Some Traditions NEED To Change!
We can't use the excuse "they didn't know better" anymore.The tradition of blaming victims and honoring alleged or convicted sex offenders NEEDS TO STOP!
It's time that we DEMAND that rabbis allow law enforcement to investigate ALL allegations of sexual violence.
If you are an adult and have been sexually manipulated, sexually abuse or assaulted by a rabbi or anyone else with authority contact your local rape crisis center or The Awareness Center IMMEDIATELY.
If you suspect a child is being neglected; emotionally, physically or sexually abused call:
800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453)
800.2.A.CHILD (800-222-4453, TDD for hearing impaired)
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor" (Leviticus 19:16).
New York Post (03/11/2000)
"A panel of Orthodox rabbis cleared a Brooklyn rabbi of molesting a 7-year-old boy -- a move that might keep witnesses from the grand jury probing him, The Post has learned.
The panel, reportedly headed by Manhattan Rabbi David Feinstein and two rabbis from Brooklyn and two from upstate Monsey, cleared Bobover Rabbi Solomon Hafner on Thursday evening of any wrongdoing, sources said."
Cases Connected to the Feinstein - Tendler - Weinberg Families, and or Ner Israel of Baltimore
posted by Jewish Survivors at Saturday, April 22, 2006
5 Comments:
I just read Hafner case. I never heard of it before. This really sickens me.
It reminds me of so many cases we have all been reading about.
I have one very important question to ask;
Since when do rabbis know how to conduct an investigation regarding childhood sexual abuse?
I never knew that yeshiva's have courses on collecting forensic evidence in sex crimes? Do yeshiva's also teach how to do victim sensitive interviews?
This is outrageous. Is this what happened with the original complaints regarding Shmuel Juravel many years ago? or with Matis Weinberg twenty years ago or Eliezer Eisgrau ten years ago?
Isn't Rabbi David Feinstein related to the Tendlers and also the Weinbergs?
"A panel of Orthodox rabbis cleared a Brooklyn rabbi of molesting a 7-year-old boy -- a move that might keep witnesses from the grand jury probing him, The Post has learned.
The panel, reportedly headed by Manhattan Rabbi David Feinstein and two rabbis from Brooklyn and two from upstate Monsey, cleared Bobover Rabbi Solomon Hafner on Thursday evening of any wrongdoing, sources said."
This quote from Ken Menken is on Luke Ford's web page.
http://www.lukeford.net/profiles/profiles/yaakov_menken.htm
"Rabbi Menken says the incest and molestation accusations against Eisgrau are ludicrous, as well as the sex abuse allegations against rabbis Matis Weinberg and Mordecai Tendler. He also says Gary Rosenblatt was wrong to expose rabbi Baruch Lanner, who went to prison for sexually abusing underage girls."
I'm hoping someone here can explain something to me.
Our rabbis can figure out:
* how to make treif dishes kosher
* how to put up a kosher eruv
* how to "encourage" a man to give a ghet.
Yet our rabbis have not figured out a way to take an rabbinic ordination away from a sex offender.
Can someone explain to me why this is so difficult to do?
As an orthodox rabbi I can tell you that if something was brought to my attention I would demand that the authorities investigate the allegations. Just as I would not trust myself to perform brain surgery, not having the practical knowledge, so too, I am not qualified to take the steps necessary to appropriately investigate allegations of abuse.
My objective in doing this would be to ascertain the facts through an objective, expert source. This would either
a. Identify the perpertrator and protect the victim
or
b. Exonerate the accused and identify those making false accusations.
In either case justice is done.
Without knowing what steps Rav David Feinstein took (which may certainly have involved experts) I don't think you can condemn him or his panel.
Rav Feinstein is certainly not an arrogant person and is governed by halacha. Just as he (and his father before him) consults medical experts when dealing with halacha and medicine, so too, he must consult experts in forensics etc. when investigating these type of allegations.
Unless you know the facts, don't be so quick to condemn the process. There is a long history of the TRULY great Jewish leaders (not the "wanna-be's) consulting experts, even the authorities in order to render a decision.
I think we should start listing all of the cases that "Rav" Feinstein "mishandled".
What experts does he use? My bet is it's NOT those connected with law enforcement. I should specify, I'm sure the professionals he uses are NOT those who are trained and experienced in dealing with cases of sexual abuse and also rape.
This is a wake up call, the way things have been handled in the past doesn't work. It's time to do things appropriately. No more game playing or protecting your buddies.
I also wonder how much money exchanged hands so that people like Feinstein would support the offenders? How much money does an alleged offender have to donate to get the support they need so that cases will be mishandled?
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