Where in the World is Hershy Worch?

Rumors have it that Rabbi Hershy Worch has left Istanbul, Turkey and is back in the United States, residing in Chicago.

Worch fled to Istanbul earlier this year instead of showing up at custody hearings regarding his own children.

Back in May, 2005, Worch was "banned by local Turkish religious authorities from taking any pulpit".

Jeremy Hershy Worch was born in Manchester, England, on May 20, 1954. He recieved his smicha (ordaination) from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach in 1992.

There have been several serious allegations made claiming Reb Hershy's behavior as being predatory, manipulative and sexually abusive. Allegations have been made in while residing in Chicago; from a group from the Hamakom Synagogue in Melbourne, Australia; and from other locations.

Rabbi Worch has been accused of utilizing a mixture of kabbalah, hypno-eroticism and other manipulative techniques to enagage his potential victims prior to sexually assaulting them.

There have been allegations that Reb Hershy creates a cult-like devotion to himself utilizing trance-like-states, guided meditation, hypnosis; all under the guise of kabbalah teachings. Allegedly his MO (modus operandi) has been to use such techniques on women with histories of childhood abuse, so that he can lead them into BDSM (Bondage, Domination, Sadism, Masochism). activities with him.

Rabbi Worch has allegedly written a "BDSM-Kabbalah" and finds his "students" over the internet, primarily through his Livejournal "Kabbalah_101" community.

For more information regarding the allegations made against him go here: Rabbi Jeremy Hershy Worch and here The Case of Rabbi Hershy Worch.