An Israeli-born rabbi who made headlines spreading discredited claims about “Palestinian mass rapes” during the October 7 Gaza attacks is now at the center of a far more disturbing scandal in Texas.
Rabbi Yitzhak Meir Sabo, until recently a respected educator and community leader in Dallas, was arrested and charged with felony indecency with a child after a detailed police investigation revealed years of alleged abuse against a male student under his care.
According to a report from The Times of Israel, Rabbi Sabo, 43, was arrested on April 1 and booked into the Dallas County Jail, where he remains on $100,000 bond. Sabo served as Director of Jewish Life at the Akiba Yavneh Academy, a Modern Orthodox school, and since 2022 as spiritual leader of Tiferet Israel congregation in North Dallas. Both institutions immediately placed him on leave when the allegations surfaced, barring him from school grounds and synagogue functions pending the outcome of the investigations.
Police and school officials say Sabo is accused of a sustained pattern of sexual misconduct against a teen boy, beginning in the ninth grade and continuing for several years. The detailed affidavit reportedly describes Sabo frequently pulling down the student’s pants and touching him inappropriately, as well as watching him shower and giving so-called “massages.” The abuse, according to The North Star, continued through the student’s senior year. Additional families have reportedly come forward with new claims since Sabo’s arrest.
Community Leaders and Law Enforcement Respond
Akiba Yavneh Academy principal Raymie Venable told families in an internal message that the safety of students “remains our highest priority.” Law enforcement and Child Protective Services were notified on March 27, the day the first complaint was received. The school has since launched its own internal review, led by its board and outside legal counsel.
The Dallas Police Department clarified that, as of this week, “the allegations so far do not involve students in the school’s Early Childhood or Lower School programs.” Synagogue leaders at Tiferet Israel similarly suspended Sabo on an unpaid basis and barred him from “all duties” during the investigation.
The revelations of child molestation come just months after Rabbi Sabo’s high-profile, media-backed campaign to promote false claims of mass sexual violence during the October 7 attacks in Israel. Sabo appeared on pro-Israel panels, rallies, and in local media insisting—without evidence—that Palestinian militants committed systematic mass rapes, a claim roundly disputed by subsequent UN investigations and independent media reviews.
“The public figure behind the headline matters,” writes The North Star, noting Sabo’s role in shaping “moral narratives around sexual violence—narratives used to justify a war.” Despite Sabo’s sensational rhetoric, no verifiable evidence of mass rape by Palestinian fighters during the attacks has emerged.
A Case of Projection and Institutional Failure
The juxtaposition of Sabo’s aggressive campaign to spread unproven atrocities and the credible molestation allegations captured widespread attention. “Every accusation is a confession,” observed one social media post, echoing a sentiment heard from both critics and victims’ advocates across Texas and beyond.
The case has forced a painful reckoning within Dallas’s Jewish community about the vetting and oversight of clergy and educators. Both Akiba Yavneh Academy and Tiferet Israel have faced demands for more transparency and stronger safeguarding protocols for youth.
As the legal process unfolds, The North Star rightly calls for “full cooperation with law enforcement and child-protection authorities; clear, proactive support to any affected families; transparent updates…and independent safeguarding reviews across institutions that platform clergy and youth leaders.”
Broader Implications
The Sabo arrest underscores the necessity for rigorous scrutiny not just of those overseeing children, but also of public moralizers who drive divisive narratives in times of war. Institutions that previously amplified Sabo’s unfounded atrocity stories with little pushback now face scrutiny over their standards for public advocacy versus the duty of care owed to their most vulnerable.
While Rabbi Sabo is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, the severity of the charges—even as internal and official probes widen—calls for unflinching public accountability.
Cover Photo Metadata:
Alt text: Mugshot of Yitzhak Meir Sabo, Dallas rabbi charged with child molestation
Description: Image shows former Dallas rabbi Yitzhak Meir Sabo, who was arrested for child molestation after promoting fake mass rape claims about Palestinians.
Caption: Israeli-born Dallas rabbi arrested for indecency with a child after leading campaign over fabricated Hamas rape claims.
Title: Dallas Rabbi Arrested for Child Abuse and False Claims 2025
