "We all hope that the Rav will finish this saga and live 120 years with peace and happiness without new disturbances."

Amit Hadad: "Amen."

"Amit Hadad, thank you very much."