COUNTY DEPARTMENT, LAW DIVISION
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AARON THOMAS
RABBI SHMUEL FUERST RABBI YOSEF WAINKRANTZ RABBI CHAIM GOLDZWEIG DANNY SHABAT |
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No. 01 L 013593 |
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Comes now the above named Plaintiff, having been duly sworn, and who makes oath as follows: I, Aaron Thomas, if called as a witness in the above-captioned matter, would testify as follows: 1) On three occasions, I received a written summons from Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst to agree to appear before his Rabbinical Court regarding my complaint against Danny and Margie Shabat for their sexual exploitation of my minor child, whom I had entrusted to their care. 2) The summons was to agree to appear before the Rabbinical Court to justify my prosecution of a civil lawsuit in the Cook County Circuit Court, and if said civil prosecution was found to be unjustified, I was to transfer the prosecution to the Rabbinical Court. 3) On each aforementioned occasion, I communicated to Rabbi Fuerst my willingness to appear before his Rabbinical Court. 4) After my first acceptance, I received no notice of a date to appear. Instead, after several months, I received another summons similar to the first, and I reiterated my willingness to appear before Rabbi Fuerst’s Rabbinical Court. Again, I received no response from Rabbi Fuerst. Instead, after a couple of months, I received yet a third summons to agree to appear before his Rabbinical Court! I communicated my willingness for a third time. Again, I received no response from Rabbi Fuerst. Instead, after several months, Rabbi Fuerst telephoned me and demanded that I immediately drop my civil lawsuit against the Shabats in Circuit Court. I responded that I believed my civil lawsuit was quite justified and that upon appearing in Rabbinical Court, I would defend my Circuit Court activities. 5) Shortly thereafter, I received a Writ of excommunication effected against me. The Writ stated that the action was based upon my refusal to appear before the Rabbinical Court! 6) Rabbi Fuerst’s failure to convene a hearing to deal with the complaint against the Shabats; his demands that I immediately drop the lawsuit without a hearing; and his excommunication based on false allegations, made it clear to me that he was not interested in a Rabbinical Court hearing on the Shabat matter, but rather in forcing me out of the Cook County Circuit Court. 7) Rabbi Fuerst knew that I had not refused to appear before his Rabbinical Court. 8) If I would have received notice of an excommunication hearing, I would have attended, and I would have successfully refuted the allegations. 9) In the year following the excommunication, I tried unsuccessfully to nullify the excommunication. I communicated orally and in writing to the Chicago Rabbinical Council (C.R.C.) Court, headed by Rabbi Schwartz. I requested many times that the C.R.C. convene their Court to review Rabbi Fuerst’s excommunication. They adamantly refused to review any action by Rabbi Fuerst’s court. I also was in contact with the Beit Din (Rabbinical Court) of America located in New York, headed by Rabbi Reese. The Beit Din of America’s response was similar to the C.R.C.’s. 10) Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section 1-109 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the undersigned certifies that the statements set forth in this instrument are true and correct, except as to matters therein stated to be on information and belief and as to such matters the undersigned certifies as aforesaid that he verily believes the same to be true. And further the affiant saith not. State of Tennessee: County of Shelby: I, Aaron Thomas, do hereby state that the facts contained in the foregoing Affidavit are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief. This is to certify that the person whose signature appears above, appeared before me, a notary in the county and state above evidenced, and made affirmation and oath that he is in fact the person named, and that he is executing this Affidavit on his own free will and that the information and statements contained herein are true to the best of his knowledge, information, and belief. Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 15th day of November, 2002. My commission expires: Jan 11, 2005  TOP OF THIS PAGE
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