Rabbi Allegedly Traded Coke for Sex

A wealthy rabbi allegedly financed a drug dealing operation in which girls were given cocaine in exchange for sexual services, according to the Times of London .

Rabbi Baruch Chalomish, 55, is on trial in England charged with selling cocaine. Chalomish, who reportedly is worth nearly $10 million, was a well-respected academic and businessman until his wife died of cancer in 1996 and his world fell apart.

Chalomish told the jury that he used cocaine to stop feeling lonely after his wife's death, but he denies he intended to sell the drug.

The rabbi admits to spending more than $1,500 a week on "the best cocaine in town" and paying prostitutes to have sex with him. Chalomish and Nasir Abbas, 54, a convicted drug dealer, reportedly rented a luxury flat in Manchester and for ten days over the new year enjoyed a non-stop party.

Abbas told the court that on the ninth day of the party, after Chalomish had stayed up for three straight days, Abbas was so concerned about the rabbi's health that he scrapped that day's supply of prostitutes.

In a text message to a woman called Clio, Abbas wrote, "Hi Clio, I have tried to wake Shel up but I don't want to wake him. He was very tired because he had no sleep for three days, needed to rest, because he is going to his office to work on Monday at 8. Please cancel the party today."

Chalomish was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and came to England when he was 23, where he worked for a time as a rabbi in Glasgow. He was also made life president of a Jewish religious college in Manchester. The trial continues next week.

Traditional Judaism maintains that people do not own their bodies -- they belong to God. As a result, Jews are not permitted to harm, mutilate, destroy or take risks with their bodies with activities such as taking life-threatening drugs. However, there is no general prohibition against drugs in Judaism, as long as they don't interfere with one's ritual duties and don't cause definite harm.