From JWB: Case of Rabbi Kolko: An intelligent response to an unintelligent editorial

Letters To The Editor
By: Gerald Deutsch
Jewish Press (NY)
Wednesday, May 31, 2006


No Redress For Abuse Victim

While you say in your May 26 editorial "Allegations Against a Rabbi" that your position "should in no way imply support for the accused," you seem to strongly disagree with the bringing of the lawsuit and having the plaintiff "publicly accuse another," preferring instead to "have our rabbinic leaders come up with a process that can appropriately deal with these very serious challenges to our community" – with "a course of action compatible with Torah standards."

If you read the article that you refer to in New York magazine carefully, you will note that the victim sought relief from the community some twenty years ago but that the accused rabbi’s employer, "a pillar of the … community, took extraordinary measures to derail a rabbinical court action, or beit din."

It seems it was decided that the appropriate way to deal with the rabbi was to let him continue having his fun with young boys.

At least the Catholic Church transfers offenders to another area.

Gerald Deutsch
Glen Head, NY