IN MEMORY OF MOSHE MENACHEM KANOVSKY ZT"L --- ON HIS YAHRZEIT
It was at the same time hilarious and loathsome to bystanders. On Friday afternoon, April 13, 2007 (two days after Passover 5767), a 31-year-old ultra-Orthodox lawyer jumped to his death from a 69th-floor office of the Empire State Building in NYC. "Only in New York," said a yokel bus driver, "Only in New York." Visiting tourists dashed to the 33rd street to take pictures of the leg severed below a knee, which sluggish cops didn't cover right away. Theresa Colon, a tourist from Virginia, shrieked: "I cried and got sick to my stomach, I pray he knew who God was."
That lawyer knew who God was. He knew it a lot better than silly southerner Ms. Colon would ever know. I know it because that lawyer was a gifted Jewish scholar and my long time chavrusa at the Ner Yisroel of Baltimore, Moshe Menachem Kanovsky zt"l. I recollect the sleepless nights we spent in Bais Midrash going over and over Gemara with Rashi, Tosafos, Rishonim, Acharonim, and Shulchan Aruch. Moshe Kanovsky polished off many masechtos and knew many Mussar books by heart. Moshe Menachem had really earned his Semicha (the rabbinical ordination).
The New York bus driver was also dead wrong. Not "only in New York." In fact, it started in Baltimore, at the Ner Israel Rabbinical College. And I know it started with rabbi Moshe Eisemann. I reminisce how he would unflaggingly approach Moshe Menachem, I recall that Moshe frequented him on Shabbosos. Was Moshe Kanovsky raped by rabbi Eisemann? I can't say for sure. And I will not make it up about my beloved dead chaver merely to get some people "excited" with the new evidence against gay and pedophile rabbi Moshe Eisemann. But something happened. And it happened when Moshe Kanovsky was a student at Ner Yisroel, and it had something to do with rabbi Moshe Eisemann.
Moshe Menachem suddenly became withdrawn and stopped coming to seder. Through much of the day he slept in his dorm room or listened to Rush Limbaugh's talk show. On one occasion he decided to pour out his heart to one of his rebbeim whom he trusted a lot - rabbi Shraga Neuberger. After that Moshe Kanovsky got even more disheartened. What did "rav Shragi" tell him? I talked with Moshe and his roommates who knew about that conversation. This is the story: rabbi Shraga Neuberger (his shaggy beard still proudly displaying bits of his last dinner) laughed off Moshe Menachem's plea for help and added with an acrimonious wink, "I wonder if you will ever find a shidduch (get married) in your lifetime!" I bear witness that those were rabbi Shraga Neuberger's precise words.
Shortly thereafter Moshe Kanovsky left Baltimore for New York City. I doubt that Moshe went there with an intent to be with his father Yaakov. He was always closer to his mother and siblings who lived in Silver Spring (his parents got divorced in Philadelphia when Moshe was eight). Most likely, he assumed that he would get help from his famed uncle rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe and head of the Agudath Israel of America. Later I discovered that the Rebbe didn't help Moshe Menachem. Was that because his nephew was less important for "der Rebbe" than his relationship with the powerful NIRC, Agudath Israel, and rabbi Moshe Eisemann? I believe so.
Moshe was an educator, a rabbi, a lecturer, Jack-of-all-religious-trades but not a lawyer. Law was never his passion. He had to go to the Cardozo Law School because ostentatiously holy NYC and Baltimore rabbis with much blood on their hands were afraid of his lofty moral standards and did everything in their power to keep him out of the "klei kodesh" field. They also did an outstanding job to fulfill rabbi Shraga Neuberger's after-dinner "prophecy" ("I wonder if you will ever find a shidduch in your lifetime!"). But anyhow Moshe Menachem spent most of his free time learning Torah and helping poor people in NYC with free legal advice and Torah classes.
I had never been a big fan of conspiracy theories, muckraking, or sensationalism. However, I was wholly unprepared to learn about Moshe Kanovsky's suicide. I knew him well as a highly intelligent, kind-hearted, and soft-spoken soul, who knew fairly well even prior to becoming a rabbi what the Jewish Law warns about suicide, and I doubt he could have done it even taking into consideration possible manic depression / post-molestation effects. Likewise, as stated by the newspapers, all his family and friends didn't notice "any significant changes in his emotional state, even as he started working part-time for an attorney in the Empire State Building."
Many posters on the Internet acknowledged that he didn't jump but was pushed out of the window as it appeared from the security cameras' footage. At first it sounds crazy and distorted, but reason out who was that last "client" whom Moshe saw before abruptly interrupting his meeting with him and going to "another room" to jump out of the window? Why were there wrangling statements from Moshe's law firm denying that he ever worked there? What's more, two days prior to Moshe's death, right after Passover, the Vaad Harabbonim (Rabbinical Council of Greater Baltimore) mailed their infamous letter to the members of Baltimore's Orthodox community on the issue of sexual abuse. Moreover, Moshe Menachem died on the day the Baltimore Jewish Times published its cover story on the contemptible sexual predator rabbi Ephraim F. Shapiro!
Questions. Questions with no definitive answers... We want to rid our religion of child molesters, but we disregard the fact that they are not pure rapists. They deliver inspiring lectures, possess a compelling writing style, raise generations of students, establish important connections. Make an effort to uproot these potentates! The iniquitous child-molesting rabbis groom many disciples wholly saturated with their venom who later occupy positions of authority to safeguard their teachers. A parallel comes to mind with the students of the wicked Balaam (who was a sexual pervert too and, according to Sanhedrin 105b, even had relations with his donkey). Balaam's disciples of today also fit nicely with their definition in the Mishna in Pirkei Avos (5:22) as having "an evil eye," "an arrogant spirit," and "a greedy soul."
A small number of people cover up for rapists because they sincerely believe the molesters were slandered, other craven underlings lick the ass of the mighty and powerful because they are no different than them. We know that a person who is a sexual predator or enabler flouts his own religious doctrines. That's the reason the Agudath Israel is a cringing supporter of all Catholic bills - the people whose ancestors were systematically tortured to death and burned at the stake by that very Catholic Church itself!
Eisemanns are covered up by hobnobbing Ner Yisroel and Baltimore Mafia leaders because they are one and the same: all of them need to live in luxury edifices, take expensive vacations, and be "respectable." Learn from the Agudath Israel! That name means "a bundle" or "a bunch" in Hebrew. In truth, they do work like a bunch of thugs. We also need to group together. Until that happens, we will be ignominiously defeated every step of the way! Firing single email shots from behind your browser can't help a great deal. We need to establish an incorruptible, powerful, and brave organization outside the Internet. We need a place to go to where we will never be betrayed by our leaders who are in reality self-appointed narcissistic cowards!
Until that happens, we will be doomed. What happens when you speak up in Baltimore against the "religious" atrocities of explosive, disgruntled, but still "infallible" leaders, who effectively hold all power in their hands? You will be chased out of all shuls by their NIRC-dependent bellowing from the pulpit mealy-mouthed rabbis, ostracized by the indignated and held in thrall to the establishment "community," get threats in the mail, and face mud-slinging and character assassination. You will be forced out of town like rabbi Eliezer Eisgrau's daughter who was molested by her dad. Because at this point in the real (not virtual!) world only these criminals have the real dominance.
The gist of Passover is freedom. One very unwell person on the Internet made a crafty calculation that Moshe Kanovsky was falling down from the Empire State Building for 4.9254203994149455 seconds. It's really irrelevant if Moshe Menachem jumped himself or was plunged by mobsters, because we know who is responsible for his death, which in actuality started many years ago at NIRC. But I believe that in those final five seconds of his short bright life he (like the Jewish children in the days of the Talmud who jumped off the Roman ship to drown themselves in order to escape molestation) was really free. Free from rabbi Moshe Eisemann's sexual improprieties, free from rabbi Shraga Neuberger's sardonic laughter, free from his uncle's hypocrisy. Free from that heinous tinged with cynicism lie that we now call "Orthodox Judaism," which is in reality inimical to every single thing the Torah-true Judaism stood for all the erstwhile generations of our pure grandparents. And those five seconds of freedom were worth an entire life in this world.
http://dteitelbaum.blogspot.com/2012/04/view-from-under-bus.html
ReplyDeleteThe Flatbush Jewish Journal which is controlled by Chaim Berlin has teamed up with Nechemia Gottlieb to do a hatchet job on R' Dovid Teitelbaum for questioning the internet assifah. They are trying to paint him as some kind of lowlife who dares to attack Daas Toirah.
Chaim Berlin is one institution that has the most to lose from the blogs. Besides all the cover ups like everyone else is afraid of being exposed, Chaim Berlin had managed to keep a lid on the very dirty secret that they are mesarvim by R' Moishe Feinstein. Thanks to the blogs, all the paperwork from beis din along with letters from gedolim against them are widely available for the first time.
It is Chaim Berlin that controls both the Agudah (Schechter-Novominsker-Feldman) and Torah Umesorah (Schechter-Fruchthandler).
Chazon Ish (2:133): Knowledge about a talmid chachom who shapes yiddishkeit is similar to that of an artisan. Just as one is permitted to convey accurate information about an artisan if there is to'eles so it it permitted to reveal information about a gadol if there is to'eles. Of critical importance is to be totally accurate otherwise it is slander. This implies that expressing negative information about others is relevant for those who are considered influential authorities – in order to understand the degree to rely on them.
ReplyDeleteRav Yaakov Kaminetsky (Emes L'Yaakov- Bereishis 37:18): I was asked by a student why the Torah tells the story about how Yosef was treated by his brothers – isn't it lashon harah? I answered firstly that the prohibition of lashon harah in fact only applies to the living but according to the Torah it is permitted to speak lashon harah about the dead except for an ancient cherem (Orech Chaim 606:3). And this cherem only applies to slander but not to facts even if they are not flattering.
I was a friend of Moshe Kanovsky on the lower east side. We specifically discussed sexual abuse and he mentioned Matis Weinberg as someone who was inappropriate, though not with him personally. I mentioned the accusations against Rabbi Eiseman and he didn't believe them. So, while I have no knowledge about Rabbi Eiseman, I can attest that Moshe Kanovsky was not abused by Rabbi Eiseman
ReplyDeletehttp://forward.com/articles/155197/orthodox-abuse-suspects-get-exemption/?p=all
ReplyDeleteBecause of all the bad public exposure, the Agudah has been forced to publicly criticize DA Hynes imposing a blackout on the convictions of all heimish child molesters. The Agudah is carefully wording their response to say there should never be a blanket blackout but that everything should be examined on a "case by case basis". It could be posturing in public when they really agree with Hynes as even with "case by case" nothing has to be released. They have done similar in the past after a public backlash regarding reporting molesters to police & fingerprinting employees.
The funny thing is that Shafran was the one who had to deliver this new Agudah message to the public when he already backed Hynes in his dumb Ami Magazine.
Moshe Eisemann sexually molested several teenage boys at NIRC. How many, exactly or even approximately, I don't know. I have personal knowledge of three victims.
ReplyDeleteSimon's informal conversation with Moshe Kanovsky does not prove that Eisemann did not molest Kanofsky, who simply may have wanted to keep those facts private.
Indeed, the author of the moving article, "A Leap to Freedom", is careful in saying that he has no direct proof that Moshe was molested by Eiseman or anyone else. Based on Moshe's behavior, he suspects it.
As do I.
May the neshama of Moshe Kanovsky have an aliya.
And may God mete out justice to the chazir, Moshe Eisemann.
Eisemann is still traveling around the world for "Vaad Hatzolos Nidchei Yisroel" an Agudah subsidiary. I have e-mails from all over Europe, Russia...as to Eisemann's raping of kids! One yeshiva in Germany where Eisemann was an official guest Rosh Yeshiva, tossed him out because of the numerous complaints! If Eisemann had stolen $100 out of Sheftel Neuberger's petty cash draw, he'd long be out of NIRC.
ReplyDeleteWhat can be done about getting Eisemann out of kiruv work and out of his re-instatement by Sheftel Putzberger back on the NIRC hanhala? Eisemann did not get his Mashgiach Ruchni position back but he is a shoel umayshiv.
ReplyDeletePeople are arguing that you can't blame viruses on metzitzah bapeh when there is just as much chance they are infecting the tinok from the vaginal canal.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, we know that 70% of adults have the problem viruses in their mouths. But is there any data showing the mother al pi rov has it in her canal that they can argue?
I think it's a stupid argument regardless because if the Mishna Brura says a tube is also acceptable, then just eliminate peh as a possible conduit. It's a no brainer.
http://yudelstake.blogspot.com/2012/04/kosher-alert-carmel-wines-only-with.html?showComment=1335798257622#c180363072497059823
I don't know if you noticed a similar outrage that Satmar is fighting for tooth & nail.
The nonsensical argument that the IDIOTS make about the birth process is a bad joke! So, put a baby at risk with mouth to genital contact from an adult who does this daily, even multiple times daily, for a living? Russian Roulette with an infant whose immune system is so weak?
ReplyDeleteThe Chasam Sofer's psak is not good enough for these behaimas?
"all of them need to live in luxury edifices, take expensive vacations" While it may seem funny to choose such a insignificant line out of such an "explosive" paragraph, I too learned at Ner Israel as did my brothers, father, uncles and great uncles. No one has what you call luxury edifices, I was m'shamesh Rabbi Neuberger throughout high school (as was the rest of my family) and saw the way he lived. I am not trying to insinuate that the rest of the article is false as no one really knows. What I am saying is, please dont let your emotions get the best of you/lie to prove a point. If what you are saying is true, thats enough, just keep saying it. Dont embellish it.
ReplyDeleteTruly a tragedy. However the writer clearly has his own issues with NIRC that may be clouding his analysis of this case and causing him to jump to conclusions.From the description of the personality change that was described we could probably assume that there was clinical depression going on. The next question to ask would be what if any system does NIRC have in place to deal with Clinically depressed studens. Most likely it has nothing professional in place and probably relies on the informal system of a bochur talking to a mashgiach or a rebbi about his issues. Maybe the guy was not molested by Eisenman, maybe he was just depressed and got bad counciling from Eisenman and Shragi Neuberger. Rabbi Neubergers comments on the face of it are clearly insensitive, but it is unfair to him for a third party to report one line in a conversation without knowing all the context and without knowing from him if he actually said this or meant it in the way being reported. Other questions that need to be answered are was there a suicide note? Was the the Niftar on any medications that could have caused suicidal impulses. Just because you learned with him for many years and thought you knew him well does not mean you knew eveything about him. He may have kept some things secret/private - most of us do. It is difficult to understand why a Talmid Chochom of this caliber would choose to end his life and it is difficult to accept. The description of a Musmach of NIRC who has mastered numerous Masechtos,memorized Mussar Seforim, and dedicated his life to educating people and helping poor clients makes this case even more difficult comprehend and only amplifies the tragedy of it. It would make it easier to comprehend and accept if the assumptions of sexual abuse were correct, but I suspect the truth is more complex and not as simplistic as that.
ReplyDeleteTo Mordechai @ 8:13 AM, May 02, 2012
ReplyDeleteDo you know that Eisemanns and other hanchalah families own huge portions of real estate while living in simple apartments on Yeshiva Lane? Do you know that all of them are given expensive presents by wealthy parents? I personally know a guy from South America whose father has something to do with powerful cartels. On every visit to NIRC he would "donate" luxury cars and diamonds to hanchalah members. Did you see that wealth? It all ends up in offshore bank accounts. All you see is dusty hats and white shaggy beards. True modesty! Eisemann alone has plenty of family members in US and Israel who waste time in kollel but somehow must be fed. Sex and money - these are the things which move NIRC economy!
I THINK THAT THE ARTICLE'S AUTHOR IS CORRECT. MOSHE WAS DEFINITELY RAPED BY EISENMAN. BUT BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A BUSHA, WHY WOULD YOU, SIMON, EXPECT HIM TO COME OUT AND OPENLY SAY: "PLOYNI ROVANI LEOYNSI"? PEOPLE USUALLY DON'T DISCUSS SUCH EMBARRASSING FACTS. AND IN THE END THAT IS WHAT MAKES THEM JUMP. OUJ, CAN ANYTHING BE DONE TO STOP EISENMAN ATROCITIES?
ReplyDeleteteachers has the biggest role in any nation's development , if they start doing such a things how a student can focus on his ability and study .
ReplyDeleteMOSHE MENACHEM KANOVSKY'S FOOT.
ReplyDeleteFiring single email shots from behind your browser can't help a great deal. We need to establish an incorruptible, powerful, and brave organization outside the Internet.
ReplyDeleteThen why my dear letter writer do you remain anonymous?
Eight years since Moshe Menachem's death. Ner Yisruel, Eisemann, Neuberger and Novominsker have never been brought to justice. UOJ, please repost this piercing article. As Jews, we tend to forget. Too easily...
ReplyDeleteThis is such a terrible tragedy. The sad, tragic truth is that sexual abuse and sexual predators are so common and widespread in Jewish communities. Its so extremely shameful how long it took the rabbanim to do something about the vile, sick monster "Rabbi" Meir Pogrow, it makes me realize how much Jewish (and nonJewish alike) parents have to stress to their children the danger of being around adults who display odd and strange behaviour to them in public. And also: parents, if Heaven Forbid, your child comes to you with concerns of a sexual abuse you must trust them and do everything in your power to stop the occurrence from ever happening again. If a parent dismisses an issue like this they can be ruining the rest of their child's life by standing idly by. The terrible Resha'im will go through an eternity of Hell in The World to Come. We can never forget to trust our gut instincts to stay far, Far away from creepy seeming adults. We must keep the memory of Moshe Menachem ztz"l alive, to fight this cancer from our communities, schools, yeshivos, seminaries and camps. Moshe Menachems blood will be avenged.
ReplyDeleteMoshe would not have wanted this speculative article published. It's very insensitive of this "friend" to use Moshe's suicide to push an agenda.
ReplyDeleteI am very sorry to read about this. Was Aaron Feldman of ner Israel involved in the story?
ReplyDeleteThe link is updated! I have read “April 13, 2015” comment above about the Orthodox criminals never facing justice. The weird thing is that in the meantime Hashem has brought some of them to Justice in quite unusual ways (דין ארבע מיתות לא בטלו)! The Novominsker rebbe died of COVID-19, rabbi Sheftel Neuberger had PD for years and then died of cancer, and Moshe Eisemann lost his brains due to a stroke (if he isn’t just hiding). Ner Israel, however, still stands. But as you, UOJ, have promised, that “Citadel of Doom” must eventually fall too!!!
ReplyDelete