Case of Rabbi Mordecai Tendler - Update: From The Committee for Rabbinic Integrity

Sunday, January 01, 2006
IN LIGHT OF TENDLER'S HUNKERING DOWN INSTEAD OF STEPPING DOWN SEE STAGE 2 -- UNMASKING THE TENDLER FACADE

(In order of Hebrew Signatures)

• Rabbi Moshe Green - Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivah D'Monsey

• Rabbi Yisroel Hager - Son of the Grand Rabbi of Vishnitz

• Rabbi Chaim Halberstam - Rav, K'hal Yoel Moshe, Satmar, Monsey

• Rabbi Chaim Shraga Feival Shnaybalgl - Rav, K'hal Avreichim, Monsey

• Rabbi Chaim Leibish Halevi Rottenberg - Rav, K'hal Netzach Yisroel, Monsey

• Rabbi Sharaga Feivel Halevi Zimmerman - Rav, K'hal Bney Ashkenaz, Monsey

• Rabbi Mordechai Ohrbach - Rav, K'hal Forshay, Monsey

Unmasking the Tendler Façade:

The Detailed Chronicle

The last Mishnah in Sotah states that in the End of Days, “HaEmes Tehai Ne’ederes” revealing that, “the truth will be absent.” According to some Sages, at that time “emes” itself will be,“ne’edar, ne’edar” – “grouped” as taken from the root word "ne’ederes" where both sides will lay claim to the emes causing it to be unfortunately for us to be lost somewhere in the middle.

As Torah Jews, we have a responsibility to discern emes in whatever we do especially regarding this unfortunate but vital communal issue that stands before our community. Now that the fanfare and standing ovations have virtually subsided, herein is an attempt to appeal to the intellect of the reader that exposes:


“THE PATHOLOGICAL LIAR THAT IS MORDECHAI TENDLER”

The so-called “open” meeting that took place several months ago blinded many uninformed people that walked away believing Mordecai Tendler, even though he did not offer an equitable forum for any of his complainants to speak publicly. Despite erecting his own extremely biased one-sided forum that has been called the “Tendler Defense Fest”, the only defenders he was able to muster on his behalf from the entire tri-state community of the Orthodox Rabbinate, even with his decades of “communal service” and interaction with countless rabbis near and far, was no more than five.

Moreover, with a single exception, they were all family relatives. Even more perplexing, outside of his own congregation, there was just one lone defender from the greater Monsey community. One would imagine Tendler should be able to present at least two or more, surmising that over the course of decades he would have typically developed many deep roots and relationships with other rabbanim in Monsey. Despite the infinite number of rabbis in greater Monsey, only his father singularly came forward on his behalf.

Tendler vs. Tendler:

1) Mordecai Tendler was publicly only willing to acknowledge his own fictitious number of 3 women accusers, as opposed to the truer account that 9 women had testified to the RCA regarding sexual harassment, abuse and or physical contact. His is a clear distortion of information since, in fact, many more women came forward than he will even admit to. In reality, as of this writing, one may add to his “3” an additional 10, totaling at least 13 women that currently claim sexual abuse, sexual harassment, having all been propositioned, touched and or pressured into illicit sex, most of whom having had the capacity to refuse him. For the vast majority of attendees who were uninformed of the endless details of this case, he cleverly used the number 3 to mislead us into believing that over the decades of positioning himself as leading the charge for agunos, it was reasonable to expect “three” women to be possibly “crazy” or “outright liars.” He could not admit to the more accurate number of his victims, despite being fully cognizant, better than anyone, of the greater number of his accusers. Please realize that there are not only female victims, but that whole families have been irreversibly victimized by him on so many horrifying levels until this day that now even rabbinic families, continue to suffer at the hand of his heartless ways. One should understand that Tendler literally set up shop with clever, patient, and calculated planning long ago by maneuvering himself into a position of authority and respect that would enable him to ultimately discharge and fulfill his most demented and base physical desires - consciously preying upon despondent, vulnerable and depressed women through his egregious abuse of power, as one will begin to digest by reading further with patient review.

2) Tendler stated publicly that two Monsey Batei Dinim had separately “exonerated him” and explicitly identified one of them as “Vishnitzer.” Here is a leading example of just one of his countless unashamed perfidious public lies. If these were truths, he could have easily presented the documentation put forward from the two Batei Dinim that absolved him, as he claims. He says that he was called in front of two separate Batei Dinim to answer charges and was exonerated by a total of 15 Monsey rabbis. Is this true or false?

Both Batei Dinim emphatically deny any vindications whatsoever and have now publicly come forward to convey precisely that in this all important joint statement attached. In fact, a few years ago, one of these Monsey Batei Dinim, to whom Tendler refers, amounted to just under a minyan of rabbis that, at the time, meticulously investigated him and met with him face to face in order to question him about the voluminous number of allegations brought against him. Both the Vishnitz Bais Din, led by Harav Hager, and the aforementioned Monsey Bais Din now jointly and very publicly respond, not only to negate his contemptible lie that these authentic Batei Dinim (as Tendler himself calls them) exonerated him, but additionally to his plethora of overt, documented lies as witnessed by these many Rabbanim and recorded within the minutes of that Din. Please see the enclosed translation of the Rabbinic Kol-Koray--proclamation and list of prominent Monsey rabbis who signed on to this Din and who will verify the bold faced lies that Tendler stated in front of them. It can now be said that these courageous rabbanim have responded openly in writing to inform the tzibbor of the level of his malevolence and immorality as noted in their lucid public statement of reproach warning everyone to avoid any and all contact with him. They have expressed their true opinion of this man in order to remove all doubt from anyone’s mind of his guilt. Tendler’s claim to them was that Harav Hager and another 15 rabbis already investigated himand exonerated him. Now see the Rabbinic Kol-Korah--Proclamation below that Harav Hager wrote and signed among many other rabbanim saying that he and the others, in fact, never exonerated Tendler for anything and that Mordy documented a decisive falsehood to both the RCA and the Jerusalem Bais Din not to mention his public lies that all can now plainly see! Tendler thus caused this Bais Din to call for the RCA to appear based on purely false pretenses. Please ignore any future claim that they were some other Batei Dinim to which he was referring since these two are precisely the ones that he claims cleared him.

Tendler is sternly forewarned to neither smear nor malign nor threaten with harm any one of these courageous beloved rabbanim and mechanchim and their associates or the most compromising evidence including DNA and audio conversations between him and his victims will be released here and elsewhere to the general tzibbor for all to hear how low this man stoops for self-gratification.

3) Tendler publicly claims that the RCA did not contact him directly nor did he ever meet with them, nor was he ever requested to meet with anyone from the RCA. These are all lies. Unless you genuinely believe that the entire board of the RCA is lying instead of Tendler, please see their somewhat more detailed second and third statements on their website chiefly written in response to his widely publicized incessant lies and accusations. The RCA emphatically states that many attempts were made to contact him, allowing him the opportunity to meet with the RCA and to even face his accusers. He was told from the beginning that the RCA was conducting an internal investigation of Tendler and never claimed at any time to be conducting it under the format of a Bais Din but a body that follows the laws of a Bais Din precisely. According to clear halacha, the RCA has a legitimate right to expel any member for due cause without any need whatsoever for a Bais Din (please see the t’shuva summary enclosed). It took them nearly a year and a half (hardly a Salem witch trial as one of his relatives portrayed it) to come to their conclusion to expel him earlier this year on March 16, 2005 since he had,
“engaged in conduct inappropriate for an Orthodox rabbi.”

Through his plethora of recurring lies and obfuscating of truth, Tendler may have successfully cast some doubts about the RCA thus causing some to lose their objectivity regarding this honest, impartial and upright body of Rabbis. It should be made clear that the RCA is simply a group of Tendler’s own peers, one that he himself chose to be a member of for years and would still be today, if he had not been thrown out. The same body of rabbis that as of this writing Tendler’s own father still retains membership. It is equally important to understand that the RCA does not take this type of investigation into rabbinic misconduct lightly. During the RCA’s 70-year long history, with a current membership greater than 1000 rabbis, they have ejected just two members and only one of them publicly. Care to guess whom?

And yet, despite all of this, Tendler wishes us to believe that the RCA board of rabbis are all lying, a Bais Din comprising nearly a minyan of Monsey rabbis are all lying the findings of which were relied on by the RCA and before whom Tendler publicly admitted having appeared, not to mention his many accusers that include a wide assortment of very different accounts, are all lying as are their many valiant and courageous advocates, respected members of the community. He would have us believe that everyone around him is deviously scheming because they are all against him and that all of these many diverse groupings of Orthodox Jews are uniformly lying. All, that is, except for him. He purports and desperately depends on us to believe his countless barefaced lies as truth and that only he is the sole bearer of emes throughout the Orthodox Jewish world.

For the longest time, even years before the RCA became involved, Tendler had to occasionally fend off an assortment of allegations against him, claiming they were orchestrated by the Charedi community, who were “out to get him” since he was the only remaining defender of “Modern Orthodoxy” in Monsey. So what is his current argument when the largest, most influential organization representing “Modern Orthodoxy” today, the RCA, throws him out? He claims that they do not properly follow halachah, and have various self serving motivations. Is there is a single case anywhere else in the entire U.S. where there are such diverse groupings of Orthodox Jews including even “modern” that are all simply, “out to get them”?

4) Mr. Schwartz, a relatively new member of the community who all but instantly became the shul’s new attorney (who had recently stepped down as his lawyer----where have all his ex-attorneys gone?) attempted to publicly discredit a report from the investigator. This investigator recorded many references to tapes that in fact do exist and have been heard repeatedly by many rabbanim and who have seen equally explicit evidence such as Tendler’s DNA extraction subsequently matched and verified beyond any doubt. Schwartz had the unmitigated chutzpah to demand to know why this evidence was not made available to them. Is it remotely possible to understand that much of the evidence clearly condemning Tendler is at the same time extremely personal, private and strictly confidential as well as inappropriate for public consumption? Also, these women have indeed been threatened numerous times in various ways by Tendler and his ever altering henchmen to the point that they fear their lives would once more be dragged through the mud and further destroyed by these people, as many have to date. They are in a very delicate state of recovery which may take years if ever (B’ezrat Hashem).

Reflect, if only for a moment, on all the upstanding members of the Jewish community whom without hesitation or a moment’s thought have been publicly continually humiliated, smeared, slandered and lied about. His supporters have been on a mission to do everything and anything to save the perpetrator by destroying the messengers. Is it not reasonable to understand that these women do not feel safe to make such proof public? To bring it to the shul board (which changed dramatically soon after the defense festival) would neither have been wise nor safe since this very shul ostracized their own shul and community members who came forward in defense of these women. Many of whom were summarily treated as literal outcasts and persona-non-gratis status when they bravely and appropriately came forward then suddenly and wholly isolated under Tendler’s imperious directive. For many of them, their once close friends from shul andother members would not even glance at them nor talk to them, let alone dare support them in their time of need. And somehow people cannot fathom why these abused, anguished, and tormented women are not coming forward publicly to be heard from? Many of these women feel they owe nothing to the members of the shul who themselves abandoned them in their time of crisis. However, some of these women have felt safe enough to share this evidence with local rabbis and the RCA, as well as other defenders of the truth. While Tendler hopes there are no audio tapes or other solid proof of his explicit sexual exploits with women, such as DNA, prominent Rabbis in our community (see above) will openly tell you they have heard with their ears and have seen with their eyes overwhelming and truly nauseating proof of his inappropriate behavior.

The fact is that leading New York Rabbanim have accepted evidence in the forum of a formal Bais Din receiving testimony from halachically competent witnesses (eidim k’shairim) and theirtestimony that included corroborating forensic evidence proving unequivocally that Mordy Tendler had very direct immoral relations with a Jewish woman who was not his wife. For reasons of confidentiality, this DNA evidence will be kept out of public view, for now, as long as it is necessary to protect her and her family.

In addition, a large group of prominent Rabbis sitting in a public forum dealing with tzniyus issues in Rav Breslauer’s Bais Medrash, listened to audio taped conversations of him pursuing another married woman for sexual favors. Their apprehension to release this unambiguous evidence and Bais Din maskanah--conclusion is, again, chiefly due to the confidentiality the women have entrusted in these foremost rabbis. If released publicly, the abundant clear and damaging information would simply serve to compound the current chillul Hashem and would destroy any remaining reputation Tendler has left. It is resolutely in the hands of serious Rabbanim who will admit to having seen and heard this evidence when asked. On the other hand, Tendler and his minions care nothing for these women’s privacy.


In response to a question asked repeatedly regarding individual monetary settlements with women, Tendler claimed that there were no settlements or payoffs with accuser (name deleted). In a third response to the general question of payoffs, Tendler finally leaned into the microphone and categorically denied any settlements by claiming, “There were no settlements, whatsoever.” There are many shul members who know this to be an outand- out lie since the board had in the past met with Tendler who admitted to them about a very large payoff based on a potential “nuisance case.” There is a handwritten letter in our possession signed by Michelle Tendler (sent to threaten some of the advocates) claiming that the DA recommended to settle the case. Some on the receiving end who saw the actual checks and others on his shul board all confirmed separately that the settlement approached $100,000 or more – a sum that does not accurately reflect a potential “nuisance suit.” Many know this to be another in a series of bold-faced Tendler lies. By altogether denying there ever was such a case, Tendler hopes to avoid having to release the “gag” order on this woman. Thus he is stuck having to deny there is even a settlement so that the compelling evidence from that settlement will not be made public which includes many tapes and other unambiguous proof, which is why he was forced into such an unusually large settlement in this particular situation.

Tendler stated went on and on in some detail (lying the entire time) that he never writes checks himself and therefore does not possess the records so we should “go ask the shul President Eric…who writes out every check himself and maintains the bookkeeping records and checkbooks, he can verify for anyone that no such checks were ever written.” Eric, by the way, retired as president within weeks of the Tendler Fest. Despite this magnanimous offer and denial that such checks were written, there is evidence of shul checks written out in Tendler’s own hand written to a separate impoverished woman whom he abused and even threw out from the shul months prior to writing those checks to her by his own hand. From the time Tendler claimed that he no longer had anything to do with her, he subsequently and periodically paid her hush money. She held some of these checks in case they were ever needed as proof. She has filed her law suit and holds this evidence. The lies continue where, on the one hand, he expects us to believe that there were no monetary settlements to silence his accusers and on the other hand, he never writes out checks himself. Perhaps the board and others should ask ex-President Eric to make public all the records in this matter in both the shul checking fund as well as the existence of Tendler’s Discretionary Fund account, the account he conveniently neglected to mention in response to that question, that prove his twice over lie. Finally, how many other rabbis write out large checks or even small ones as settlements or hush money to women, anywhere, and then have to both publicly and privately deny ever having done it?


We challenge Tendler’s current shul board: Give your rabbi an ultimatum. Either he can sign the enclosed stipulation form to release only one woman (deleted name... the board knows) from any alleged settlement and related gag order as well as releasing his ex-lawyers as it relates to these matters only, or he is fired. If he is completely innocent, as he claims, then he has nothing to hide and will willingly sign the below "stipulation of release" document. We challenge the reader to name one other rabbi who would not!

5) When asked why he believes that so many people are out to get him, Tendler responded with, “Sitting on Din Torahs has created all this animosity towards me.” He was similarly asked, “Why he believes so many rabbis are against him?” He pondered aloud with, “I have many theories which I won’t make public right now.” Not one of the other rabbis that sit on the very same Bais Din as Mordy Tendler, needs to even consider making such false and bizarre responses since no one is apparently out to get any of them, i.e. Rabbi Chaitovski, Rabbi Zvi Jacobs, etc, etc.

As a matter of fact, there are no other rabbis on the numerous Batei Dinim anywhere else in the world that would be asked such a question, let alone put forward these lamest of all excuses. His extremely pathetic and illogical responses make little sense other than he had nothing better to put forward. How many thousands of beloved rabbanim continue to sit on Batei Dinim worldwide, presiding over the precise kind and variety of cases Tendler has presided over without any claims against them of sexual harassment, abuse, lies and settlements? Who else needs to answer this line of questioning?

6) Tendler claims that after the RCA received the report from the investigator, he did not subsequently tamper with any witnesses. In fact, the RCA was taken aback and extremely disturbed upon discovering that he had tampered with two witnesses during the course of their investigation. Though the RCA candidly admits to naively sharing some confidential information with him (after tremendous pressure from his attorneys), the understanding was clear that he could not contact any of the women or witnesses named in the report. One was a victim who Tendler threatened to have her arrested, straightjacketed and thrown into the penitentiary if she released any of her information she had on him (she has filed a lawsuit against both him and the congregation where she was terribly harrassed and abused by several members).

The second was an RCA witness, a cleaning lady who saw with her own eyes evidence of what transpired. It is the cleaning women that often witness what is undeniably happening in the home. These two witnesses had thus been tampered with -- something Tendler claims to have never done -- continuing to pile up his lies. Furthermore, remember his claim at the public defense festival that the only time he was ever contacted by the RCA was at the same moment the rest of us were which was on March 15, 2005? One can see from the same letter written by Michelle Tendler where she writes to the RCA 1) about the March 9th letter they received from the RCA apparently before everyone else & 2) mentioning “…and your (obviously prior) request for yet another meeting and investigation …!

7) Tendler had the unmitigated gall to advance his lies by using the world renown and most highly respected name of the Gadol Hador Harav Elyashuv, Shlita, claiming publicly verbatim:

“Harav Elyashuv cleared me completely through his talmid, Rav Eisenstein, who wrote a “psak halacha” that I am innocent.”

The fact is there can be no correlation between a “psak halacha” and the determination of someone’s innocence since even a Bais Din can only rule if someone is "not guilty" but can never attest to their complete innocence since not even a dayan (judge) can know for certain if someone is completely “innocent.” So this statement is false to start with, and he runs a bais din?? Hashem, help us.

Additionally, this publicly stated lie has been wholly exposed from direct contact with HaRav Elyashuv’s good offices, as they have denied ever being asked such a shaila – question. At no time did Tendler or anyone claiming to represent Tendler, including Rav Eisenstein ever ask Rav Elyashuv or those who work closely with him such as Rav Efrati who oversees the Rav’s office or others such as his grandson that are close to the Rav, anything regarding this communal question that looms before us today. What utter disregard and arrogance to drag a Gadol Hador into his massive web of lies!

After the nine rabbanim in Monsey met with both Tendler and his father separately about three years ago, as mentioned earlier, they contacted HaRav Elyashuv for advice on how to proceed with their knowledge of the many accusations against him, having met with many of his female accusers in addition to documenting his pathological lies and careless psaks with all of their incongruities. The Gadol Hador counseled them not to come out publicly at that time since Tendler would ultimately bring himself down by his sexual misconduct about which the community will only then be willing to act upon, as it becomes known. He warned the rabbanim that the community would be less than willing to take action against the erroneous halachic rulings of Tendler’s bais din, his contradictions in psak halacha, even with his having been caught red-handed in his fraudulent responses to the hard questions asked by the same Monsey Bais Din. In hindsight, the advice of the Gadol Hador was, as usual, unquestionably correct.

Here is just a minor sampling of the very informative minutes of the halachic decision of the Bais Din that openly demonstrates Tendler’s willingness to lie as easily as a normal person speaks the truth. In one line of questioning he completely denied his involvement on his own Bais Din that simply rendered null and void a valid ketubah and marriage which he claimed he does not do. When caught red-handed with documentation of such a psak from his own Bais Din with his signature on his own stationery that proved he was lying, his first reaction was to deny that it was his signature and then soon recanted. Any of the rabbanim that were there (see enclosed list) will attest to this…! Tendler then claimed that the reason he can be mafkia (invalidate) kiddushin (he has done many) is that he was just following what he learned from Reb Moshe Feinstein, Ztz”l. Having grown up in his house, he claims to have witnessed Reb Moshe undo thousands of ketubos! He claims that Reb Moshe undid thousands of non-religious marriages and hundreds of religious kiddushin. Later, these same rabbanim interviewed his father, Moshe Tendler and one of Reb Moshe’s dedicated students, who both testified. They separately confirmed that Reb Moshe Feinstein reversed one ketubah and perhaps one more that they remember having heard about, totaling perhaps 2, at most, over his entire life. When the rabbanim showed him the above documented statements by his own son’s contrary claims, Moshe Tendler simply lowered his head shaking it in shame while sighing.

In a similar attempt by other disconcerted members of the community seeking gadol hador advice, in late summer 2004, the Gadol Hador Rav Chayim Kanievsky Shlita was approached about the Tendler dilemma. He directed the shaila to Rav Shteinman, who was more qualified in these issues who was inspired to advise; “He should not be publicly embarrassed until the investigation is complete.” Subsequent to the RCA’s March 2005 expulsion of Tendler, Rav Chayim was again approached and he responded in Yiddish with, “What do you want me to do—it is the Monsey Rabbis’ responsibility!”

The Monsey rabbis have now loudly, publicly responded in kind.

8) Tendler had others say for him that the RCA’s statement is “null and void” and that Tendler is “innocent.” How can any individual or any other organization nullify a statement of banishment from a different organization? These public statements did not result in his reinstatement as a member of the RCA despite Tendler’s bogus claims that they were imminently going to. Moreover, most of his supporters at this meeting have little knowledge of the case. Considering their scant knowledge, their decision to carry him was carelessly decided to say the least. His supporters have not, nor do they claim to have, conducted their own investigation, having never met with the complainants. They made few if any half-hearted attempts to contact either the RCA or the rabbis in Monsey or the complainants whom are aware oftentimes first hand of his pathological behavior and sexual misconduct. This includes Rav Dovid Feinstein, the only relative of notoriety that spoke ever so briefly on his behalf who made one phone call to the RCA before making such careless statements of support. When later asked why he publicly defended him, he was quoted as saying something along these lines, “True that his halachic psaks are flawed, but we know that about him. I just can’t believe the additional claims of sexual abuse, I just don’t believe him to be that, too.” With all due respect, and putting aside the question if he is at all nogaya b’davar--tainted as a defender since he is a relative, Rabbi Feinstein did not speak to any of the Rabbanim in Monsey who investigated Tendler, nor did he speak to any of his many female accusers of sexual harassment before he stood before the tzibbor in Tendler’s defense. In other words, without first thoroughly researching the matter as is typically expected for a Rav to do before taking such a public stand concerning a vital communal matter such as this, he stood up to defend his relative. His main stated assertion was that the RCA’s ruling was not worth anything. To the contrary, it was an ejection notice that clearly served its purpose and for the very first time alerted the tzibbor what some rabbanim have concluded about him after the RCA’s near one and a half - year long investigation - an investigation the likes of which some obviously believe was and is a monumental waste of time. Even this highly respected Rav was naively manipulated by the Tendlers. His brother, on the other hand, HaRav Reuven Feinstein, was conspicuously absent.

On the grandest of scales, we have literally seen with our eyes the ongoing attempts by Tendler and his remaining supporters to drag so many good, upstanding, and genuinely honorable leaders and members of the community down with him. He began this process at the Tendler Defense Festival and its vicious ugliness continues. It can be said he is many things, but among them there is no indication that he is behaving as either a communal rav or Torah leader. Why is this so difficult to comprehend? Or is it that Emes is so deeply hidden and hard to recognize today? We can thank the likes of Tendlerites for their contribution infurther cloaking emes behind a thick dark cloud.

Are there any other rabbanim in Monsey or anywhere else for that matter where there are numerous remotely comparable claims being made about them, from a wide continuum of sources, where they find it necessary to respond with such venom, pointing fingers at their accusers and desperately trying to distort their claims through a variety of public outlets (newspapers, new and anonymous internet sites, etc. --please do not think ours is--you can see the signatures of the Rabbanim who represent all of us). Did any other rabbi pay such a large sum in the vicinity of $100,000 to a woman in order to silence her claims of abuse? Has it ever been necessary for any other single rabbi to erect and re-erect a series of powerful public relations defense teams and attorneys that with lies and deception only serve to vilify the accusers and advocates regardless of who they are by either threatening them into silence or severely maligning them publicly with underhanded character assassination tantamount to libel? To discourage others and divert our attention away from himself, he even uses his slander machine to drag defenseless, ill children and their parents through the Jewish tabloids. The parallels to the historic libels against the Orthodox Jews of Eastern Europe are stunning. We have never seen anything on this level except perhaps during the Haskalah Movement that also involved mosrim – people who gave over false information to the public authorities (in this case the health department, tabloid newspapers, the internet, etc.) to bring about potential loss of licenses, reputation and thus incomes. While his current defenders of “enlightened” Jews are publicly maligning a broad spectrum of rabbanim and true Torah Scholars, in the process they are violating basic Torah law by fostering steadily growing and irreversible public chillul Hashem that could have immediately ceased, at any time, if he would merely step down or be relieved of his position. How many of us naively believed that for the good of the community in which we all live, he would have stepped down at his public defense meeting, but deep down knew he would never even consider it if only for sake of the community. Just as we survived (barely) the so-called Enlightenment Movement, we will survive him and his ilk as long as we stick together as one Kehilah of Monsey, and never, ever consider any of his lies to be remotely true. Tendler undoubtedly prides himself on his inexhaustible efforts to distort all emes and with his abhorrent process successfully manipulating public opinion toward his side, like no one before him. Does any of the editorial staff of the two so-called “Jewish newspapers” owe Tendler any “large favors” which Tendler handily called in by having these two newspapers let him and his spin doctors that include his father and others, writing virtually unedited, biased and misleading articles, consistently commandeering the editorial page for months at a time? The RCA had correctly relinquished the single opportunity granted them to write their own version since the so-called “Jewish” Press rescinded their promise to allow it to be unedited. And yet, they continuously provide Tendler with an ongoing unedited forum for his lies. It is pointless to speculate as to the nature of the favors owed, but there is only speculation (therefore we will not comment further) that the corruption runs very deep indeed – and we may never know the complete truth. There are always political favors that powerful people grant each other often to the detriment of the very community they supposedly represent. One can never comprehend the true motivation of others. There is no logic in insanity, but there often are defined goals. As believing Jews, we know that in the end, more often than not, deep corruption and plain evil is sooner or later exposed as the emes is ultimately revealed. In their self-achieved often imposed positions of power, rishaim can temporarily succeed to out maneuver rabbanim by presenting lies and manipulative distortions to spin and confuse the general public. Tendler has little choice but to persist in pushing his mountain of lies that he disperses mainly through two so-called “Jewish” newspapers or more accurately, sensationalist tabloids, and (in the recent past) on the internet, the validity of which these two forums speak for themselves. He endeavors to outsmart, even pre-empt rabbanim and others by repeatedly mischaracterizing them in a variety of ways to the general tzibbur in order to win over public perception of himself. For example, even though the RCA did not have to, out of respect for a Jerusalem court, even as they halachicly correctly rejected their jurisdiction over the matter, the RCA formally responded to them and agreed to relocate the Din to the most highly respected Monsey Bais Din, M’chon L’hora in Spring Valley as is within their halachic rights (see Harav Wosner’s t’shuvah above in this regard where there is no need for a Bais Din whatsoever to eject a member). Tendler then never responded to this halachicly acceptable request but instead the Jerusalem Beit Din held a private hearing with only Tendler present to say the RCA was in violation of not appearing. The newspapers would have you thus believe that the RCA has in fact ignored the rabbanut Beit Din in Jerusalem altogether. That is because Tendler never planned to pursue his requested Din anywhere outside of Israel as the newspapers have already publicized. When the papers initially admitted that a “Zabla” was requested, the outlandish reason they gave for it being unacceptable was that the M’chon L’horah Bais Din is against Tendler. That is one of the most ridiculous claims yet since there is no such thing. A “Zabla” is where each party gets to pick their own Rav to represent them. The third Rav is mutually chosen by those two Rabbanim. This makes it impossible for this Bais Din to be against Tendler yet that is his claim since he never plans to show up and has no other out except to get others to lie by falsely claiming the RCA is in violation of not responding to the Jerusalem’s Bais Din. Why go to Israel for a Din to be determined in the first place? It is simple: 1) All the witnesses are in America and 2) to ultimately be able to lie that he has been exonerated by them, which he has already done, a claim that will be difficult for individuals to disprove. It is astounding how everything he says -- a proven liar -- is believed at face value to be true, but what others say about him is doubted (for the answer to that, please see the very first paragraph of The Detailed
Chronicle).

We will soon be adding a translation of statements from several different Batei Dinim that uniformly verify for all (uninformed of the laws of Batei Dinim) to clearly understand that Mordy Tendler's Jerusalem rabbanut Bais Din has no jurisdiction whatsoever.

One final comment regarding the one or two so-called “Jewish” newspapers who have revealed their overt biases and lies in an endeavor to support and prop up Tendler: The question as to how can they do this if he is guilty of such terrible things as outlined here? This can be answered simply by recalling how very early on the “Jewish” Press blasted the other “more secular” newspapers for their so-called past derision of orthodox rabbis. Only a few short months later, the very same “Jewish newspaper” was caught doing what they claim others have done, but this time in a public unparalleled libelous manner, not just once or twice (as rarely as the secular newspapers reported it), but week after week, month after month. The only real shame here rests with Tendler and his few remaining support outlets. We have all seen or heard of a very recent article from one so-called “Jewish” newspaper that shamelessly maligned the elderly tzaddik and widely respected Rav Gedalia Schwartz from Chicago. Those retaining the unambiguous facts (DNA evidence and tapes) recognized all along that the “Jewish” newspapers have incessantly lied easily identifying how shrewdly they served those lies between two truths so that they may be believed. We have this year cancelled our subscriptions to the Jewish “Mess” for this reason and hope every reader will do likewise until and unless they recant every single lie after lie, line by line, including all scurrilous statements of defamation and slander made against so many fine rabbanim. The way Hashem’s world usually works is, in the end, the same forum rishaim use for their rishus--wickedness, is the same platform used in their self destruction. He used the so-called “Jewish” newspapers, to malign so many, so it may very well be the newspapers and other media that tear him down as well (midah k’neged midah).

9) Regarding Tendler’s claims as to the so-called “investigation” Rabbi Greenwald conducted that purportedly vindicated Tendler: Rabbi Greenwald met several women, but they were mostly advocates, not accusers – having only met with one accuser. In the process of questioning Tendler about the many accusations, Tendler became aware of some of his accusers names revealed to him by Rabbi Greenwald. Subsequent to that meeting, each of these women was summarily threatened. Several advocates of the women were then threatened into silence on behalf of Tendler stating, “Only if you back off, will Tendler back off of you.”and many other such threats and worse.In terms of Rabbi Greenwald’s “investigation,” his meeting with this one group of women did not comprise a true investigation – in no way did it resemble one. He had a conversation with some people that Tendler at the defense festival called, an “investigation.” There was never an attempt to contact the vast majority of accusers or their advocates. Apparently only the RCA and many prominent Monsey Rabbanim are the only ones who can not conduct a competent investigation. Even Rabbi Greenwald openly says, "I never exonerated him."

10) Tendler produced some supporters who hollered publicly that the whole RCA investigation was based on phone interviews by “a goy from Texas.” However, the women were previously interviewed mostly in person when the case was originally brought before the RCA. Following that, they were re-interviewed by the more than qualified abuse investigator. After the final report was received from this investigator, the RCA determined to move forward in its investigation. They contacted some of the accusers again, in order to interview them a third time. Some of the women received letters from the RCA requesting them to come in for interviews, stating that Tendler would be there with his lawyer and that they were welcome to bring their own lawyers. Eventually, the interviews occurred with these women in a local Monsey shul, with the rabbi of that shul present, while Tendler refused to show up and cooperate. All told, these women were interviewed by rabbis, psychologists, and yes, believe it or not, even a non-Jewish investigator from the state of Texas.

11) Mordy Tendler publicly stated that he never met with women alone. It is intriguing that a woman in the audience at the same Defense Festival stood up and said that she had met “alone” with Tendler many times, and that he was never once inappropriate with her. Yet, at this very same meeting Tendler earlier stated that he never meets with women alone! Most members of his own congregation and others plainly recognize this to be another blatant lie that requires no proof whatsoever, many having witnessed him on innumerable occasions secluded with women. He has been seen often by countless individuals over the many years meeting with women alone behind closed, even locked doors. What does one do with his recent public lies to the contrary?

12) In an answer to one question, Tendler stated he would not release any of his many ex-lawyers from attorney-client privilege. Why not?? Perhaps because they have vital information that would obviously incriminate Tendler. Why did one of his lawyers abruptly resign as his lawyer only three months after first becoming his lawyer? Most normal people have a consistent lawyer for years. Upon his resignation on October 20th, 2003, as lawyer representing both Tendler and Kehilat New Hempstead, Brad instantaneously left the shul and accepted the very first offer to buy his house in order to speedily move out of the neighborhood. We understand that privately one of his lawyers wishes he would be released therebyhim to bury Tendler (his formerly trusted rabbi and client) with the evidence that he cannot make public due to client attorney privilege. Why the need for Tendler to have lawyer after lawyer to begin with?

13) Tendler claims he never threatened any ex-husbands or anyone else for that matter. This is another terrible lie. There are several witnesses, including one exhusband who openly claims that Tendler used intense pressure on this man’s boss repeatedly to have him fired from his job--thus losing critical parnasah for his family unless he and his ex-wife stopped talking about him and withdrew their claims of sexual harassment.

No, never any threats. Then, only minutes later at the Tendler Fest itself, Rabbi Esformes stood in front of the congregation, screaming about pain and chillul Hashem. It is Tendler’s behavior that is the sole source of chillul Hashem. Rabbi Esformes threatened to sue anyone in the congregation that tries to fire the “rav.” We were hoping for a little constructive emes to occur at this meeting. Instead, one of the original founders of Kehilat New Hempstead (KNH) threatened to repossess the building if anyone even hinted to firing the Rav. Do these low lives believe that emes is arrived at and justice is meted out with money, power, and threats? This simply confirms the overt strong-arm tactics that could not even be concealed at the public forum that is the m.o. of the Tendler camp, as we have all seen ongoing.

14) One of the many accusers that Tendler publicly maligned at this same meeting included a decent and straightforward person named Batya Siegel, inferring that she herself was an abuser among many other things. It is to the contrary simply this. Tendler is the only one involved in abuse by abusing his position of power attempting to manipulate and control her with mental abuse, using her Get process as a tool for his sexual gratification. She was sexually harassed by him many times, but she was able to bravely defer his sexual advances – postponing them with a regular verbal delay of, “let’s talk after the Get is signed.” Immediately following the signing of her Get, all during which Tendler had been lurking in the shadows, she abruptly left the proceedings as he chivvied after her, pursuing her promise she had made “to discuss it after the get was signed.” Having been completely demoralized and reeling from a dearth of spiritual, monetary, even moral support, Batya had not received even a modicum of support from hence it should have come, namely, her rabbi – Tendler. Rather, Tendler’s role was the complete opposite as he was a major contributing force in her misfortune. All of his abusive actions occurred during the precise period when she was at absolute lowest point in her life. So, the moment she turned to face her abuser one last time, she selected some choice words for him, deciding just then to give up her religious affiliation with Judaism because of him, as she says openly. Make no mistake. Batya Siegel dreadfully recalls from over thirteen years ago all the encounters with him as he gradually and subtly transformed from a trusted rabbi into her nemesis; that includes her final recollection of when and where her very last conversation with Tendler took place, immediately following her Get proceedings (while Mordy publicly claimed never having been there). For Mordy Tendler this is normal behavior, always seeking to take advantage of downtrodden, vulnerable, desperate women and their families, then later destroy anyone and everyone in his path reproaching him of it. Lending much credence to her account is the fact that she never claimed to have been abused by him sexually. She does not need to lie, nor does she stand to benefit by rehashing the most intimidating and desperate point in her life, so many years ago. She is a very strong-willed and bright person when you meet her. Outside of his sexual advances (Tendler proposed to bathe her, among other terrible suggestions), the only actual physical contact she says he had with her was when he rubbed her hand back and forth on the desk in his office, which took her aback, as did his concurrent heavy breathing.

15) Mordy Tendler’s warped mind continues to cause great chillul Hashem by widely slandering upstanding, humble Orthodox Jews whose involvement stems solely from their sheer dedication in defense of the abused. Here is just one example among many advocates that Tendler slandered. At this meeting, Tendler publicly broadcast to all his baseless accusations against one defender of the abused, Rabbi Dratch (member of the RCA), accusing him of either manipulating or, worse yet, fostering the entire RCA investigation in order to somehow benefit monetarily in the hope of creating a position for himself that would ultimately result in some notion of income. We all heard Tendler makes those highly inflammatory remarks that when one considers them for a mere moment, they literally smack of conspiratorial insanity. Anyone who has met and heard Rabbi Dratch speak knows that he is a true mentsch who cares very much about the vital issue of abuse whenever it arises, especially in the rabbinate. The complainants and their advocates originally contacted him and he handled their dire situation with extreme caring, sensitivity and confidentiality.

16) Mordy Tendler purported that there would be a “mass resignation from the RCA,” if he would “just give the word.” What narcissism and patent egotism, not to mention an overt falsehood. To begin with, where are all the rabbis in the RCA or elsewhere, for that matter, rushing to his defense? Even Rabbi Faskowitz (who recently resigned from the RCA in a two page letter to the “Jewish” Press) does not defend him but instead maligns the entire RCA. Faskowitz’s mother’s maiden name is Joffen just as Michelle Tendler’s maiden name is Joffen. That is because he is her first cousin! Here is another case of a relative standing up to support the Tendlers. You can’t make this stuff up even if you wanted to. From what we hear, the RCA is far from disappointed that he is gone and will not be allowed back in. He states in his resignation letter, “It is unimportant whether Tendler is guilty or innocent.” We believe that it is all important. Since Tendler has already pulled out all the stops as demonstrated by his never ceasing retaliatory actions publicly attempting to crush all his opponents, then why not “give the word” already? That’s because there is no word; for his word is worth nothing. Furthermore, Faskowitz may have resigned but what of Tendler’s very own father who continues on as a member of the RCA?!! At a bare minimum, why has his father not resigned as a statement of protestation? There is only one answer to that. It is called Shtika Kihoda’ah. By silently retaining his RCA member status, his father is by default communicating and revealing to us all his true belief of what his son is affirming the RCA’s just decision. When his son falls, which is inevitable, his father fears, having left the RCA, he may never be accepted back. His son’s claim of “mass resignation” could not even entice his own father!


Moreover, try to recall how many times we have heard that the RCA will imminently be reinstating Tendler. His abysmal lies continue despite his supporters futile attempts. Furthermore and beyond belief, in addition to being related to the Tendlers, it has been brought to our Committee for Rabbinic Integrity’s attention by the RCA that Faskowitz has a history of having previously stood up for an abuser (A..). Again, even the most imaginative writers in the world could not make this stuff up, folks!

17) Mordy Tendler claims he had no relationship with one of the victims and stated that he, “only gave her rides in his car years ago when she did not live in the community and perhaps only during snowstorms,” which is another lie. Many from the community have witnessed him meeting with this woman and giving her car rides many times in the not too distant past and in perfect weather. He claims that it is a flagrant lie that he met with her and gave her rides after he called the police on her and had her kicked out of the shul. The flagrant lies are all his. He was seen many times since then going into her apartment and riding in his car with her in the frontseat. Many have openly admitted seeing this with their own eyes. When later questionedwhat type of relationship he had with another RCA witness, he stated, " I haven’t the foggiest idea who she is, even though she and her family had been very regular and ongoing shul (KNH) members for many years.

18) Mr. Schwartz was sounding off about the RCA report that he formally requested, but had not received. He then stated only a few hours later at a subsequent meeting restricted only to shul members that he in fact received the entire RCA report from a so-called confidential source and to “take his word for it that it is full of lies, flaws, and inconsistencies and is therefore worthless.” He stated that there is no new evidence, there are no reliable witnesses, and the only evidence is this severely flawed report from a Texas investigator. The truth is that the RCA investigation continued for many months after this report from the investigator was concluded. Local rabbis have unambiguous evidence, having heard from many women, and of late, even new women and their families that previously were not heard from.

19) Old lawyer Schwartz mentioned an uncanny “consistency” in the sexual harassment charges claiming that it all started by one person who may have tainted the story and that the rest of the women were directed what to say. This is typical lawyer-ease and is a terrible, blatant lie that attempts to lump all his accusers together as a single testimony. The only common theme among the women’s stories is Tendler’s pattern of sexual abuse repeating itself over and over again. No woman has ever been instructed as to what to say. Each of them, just like the rest of us, has their own mind. They were asked only to speak the truth in their own words. The truth is that their experiences with him occurred under very different circumstances, while only the abuser’s behavior is consistent throughout (the Committee for Rabbinic Integrity has the complete confidential accounts of each woman’s hideous experiences with Mordy Tendler that are truly not for public consumption-yet).

20) Supporter at the time, ex-lawyer Schwartz said a terrible hatchet job was being executed on his rabbi. The real hatchet job is against these vulnerable, broken women and their families. This is the only place our sympathies should be. In truth, though, how many of us feel true empathy towards these abused women, who as victims naturally feel powerless. Meanwhile, the Tendler people use their money and by abusing their position of power, continue in their attempts to tear down, malign, and demolish so many good people, as you have seen that is ongoing, even as you read this.

21) Several prominent Torah scholars that were the veritable linchpins in Tendler’s shul, as far as their Torah knowledge and weekly shiurim they generously shared with the local community have already left the shul so as to no longer enable Tendler’s immoral behavior. It is because they trust the upstanding Rabbanim of the RCA and their decision to oust him for solid reasons.

Those remaining members of his shul must realize by now that they have been and still are a part of shul that has many outward appearances akin to a cult-like atmosphere where their “inspirational leader” can do no wrong. While it may be difficult for dedicated members to assess him objectively, given that he is still technically “rabbi,” how long will he continue to be viewed with rose-colored glasses despite the many evils he has committed throughout the years? Continuing to trash so many others, including many respected rabbanim, and his predisposition to lie privately, to rabbanim and in front of the tzibbor, it has become so obvious that it would be a joke if it were not so sad and devastating to all. A person truly innocent of all charges would not behave this way. They would conduct themselves in a humble, innocent manner, staying far away from any involvement in lies and chillul Hashem. Trashing the character of so many different people speaks volumes.

22) To date, the oldest “known” case of known abuse occurred fourteen years ago. But abuse of people comes in many forms. A congregation can also be abused and damaged over the duration of many years by its so-called leader and not realize while it is happening. Yet, even a 10 year old child has realized Tendler’s flagrant disregard for straightforward halacha. He learned in the Shulchan Aruch (please see Hilchos Tefilah 98,1 near the end that says:

“It is forbidden for a man to kiss children in shul in order to emphasize in one’s heart (to get used to the idea) that there is no love greater than our love for Hashem.” The inference being that, kal v’chomer-- even more so, it is forbidden for two adults to kiss each other in shul while davening is occuring which is why it was placed in the section of the Shulchan Aruch called Hilchos Tefila--the laws of praying. It is widely known and has been witnessed often that Tendler kisses the malecongregants in front of the Aron during davening, displaying public disregard for basichalacha, the poignant implication being that he carelessly rejects open halachas as it relatesto the basic Jewish ethics of Ahavas and Kavod L’Hashem --honor and love of Hashem that even a 10 year old child can understand!

It is locally known that Tendler has taught his kehilah many twisted things that endeavor to separate his kehilah from the rest of the Orthodox community:

He teaches, for example, that all other rabbis’ matzos are chometz, implying that thousands of rabbis are wrong and only he and a select few are right.

He also states that his shul is the only “Bais Hamikdash M’at” (a small replica of the temple). Long-time congregants who attended his classes will recall that several years ago Mordy Tendler gave a series of shiurim to prove from the Torah that his shul was the “only” Bais Hamikdash M’at. He expounded on that arrogant and absurd notion week after week, first claiming that it was the only one in the Town of New Hempstead, then in Monsey, then New York, then in America, then the world. How can his shul be the “only” anything? A stable, sane rabbi would tell you that there are many good shuls.

Hardly a shiur goes by where he does not shamelessly capitalize on the fact that Reb Moshe is “my grandfather” whom he misquotes continuously and uses as a contingency source to back his erroneous halachic interpretation. He has, in the past, also pretentiously maintained from his bully pulpit that his Eruv, “is the number one Eruv in the universe.” He must be from Mars to know that.

Using his wife and others to do his dirty work, Rosh Hashana a year ago, she asked a couple that purchased seats for the Yomim Tovim to leave the shul even before they had a chance to hear shofar blowing that morning for simply and responsibly warning a close friend who was then widowed to avoid meeting alone with Tendler. She and her husband could care less about fulfilling a D'oraiysah--Torah requirement to hear the shofar. There are so many more examples of this “charem--excommunication” concept that are exacted only in the shul where Mordy still officiates, usually by others he requests to do his dirty work.

He likewise continues to periodically pressure members who appropriately wish and have every right to leave the shul with incessant bullying through repetitive phone calls, letters, packets and strong-arming tactics in order to stop the spreading of this type of discussion among themembers. All of these are examples, and there are more, are symptomatic of a virtual cultlike atmosphere where the leader and those representing him try to separate its membersfrom the rest of the community (in our case the tzibbur), something strictly forbidden in Judaism since it is the very antithesis of achdus!

Those against him are summarily isolated and condemned; the more correct term perhaps being excommunicated. he has most likely excommunicated more individuals that all other New York Rabbonim combined!

Those of you who continue to show up and daven at the shul and pay membership are enabling him to continue in his ways. By continuing to attend the shul, you are supporting an abuser. By doing so, among several halachas one is violating is the vital Torah dictum of “Lifnei Iver, Lo Titain Michshol” – “Do not place a stumbling block in front of a blind person.” Every Friday night we proclaim, “Ohavai Hashem, Sin’u Rah” – Those who love Hashem, are to despise evil.” Are we proudly practicing those words or are we mindlessly mouthing them to Hashem?

23) Consider that Tendler’s ongoing actions only serve to compound his evil behavior that continues to destroy Jewish families that we are all responsible for, even outside our immediate community. The bare conclusion remains that he is a bonafide pathological liar, and perhaps even sociopath, also termed psychopath, possessing anti-social, antisocietal personality disorders. The definition of this disorder, from the Merck manual is:


“Persons with this personality disorder callously disregard the rights and feelings of others. They exploit others for materialistic gain or personal gratification. They act out their conflicts in impulsive and irresponsible ways, sometimes with hostility and serious violence. They tolerate frustration poorly. Often, they do not anticipate the negative consequences of their antisocial behaviors and typically do not feel remorse or guilt afterward. Many of them have a welldeveloped capacity for glibly rationalizing their behavior or for blaming it on others. Dishonesty and deceit permeate their relationships. Punishment rarely modifies their behavioror improves their judgment and foresight; it usually confirms and often reinforces their harshly unsentimental view of the world.”
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Keep in mind that sociopaths are commonly able to fool others over an extended time period - they often manipulate others into liking them, and are capable of acting in a very charming manner in order to impress others. They cause much harm to others over the years, and have even been known to temporarily fool medical personnel (nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, even rabbis and congregants) until they are ultimately caught in their inability to cease their own pathological behavior (multiple times on both tapes and from DNA extraction).

Tendler long ago lost an understanding of what we naturally recognize as right and wrong. The criminal mind is truly not a complicated one. When it affects others, i.e. married women, single women, families, etc., we must act without hesitation, without pity. The time for rachamim has passed long ago indeed. The Gedolim over the many generations forbid it, as per the timely and pertinent Torah T’shuvah--response that has collated their halachic opinions on this issue that can be requested in original Hebrew from any of the local Rabbanim (see the authorized summary outline and translation enclosed). The Great Sages of all past generations have spoken loudly in this teshuvah!

A final note:

As we are all B’nei Yisrael, we must be aligned on this imperative communal issue. Please join your most courageous and highly respected leaders, ex-members and fellow colleagues and friends that includes the five Rabbis who vacated the shul simultaneously last spring and others by abandoning this rashah as they have--as soon as this Shabbos. You have no chiyuv-obligation whatsoever to walk into a particular building according to any halacha except the genuine Bais Hamikdash when, B’mhaira B’yamainu, we will see its rebuilding—and even then approximately only three times a year.

Perhaps due to the passage of much time, many congregants with decades of real dedication to building and maintaining Kehilat New Hempstead Shul, some may have developed clouded judgment and should not trust their lack of objectivity that continues to overlook Tendler’s profound pathology. Actually, you, the congregants of KNH can add your names to the long list of his victims.

We empathize with your situation, rachmana l’tzlan, for you now have to search out your neshamas and face the shock and loss after spending so many years being this man’s devotees. You undoubtedly feel the shame and embarrassment in front of your own families that you have brought them to him for guidance, halachic advice and perhaps even counseling. We understand that you trusted him throughout a host of personal family issues. We will get the tzibbor to ignore his future lies he may attempt to reveal about you that he has done to others who have left. We are proving he is a liar beyond a shadow of a doubt, so fear not, and certainly do not fear Mordy! As we say every Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah--" Trust in Hashem, not in the son of men that can not save. Trust in Hashem not in "princes" (or people who think they are). Trust in Hashem (speaking through the chachamim captured over the generations by Harav Wosner's t'shuvah and the contemporary Rabbanim who have spoken and whom will speak to each of you one by one that is truly seeking emes asking a serious shaila-question: whether your decision to abandon him is the correct one.

You, like many others who have already left, also feel that you wasted years of your life following this disturbed man in spite of your better instincts. You even now still feel a necessity to maintain the status quo rather than face the cold reality (of emes) that you have followed a rashah with endless pathological and psychological problems and have to admit to your families that you were led astray. But you can survive and still go on without him and end the relationship as others have promptly done. Teshuvah is very hard for each and every one of us but for the sake of your families you need to cleanly sever your relationship with this man as the rabbanim have required of all of us to do. Many who have already left are ready to support you despite all that has happened which is mainly his fault and not yours. The key is to, any way you can, detach yourself from an un-repented rashah instead of aligning with and supporting him. Always remember who the perpetrator is.

And, since you lack the necessary objectivity -- that is what the Rabbanim are there for! Please, for the benefit of your beautiful families and the rest of the community, re-read and listen to the Rabbanim’s deepest, heartfelt Torah-based advice above. We are one kehila, and thus it is all of our responsibilities to follow the halachic advice of the many Rabbanim who possess the proper and objective Torah knowledge who have spoken. A very wide spectrum of so many rabbanimranging from Misnagid to Chasidish to Young Israel to Litvash and everything inbetween, from right to left, have unambiguously delineated their position for the general tzibbor on this matter despite the past attempt at character assassination and defamation that has occured that may come their way (if the Jewish Press restarts the forum for him once more). The taped evidence they heard was brought forth by women outside of the one woman who had to give up her tapes and other evidence due to the huge settlement paid to her by Tendler that resulted in a “gag order.” She had to relinquish all her evidence and sign an agreement that she could no longer talk to anyone about Tendler’s illicit sexual behavior toward her (woman's name deleted….). The terribly inappropriate sexually oriented dialogue between Tendler and his multiple female victims is not for public consumption since it would only serve to add to the tremendous Chillul Hashem and further stain the Orthodox Rabbinate if it is disbursed ultimately reaching the internet for all to hear (which may unfortunately have to happen if decisive action is not taken by KNH and he is allowed to have a base from which to continue unfettered in his abusive and slanderous ways--we pray not).

When one stands back to fully reflect upon this with clear eyes, one can see the height of unprecedented arrogance and brazenness that repeats itself over and over again and is ongoing throughout a variety of public forums. The final Mishnah in Sotah as explained by Michtav MaiEliyahu part 3:

“Our Great Sages have forewarned and instructed us who live at the end of the galus that, “audacity will increase” to the point where even if the truth may be discerned, but due to one’s personal arrogance and brazenness is unwilling to bend to it, thus behaving audaciously, even rebelliously at times against the emes in order to simply overcome our pangs of conscience.”

A weak and divided tzibbor permits criminals to thrive on societal inaction and misplaced pity. It is unfortunate that the Tendler children will be hurt by him so. Far outweighing that are so many more children of the many families he irreparably destroyed throughout the years and continues to today. So, never forget who the real victims are. The community must not fail to act against this unfortunate scourge in our midst by meeting it head on with a strong communal will. Even this detailed chronicle does not capture even a smidgen of the depths of this man’s ongoing evil behavior. Nevertheless, please consider this in its full due and then make the right decision for the sake of our entire community that includes all of our families. Only with achdus and taking action can we put an end to this historic madness without further delay. We stood up and beat the misyavnim as an undivided Am Yisroel nearly 2200 years ago and we can, with Hashem’s help and yours, succeed this Chanukah as well!

We have plenty of room for all remaining members at KNH in our hearts and will make room for you all in our shuls until you can secure a Rav that you deserve. On these last moments of both Chanukah and Rosh Chodesh, light the true light of Ohr Torah in all of your homes once and for all. The CRI will support you through Da'as Torah--the Rabbanim. Hatzlacha Rabbah!
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Stipulation (Document of Release)


It is hereby stipulated and agreed by the undersigned, Rabbi Mordecai Tendler, that the undersigned does hereby release (name deleted)… from any and all agreements, “gag” orders, stipulations, or any other legal writings or documents preventing said (name deleted)… from addressing previous charges made against the undersigned for sexual misconduct during the course of any ongoing official or unofficial investigation elated to charges of sexual misconduct on the part of the undersigned.


_______________________________________
Mordecai Tendler


It is hereby additionally stipulated and agreed by the undersigned, Rabbi Mordecai Tendler that the undersigned does hereby release all previous attorneys from any attorney-client privilege related specifically to the charges of sexual misconduct on the part of the undersigned. This agreement shall not pertain to any other legal matters where the undersigned is protected by attorney-client privilege.

__________________________________________
Mordecai Tendler