Missionary Masquerading as Rabbi Exposed in Israel

Yad L’Achim has revealed the shocking identity of a Christian missionary who spent years masquerading as a chareidi rabbi, tricking unsuspecting Jews and foreign visitors.

The man, identified as Ariel Katzenberg, began his scheme in Bnei Brak before moving to Harish, Migdal and other northern communities, where he lived a double life. Disguised as a rabbi, Katzenberg officiated at weddings, conversions, and delivered Torah classes. At the same time, he was caught on film conducting baptisms and working to convert Jews to Christianity.

Yad L’Achim documented his fraudulent activities, including the use of forged papers submitted to rabbinical courts. He particularly targeted foreign tourists, extracting tens of thousands of shekels in exchange for fake documents attesting to their supposed conversion or Jewish status. Many were left penniless, unable to afford food, lodging, or travel.

Rabbi Shimon Abergel, field coordinator of Yad L’Achim’s counter-missionary department, said: “We demonstrated to the courts that the documents had been forged, and they were shocked.”

In recent months, Katzenberg managed to infiltrate official circles, even meeting with prominent rabbis and public officials before his deception came to light. Following the revelations, rabbinical courts began issuing new conversion certificates enhanced with advanced security features to protect against further forgeries.

A Yad L’Achim official stated: “The technique of impersonation and deception is typical among missionaries. This con artist went to great lengths to hunt down innocent victims and lead them astray. We will continue to pursue missionaries wherever they are and block their attempts by all legitimate means.”