In a stunning and emotional breakthrough, the death sentence that had loomed over Binyamin (ben Limor) Chasin, a Jewish man imprisoned in Iraq since 2015, has been formally annulled following the successful completion of a sulcha — a reconciliation agreement required under Islamic law. This dramatic victory marks the culmination of years of intense effort, much of it led by Monsey askanim who devoted themselves to saving a fellow Jew from the gallows.
Chasin, born in Iraqi Kurdistan, traveled back in 2014 to visit his elderly grandparents just as ISIS was overrunning the region. While assisting local Kurds in defending their towns, he was later ambushed by a taxi driver who overheard him speaking Hebrew. During a struggle, the driver was wounded and later died, leading to Chasin’s arrest, brutal torture, and eventual conviction. In August 2020, a Kurdish court sentenced him to death by hanging, a sentence that remained active until today’s miraculous reversal.
Behind the scenes, negotiations stretched over years as askanim, rabbanim, and legal advocates worked tirelessly to secure a sulcha with the victim’s family. More than 6,085 members of Klal Yisroel united to raise the required $250,000 settlement amount. Monsey Scoop’s parent company, Yeshiva World News (YWN), played a major role, directly helping raise over $120,000 toward the lifesaving fund through its earlier coverage.
YWN first publicized the case before Rosh Hashanah, which can be viewed here.
Earlier this week, a special delegation of askanim traveled personally to Iraq to finalize the reconciliation and deliver the settlement funds without interference. The delegation included R’ Avrohom (Allen) Lowy of NYC, R’ Meyer Tzvi Tauber of Monsey (Mareches Tzedakah V’Chessed), and R’ Gershon Tzvi West, representing Dayan Chaim Yosef Dovid Weiss of Antwerp. In an extraordinary act of courage, Dayan Weiss himself traveled to Kurdistan, meeting Binyamin inside a secure facility in Sulaymaniyah moments before the sulcha took place.
The sulcha was performed according to local tribal customs, in the presence of respected Kurdish elders. Once forgiveness was granted, the document was formally presented to the presiding judge, who annulled the death sentence and reduced it to a minimal prison term. Legal experts, including Professor Alan Dershowitz, had long warned that Chasin was in severe and immediate danger of execution, underscoring the magnitude of today’s development.
Additional Monsey-linked askanim — R’ Shimon Rolnitzky, R’ Hershel Gottdiener, and R’ Shlomo Landau — were deeply involved in the global effort. They emphasized the eternal words of Chazal: “Kol ham’kayem nefesh achas m’Yisroel, ma’aleh alav ha’kasuv k’ilu kiyeim olam malei.”
UPDATE – 8:30 AM EST (from Kurdistan, Iraq): Following his release from death row, Binyamin was visited by the Satmar Dayan of Antwerp. Overwhelmed with emotion, he recited Birchas Hatov V’hameitiv and expressed his heartfelt commitment to rebuild his life, attend yeshiva, and fully embrace a frum life going forward.
With the death sentence erased and only a short term remaining, expectations are high that Binyamin will soon walk free after a decade of suffering, uncertainty, and unimaginable fear. The askanim involved expressed profound gratitude to Klal Yisroel, noting that every contributor has a share in this exalted mitzvah.
