RABBI HIT WITH NEW PERV RAP!
By ALEX GINSBERG - New York Post - September 13, 2007
A Brooklyn rabbi already facing trial for allegedly molesting two students was charged yesterday with fondling a third.
Rabbi Joel Kolko, an administrator and a teacher at a Midwood yeshiva (Yeshiva Torah Temimah - Lipa Margulies principal), posted $25,000 additional bail a few hours before sundown signaled the start of Rosh Hashanah.
He had been free on $5,000 bail, awaiting trial on charges he touched a 6-year-old boy in one of his classes, as well as a now-31-year-old former student who confronted the rabbi about abuse he claimed occurred decades ago.
The new sex-abuse and child-endangerment charges focus on a 2005 incident in which Kolko alleged fondled the genitals of a first-grade boy.
Lawyer Jeffrey Schwartz scoffed at the new accusations, saying they were fabricated by a disgruntled former student now dragging the rabbi's name through the mud on an Internet blog, - The Unorthodox Jew, - and trying to recruit new victims to bring cases.
"In 21 years of trying criminal cases, both as a prosecutor and a defense attorney, I have never seen a case so weak," Schwartz told the judge, adding that his client had taken and passed two polygraph tests (supervised by Yaakov Applegrad - world renown truth expert) and been cleared by a (drunk and corrupt) rabbinical court. "It's an orchestrated hit." (Performed by the Ocean Parkway Boys Choir)
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Rabbi Yehuda Kolko accused of molesting five year old boy!
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, September 13th 2007
Rabbi Yehuda Kolko Attempting To Impress The Judge When He Was In Court Erev Rosh Hashana:
A rabbi in a tallith, black hat and handcuffs (and chicken) was hauled before a Brooklyn judge hours before the Jewish New Year yesterday for allegedly molesting another boy at a Midwood yeshiva - Yeshiva Torah Temimah.
Rabbi Yehuda Kolko - already out on $10,000 bail on charges of sexually assaulting two other male students - rocked back and forth on his feet as his lawyer argued with the judge about bail on new charges that he molested a first-grader at the school in 2005.
"This is the holiest time of the year and to [increase] bail at this time is punitive," lawyer Jeffrey Schneider said, arguing that the charges stemmed from a malcontent who had it in for the 61-year-old Kolko. "[The higher bail is] just bizarre."
"Counselor, you chose this time to surrender him," Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Cassandra Mullen shot back. (To avoid Jews watching the TV coverage and reading it in the papers because of the holiday)
She raised the bail to $50,000 bond, $25,000 cash (gelt - mezumen - mattress stuffers).
Kolko's wife, Edith, brought the cash within the hour and he was released in time to pray at evening Rosh Hashanah services. (I'm happy he made it home in time to pray)
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A local screening of the new film Narrow Bridge, has been scheduled. This is your chance to catch the controversial, acclaimed film that has been making waves in the Orthodox Jewish community. Filmed on location in the greater Chicago area, it is the first film of its kind to break the silence on the issue of sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Northeastern Illinois University
5500 N St, Louis, B building, room B146
Chicago, IL
at 1:40 PM (promptly)
Admission is free. The film is 93 minutes long.
More information about Narrow Bridge is available at its website at
http://www.narrowbridgefilm.com
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CHILD MOLESTATION IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
By: David Mandel
(Published in the September 2007 issue of The Jewish Observer)
Abstract: A more open dialogue on the issue of child molestation is a key to prevention. It is not stranger danger; child molestation most commonly occurs by a person known to the child. By having a dialogue with your children on personal safety we can help prevent the victimization of children. By removing the shame and stigma associated with victimization, children, adolescents and adults will not be as fearful to report and to seek support. Perpetrators may be less likely to offend children knowing their community will not tolerate their behavior.
Child molestation in the Orthodox Jewish community is not a new phenomenon. This problem, as other social ills, has existed for generations and centuries. The problem of men (and some women) inappropriately touching children, young boys and girls was sufficiently recognized by our great sages. They addressed it in several responsa (Minchas Chinuch, Mitzvah 209). The issue of drug usage has also been commented on, Rav speaking to his son Chiya (Arvei Pesachim 113a). Is our community responding to this problem? The answer, in these past years, has been a resounding yes. Is it enough? NO! There is still so much to do.
Our Roshei Hayeshiva have publicly addressed the issue. In September 2000 at a forum titled “Let’s Talk About What Never Happened, But It Did”, Harav Shmuel Kamenetsky shlita, stated “such an evening brings this issue out from under the rug, and people who need help should seek it from a Rav, a psychologist or a psychiatrist”. Harav Pam z”tl, at the same forum on the issue of depression, spoke of bochurim who believed they sinned based on what they may have learned in divrei mussar, “Don’t let the past linger and paralyze you, don’t feel worthless”. The Rosh Hayeshiva was speaking to victims of molestation who have suffered, who have been burdened, who feel it was their fault. Thousands of tapes of this forum and of a subsequent forum in November 2001 have been disseminated by OHEL.
HaRav Avrohom Chaim Levin, Shlita, Rosh Hayeshiva of Telz Chicago, addressing several hundred principals at a Torah U’Mesorah convention in May 2002 on the issue of child molestation stated, “there is no more room under the carpet”. And most recently at Torah U’Mesorah’s convention in May 2007, HaRav Levin encouraged every yeshiva, day school and high school to address and respond to this issue.
In September 2003, Torah U’ Mesorah, the National Council of Hebrew Day Schools, under the signature of leading Roshei Hayeshivas issued standards and guidelines on prevention and response to child molestation. On the issue of mesirah, reporting, it states “such action may include, under appropriate circumstances, reporting to the civil authorities when the principal determines that there is reason to believe that inappropriate activity has in fact occurred, insofar as halacha and secular law require such reporting”. Professor Aaron Twerksi, Dean of Hofstra Law School, and OHEL were instrumental in working with the Roshei Hayeshivas of Torah U’Mesorah in preparing these guidelines.
Prevention of unwanted touch means parents speaking to their children. Children are unprepared and don’t know how to respond to these terrible acts which go way beyond the boundaries of yichud. Prevention involves yeshivas and day schools providing information and education, parents and teachers becoming more alert to red flags, and Rabonim addressing the issue in shuls. An educated, informed communal response by parents, educators, and Rabonim – three primary sources of information and learning for children at an early age – would lead to fewer children being hurt. Equally important, it could lessen the shame and stigma associated with being a victim of child molestation, which remains the primary reason for underreporting.
This is all not limited to a one-time conversation. A parent knows their child best, what and how many words to use – V’higadita l’vincha bayom hahu. Rabbi Yehoshua Fishman, Executive Vice President of Torah U’Mesorah, notes the primary responsibility for teaching children these personal issues lies with the parents. Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe z”tl, in Planting and Building: Raising a Jewish Child, describes how the Chofetz Chayim z”tl spoke with his sons at age fifteen (Feldheim Publishers 1999, pg 67). As Rav Pam z”tl said, there was only one Chofetz Chayim. It is up to every parent to determine at what age to speak with their child and how often to reinforce this message. Dr. Susan Schulman, a pediatrician in Brooklyn, describes prevention as speaking to your child about good and bad touch at a very early age, then again when they begin school, then again when they go on a bus, then again when they go to camp, then again when they go to a sleep-away Yeshiva. Hillel Sternstein, Coordinator of OHEL’s RESPECT Program on abuse, describes it as teachable moments.
Ninety percent of children who are molested know their abuser. Parents cannot speak about “stranger danger” with their young children and expect them to understand this also means not becoming a victim at the hands of a relative, neighbor or rebbe. This lies at the heart of the complexity of child molestation, being hurt by a person a young child or teenager knows, trusts, loves or admires.
Several yeshivas that wanted to hold seminars on safety and prevention from unwanted touch were reluctant to do so lest they be perceived as engaging in sex education or worse, stigmatizing themselves as a school with a problem.
Professional staff in OHEL’s school-based mental health program and in other well regarded organizations, such as Debbie Fox of Jewish Family Services in Los Angeles who developed a prevention model, provide this information to students, faculty and parents in dignified, professional, age appropriate ways and in lashon nekia (clean language). Yes, it is true that some children may be hearing concepts and words they don’t yet fully comprehend, that by engaging them at an early age we may be opening a door to more information than we would like. On the other hand, one can posit it is better for the child to learn in a structured, safe environment where they can ask questions and know they can turn to parents, a rebbe, morot or teachers to ask questions. This is a much better option than “learning on the street”.
Schools can incorporate these forums for parents into their PTAs, train faculty as part of an educational curricula day or a special workshop, and educate camp counselors during their summer orientation. Students in 5th through 12th grades can participate in prevention workshops. Ten year olds begin to hear, understand and experience life events and a new sense of self. Finally, a shul or community center or a group of synagogues and community centers can host a lecture on the issue.
In these discussions with parents and educators red flags are described, behaviors a child may display when victimized, and how to respond to the child. At community forums, Ohel disseminates information on thirteen stages a child may go through from being a victim to becoming a survivor and how best to develop a community protection plan. Often the question and answer dialogue becomes an integral aspect of the forum. There are several good handbooks and guidelines parents can reference. Examples include, “What do we say to our children who are molested? A guide for parents” by David Mandel and Dr. David Pelcovitz (www.ohelfamily.org/articles.cfm), The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (www.missingkids.com) and more. OHEL also has an educational videotape that can be used by schools and community groups. The Task Force on Children and Families at Risk, a consortium of thirty social service organizations across the Orthodox community, has played a leading role in hosting seminars on abuse.
How prevalent is child molestation in our community? No one knows for sure. It is vastly underreported as it is in every community. For decades, police departments across the country publish crime statistics and asterisk sexual assault, a range of crimes historically underreported. This is not a problem restricted to the Orthodox Jewish community as some in the media portray. People, by nature, are private and modest. G-d instilled a sense of shame and guilt in us. People in every culture possess shame. It is a good trait. It is one of our characteristics that keeps us civilized. Indeed, contemporary “mandated reporting laws” were legislated to force licensed professionals who were viewed to be ignoring and underreporting these events, to make formal reports to child protection agencies.
It is widely documented that China and India, the world’s most populated countries, have experienced similar issues with regard to vastly underreporting and responding to child molestation. So too, Muslims, the Amish and countless other peoples across the spectrum.
Uncomfortable as it may be, we are now forced to be more open and confront this painful discussion; child molestation is a serious problem. Hundreds if not thousands of children, teens and adult survivors have been victimized. It is a problem in our community albeit at a much smaller number relative to the general population. We must embrace this discussion and respond on a communal level.
Dr. David Pelcovitz, a child psychologist and a leading expert in treatment of children who have been abused, notes the extreme rarity of a child self-disclosing s/he was a victim to this type of abuse. Children do not disclose due to a combination of fear, shame, loyalty and stigma. At varying ages, each of these issues may be internalized in the child or outwardly displayed in a different manner. And because most children are hurt by a person they know, these issues become embedded in the child’s psyche.
A primary reason a child does not disclose he or she was molested is fear. The child may be afraid of his or her parents’ reaction. The child may be afraid to speak lashon hara. The child may fear his abuser who may threaten to hurt him or his parents if he discloses.
A second reason children do not disclose is shame. The young child or adolescent may be confused about what occurred and is embarrassed about his involvement and response. The molester may have said to him he will tell everyone what they did together. He is afraid he will be made fun of by his friends.
A third reason is loyalty. To disclose that a person they love hurt them would be disloyal. As difficult as this may be to understand, remember, it is a person s/he likely knows and trusts, a parent, relative, neighbor, role model or other such person close to the child. These are all people the child has loyalty to.
A fourth reason children and their parents do not disclose is stigma. Does this require much explanation in our community? The stigma of shidduchim for this child or siblings becomes an overriding concern. Or it is the stigma of people saying ‘well, they’re a dysfunctional family anyway’.
Any one or a combination of these four factors would lead the victim to not disclose and to keep the abuse a secret and to intensify the painful consequences of these experiences. This person may hold the secret for years and decades. Harav Shmuel Kamenetsky was so moved to receive a letter from a 70 year old woman who, after sixty years, related for the first time of being abused as a young child by a relative that the Rosh Hayeshiva related this story numerous times.
Demonstrating support to a child or adolescent who has been victimized involves telling them you believe them, you love them and it wasn’t their fault. We cannot do this enough for our children under conventional circumstances, how much more important is this for children under extreme stress. This begins the healing process and the transition from being a victim, which is a passive term, to becoming a survivor, which signifies strength. Parents should neither overreact and blame their child nor deny them the opportunity to heal.
The overwhelming majority of children who are molested can and will, Baruch Hashem, grow up healthy and lead normal lives. Children, as Dr. Pelcovitz notes, are resilient and will be able to cope and deal with this as they progress and mature. They may never forget “the event” or the perpetrator, but they can move on. In the aftermath of the tragic events at Virginia Tech College, the murder of thirty two students, the resilience of the students and community was often cited as an important coping mechanism in the healing process.
A small percentage of children and adolescents are so traumatized they will need psychological treatment. This should be provided by a person with a specialty in this area, and not by a general mental health practitioner. They may require short-term treatment lasting several months or possibly several years. Girls who are molested as adolescents are especially vulnerable due to a sense of shame and pre-marital concerns. This becomes even more complex if the girl had been molested by a family member or a person she idealizes. These young women should receive professional treatment to help them cope and transition to marriage as they may experience relationship and communication problems with their husband. It is tragic that we may avoid seeking treatment to protect our children’s future opportunities for good marriages, only to see the problem surface again with greater complexity within the marriage.
How does a perpetrator succeed in luring children? A perpetrator works through a process called grooming. He cultivates a relationship with the child involving friendship and trust. He then transitions to a physical relationship first with a “light” touch followed by more physical involvement. Using incremental steps, the perpetrator gently gets close to the child’s mind and heart.
Perpetrators “look normal”. They have a variety of respectable jobs. Many are married and parents.
Perpetrators have preferences. Data available on several dozen perpetrators in our community is consistent with data on perpetrators in the general community. That is not surprising. Pedophilia, meaning love of children, is a psychiatric illness and follows a pattern. A pedophile is likely to be consistent in seeking out a young boy or a girl or a male or female adolescent.
A perpetrator will generally not stop on his own. Once again the data is consistent. The majority of perpetrators reveal they molested several children repeatedly. As time goes on the perpetrator may develop more complex rationalization for his deviancy. There are also men (and some women) who reveal involvement with a significant number of children over many years and decades.
Pedophilia is considered a treatable, manageable illness. Treatment generally consists of a comprehensive evaluation and weekly individual and group sessions lasting two to five years. A person must learn to behave differently, to modify or suppress their deviant interests and to be truthful. Treatment also incorporates the spouse who must work through her own issues of shame and guilt, especially if victims included her children. Rarely does a perpetrator self-disclose and seek treatment; they need to be pushed into treatment with some form of “stick” swaying them.
The public discussion in our community in recent years has directly resulted in greater disclosure by victims. This has resulted in evaluation and treatment of scores of perpetrators. It has become more safe for victims to disclose and for parents to seek help. This has been one of the most important and dramatic shifts in our community, a recognition that disclosure and obtaining treatment is more important than living with shame and guilt. More mental health professionals are developing a specialty in this area. At virtually every workshop my colleagues or I give on prevention and safety throughout the United States and Israel, at least one adolescent or adult will privately share with us their experience of having been molested. That several Roshei Hayeshivas have spoken publicly and encouraged victims and parents to seek help has been an enormous catalyst towards a communal attitude change. The most recent letter by the Vaad HaRabonim – Rabbinical Council of Greater Baltimore (Abuse in our Community - April 11, 2007) should act as a precedent for other communities to issue similar letters.
That most perpetrators do not go to jail is not a Jewish phenomenon. Former Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro was noted for her aggressive pursuit of pedophiles. In six years of sting operations, 1999-2005, she succeeded in the arrests of 111 men with a 100% conviction rate. The overwhelming majority received probation with only eight perpetrators sentenced to jail (New York Times, 10.13.06).
The shame and guilt of our communities that prevent our children and families from reporting these crimes to our authorities also protect the perpetrators. He is impervious to the community’s concern. A public discourse involving education and awareness, vigilance by principals, educators, youth and camp directors, drashas by Rabonim will inculcate a zero tolerance mindset into our community and inoculate our children. It goes without saying we need a system to protect children by preventing mechanchim and other educators whose harm to children has been substantiated from moving to another school to do more harm.
Several Batei Dinim have been established in major Jewish communities across the country to deal specifically with allegations of child and adolescent molestation. These batei dinim also rely on advice of mental health professionals who may be asked to interview the victim(s) survivor, evaluate the alleged perpetrator and recommend appropriate treatment. Professor Aaron Tweski and I have been privileged to meet with numerous Rabonim in the establishment of Batei Dinim.
It is most important to keep the perpetrator in the community under a watchful eye, not to push them out so they can move to another community or another city and continue their horrible acts. A perpetrator who discloses his wrongdoing, who actively participates in treatment and who remains under watchful supervision in the community has the best chance of not re-offending. If Chas v’Chalila he does re-offend, his treatment and supervision may limit the number of victims and the severity of the offense by detecting the re-offense sooner.
My colleagues and I at OHEL have been led by a Board of Directors whose vision and sense of communal responsibility has enabled us to speak publicly and develop services in this sensitive area. Ohel has been fortunate to have Harav Dovid Cohen, shlita, as our Morah D’asra. Our ability to speak with gedolei haTorah throughout the country provides hadracha and strength. This has enabled us to provide consultations to Rabonim, principals, yeshivas, day schools, and community groups.
When asked if I’m frustrated by all that isn’t accomplished by the glacier progress in this area, I respond, it took 5700 years to come to this point, we have to concentrate on tomorrow not on yesterday. As my colleague Hillel Sternstein points out, discussions on child molestation have moved from private midnight talks to daylight seminars that are open to the community. Yet we can’t dwell on or be satisfied with accomplishments. Children are being hurt every day. We must respond to them and prevent tomorrow’s child from being hurt.
The best way to stop perpetrators is by teaching children and encouraging a greater openness in the community, as has begun. Perpetrators who know that parents, principals, Rabonim and the community will confront them are less likely to hurt children. Children who know they can report an incident without being fearful, shamed or stigmatized may stop a perpetrator from hurting the next child.
It is now time to have these discussions with our children. Today. And in the future.
270 comments:
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Former CBS News anchorman Dan Rather has filed a whopping $70 million lawsuit against the network; CBS CEO Leslie Moonves; Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone; and former president of CBS News Andrew Heyward, reports the New York Times. Rather contends that CBS violated his contract, committed fraud and seriously damaged his reputation.
In the 32-page suit filed Wednesday in N.Y. State Supreme Court, Rather alleges that CBS and its executives made him "a scapegoat" in an attempt "to pacify the White House."
Under pressure, Rather said, he delivered a public apology on September 20, 2004 -- written by a CBS corporate publicist -- "despite his own personal feelings that no public apology from him was warranted."
In a statement CBS said, "These complaints are old news and this lawsuit is without merit."
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2007/09/17/doj-job-juggle-peter-keisler-named-acting-ag/
See this Wall Street Journal article. The new Acting AG before Mukasey takes over is also one of the boys. Judge Keisler grew up in Woodmere, 5 Towns.
Dan Rather must have the same legal counsel as Mordechai Tendler. Sumner Redstone by the way gives money to Chaim Berlin.
In a recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Mukasey lent considerable intellectual weight to Bush-administration arguments that applying conventional legal mores to terrorism suspects is counterproductive.
"The rules that apply to routine criminals who pursue finite goals are skewed, and properly so, to assure that only the highest level of proof will result in a conviction," he wrote. "But those rules do not protect a society that must gather information about, and at least incapacitate, people who have cosmic goals that they are intent on achieving by cataclysmic means."
We can't wait to see the AG apply this wisdom to molester enablers like Margo.
Does Roland Arnall get measured by the same yardstick as everyone else?
He's the owner of Ameriquest. The company is one of the largest privately held retail mortgage lenders, especially in sub-prime. In early 2006, the company announced a $325 million settlement with state attorneys general and law enforcement agencies and financial regulators in 49 states and the District of Columbia over allegations of predatory lending practices. Ameriquest faced allegations that, among other things, it misled and overcharged borrowers, and falsified loan applications.
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/1/emw195723.htm
I tip my hat to UOJ who proves here that he does not try to cover up the facts when it might convenient which even Shmarya is guilty of.
I am amazed that Congress let the Roland Arnall nomination go through when he was already in hot water with the Federal govt.
Arnall is probably also the biggest backer of Simon Wiesenthal who has been accused of former US Intelligence officers like John Loftus of taking CIA hush money to shut up about select Nazis who were valuable to Langley & the Pentagon.
My friend Dan Rather was set up. Someone broke into his office and secretly planted that report that he read on TV. He didn't realize at first that it wasn't the one he originally prepared.
The President should make these nominations:
Mordechai Tendler, special envoy to the manure pit at Rubashkin
Lipa Margulies, special & only resident of a re-opened Alcatraz
Roland no longer owns Ameriquest and the public record speaks for itself.
It also seems like they are pretty much out of business.
Nothing's on the website except this:
http://www.ameriquestmortgage.com/
Ameriquest Mortgage Company is no longer accepting loan applications ... if your loan was previously serviced by AMC Mortgage Services, please call
(800) 430-5262.
Warning to all readers and friends! Do not go to Ohel Family Services for help with any of your problems. They sweet talk you into coming but in the end you can end up with horor stories. Please take heed and warn your friends. This my Yom Kippur plea.
Running a large company is difficult. It is impossible to know what every person in your employ is doing, especially when your sales people are commission motivated.
Having said that, the buck stops square on the owner's desk!
"Pinny Lipschutz is glued to UOJ."
So is Eckstein at YeshivaWorld.
And so are various Agudah operatives like Effy "this generation" Wachsmann in Monsey.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ameriquest4feb0405,1,2947144,print.story
It wasn't just the Ameriquest's salesmen. Management was pressuring them and creating a boiler room like environment.
http://www.clevescene.com/2005-10-19/news/all-the-president-s-men/full
This article makes the case that anyone else would have prosecuted to the max but that Ameriquest has a lot of friends in high places.
In case anyone wasn't aware, the Council that Moishe Rubashkin chairs is publicly funded. The putz was voted in by his Lubob cronies right after he got out of jail the first time.
Moishe Rubashkin has also had disputes with the Crown Hts Beis din.
Speaking of Belsky and the Yated:
Take a look at this weeks Succos edition of the Yated. In the centerfold is a picture of Belsky examining an Esrog with a loupe.
But all of a sudden when it comes to Behaimas/Schechita, the loupe and the necessary scrutiny disappears.
$$chochad.
Has anyone seen this month's jewish observer ? They have an article written by david mandel of ohel about CHILD MOLESTATION !! Among other things, he said hundreds and possibly thousands were molested over the years !! I thought marvin schick said that there wasn't a problem.
Obviously they didn't give credit to UOJ. There was of course a alot of fluff and BS in the article.
Maybe someone can get the magazine and post the piece here on UOJ.
Pinny Lipschitz is probably trying to get under UOJ's skin. You've never seen so many pictures of Belsky in the Yated.
He also featured someone recently that his uncle R' Elya Svei once tried putting in cherem until intervention by R' Moishe nipped it in the bud. Pinny was probably too young to have known about it but if someone shows the paper to Fetter Elya, he'll never hear the end of it.
http://www.jewishtimes.com/scripts/edition.pl?stay=1&SubSectionID=30&ID=6978
"Phil Jacobs has stirred a hornet's next."
Shalom USA producer Larry Cohen noted that Mr. Jacobs had been the target of much animosity, including personal threats.
To Mr. Jacob's critics, he said, "We respond that for the defense of all of our families, Phil has committed an act that will save lives and the spirits of our children … With his articles, Phil has warned our leadership that if you will not lead, if you do not do the right thing, we will."
Yudi Kolko you LOWLIFE!!!!
You've been spotted davening at Landau's during Aseres yemei teshuva. Stay the hell out of my neighborhood if you know what's good for you!!!
Do you think your tefillos even mean anything, you PEDOPHILE PUTZ!!!
The new nusach in YTT:
Uvini Malkeini, hufeir atzas UOJ.
Everyone is to say this nusach whether they worship Hashem or the Almighty Dollar.
Tuvya Rokach from Toronto was arrested at a dark, deserted parking lot in Monsey almost a year ago in his car while police say he was performing deviant acts on 2 young boys.
Police told the press that it appeared he was living / working illegally in the United States, something that the Dept of Homeland Security would be looking into.
After a single court appearance, both Rokach and all public record of him disappeared into thin air.
Yungerleit from Toronto have now spotted him in Lakewood during August.
Assuming that Rokach has been home sometime in the last year, it is very unusual that someone with an arrest record is allowed to recross the US border. They are auto-flagged by the computer.
No one I know is aware if Rokach has been home. His father is the rov of The Country Shul in Richmond Hill, several miles north of the Toronto border. Since this area is populated mostly by BTs & secular Jews, it's very difficult to get information.
Did the Agudah use their connections to completely cover up what happened and expunge his record?
Rokach's father is friends with a rosh yeshiva who is a nephew of someone on the Moetzes. Rokach's lawyer happens to be a supporter of that yeshiva.
Rokach was working for one of the esrog mochrim in the heart of Flatbush until his arrest.
Since 9/11, Border guards are supposed to check the ID of everyone in a vehicle but it is not unheard of that passengers from Canada sometimes escape scrutiny. I know one illegal alien in Brooklyn who although specifically blacklisted was able to get through from Canada in someone's car.
The harassment that Phil Jacobs is going through is no different then that of any of the others who advocate to keep our children safe and offer support to the adult survivors who have been harassed for years.
http://theawarenesscenter.org/bullying.html
Let this year bring peace and understanding to the Jewish world. Let not one more child be abused and let all the adult survivors who have been suffering in silence find a voice, find justice and healing.
Gmar Chatima Tova! May we see Yeshuous this year!
Don't go negative on the JO article on molestation but praise the fact that it even appeared (with all it's faults and fluff) and give all the credit to UOJ.
He has made and continues to make a tremendous impact on the "enablers".
UOJ: Keep truckin' Big Guy!
The Jewish Observer article is an attempt to paint themselves and their rabbis as active in preventing child abuse. In fact every single person including Mandel has been involved in covering up for the child predators. It's become fashionable and "in" to jump on the UOJ bandwagon. If you can't beat him, join him. I say screw you Establishment. UOJ beat the living daylights out of your cover, you guys are a bunch of no good bastards that deserve to be locked up.
I keep hearing rumors that Rabbi Moshe Heinemann's speech on Rosh Hashanah focused on the issue of child sexual abuse. What I've been hearing is that he went on and on about how wrong Phil Jacobs and the Baltimore Jewish Times were to publish the series exposing cases of sexual abuse in the Baltimore Jewish community.
If anyone was there and heard rabbi Heinemann speak, please post a summary of what he said.
From what I've heard rabbi Heinemann still just doesn't get it and is still denounces the Baltimore Jewish times and the notion that survivors of sex crimes have any rights.
Below are a few cases in which it is believed that rabbi Moshe Heinemann, rabbi Yaakov Hopfer and the folks at Ner Israel have been involved in covering up crimes, silencing those who have been sexually violated and empowering the alleged and convicted sex offenders.
Case of Rabbi Tzvi Axelman (AKA: Howard Axelman, Steven Axelman)
Case of Rabbi Eliezer Eisgrau
Case of Rabbi Moshe Eisemann
Case of Rabbi Benyamin Fleischman
Case of Aron Goldberger
Case of Shmuel Juravel
Case of Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Case of Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro
Case of Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro
Case of Rabbi Matis Weinberg
Just a few weeks ago I was made aware of a case of a child molested by a family member (rebbe) and Dovid Cohen among other "rabbis" threatened the family of having their other kids tossed out of yeshivas if they came to me. Well, Cohen they came to me!
Nothing has chnaged if they feel they can conceal the crime and get away with it. Of course, no cops were called either.
Cohen I'm on to you and your group of hoodlums! Now sit at the computer and wait to see the headliner when I'm ready to put it up!
Cohen & Co., if this family is hurt or ostracized in any way, I'll have you picked up in middle of the night by the cops! I know..you think I'm bluffing, well you are warned!
It's interesting that Dovid Cohen of all people would be involved in that. He himself has had many people locked up. Then again, I guess when HE decides it's appropriate, it's different. When other rabbonim involved offer good ideas, he is often quick to brush it off with a oft-repeated cliche:
"It's not my style"
Erev Yom Kippur is my favorite day. It's a mitzva to FRESS all day.
Yom Kippur is very anti-climactic but I figured out a partial solution. Since I can't slurp down coffees, I use caffeine suppositories. When I went to the pharmacy, I ordered 200 of them. The pharmacist was very surprised and asked why I needed so many. I explained that I was giving the kiddush in shul on Yom Kippur.
Who are the other rabbis in concert with Dovid Cohen?
"you think I'm bluffing"
If I call UOJ's bluff and he's not kidding after all, I can always join my fugitive friend Pinky Green in Switzerland.
Dovid Cohen can always join Colemer in Israel where he is fighting extradition.
Shalom Tendler has become a pariah in L.A. Good Job UOJ, he had it long coming.
The JO piece is a farce. If they were serious they wouldn't be quoting the main players in the YTT cover up.
The cynicism is eating at my gut. How can they give chizuk to overcome fear of stigma when Margulies and others in unconnected cases have created a living Hell for victims and their mishpochos?
"Shalom Tendler has become a pariah in L.A"
When he gets removed from the RCC, let us know.
Rabbi Cohen used an excuse why he didn't help someone I know who was being abused. It bothers me that he didn't even try.
Cohen is the Rabbi Of Ohel. Its about time UOJ does an investigation of Ohel thats his henchmen
http://bp0.blogger.com/_PxepB5WL1N0/RvZ3hCYMGsI/AAAAAAAAADQ/eZ6D5zlpvrQ/s1600-h/DavidMandel.jpg
With Vicky & Shmarya already discrediting me as an MBA type who has no business sticking his nose in sexual trauma, I figure that UOJ will jump on the bandwagon too.
http://jewishsurvivors.blogspot.com/2007/09/ohel-on-child-molestation.html#5045836600576099454
Anonymous said...
I heard stories about boys being molested at the Telz yeshiva in Chicago. If anyone has any information please post it here.
http://jewishsurvivors.blogspot.com/2007/09/achi-ben-shalom-jewish-day-school.html
by Bruce Gerstman
Contra Costa Times
September 21, 2007
EL CERRITO -- A former El Cerrito private school (Tehiya Day School http://www.tehiyah.org/) teacher was sentenced today to 90 days in County Jail for misdemeanor assault and battery against a former student.
Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Leslie Landau sentenced Achi Ben Shalom, 53, to serve his jail sentence without the possibility of home detention.
A jury last month acquitted Ben Shalom of a felony charge of child molestation of a female student, but found him guilty of misdemeanor counts of assault and battery when he touched her.
Prosecutor Colleen Gleason said that the jury did not believe beyond a reasonable doubt that Ben Shalom had a sexual intent.
Landau also ruled that Ben Shalom must serve three years of county probation. He also cannot work as a teacher or in a position of trust with children and cannot possess pornography.
If you know of any children who were abused by Achi Ben Shalom or any other offender please contact your local rape crisis center or The Awareness Center for help.
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/images/Heinemann_RabbiMoshe-GE83808162004195113.gif
Is UOJ also going after Dovid Cohen because of the Russian bochur who complained to him about Eisemann?
"Professor Aaron Tweski and I have been privileged to meet with numerous Rabonim in the establishment of Batei Dinim."
That's some association, David. A friend of an "honorable" man is no friend of UOJ and the civilized community.
UOJ by posting David Moandels article without a disclaimer people will think that you are giving a hechsher to Ohel. On Jewish Survivors there is a warning not to go to Ohel. Many people that were ever involved with them will tell you stay away from Ohel. Ohel breaks up families in the jewish community all for financial gain. Be warned do not go to Ohel for anything!!!! If this saves one person its a great mitzvah
It would make sense that Rokach did not go home & is now hanging around Lakewood.
Why? Because Rokach is also under investigation by Metro Toronto Police for sexual crimes committed at home.
Canadian police are not very proactive. If the perp leaves the country, they call it a day and leave him be.
Ephraim Bryks is still under investigation by Winnepeg Police but they will do nothing unless he comes back.
Sexual & physical abuser melamdim who were at Bobov Toronto skipped the country without any repercussions - AFTER Police started investigating.
A non-Jewish criminal who escaped to Portugal was living the good life. Toronto Police claimed they could not find him. A Toronto Star newspaper reporter found him living in the open under his own name.
http://www.canonist.com/?p=1278
While Steven I Weiss has been personally dormant for over 4 months, his thread on the Tendlers is still flowing with reader comments.
http://www.canonist.com/?p=1278#comment-72107
Rabbi Mordecai Tendler and his endearing wife Rebitzen Michelle Tendler but also his insider group worked with Ohel and CPS to take children away from Bal Teshuvah families that needed help. They also conspired against families to social services and cps to remove the children that could be adopted to orthodox couples who could not have children . The one’s who didn’t want to be adopted were sent to foster homes.
http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/Tendler_Mordecai.html#JFS
Jewish Family Service of Rockland County, Inc.
http://www.jewishfamilyservice.net/bio.asp?bio=mtendler
http://www.jewishfamilyservice.net/staff_board_directors.asp
April 7, 2005
It has been brought to the attention of The Awareness Center that Rabbi Mordecai Tendler still serves on the board of directors of Jewish Family Services - Rockland County.
Below is the contact information for anyone would want to contact JFS regarding their choice halachic advisors (Jewish legal advisory).
Phone: (845) 354-2121
Fax: (845) 354-2928
You might also want to contact the executive director of the Jewish Federation of Rockland County. Since they are a major funding source for the counseling center.
Shimon H. Pepper, Executive Director
(845) 362-4200 ext. 121
shimonp@jewishrockland.org
http://www.canonist.com/?p=1278#comment-72308
In one such case 10 children that were deported to foster homes and Ohel by accusations made by Rebitzen Michelle and Rab Mordecai Tendler.The parents were eventually stripped of all their rights and lost their children for good. Some now grown have come back. The rest are in foster homes and some where sent to Ohel and were adopted by childless orthodox couples. The Tendler’s are worse than Kapos. Kapos did things to survive . The Tendlers did it for money and revenge.
http://www.canonist.com/?p=1278#comment-75303
New Hempstead News Says:
September 21st, 2007 at 7:53 am
The reason I stopped my blog was because, I believe that we accomplished what we set out to do. KNH is moving on, having hired a wonderfull Rabbi.
The minute Tendler starts trying to come back to power, we will be back with evidence that will knock the socks off everybody!
http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/
The Jewish Observer, the PR organ of Agudath Israel of America, has piece this month from David Mandel of Ohel on child molestation and sexual abuse in the haredi community. Emblematic of Mandel's approach to this is issue is his understanding of what should be done when a rabbi sexually abuses a child:
In September 2003, Torah U’ Mesorah, the National Council of Hebrew Day Schools, under the signature of leading Roshei Hayeshivas issued standards and guidelines on prevention and response to child molestation. On the issue of mesirah, reporting, it states “such action may include, under appropriate circumstances, reporting to the civil authorities when the principal determines that there is reason to believe that inappropriate activity has in fact occurred, insofar as halacha and secular law require such reporting”. Professor Aaron Twerksi, Dean of Hofstra Law School, and OHEL were instrumental in working with the Roshei Hayeshivas of Torah U’Mesorah in preparing these guidelines.
In other words:
The principal, the rabbi in charge of the school determines if abuse allegations are credible, not police or other trained individuals.
The principal in all likelihood is a friend of the accused abuser and his social peer. The child is unlikely to be either a friend or a social peer of the principal. In most cases, this is true of the child's family, as well.
Ohel and Torah U'Mesorah therefore leave the decision on whether to go to the police in the hands of a man who has no training or background to allow him to diagnose or investigate abuse and who may very well be a friend of the accused abuser.
It is also important to realize that the principal may often have financial motivation for covering up sexual abuse and molestation. A school with the reputation of having an abuser on its faculty may suffer enrollment declines and drops in donations. Even more so, it may become stigmatized.
The Torah U'Mesorah guidelines state that the "civil authorities" may be contacted. Note the careful use of language – "civil authorities" does not automatically equal police. Indeed, it may never equal police.
The guidelines also say reporting to "civil authorities" should happen if the principal determines there is reason to report and "halacha and secular law require such reporting.” What does this mean? I think this:
Halakha rarely requires reporting sexual abusers to police. Why?
There are haredi rabbis who hold no Jewish criminal of any type may be reported to police. Others have a more nuanced view. A few hold that any Jewish criminal should be reported. But there is no consensus on this and the halakha is not clear.
Therefore, unless it is a rare case where the school in question relies on a particular haredi rabbi who allows reporting to police, the molester will not be reported.
New York State, the place most haredim in America live, does not require rabbis and teachers at private religious schools to report child sexual abuse and molestation to police. Rabbis and private religious school teachers are not mandatory reporters. Why?
In large part because Agudath Israel of America has worked hand-in-hand with the Catholic Church to stop all legislative attempts to make rabbis, priests and private religious school teachers mandatory reporters.
Then we have this troubling statement from Mandel, in his own voice, quoting no sources other than Ohel's own Dr. Pelcovitz:
The overwhelming majority of children who are molested can and will, Baruch Hashem, grow up healthy and lead normal lives. Children, as Dr. Pelcovitz notes, are resilient and will be able to cope and deal with this as they progress and mature. They may never forget “the event” or the perpetrator, but they can move on. In the aftermath of the tragic events at Virginia Tech College, the murder of thirty two students, the resilience of the students and community was often cited as an important coping mechanism in the healing process.
A small percentage of children and adolescents are so traumatized they will need psychological treatment.…
Why would Mandel write something that is so clearly false? Perhaps for this reason – in NY State, I believe psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health therapists are mandatory reporters. Children brought to them for counseling will trigger a police investigation, which would expose the rabbi-abuser and his school administration to possible criminal prosecution and legal scrutiny.
But, as I noted above, thanks to the hard work of Agudath Israel of America and the Catholic Church, rabbis and yeshiva teachers are not mandatory reporters.
Also note the careful parsing of words in many the various rabbinic statements quoted by Mandel and the self-congratulatory tenor of the piece. with regard to 'how far' the community has already come.
And Mandel is correct – there are no good statistics on how many haredi molesters and victims exist. But what he does not tell the reader is that many professionals who work with the haredi community have anecdotal evidence of increased rates of molestation among haredim, and professionals who deal with child molestation and abuse find the haredi community's structure an ideal breeding ground for molestation and abuse. Mandel surely knows this.
Before reading Mandel's entire piece, posted after the jump, please keep the following in mind – David Mandel's academic background is in business. He is not a trained mental health professional. And according to the Awareness Center he has allegedly participated in covering up specific instances of rabbi-on-child sexual abuse and molestation…
http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/11740/edition_id/226/format/html/displaystory.html
Two lawyers were among those charged last month with conspiring to intimidate a witness in a widening incest-rape case involving two rabbis in Brooklyn.
George Meissner and Richard Finkel previously represented Rabbi Bernard Freilich, who is accused of attempting to prevent a woman from testifying that her father repeatedly raped her when she was a child. Freilich and Rabbi Pinchas Shor pleaded not guilty to separate charges last month.
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2006/12/chaplaincy.html
Bernard Freilich, is still on state payroll, after being acquitted in a witness-tampering case, and that untold other, similar jobs are scattered through the state payroll.
It seems that Tendler has finally been kicked off the executive of Rockland Jewish Family Services. His webpage has been removed from the site.
I saw Tuvya Rokach davening at the Satmar shtiebel.
Meissner & Finkel are partners at Meissner, Kleinberg & Finkel @ 275 Madison Ave.
George Meissner is an alter Berliner Yid, almost 80 years old. He davens at Kenny Hain's shul in Lawrence.
Richard Finkel is in his 50s & used to be the assistant Brooklyn DA. Chalk another one up for Charlie Hynes & friends.
I put up Mandel's piece to show all that are interested how words can be mangled ad absurdum. Mandel is a lying hack for the black hats, he has no intention telling it like it is.
Dovid Cohen is presently thwarting a dangerous child molester from being brought to justice. Shmuel Kaminetzky was clear to Colmer victims; DO NOT GO TO THE POLICE!
Shmuel Kaminetzky knew about Eisemann 40 years ago in Philadelphia, so did his son in-law, Tzvi Berkowitz,
20 years ago in Baltimore.
I wonder what would happen to Mandel's $300,000 job if he told the truth.
The charedi rabbis at Ohel and throughout the charedi world are the greatest enemies of the spiritual and mental health of our children!
Don't be fooled for one second...our battle has no end in sight!
last night I attended a symposium in Boro Park that delt with Complying with the law. They started this gathering last year and it was a huge success. I heard the tape last year and it was amazing. The line up of speakers was some very prominent people. Rabbi Aaron Twerski, Dean and Professor of Law, Hofstra University was chairman. He spoke about the importance of seat belts, complying with health laws, buying life insurance, and general attitute of compliance. Rabbi zev Chohen, Rosh Beis Din in Chicago, discussed the halacha aspects of stealing from a goy which is ossur midieorisa, if someone steals, even from a goy, he is a kofer and posul for adus in a kedushin,he discussed molestation, and how social workers need to be careful about what they can say to the social services, and being a moser, an informer. The laws are very intracate and complex. He said over a story how someone was called by the FBI to give up records that might implicate another Jew, and when he asked Rav Shwab the question if it is moser, he mentioned the word a frum jew owning a cash business who was being implicated. Rav Schwab asked him to repeat the question. He did. Finally Rav Schab told him don't say he is Frum. He is not. If he is causing pain to someone else. Another story of how one Jew hired another and then that Jew dissapeared and then it was found out he stole some very valuable secrets, and the boss wanted him to give information and the psak was he is allowed to tell because he is a rodef. He makes every Jew look bad. He also metioned the question about driving a rented car even for half a block if you are not in the contract. he also mentioned the grave sin of going to a non-jewish court because "you can get a better deal".
The next speaker was Rav Nachum Laskin, Chaplin of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and he said how bad it is in prison and how families are distroyed and the children have no father and the wife is a living widow. He explained how in prison there is no favoritisim and if jews want hamentashin, or donuts on purim or chanuka, the goyim want it also, you can't light a fire on lag baomer, only the basic necissities are permitted. He was very emotional and very to the point. He also mentioned how the father has no control over his children because the son says to the father if you repremand me I wont allow you to call me and I wont visit you. Also how a father wasn't even by his son's bris or wedding and his wife had to walk down the aisle herself.
The next speaker was George Meissner, a lawyer who spoke about accepting a subpeona and how to deal if the law catches up with you, how not to get deeper and deeper. He explained that everything is tracable and impossible to escape. There are no more secrets any more. You can't forge signatures and do "genevishi shtick". He spoke how jacking up a sales price for a mortgage to get a good loan is bank fraud and you can sit a lot in jail for it. Also he spoke about how important it is to go to a beis din and it is held in high esteem in court.
Another important Rav, spoke about how there a 5,000 jews in 400 prisons across the US. They are our brothers and we need to recognize them as such. He spoke of Ahavas yisrael and the need to help every Jew.
The last speaker was Benjamin Brafman, a famous criminal lawyer. He spoke about how the action of one frumly dressed jew affects every jew. People get bad impressions. He spoke how the gvernment is nice to us and we can't cheat them even leshem mitzvah. He quoted a rav Moshe Feinstein, how it is ossur for a school to claim more students than there are. He says parents need to educate their children to comply with the law and the yeshivas as well. At the end he said he imagines his grandparents when they were in the gas chambers and dying what they were thinking. Will the Jewish people survive? It seemed so bleak at those moments like nothing will survive. But if you look around you can see we are still here. That is the biggest miracle.
"Benjamin Brafman, a famous criminal lawyer. He spoke about how the action of one frumly dressed jew affects every jew. People get bad impressions. He spoke how the gvernment is nice to us and we can't cheat them even leshem mitzvah. He quoted a rav Moshe Feinstein, how it is ossur for a school to claim more students than there are."
So this is why he represents Leib Pinter who's guilty of all that?
If anyone from Toronto or Bobov in Boro Park can identify the rebbeim who ran away you could save other victims. The yungerleit that go to Toronto come from Boro Park and that's were they first ran back to.
I believe the public record at Guidestar.org says that David Mandel makes 330k. That may not include various perks either.
To report abuse in any yeshiva call Joan Hertz at Ohel Family Services 718 851 6300.
Pinny Lipschitz really should be ashamed of himself. The heilige askan that someone mentioned is getting glorified by the Yated isn't just stam a smuggler. He got a hold of a copy of Sefer Yetzira with the pirush Ramban from the 1300s. The sefer was stolen in 1938 by the Gestapo from the Viener kehilla. It was seized by federal agents when he tried to auction it in Manhattan at Kestenbaum & co.
http://www.riverreporter.com/issues/99-05-27/brief.htm
According to this article, Berish Freilich was suspended from the State Police after his indictment. How did he get reinstated? That's a pretty hefty salary for translating a couple of Yiddish conversations too.
Isn't Eckstein embarrassed to be in bed with this guy?
To have a case of clergy sexual abuse or abuse at any yeshiva hidden so nothing ever happens call Joan Hertz at Ohel Family Services 718 851 6300.
Be smart, STAY AWAY from anything connected to Ohel
If I see one more photo op or honorable mention of your darling criminal, you and him will be singing the "Smuggler's Blues".
He may be just a grubba ganav instead of a sophisticated smuggler. The same year as the auction, it was either him or a cousin with the same name & age who was arrested and briefly jailed in Israel. He also had 2 accomplices, one from Bnei Brak and a Frank from Chaifa. They were sending the Frank to break into shuls in Europe to steal artifacts. The Mishtara found $2 million worth of Judaica in raids including silver rimonim stolen from the Montefiore family.
The sefer Yetzira was given back to the Jewish Community Organization of Vienna by US Customs. Professor Alan Brill from YU thinks it was captured from the Nazis by the Soviet Red Army and then stolen from Russia before being sold to the shvantz whose father is on the hanhala at a major yeshiva.
http://jewishsurvivors.blogspot.com/2007/09/ohel-on-child-molestation.html#186123832299482476
Chava said...
This is an attempt to INTELLECTUIZE a subject by rabbinic quotes and thereby being ABSOLVED FROM DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
A group of us protested when Mandel was invited to my town to no avail.
Since sexual is an issue of Power and Control the leadership identifies with keeping the power in their court and abusing the public by creating the mythology that quoting Torah. They have refused to take proper action.
This is the same cloak of false respectability the sexual predators use to continue to abuse the powerless.
It is a disgrace that David Cohen is the mara dasra of Ohel. This the R. Cohen who has said that it is only permitted to inform on a child molester if he is molesting Jewish children but not if he is only molesting gentile children. This is the R. Cohen who has made vile statements regarding gezel akum and tax evasion that have been reported elsewhere on the internet (he said that we can simply ignore what the Shulchan Aruch and all of the other great poskim say about these matters). This is the R. Cohen who built his shul with money from a known fugitive. Please do not think that R. Cohen represents the views of the Orthodx rabbinate. Many Orthodx rabbis who are aware of his views have described him as an immoral individual who distorts the Torah in the worst ways and who is no better than a reform rabbi because he ignores our halachik mesorah in respect of business ethics. Rav Herschel Schachter of YU publicly condemnned him and his shul. It is no wonder that the Agudah will not let him have any role at any of their conventions and that so many YU roshei yeshiva have condemnned him in the harshest terms. We as a community should be embarrased that he has any role in any of our communal organizations.
One more point about R. Cohen is that he had the chutzpa to publicly humiliate and heckle Rav Soloveitchik ztl in front of thousands during a hesped that was given by the Rav at Lamport Auditorium on the YU campus. He had to be dragged out of the room by none other than Rabbi Dr. David Hartman. He is known to proudly repeat the story and you can hear R. Cohen speaking about the incident (without any apparent regret) at the following link http://www.yutorah.org/showShiur.cfm?shiurID=709746 -- the story begins on minute 17 and R. Cohen begins speaking about his heckling of the Rav around minute 27. the whole story shows what a hotheaded kannoi R. Cohen is. What is even more troubling is that the RCA website indicates that R. Cohen serves on the Vaad Haposkim of the RCA (even though R. Cohen is not a member of the RCA as he is probably way too chareidi to want to be a member). This is the same RCA that views the Rav as its spirtual mentor. People should contact the RCA and ask them how they allow R. Cohen to serve on their Vaad Haposkim. UOJ, this is probably worthy of its own post becasue it is indicative of how some in the Modern Orthodox world have surrendered to chareidi rabbis like R. Cohen despite the fact that he treated the Rav with utter contempt and he publicly makes the extreme anti-gentile statements mentioned in the prior email. The vast majority of the RCA rabbis would be outraged by R. Cohen's anti-halachik statements regarding gentiles and his public humiliation of the Rav.
For those who are outraged that David Cohen serves on the Vaad Haposkim of the RCA despite his public humiliaition of the Rav and his well know extreme anti-halachik statements on business ethics (which I undertsand the RCA leadership is well aware of), you should email bherring@rabbis.org (Rabbi Basil Herring is the executive dorector of the RCA) to demand that David Cohen be removed from this position.
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