Elimelech (Eli) Lowen, the 21-year-old American Mir Yeshiva bochur held on suspicion of contact with an Iranian agent, was released to house arrest on Friday after more than four months in Gilboa Prison, about two hours before Shabbos.

Lowen, a chosson, was set to celebrate his Oifruf this Shabbos.

He will serve his house arrest at the Yerushalayim home of Toldos Ahron askan Rav Chaim Meir Hirsh.

His release followed intensive efforts by Tzedek, with attorneys Uri Korb and Menachem Stauber, in coordination with askan Rav Shimon Shisha.

The bail includes NIS 750,000 arranged by Tzedek and a home worth about NIS 3 million, put up as a guarantee by a Rachmastrivka Chossid from Yerushalayim.

The release came after the Jerusalem District Court on Thursday approved implementing last week’s Supreme Court decision ordering his release to house arrest, with the final court steps completed on Friday.

The Charges

Lowen, a US citizen who learned at the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, was arrested on June 9. On July 3, prosecutors filed an indictment in the Jerusalem District Court charging him with contact with a foreign agent and passing along information that could aid an enemy, and asked that he remain in custody until the case concludes.

Prosecutors allege that Lowen carried out small tasks, including photographing locations around Jerusalem and leaving packages at drop spots, for Telegram accounts the State says were fronts for Iranian intelligence, in exchange for about $1,379 in cryptocurrency. Lowen has not been convicted, and the charges remain allegations.

Last week, Supreme Court President Justice Yitzchak Amit signed off on Lowen’s release to house arrest. Belaaz covered the Supreme Court’s decision and the effort to secure Lowen’s release in an earlier report.