EXCLUSIVE: Baltimore rabbi, 47, accused of sexually abusing three young boys at an Orthodox Jewish camp, bribing them with $100 to 'touch his genitals' and holding sleepovers with kids
- Rabbi Steven 'Shmuel' Krawatsky, 47, was found liable for battery and assault against two children
- The incident took place at Orthodox Jewish Camp Shoresh in 2014 and 2015
- Married father Krawatsky was ordered to pay his victims $8,000 each in damages
A Baltimore rabbi accused of sexually abusing three young boys at an Orthodox Jewish summer camp has been found liable for battery and assault.
Rabbi Steven 'Shmuel' Krawatsky, 47, was accused of abusing the boys who were then between seven and eight-years-old at Camp Shoresh in 2014 and 2015.
Two of the victims claimed to have been anally raped, while another said the camp counselor offered him $100 to touch his genitals, according to the complaint which sought a $1.8 million payout.
Last week, a jury ruled that he committed assault against one child and battery against another, claims against the third child were not upheld. Each victim has now been awarded $1 in compensatory and $8,000 in punitive damages.
Krawatsky, of Pikesville, previously denied the allegations and has not faced any criminal charges, despite being interviewed by police and Child Protection Services who initially found indications of abuse according to the civil lawsuit against him.
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| AN IDIOT TO BOOT! |
Maryland rabbi Steven 'Shmuel' Krawatsky has been accused of sexually abusing three young boys at an Orthodox Jewish summer camp
The married father was found liable for battery and assault against two of the children. The names and images of the boys, who do not appear in this photo, are being withheld to protect their privacy
The abuse was said to have taken place at Camp Shoresh (pictured) in 2014/15
The accusations first surfaced in a 2017 in a post by sexual abuse survivor Chaim Levin and were later reported in a 2018 New York Jewish Week article.
Krawatsky was accused of abusing three boys while working at the camp after they came home and began displaying strange behavioral issues.
Eventually, they disclosed to their parents that 'Rabbi K' had sexually abused them, a lawsuit brought by their parents states.
The explosive allegations saw Krawatsky fired from his role at the private Jewish Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School.
The institution issued a statement at the time insisting it had not received any safeguarding concerns directly.
The married rabbi then tried to sue Levin, the publication, its reporter and the parents over the accusations. The parents countersued for the abuse of their children and Krawatsky's claims were dismissed.
According to the lawsuit, Krawatsky would often host sleepovers with children at his house and would also dole out 'punishments' in the camp's pool changing room, without any other adults present.
The filings state that three boys were abused although claims against just two were upheld.
Allegations included that one boy was 'touched in an offensive and inappropriate manner' while at the camp and another was 'offered money to engage in sexual acts' per the lawsuit.
He was not found liable for the claims relating to a third boy which stated that he was also raped.
A jury awarded each of the two victims $8,000 each in punitive damages. Charges against the third boy were not upheld (PATHETIC)
One of the victims claimed to have been anally raped, while another said the camp counselor offered him $100 to touch his genitals, according to the complaint. Pictured: Krawatsky with his wife Shira
Krawatsky has not faced any criminal charges despite being interviewed by police and CPS in 2015, according to the lawsuit
In all cases, the lawsuit describes how Krawatsky would allegedly heap praise on the boys before isolating them to carry out the alleged attacks.
In his closing statement, the victims' attorney told the court that the one of the boys had described how Krawatsky 'peed on his arm'.
'You saw the terror in those kids’ eyes when they talked,' Jon Little said. 'They were afraid of Rabbi Krawatsky and they were afraid of the other evil, the rope running through this whole thing. The community that failed to protect its children.'
Krawatsky was interviewed by Frederick County Police and CPS, according to the lawsuit.
CPS initially found that abuse was 'indicated' against one victim, and 'unsubstantiated' against another, which means that they could neither prove nor disprove that it happened, the filings state.
Krawatsky was placed on leave from the Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, but was allowed to return after he appealed the 'indicated' finding and had it downgraded to unsubstantiated, according to the suit.
The case rocked the Orthodox community where it unfolded, with allegations of intimidation on the part of Krawatsky's supporters who rallied around him despite the accusations.
Little, who acted for the families pro bono, said that his practice had been bombarded with one star reviews in the wake of the case.
The rabbi was working at Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School when the allegations were made public but was later fired from the post
The parents counter sued Krawatsky after he tried to pursue them for defamation when the allegations were made public. Pictured: Camp Shoresh
He slammed the meagre damages awarded to his clients and speculated it may have been because they could not point to any large medical expenses incurred.
'When we got the liability verdict I thought okay wow, but apparently the community do not consider raping a seven-year-old a serious and traumatic event. I do, that is something that will stay with you for life,' Little said.
'Firstly I am so dismayed at the way the Jewish community rallied to defend a man accused of raping children.
'But then also the people who saw what happened and refused to take care of these children. People think they do this for money, but this was a defensive suit.
'One of the moms said to me, "I want to find out what happened to my kid but at the same time I don't want it to be true". So we talk about vindication and I'm glad the jurors saw what I have known to be true for the past six or seven years, but really what have these parents gained?'
Little claimed that Krawatsky's supporters may have spent up to $7 million defending him and had attempted to bury him in legal fees by also unsuccessfully trying to sue him for defamation.
'After six years of hell that he put them through with the defamation suit — and the community did with its harassment of the victims — this verdict vindicates them,' said Asher Lovy, founder of Za'akah, which fights child sex abuse in the Orthodox community.
The parents' lawsuit described how Krawatsky would allegedly host sleepover with kids and discipline them away from other adults
'I hope it can bring them healing, and I hope it sends a message to enablers that they can try as hard as they want to but the truth is going to come out.'
In his 2017 post, Levin called Krawatsky 'extremely dangerous' and said he is 'alleged to have inflicted severe harm on multiple children'.
He also accused higher ups of being aware of the concerns but protecting the rabbi anyway.
After sharing his initial post, Levin claims he was flooded with threatening messages.
'Throughout this lawsuit we have learned a lot about the cover up that allowed this to happen,' Levin said.
'Many of the details are disturbing and sad. They demonstrate that this community did not and does not care about the safety of children.
'I'm proud of these kids for standing up to this bully and their families for sticking by them.'
The rabbi's lawyers said in a statement: 'Rabbi Krawatsky passed a polygraph test back in 2015. The matter was fully investigated by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office and the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office.
'Rabbi Krawatsky was never arrested and was never charged with any crime. Ever. The Frederick County Department of Social Services found the matter to be unsubstantiated, the records have been destroyed, and he is allowed to work with children.
'Krawatsky has never harmed a child in any way. Ever.
'The jury obviously did not believe the false accusations against him made by one of the three children because they found that he did not harm that child, in any way. And that child had made the most serious allegations. And the jury only awarded the other two children nominal damages of One Dollar.
'Unfortunately, Rabbi Krawatsky was not able to tell the full story at the trial so he intends to appeal the case in order to fully clear his name.'
CPS said in a statement: 'The department takes very seriously its duty to protect the health and well-being of children and ensure youth are safe. While confidentiality laws prevent us from providing specific details regarding your questions, Child Protective Services (CPS) has a duty to conduct either an investigation or a family assessment if someone reports that a child has allegedly been abused or neglected.
'Before closing an investigation, we will determine the nature, extent, and cause of any child abuse or neglect and, if possible, the person responsible for the abuse or neglect, and share that investigative report with law enforcement.
'Maryland Department of Human Services employees care deeply about the safety and well-being of children, and we work relentlessly to ensure all families we serve are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. Reporting child abuse and neglect is everyone's responsibility, and we encourage everyone to Know the Signs and report child abuse and neglect concerns immediately.'