The Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), the world's largest organization of Orthodox rabbis is encouraged by the process that led to the conviction of Nechemyah Weberman, an Orthodox Jew who acted as an unlicensed counselor and was today found guilty for the sexual molestation of an adolescent girl. For many years the RCA has condemned the efforts of many parts of the Jewish community to cover up or ignore allegations of abuse, viewing these efforts as against Jewish law, illegal, and irresponsible to the welfare of victims and the greater community. The RCA strongly advocates, as a matter of Jewish law, the reporting of reasonable suspicions of child abuse to the civil authorities and full cooperation with the criminal justice system. The RCA decries any invocation of Jewish law or communal interests as tools in silencing victims or witnesses from reporting abuse or from receiving therapeutic and communal support and strongly condemn those members of the Jewish community who used such tactics in this case.
In light of the issues raised in this trial the RCA commits itself to increasing the training of its members who serve in all areas of the rabbinate, including pulpits, education, chaplaincy, and communal service, to know how to recognize, prevent, and respond appropriately to issues of child abuse. In addition, the RCA will help its members develop policies regarding prevention and response to issues of child abuse in their individual congregations and schools, as well as in their larger communities, and, where nonexistent, to support the creation of response teams that include mental health practitioners, law-enforcement personnel, and specially trained rabbis to respond to allegations of abuse and molestation.
Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, president of the RCA, stated, "Weberman's conviction is validation of our commitment to work with law enforcement to protect the innocent victims of our community and to hold their perpetrators accountable." Rabbi Mark Dratch, Executive Vice President of the RCA and founder of JSafe: The Jewish Institute Supporting an Abuse Free Environment, added, "We, like other religious communities, have come a long way in recent years in recognizing and addressing issues of child abuse in our communities. We increasingly understand that our religious texts, traditions, and values must serve as resources of strength and support for members of our faith communities, not as roadblocks to their safety and security."
http://www.rabbis.org/news/article.cfm?id=105726
1 comment:
It is not just SATMIR. How about the allegations at YESHIVA UNIVERSITY. RABBI ROSENBERG, NOT RELATED IS A HERO.
Since the RCA is investigating issues they should investigate what was done to a group of Rabbis including myself who received Smicha from YU, were placed in United Synagogue congregations by YU and were members of the RCA. We were either thrown out after 15 years or forced to resign. The revisionist version is that Rav Soleveichik of Blessed Memory gave Heterim for us to be place in non mechitzah shuls for two years to try to make them Orthodox.The truth is I and others I know were never given a heter by the Rav , but YU placed us and said it was ok and our instructions were to raise money for YU which I did to tune of over 1.5 million dollars. Why not investigate Rabbis who are members of the RCA who committed adultery and financial crimes in addition to molestation. Many talented Rabbis were forced to enter other fields because they were blacklisted in the Orthodox community because they served in non Mechitzah shuls. I was told by a past placement director of YU that I could not get a Mechitzah shul after serving in a conservative shul (at YU's behest) and should drive a cab. My wife and I were told by a past president of the RCA that we should "burn in hell" for being in a non Mechitzah shul. In addition the shidduchim of my children would be destroyed. I went public (see YU Commentator articles). Three of my four children are already married and have frum households.
Regarding the current YU situation, face up to it, hire a private investigator and make it public. In addition, it doesnt matter how old the alleged molestors are, if the charges are proven, throw them out of the RCA and put them in jail where they belong. If the RCA could ruin the lives of many Orthodox ordained Rabbis whose only crime was to spread Torah in non Orthodox synagogues, then the RCA must investigate and act on these latest charges and the other questionnable actions of members of the RCA.
P.S. let us not forget wife beaters. I have been in the Rabbinate for almost 40 years and assure you what I have said is true. I am one of the few Rabbis who is not afraid to speak out. As many know,in addition to being a pulpit Rabbi and professor I write for a number of syndicated newspapers. If there is information you would like to share feel free to contact me.
Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg
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