Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto
Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal | |
| Born | September 27, 1973 |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Parent | Haim Pinto (father) |
| Position | Founder and head |
| Organisation | Mosdot Shuva Israel |
| Residence | New York City |
Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto (born September 27, 1973)[1] is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi who leads an organization called Mosdot Shuva Israel. Based in Ashdod and New York, he is regarded by his followers as a Kabbalist.[2] Globes business journal named him in 2012 as one of the ten wealthiest rabbis in Israel.[3]
He has had numerous scandals over the past five years, including most recently accusations of bribery and money laundering. [4]
Early life and education
Pinto was born in Israel of Moroccan descent.[2] On his father's side he is the great-grandson of Chaim Pinto, a Moroccan sage;[5][6][unreliable source?] on his mother's side, he is the grandson of Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira, also known as the Baba Sali.[7][6]
Pinto graduated from Ashkenazi Lithuanian yeshivas, and studied under Ashkenazi and Hassidic rabbis.[5] including Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, director of the Lithuanian-style Ma’alot Hatorah yeshiva located in Jerusalem.[7] Pinto was also influenced by Satmar Hassidism and his teachings.[7]
Career
Pinto is a rabbi and religious leader.[2] He is said to be the descendent of rabbinical dynasties that reportedly have the potential to work miracles.[7] Pinto has many followers from the Israeli expatriate community in the U.S. and has been described as "a rabbi to the rich and famous".[2]
Religious leader
When he was in his early 20s, Pinto founded Shuva Israel, a yeshiva in Ashdod, Israel.[7] The organization also has two schools for girls in Ashdod and a training school in Ashkelon. One of the Israeli locations provides money for living expenses to 180 widowed women.[8] Several yeshivas or religious schools located in the United States and Israel and sponsors a charitable organization that provides food for Israeli families in need.[2] Pinto's center in Ashod has four synagogues that serve more than 1,200 worshippers, a yeshiva with over 300 full-time students, and a soup kitchen that provides 3,000 meals a day.[7] Pinto has also established a network of yeshivas in Israel, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York in the U.S.[5]
In 2008, Pinto was involved in fund raising efforts to purchase the ground floor at the Heritage at Trump Place condominium and build a synagogue for his Shuva Israel organization.[9][10]
In October 2010, Pinto led thousands of individuals to Silistra, Bulgaria, for an annual pilgrimage in homage of Eliezer Papo, who is honored among Jews for his book Pele Yoetz,[7] and revered in Silistra for giving his life to save the town from a plague in 1826.[7] During his stay in Silistra, Pinto held a closed meeting with 80 Jewish American businessmen, asking them to invest $5 billion in the Israeli economy.[11]
Business activities
Pinto is reported to have connections in the real estate community in New York including an executive with Metropolitan Real Estate Investors and one with Prudential Douglas Elliman.[2] His followers include Jay Schottenstein, chairman of the American Eagle Outfitters clothing company and real-estate mogul Jacky Ben-Zaken[7] founder of 5W Public Relations, Ronn Torossian, New York City politician Michael Grimm[2] and professional basketball player LeBron James.[8] Pinto has been characterized as "something between a guru and a Hasidic rebbe" and as a "mystically inclined" Kabbalist with an interest in the esoteric elements of the Jewish tradition".[2] Although Pinto has no formal business background,[12] a number of prominent Israeli and Jewish-American businessmen have visited him for consultation on business and personal matters, including talk-show host Donny Deutsch; jeweler Jacob Arabo ("Jacob the Jeweler"); former Congressman Anthony Weiner.[13] Pinto has said that he does not consider his help to be advice, saying instead that "It’s more of a blessing".[8] Politicians and businessmen who have visited Pinto in Israel include Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman, former Bank of Israel governor Jacob Frenkel,[6] and Israeli soccer star Guy Levy.[14] Because of Pinto's influence, he has been called the "rabbi to the business stars",[15] and was described by Yoel Hasson, a Kadima member of the Knesset, as having connections and influence with a number of people in Israeli politics.[8]
When he is in New York, Pinto resides in a building owned by his downtown Manhattan non-profit, Mosdot Shuva Israel organization. In 2011 the building was under foreclosure and his organization was reported to be facing financial problems.[8]
According to an article in the Globes business journal, in June 2012, Forbes Israel named Pinto as one of the 10 wealthiest rabbis in Israel, "with a fortune of NIS 75 million"[3][16][dead link] "based on organizational holdings" such as "charitable activities and properties".[3][17]
Politics
In 2010, a reception held for Pinto was attended by an Israel Defense Forces major general and five cabinet members.[8] In January 2011, Pinto met with opposition leader Israeli politician Tzipi Livni in Tel Aviv.[8] In December 2010 Pinto condemned an open letter endorsed by 50 Israeli rabbis which encouraged Jewish community members to avoid renting or selling property to non-Jews.[18][19] Pinto believed that the letter would provoke racism against Jews in Israel and abroad, making it difficult for them "to live in New York or anywhere else in the world."[18]
Legal issues
In September 2011, Pinto's father-in law, the chief Rabbi of Argentina Shlomo, retracted accusations of money laundering against Pinto in the Jerusalem District Court. The father-in-law said the retraction was "part of an arrangement made for legal reasons and to preserve domestic tranquility". Under the terms of the agreement, Pinto was required to pay NIS 3.4 million for two apartments purchased by his father-in-law, in the Gold housing complex in Jerusalem, with funds that were allegedly obtained from Pinto.[20]
On October 12, 2012 Pinto was reported to be under investigation for money laundering. He was released on bail and placed under house arrest for an alleged bribery attempt of an Israeli police official involved in the investigation.[21][22] On February 12, 2014, Pinto received notice from the Israeli state prosecutor that they are about to file an indictment charging Pinto with bribing Ephraim Bracha of the National Fraud Unit in an attempt to gain information about the ongoing investigation of the financial activities of Hazon Yeshaya, a charitable organization he heads.[23][24]
Personal life
Pinto speaks Hebrew and does not know English.[2] Around 2008, Pinto moved to New York City for medical treatments.[5] He spends his time in either New York City or Ashdod.[7]
References
- ^ Silberman, Yossi (January 16, 2014). "חדשות 2 - מי אתה הרב יאשיהו פינטו?". News 2 Mako. Keshet Broadcasting. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i Nathan-Kazis, Josh (June 23, 2010). "Charismatic Moroccan Kabbalist Draws Crowds And Questions". The Jewish Daily Forward. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ a b c Averbach, Li-or (June 10, 2012). ""Forbes Israel" ranks Israel's richest rabbis". Globes. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
- ^ http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Details-of-Rabbi-Pinto-bribery-case-cleared-for-publication-341590
- ^ a b c d Ettinger, Yair (March 29, 2010). "A rabbi not afraid to deviate". Haaretz. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ a b c Handwerker, Haim (December 4, 2006). "The Sage of Manhattan". balintlaw.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Mandel, Jonah (October 1, 2010). "Celestial Celebrity". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g Nathan-Kazis, Josh (January 17, 2014). "Revered as Business Guru, Rabbi Faces Questions About His Organization's Finances". The Jewish Daily Forward. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ Karmin, Craig; Frangos, Alex (February 9, 2011). "A Rabbi Gets a Helping Hand" (subscription required). Wall Street Journal Online. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Elkies, Lauren (March 15, 2010). "Hoyda, Levy and rabbi-to-the-real estate community gather at 15 CPW to raise funds for new UWS synagogue". The Real Deal. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
- ^ Weiss, Reuven (September 5, 2010). "Rabbi asks businessmen to invest in Israel". ynetnews. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
- ^ Elkies, Lauren (April 30, 2008). "Rabbi Pinto Blesses the Deal". The Real Deal. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ Berkovici, Jeff (August 1, 2010). "The Mysterious Rabbi Who Gave LeBron James Business Advice". AOL: DailyFinance. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ Boker, Moshe (August 29, 2007). "Soccer/Luzon won't let coach bolt U21s". Haaretz. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ Yanez, Luisa; Kaleem, Jaweed (August 11, 2010). "Report: LeBron James hires rabbi". Miami Herald. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Magazine Lists Top 13 Richest Rabbis in Israel". JewishPress. June 10, 2012. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
- ^ Caruso, David B. (Sept. 3, 2012) NY pol's reliance on rabbi comes back to haunt him, AP Worldstream
- ^ a b Ettinger, Yair (December 19, 2010). "U.S.-based rabbi: Edict against renting to Arabs endangers Jews abroad". Haaretz. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
- ^ Hussein, Sara (December 7, 2010). "'Don't rent to non-Jews,' Israeli rabbis warn". Yahoo!. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
- ^ Money-laundering accusation against Rabbi Pinto dropped – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News
- ^ Unknown author, (Oct 14, 2012) 'Rabbi to the rich' Yoshiyahu Pinto arrested on suspicion of bribery retrieved Oct 15, 2012
- ^ Cowan, Alison Leigh (October 12, 2012). "Rabbi Linked to Campaign Inquiry Is Questioned in Israeli Bribe Case". The New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
- ^ "יש הכרעה: כתב אישום חמור נגד הרב פינטו - חדשות". Ynet (in Hebrew). February 12, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ "Police recommend indictment of Rabbi Pinto, spiritual advisor to real estate players". The Real Deal. July 17, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
Further reading
- Cowan, Allison Leigh. "A Short Second Life for a Building With History" in The New York Times, August 23, 2010.