Is there a story here?
Thanks to The Awareness Center, we now have some more background (and aliases) of Rabbi Alan Horowitz, there may be two areas worth looking deeper at:
1) Horowitz lived at Ohr Somayach, Monsey for several years. That's where Rabbi Yaakov Menken went to Yeshiva and got smicha (ordination). The question is: Were they both there around the same time?
2) Horowitz lived in Iowa for several years. There were behavioral problems among young men in this community, young men who would have been in their teens when Horowitz lived there. Did Rabbi Horowitz know Pinchas Lew during his years in Iowa? Rabbi Pinchas Lew was part of a group of troubled young Orthodox men who were involved in armed robberies (and Lew later had a sexual misconduct allegation made against him).
Some of the reasons I'm asking these questions is because we all know that the majority of sex offenders were abused themselves as children. I'm not making an excuse for their behaviors, I'm just stating facts. If our communities really want to do something to end sexual abuse and sexual assault, we need to examine everything. It's time to break the taboos.
I am also posting my thoughts here because it seems no Jewish newspaper would be interested in looking into these issues. I can't figure out if it's because they fear loosing funding from JUF, due to harassment by community leaders, fear of lossing their jobs, or what?
FYI: The secular papers are only interested in cases that deal with the Catholic priests. They seem to sell more papers then rabbis who abuse.
1) Horowitz lived at Ohr Somayach, Monsey for several years. That's where Rabbi Yaakov Menken went to Yeshiva and got smicha (ordination). The question is: Were they both there around the same time?
2) Horowitz lived in Iowa for several years. There were behavioral problems among young men in this community, young men who would have been in their teens when Horowitz lived there. Did Rabbi Horowitz know Pinchas Lew during his years in Iowa? Rabbi Pinchas Lew was part of a group of troubled young Orthodox men who were involved in armed robberies (and Lew later had a sexual misconduct allegation made against him).
Some of the reasons I'm asking these questions is because we all know that the majority of sex offenders were abused themselves as children. I'm not making an excuse for their behaviors, I'm just stating facts. If our communities really want to do something to end sexual abuse and sexual assault, we need to examine everything. It's time to break the taboos.
I am also posting my thoughts here because it seems no Jewish newspaper would be interested in looking into these issues. I can't figure out if it's because they fear loosing funding from JUF, due to harassment by community leaders, fear of lossing their jobs, or what?
FYI: The secular papers are only interested in cases that deal with the Catholic priests. They seem to sell more papers then rabbis who abuse.
posted by Jewish Survivors at Monday, September 12, 2005
12 Comments:
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Is meir lichter Tovia Singer or Harlan Kilstein (AKA: Tsvi Kilstein)?
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Here are the facts, Vicki:
Ohr Somayach does not confer semicha, nor do any of the Rabbis there.
Menken was not an enrolled student at Ohr Somayach.
If Menken did any independent studies towards his semicha while sitting on the benches at Ohr Somayach, then perhaps he could claim to have "pursued rabbinic studies" there.
I am not Menkin and I am not here to defend him. He can do that himself, if he chooses.
>Meir if you continue this way I will
>have no option but delete all of your
>postings.
Nice tactic. Is one of your personalities a member of the Gestapo?
meir lichter = melechter = molester
very clever NOT
This is from another post on this blog:
Anonymous said...
Meir,
You sure have a lot of emotions for Vicki Polin. It's amazing that someone who has only read about her on line would respond the way you do?
I wonder if you are listed on The Awareness Center's page as an alleged or convicted offender
This is a blog about healing. It is vitally important for us not to "name call" in the comment section.
It's ok to discuss views, we all have them. But personal attacks are never ok.
Rabbi Zimmerman teaches students who are pursuing semicha. Neither Rabbi Zimmerman nor Ohr Somayach confer semicha. The students must go elsewhere for that.
Besides, Rabbi Zimmerman was not even teaching at Ohr Somayach until 6 years ago. Menken was long gone by that point.
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It's really curious to see me listed as someone out to get the Awareness Center.
I think the Awareness Center could use some halachically grounded leadership.
I also think Vicki Polin needs to step down.
Spent way too much time here.
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