United Press International on Tendler

'Messiah' gave sex therapy sessions
United Press International - December 25, 2005

SPRING VALLEY, N.Y., Dec. 25 (UPI) -- A New York rabbi allegedly seduced a member of his congregation by claiming to be the messiah and offering her sex therapy.
The woman filed suit against Rabbi Mordecai Tendler of Rockland County last week, accusing him of deceiving and violating her, the New York Post reported.

(Survivors Name Removed) , 43, said Tendler was acting as a counselor and spiritual authority but went "beyond all bounds of civility and decency." Tendler's attorney called the charges "utterly false."

Attorney Martin Stewart Frankel said Tendler's congregation at Kehillat New Hempstead "knew or should have known" what was going on in the sexual therapy sessions he offered.

(Survivors Name Removed) said Tendler threatened to have her "placed in a straitjacket" and banned from the congregation if she told anyone about their sessions.

For more information on the Mordecai Tendler case go to:
http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/tendler_mordecai.html