CHILD ABUSE!

****PRESS ADVISORY****

"THE DOV HIKIND SHOW" - WMCA 570 AM Saturday night @11:00 PM Special September 6th broadcast........... Survivor of Sexual Abuse Speaks Out About the Torment of Abuse Fifteen Years Ago, As a Child, at the Hands of Two Community Members Living with the Trauma, Living with the Terror, & Living with the Truth. Sexual Abuse can be repressed with the trauma revisited in sensory triggers and stressors which set off a vivid revisiting of the molestation and exploitation. The horror can be replayed on the mind's eye without reprieve, muting and dulling life's joys and exacerbating life's reversals. It is a rape of the soul. Call in to the radio program: 718-436-1700
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What Can We Do to Prevent it?
By Rabbi Simon Jacobson

Afflicted one, storm-ravaged and disconsolate; behold, I will set your stones in fair colors, and lay the foundations with sapphires. I will make your windows of rubies, your gates of carbuncles, and all your boundaries of precious gems. And all your children will be taught about G-d; great will be the peace of your children. – This week’s Haftorah reading (Isaiah 54:11-55:5)

Dear Rabbi Jacobson,

I am one of the victims of sustained sexual abuse you so sensitively wrote about in your powerful and profound article The Destruction and Restoration of Dignity. My life has been rendered into one battle after another in my desperate search for love, and above all – self-love. The single most damaging effect of abuse is, as you accurately describe, the assault on dignity and violation of self-worth. Feeling like "damaged goods."

Your article deeply moved me and made me feel free. I will read it many times over. To have someone of your stature speaking about these issues is extremely encouraging. It may be an opening – as it was for me – to help wounded spirits breath again.

Now, my greatest concern is my own children. How, as you ask, can I protect them? Having experienced first-hand the damage of abuse, I work very hard, to cultivate and nurture my children’s self-esteem, through sustained efforts to reinforce and validate their beings and their malchus (as you put it), with unconditional love.

But how can we protect our children from the predators outside our homes? I shudder whenever I think – which is quite often – about of the potential dangers that lurk out there.

No words can describe my appreciation to you for bringing to the surface these issues, which is in itself part of the process of healing, like fresh air on deeply ingrained infections. Now let us continue the dialogue by addressing what can and must be done to protect our children.

Blessings to you,

(signed)

One of the most resonating and powerful statements you made in your last article is that “only a radical jolt to the psyche will cause someone to explicitly break away from their peer group.” You cited a psychologist who stated: “In my experience I am slowly coming to the conclusion that in many of these cases the radical jolt began with some form of sexual molestation, in which the child’s inner dignity was violated. When someone is hurt on that level it defiles the innermost, intimate dimensions of the psyche; it drives the child into silence (out of shame and fear he will not speak about the abuse with parents or teachers), a silence andloneliness that eats away, like a cancer, at the child’s inner dignity.”

So what can be done to prevent such jarring experiences that can so alter our children’s lives? Can we do anything to create safer environments for our sons and daughters? Or are we resigned, as some of my friends contend, that nothing can be done, and basically minimize or ignore the issues (the thing called “denial”) to make the horror a bit more tolerable.

One of my colleagues put it this way: Sending our kids to school and camp is like sending them into a minefield. All we can do is close our eyes and pray that they will come out intact.

Do you agree with that, Rabbi?

(signed)

No, I unequivocally disagree with that last statement. We are not victims and we are never helpless. Is life a challenge? Absolutely. Are there predators in our midst? Undeniably. But we are not powerless. A fundamental principle in Torah is that there is no challenge that we cannot overcome. We never face adversary, are never asked to do something that is beyond our capacity.

Our true challenge is not to retreat in fear or convince ourselves that this is “somebody else’s” problem and could “never happen to me and my family.” We must put our heads and hearts together and once and for all take on this man-made plague. As those involved in healing say: Anything that can be broken can be fixed (does anyone know the source?).

The axiom that we can do something about abuse (and about all life’s predicaments) is based on the fundamental principle that a good G-d created this universe and imbued in existence is inherent beauty. That no matter what wounds we sustain, our souls always remain intact. The Divine spirit in each in of us can go under cover – concealed by many, many layers – due to abuse; but it nevertheless always remains alive within. As we read in this week’s Haftorah (the third of the seven weeks of comfort): Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, that your soul will live.

If, for example, you believe that “survival of the fittest” is the driving engine of life, then the logical conclusion is that life is not fair and often predators will prevail and their victims will forever remain damaged. The inevitable consequence of this depressing attitude is, as the Haftorah begins, that the afflicted one, storm-ravaged does not feel comforted.

But when you know that beneath and within all the narcissism of material existence lay profound beauty and sublime energy – that a gentle child remains hidden under the hard crust of your adult armor – then nothing, absolutely nothing (except your won self-doubt), can vanquish your spirit.

Take away this principle and you may as well give up. Our challenge is to hold on to this faith and trust even in the darkest moments.

So, in the process of joining together to address the challenge of abuse in our communities, I have been asking this very question to many people: What would you suggest we do to protect our children from abuse?

Though hardly scientific, the grass-roots consensus of the people I spoke to (so far) focused primarily on the effort we must exert on educating our children, from a young age, to protect themselves from anyone who may touch them inappropriately. Explain to them no one has a right to violate their privacy, and that they should report any such violation.

“At what age,” I asked, “should we begin to speak to our children?” Some said as early as they can understand.

Without taking away from the merits of this strategy, we have to examine whether speaking to children is actually effective. Does it help to warn children? I can tell you from personal experience that when I was warned to watch out from predators it actually terrified me. Whenever I saw adults hanging around in certain corners, I would suspiciously look at them like criminals. Monsters lurking everywhere. Remember, children hear things differently than adults. They inherently trust, and when they are warned about threatening elements, they can take it to extremes, like the goblins in a fairy tale.

But even more important is the fact that most abuse does not happen at the hands of strangers sitting in cars at street corners near schools, offering candies or toys to unsuspecting children. Though such pedophiles exist, and children can be taught to avoid such situations, most abuse happens in far more “innocent” ways, usually at the hands of a older friend or relative, someone close to the child, someone the child would never suspect, and someone the child would find difficult to resist. Then, once violated, the child would in most cases not tell anyone, even when pre-warned.

Above all, this approach to speak to our children (which, again, I am not opposed to) is still addressing only symptoms, instead of roots. It speaks to the potential victims, instead of to the perpetrators and the causes for abuse.

What struck me about this attitude – reflected in most of the suggestions people were offering – was that they were all focusing on the receiving end of abuse. As if to suggest, however subtly, that it is the victim’s fault. Had the child protected himself, had she protested, had he reported the abuse, things would have been fine. This approach further feeds into the victimization mentality.

It also suggests, however subtly, that predators are a given, and we can do nothing about them. All we can do is create strong defenses. This too essentially further reinforces a defensive mode to life. Is that a way to live? In constant fear and suspicion of predators, focusing on protective measures to shield ourselves and our children?

I would like to propose another, perhaps radical, not so subtle, suggestion:

Focus on the predators, not on the victims. Beyond the more “documented” cases of abusers, most (undocumented) abuse is perpetrated by friends who are “having fun” and are not necessarily clinical pedophiles. They are experimenting and have no clue how much damage they are doing in their pursuit.

We need to initiate a massive campaign of informing kids that touching and in any way violating the private space of another is not a “game.” It has devastating consequences.

Sexuality is the most intimate and most vulnerable place in the human psyche. When violated it is not like a brawl with a bully, which leaves temporary bruises, but one that remains etched in the psyche and memory, leaving permanent wounds, many which haunt us for the rest of our lives.

Though we must do everything possible to deal with the symptoms of abuse (no different than band-aids and aspirins) with short-term solutions or whatever may possibly work, the biggest challenge is to address the root of the issue: Abuse is only possible because there is a climate, an environment, a breeding ground as it were, that allows abuse to fester and thrive. That breeding ground is the utter ignorance and lack of appreciation of the fundamental sanctity of sexuality. Society as a whole has allowed (or even encouraged) sexuality to be divorced of its intimate mystique; it has been turned into commodity instead of mystery; casual instead of permanent; mechanics instead of relationship; a verb istead of a noun.

The Torah calls sexuality “knowledge” – “Adam knew Eve.” Knowledge is an intimate bond, not a “quick fix.” Knowledge takes years to develop, to nurture, to cultivate. The dignity of the princess is within, more than the golden clothing which she wears (Psalms, 45:14). It is an internal experience, one that works from the inside out, not from the outside in.

Accordingly, we must come out with a massive educational campaign, treated subtly and sensitively, to re-indoctrinate all of us – including our children – in the meaning of intimacy. And how violating someone’s intimate space has far-reaching implications.

To address and prevent a state of abuse – Afflicted one, storm-ravaged and disconsolate ­– the verse continues: And all your children will be taught about G-d; great will be the peace of your children. By teaching our children about the sanctity of life and intimacy, great will be their peace and comfort they will find amidst the storms surrounding us.

Sexuality, by its very nature, is provoked and fueled by discussion. Therefore, great care must be taken that it should be addressed with the appropriate modesty and subtlety. There are some who address the issue of intimacy in non-intimate ways, like speaking about modesty in an immodest fashion; they say the right things in the wrong way. The sanctity and privacy of our most vulnerable place must taught by sensitive professionals who will avoid any provocative expressions or associations. It should be discussed privately with a student, or at most with two or three students, and it should be discussed separately with boys and girls, to keep the boundaries clear. (For more on this, please see te chapter on Intimacy in Toward A Meaningful Life, and also here)

I have no doubt that if kids knew what they were tampering with, and sexual sensitivity would become a social standard (yeh, I know that it’s not happening overnight), even if it would not solve all our problems, it would have visible impact.

In addition: Awareness of the power of sexuality and the damage of abuse should lead to instituting a policy of zero tolerance of predators. As a deterrent they should know that they will be ostracized. Every school and institution where children congregate can appoint a professional to look for signs of abuse. Any detection, any suspicion, should be pursued (obviously, with great care not to accuse innocent people, and with the knowledge that accusation can sometimes be made out of acrimony). Anyone violated would be encouraged to speak up, and when enough reports come in – approach the predator and threaten him. Fear of this nature can have powerful impact.

As we move through the seven weeks of comfort, which coincides with the beginning of the new school year, this is a perfect time to set new standards and declare for all, and especially our children, to hear and see that we will do whatever it takes to protect them, so that no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper.

[This article focused on sexual abuse, though there are other destructive forms of abuse that violate human dignity, which deserve to be addressed].

Please send me your thoughts and suggestions how to help protect our children. It would be a great service to create a public forum and dialogue to bring this matter to the fore, where we can learn from each other and benefit from our collective wisdom.

mlc | Meaningful Life Center
www.meaningfullife.com
E-mail: wisdomreb@meaningfullife.com. Phone: 718.774.6448
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Third And Final Hazmana (Summons) To Bais Din Served Today Upon Lipa Margulies And Yudi Kolko

UOJ ARCHIVES - APRIL 6, 2006

Click on images to enlarge:




To All Jewish People Of Goodwill Around The World:

The final communications with two of the most evil Jews alive today are over. The UOJ team wanted to follow Jewish law by having our grievances heard in bais din.

Lipa Margulies and Yudi Kolko have not responded.

I do not need to spell out what our next step will be.

This is the beginning of the end of Yeshivah Torah Temimah...my advice to members of the staff and to the parents of the students is to look for another place for yourselves and your children.

Rabbis Schustal and Greenfeld, there is a group of wealthy baalei-batim that are willing to back you in opening up a new yeshiva. Ultimately, you need to consider your own future and the future of hundreds of talmidim that will follow you wherever you go. It will take some time; there will be no more Torah Temimah as it exists today. You are welcome to contact me for more details.

Please watch this blog for the latest developments "after" they happen...I do not intend to give notice to the rishaim prior to the next set of events.

We tried....

UOJ

PROOF THAT THE ASHER YATZER GEDOLIM
ARE JUST THAT:

1-FULL PAGE AD IN THE YATED AGAINST PRE-PACKAGED ROMAINE LETTUCE SIGNED BY 60 MORONS WHO HATE HEINNEMAN.

2-AD IN THE HAMODIA, SIGNED BY THE NURSING HOME BRIGADE, AGAINST "THE MAKING OF A GADOL"(DUMBEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN, BY THE DUMBEST PUTZ EVER BORN-UOJ)

3-PAGE TWO AD IN THE YATED INVITING THE "OILAM" TO SHIMSHI SHERER'S DRASHA ON HOW TO MARRY RICH. SEPARATE ADVICE FOR MEN AND WOMEN.(SPONSORED BY THE MOSHE SHERER "JEWISH GROOMING" FOUNDATION.)

4-FULL PAGE AD IN THE JEWISH PRESS ON THE AGUDAH'S UPCOMING DINNER; ONE OF THE HONOREES BEING WJC'S SWINDLER OF THE YEAR, AND PROUD CHAVRUSA IN LEARNING TORAH WITH CARDINAL LUSTIGER AND OTHER CATHOLIC CHURCH MEMBERS, RABBI DOCTOR ISRAEL(BRONFMAN'S WATER BOY) SINGER!

NOT A WORD ABOUT THE REFUSAL OF GANGSTER MARGULIES AND PEDOPHILE KOLKO'S REFUSAL TO COME TO BAIS DIN:

******* PRICELESS!!! *******

More wisdom from the Asher Yatzer Nursing Home Brigade!

Apr. 23, 2006 10:14 | Updated Apr. 23, 2006 15:10
Rabbis call for Yisrael Valis' release
By JPOST.COM STAFF

Jerusalem District Attorney Eli Abarbanel met with haredi leaders Sunday afternoon to discuss the possibility of releasing Yisrael Valis on bail. Valis was arrested on suspicion of killing his three-month-old son.

Officials in the district attorney's office stressed that they would wait to decide on bail until they received a psychiatric evaluation on Valis.

A previous meeting scheduled to take place between the district attorney and haredi leaders was cancelled following violent haredi protests over Valis' arrest

Earlier Sunday, Jerusalem rabbis Shalom Elyashiv and Haim Kanievski released a halachic decree declaring that Valis was innocent.

One of the rabbis, speaking to Israel Radio, said that the basis for the decree was that Valis' wife was still supporting him, and that if he had indeed killed his son, she would not be at his side still.

Valis is facing manslaughter charges for beating his baby son to death. He allegedly hurled the boy against the wall after the infant started to cry, and is suspected of repeatedly biting, beating, pinching and punching the infant since his birth. Valis reportedly "did not accept him" due to a defect in the child's neck muscles, police said.

Extremist elements in the haredi community had previously threatened to riot and to "make Jerusalem burn" if the alleged killer is not released from custody, even though police said that he has admitted beating his child.

In a previous effort to ease tensions, rabbinical sages and Valis' family issued a statement two weeks ago calling on protesters to refrain from violence and from burning trash on the street.

Jerusalem Municipality spokesman Gidi Schmerling said last Saturday that haredi riots over the last week have caused NIS 140,000 in damage, including the destruction of 30 city garbage bins.
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ADDED AUGUST 27, 2008

- Click here for more blooper videos




BREAKING NEWS:

Satmar Teacher Sued By Former Student For Sexual Abuse
- THE JEWISH WEEK

http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c36_a13292/News/New_York.html

Sent in by Archie Bunker

Principal arrested on molestation charges

Principal arrested on molestation charges - Efrat Weiss - YNET

Principal of West Bank school arrested on suspicion of having inappropriately touched dozens of teenage male students. Suspect denies all charges

A school principal in a West Bank settlement has been arrested on charges of indecent assault against dozens of his students, aged 12-14, Ynet has learned.

Married and in his late 40s, the man was brought before the Kfar Saba Magistrates' Court on Monday, where he was remanded for three additional days.

According to the police, the suspect repeatedly denied all the allegations in his interrogation: "There was nothing of the sort, I'm being framed," he said.

The investigation began following a tip-off regarding acts the suspect allegedly forced upon eight of his students. A covert investigation was immediately launched, but began to build up speed after an official complaint was filed last week by a resident of the settlement where the incidents allegedly took place – a psychologist who said she was contacted by a family claiming the school principal molested their son.

Chief-Superintendent Mark Amiel told Ynet that investigators sought the testimonies of two youths following the complaint. Amiel said that since the boys were both under the age of 14, their questioning was conducted by specially trained officers and welfare officials.

One of the youths testified that the suspect would sit him on his lap and touch his genitals. The boy recalled at least 15 such incidents spanning nearly two-year. Another student reported the same pattern of abuse.

"This is a difficult and complex investigation," noted Amiel, adding that most of the incidents appear to have taken place within school walls. "We know of another incident that occurred a month ago, while the students were away on a field trip," he said.

"The suspect took advantage of his position and the innocence of dozens of children, employing the same methods to molest them."

Amiel said that some of the parents asked to consult with the settlement's rabbi before cooperating with the investigation. The rabbi, on his part, has cooperated with investigators in full and has been deposed.

"This investigation has just begun. Over the next few days the picture will get a lot clearer. These are shocking incidents, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. We estimate it won't be long before we accumulate enough material to build a case for an an indictment."

Steve's words of truth deserve a headline position:

FROM MASECHES GITTIN 57b:

"Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel, or it may be R. Ammi, or as some say it was taught in a Baraitha; On one occasion four hundred boys and girls were carried off for immoral purposes. They fully understood what they were wanted for and said to themselves, If we drown in the sea we shall attain the life of the future world. The eldest among them expounded the verse, The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring again from the depths of the sea. 'I will bring again from Bashan,' from between the lions' teeth. 'I will bring again from the depths of the sea,' those who drown in the sea. When the girls heard this they all leaped into the sea. The boys then drew the moral for themselves, saying, If these for whom this is natural act so, shall not we, for whom it is unnatural? They also leaped into the sea. Of them the text says, Yea, for thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

We learn this gemara on Tisha B'Av because this story happened after the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans. These young boys drew a kal v'chomer from the action of the girls and proceeded to make a kiddush hashem by leaping to their deaths. To them it was obvious, "Where's the shayla" they asked. How can we submit to the perverted desires of pedophiles? How can we submit to sexual molestation? If the girls, to whom the act is natural, would not submit, how can we?

Gentleman, I ask you, what has trasnpired in the two thousand years since this incident, that has made sexual molestation acceptable? What has transpired to make it not only acceptable, but something that is practiced by "rabbis" without impunity? What has transpired that has made the lives and neshamas of our children expendable for the benefit of these rabbinical pedophiles? I ask you --- WHO IS SICKER, THE PEDOPHILES OR THE CRIMINALS THAT CALL FOR MORE COVERUPS, MORE SWEEPING UNDER THE CARPET, AND FOR "DEALING WITH THESE THINGS PRIVATELY TO PROTECT 'EVERYBODY'???

Those children on the boat understood something that all the gedoilim today cannot comprehend. Either they don't comprehend, or they intentionally skip over this gemara, and skip over the passuk "Al Tigu Bimshichai". How much longer are we going to sit quietly while our children are led like sheep to the slaughter? How many more "incidents" or "cases" do we need to hear about?

How many more "tawdry tales", Avi Shafran? How much more "anecdotal evidence" do you need, scumbag? Why should you respond, you miserable menuval? Those are your exact words. This plague is not important enough to elicit a response from you or the Agudah? Only after you are exposed in a national magazine do you comment with your "we're not as bad as the Catholic Church" nonsense. You only find time to defend the Rubashkins. Scum defending scum. Perfect. The Rubashkins and Avi Shafran, a perfect match. One causes timtum halev by feeding neveilos utreifos and the other destroys neshamos by publicly protecting child molesters. You still think we are capable of policing ourselves, Shafran?

Ask your (former?) colleague Rabbi Horowitz how many calls he gets per week? AT LEAST FIVE OR SIX PER WEEK!!! Nah, there's no plague, sexual molestation is not rampant in our yeshivos, it's all an illusion. It's all a conspiracy concocted by UOJ. Just ask attorney Jeffrey Schwartz, UOJ goes out and recruits victims.

How much longer my friends, how much longer? Talk by Dov Hikind is nice, but it's cheap. We need definitive action. Assembly bill A11399 needs to be passed immediately, Dov. We need rabbis to proclaim from every pulpit that it is a mitzvah to GO DIRECTLY TO THE POLICE if you or someone you know is victimized. This is clear cut halacha. The laws of messira and loshon hara do not protect child molesters. The Torah says "Vechai Bahem", this is pikuach nefashos and a molester is a "rodef". If the rabbis are still not sure, please refer them to the gemara in Gittin 57b. They can learn a thing or two from the kinderlach.

"Beyond Belief - Heart Breaking Stories I’ve Compiled On Molestation In Our Community, Its A Cancer, My Promise I Won’t Sit Silent."

VIN:

Brooklyn, NY - Assemblyman Dov Hikind: Beyond Belief, Heart Breaking Stories I’ve Compiled On Molestation In Our Community, Its A Cancer, My Promise I Won’t Sit Silent.



Brooklyn, NY - “It happened twice in the mikva…..I was nine…. I never told anyone…I can’t tell my wife….she will never understand…How can she?….She will divorce me and take my children from me….,” fraught with intense pain, Duvid struggled as he divulged the more than two-decade old secret that was eroding his emotional and physical health.

The avalanche of stories of molestation and sexual abuse is overwhelming, personally and professionally. The first-person accounts of abuse have shaken me to my core. I have looked into the faces of victims, of their parents, and there is a void where joy should be. There is a vacuum where love should exist. And there is a disconnect with life and living. Victims live between worlds, the past encroaching on the currency of a beautiful life unfulfilled. It is a rape of the soul.

For the last three weeks, I have been immersed in round-the-clock meetings, hearing details no one should hear, referring victims to therapists, and compiling data on the perpetrators who share the same air we breathe. When the victim is one of ours and the molester is one of ours, the suffering is more acute. When it is a neighbor, a friend, a family member, a rebbe, etc., from our community who visits this abomination on our children, and the individual is not isolated or contained, it is a cancer that our society has permitted to metastasize, to grow and flourish into a malignancy.

Has child molestation risen to pandemic proportion in our midst? There is no formal actuarial data to support that, but no doubt predators have been sheltered, secure in the knowledge that the victim’s family will be so shrouded in shame and self-loathing, that denial will rule. When we have more compassion for the pedophile than for the victim, then our communities are doomed to self-destruction. “He’s respected….He’s choshuv….You can’t shame his family. You can’t deprive him of his livelihood…It will be a chilul Hashem….” By our own design, have we perpetuated the pain with our silence, reinforcing the shame, and being complicit in the trauma?

The medical literature says that a pedophile’s sexual interest in children is a disease that can not be controlled, and there must be appropriate psychological intervention. It will not go away with wishful thinking or haphazard monitoring.

Elected officials assign staffers to specific issues. There may be a “legislative desk,” a “Medicare desk,” an “Israel desk,” an “anti-Semitism desk,” a “discrimination desk,” etc, to respond to the needs of constituents. And after 26 years in office in the NYS Assembly, I now have a “sexual abuse desk.” No elected official should have a sexual abuse desk; no one should need one. But we do, because the experts say that one pedophile will abuse hundreds of victims, and I am now dealing with the exponential reality of decades and decades of our institutions, our communities, providing sanctuary to the perpetrators.

On my radio show, Miriam bravely recounted the violation of her son when he was eight years old at the hands of the principal of one of the largest institutions in Williamsburg. Repeatedly molested, her son, now in his twenties, is a member of a heavy metal band. The pain is etched on her son’s face. They have tried everything as a family to respectfully address the institution and remove the rebbe from access to children, and they have become mired in institutional politics, because the yeshiva refuses to acknowledge what the perpetrator did, though more than one victim has come forward. The politics of pain will rule no more; not on my watch. No pedophile should find sanctuary in our yeshivas. The perpetrators will get help or they will go to jail; there will be no self-serving wave of the hand, “Eh, the child and his parents are making it up.”

Another victim, Chaim, was molested summer after summer in one of our finest sleep-away camps. The psychic trauma has lingered for decades and shattered his life. He cannot trust. He cannot enjoy. He cannot feel. Unimaginable, unendurable, inescapable, - what sexual abuse does to the mind, the heart, the soul is devastatingly complete. It seizes the soul in a death-grip of terror and revulsion. It may be a passing scent….of grass, of trees…that triggers flashes of memories and overwhelms with painful sensory imagery of the abuse. It may be the feel of a fabric….it’s everywhere and nowhere…..and he remembers what it is like to be a child at the mercy of a vile adult who used his body over and over again…

For every one pedophile/molester there are hundreds of victims, as long as the violations go unreported or unaddressed. The victims can be your son, son-in-law, grandson, nephew…if it is not dealt with….I heard tapes of Chaim’s perpetrator…I couldn’t handle it. It was too much to bear. I couldn’t hear it anymore, how a molester tried to defend and rationalize what he did to his “favorites” in a well-renowned camp. “They didn’t know anything was going on. It wasn’t like they were hurt by what I did.” I. Didn’t. Want. To. Hear. One. More. Defiled. Utterance. Delving into the mind of a pedophile was traumatic. And his rapid-fire clipped speech and articulate manner underscored the banality of his malevolent indulgences. He destroyed this child and others, now adults, and he spoke of it as if it was meaningless to the children. “They were too young. They didn’t know what was going on. It’s nothing. It happened a long time ago.”

From this point forward, the message will be clear from every rov and every community: Schools and parents have an obligation to come forward to deal with this. If they don’t, then they are complicit in the abuse and will have to answer to another higher desk, after 120 years. That desk, Hashem’s desk, knows the hearts of men, and the purity of conviction, and if you have shielded the guilty, that is the greatest chilul Hashem of all.

We are compiling information which will be presented to rabbonim, material which will be irrefutable, undeniable, inescapable, based upon which there will be a groundswell of support for victims, and an initiative to remove the perpetrators from any and all contact with children.

I can’t bear to hear one more story, but I will. I will hear hundreds if I have to. I’ll cry with as many victims as I have to. And my heart will break, and I will feel desperate to get away from the pain.…but I will get them help. I will listen and I will brush away more tears than I’ve seen in 26 years – my own….for another childhood lost. This will be eradicated from our midst…I’m not a crusader I’m a parent….a grandparent….a man whose mind can no longer process the horrific stories of violations…

If we don’t teach our children to protect themselves from molesters, the molesters will perversely teach them first and paralyze their lives and emotions…There is a part of me that is sorry that I started on this journey of misery and degradation, and there is a part of me which knows that someone has to speak for myriad victims. I haven’t slept well since I launched this mission. I don’t know if I will…again.

There are people who will say that this is a problem which has been around for decades and that it will be impossible to breach the walls that have been put up. But I have faith that with God’s help, we will be able to make a difference in many lives. Are we going to solve the problem entirely? Notoriously, pedophiles are likeable and they blend in well, and formulate a cover story for why they are so involved with your children. Finding every single one and rooting them out, is the province of God. But with God on our side, we have a chance to stanch the loss of our children.

It’s almost too much to bear, but then the phone rings again, and another victim who hasn’t told his narrative to anyone calls, and haltingly asks for a meeting…and I know I don’t have a choice. I’m at 718-853-9616…and I am waiting for your call.

OUT OF CONTROL!

I recently returned from a quick visit to Washington, where I had dinner with a very dear friend of mine. We spoke about many of the burning issues of the day, and at the very end of our dinner he asks; well, what do you think happened to Novak?

For those of you that are not news-junkies, or just hate Bob Novak for converting to Catholicism; on a bright sunny morning he was driving his car on a Washington street where he hit a pedestrian, and did not stop. When the police tracked him down, he did not remember hitting anyone - or having even seen anyone on that street corner.

I turned to my friend (this was before the news about Novak's illness was publicized), and said, " my hunch is either he's going blind - or has a brain tumor." (we both did not think it was a hit and run)

A person I knew, only found out (after years of discomfort) that he had a tumor the size of a basketball , when he took chest x-rays after he had a car accident. Too late to save his life, unfortunately.

A distant relative of mine, was feeling ill for a while, took a stress test, and died in the doctor's parking lot.

....The stories are endless...symptoms of disease, but not quick enough to do anything about it.

The Ramat Bet Shemesh child-rape crisis threw me off the cliff. I thought I had heard it all. The rabbonim gedolim and askonim, to deflect attention away from the sick-scumbag-rebbe-molester, tried to pin the blame on the older sibling of the small child. "The older brother was the child-rapist" - the word went out in the neighborhood from these asher yatzer gedolim.

A woman in Australia, Malka Leifer, runs off to Israel after molesting many female students of hers. No jail - no nothing. All is quiet in Melbourne.

Aron Tendler is free to roam the streets of Baltimore after some twenty years of child-rape and God only knows how many adulterous relationships.

Shalom Tendler gets to open Yeshiva Bircas Yitzchok in Los Angeles, after being fired from the Young Israel and YULA. This abominable panty posek, and alleged adulterer, (much more another time) still stays on the board of the RCC, and the OU is still endorsing his Shabbatons.

Yudi Kolko moves to Lakewood and has no problem joining a shul and hanging around kids, again.

Lazer Ginsburg is actively raising bail money for Colmer, and his mamzer brother in-law, Avrohom Chaim Levin in Chicago, gets to cover-up decades of child-rapists, after this sick wind-bag from the Windy City, sends Brooklyn gift wrapped - Avrohom Mondrowitz - the Ted Bundy of child-rapists!

Shmuel Kaminetzky - The soulless individual, who knowingly sent Moshe Eisemann from Philadelphia to Baltimore - Ner Israel - forty years ago, and whose son in-law, Tzvi Berkowitz covered for Eisemann in Baltimore, is asked to speak at a meeting of victims of yeshiva molestations.

Just one child-rapist - Matt Salomon - the rug salesman from Lakewood - New Jersey, is invited and asked to impart his wisdom to these victimized souls, whose only crime was that their parents wanted them to have a yeshiva education.

We're so friggin' sick that we don't even call the doctor!

"A scandalous sex abuse story is brewing here in Ramat Bet Shemesh."

Dear UOJ,

Thank you for being a voice of reason and providing a forum for the many victims of our leadership. A scandalous sex abuse story is brewing here in Ramat Bet Shemesh.

A rebbe in a school has been accused of molestation of at least one (and possibly more) children. The rabbonim (former Americans) are trying to keep "hush hush" and contain the story. Although the rebbe was removed from the class the rabbonim demanded his return. Only a threat of going to the press and police kept him from coming back into the school and teaching.

The rabbonim suggested that the family pursue justice through an investigation done by a form of "tznius police' in Yerushalyim. The investigation has shlepped out for 2 weeks due to lack of cooperation on the part of the rebbe.

It is now coming out that there were more victims AND that the rabbonim in concert with the school, sent all of the witness kids and potential victims for "deprogramming".

UOJ....what do we do?

*******************************
UOJ -

I salute you for your campaigns to bring molesters to justice. I will be happy if this guy will never be able to come close to a kid again. At the same time I must ask for a matnas chinam......................a broken hearted father.

The father of a victim asked me to remove the names of the rabbis that covered up for the child-rapist, and to edit out some of this post. I will respect his wishes. He said - they were true, but at this crucial time, he felt his family would be better off if those details and names were to be deleted.

UOJ

THE REAL PROBLEM IS NOT TALKING ABOUT "IT" TO OUR CHILDREN, AT HOME AND IN SCHOOL

UOJ ARCHIVES - JULY 10, 2006

A noted Orthodox criminal defense attorney writes
e-mail: dbpesq@gmail.com
**************************************************

THE REAL PROBLEM IS NOT TALKING ABOUT "IT" TO OUR CHILDREN, AT HOME AND IN SCHOOL

PART 1

Before I write about "the real problem," which everyone has their own opinion about, and everyone is right about, I need to say a few words of introduction about the disingenuousness of Rabbi Avi Shafran.

Rabbi Shafran, whom I have never met, is one of the best "spin doctors" in the world. He is an amazing writer and he does the best job of defending, deflecting, spinning, distracting, etc. everyone from negative attention on Agudah and the Haredi world. I truly and sincerely admire him. And I admire the fact that many newspaper editors – most notably, Gary Rosenblatt at the Jewish Week – will rightfully give him a forum to respond any time he feels there is a need for an Agudah response. I enjoy an open dialogue and reading his/Agudah's point of view.

That said, his recent article entitled "A Matter of Orthodox Abuse" responding to Robert Kolker's NY Magazing article on the Kolko-Torah Temimah sexual abuse and cover-up lawsuits, was Rabbi Shafran at his best – and yet glaringly disingenuous. Robert Kolker himself has done a much better job of responding to Rabbi Shafran than I could ever do. Let me pick his article apart, however, with two additional points.

Rabbi Shafran attempts to quell the panic about sexual abuse in the Orthodox community with a two-pronged approach: (1) There are no statistics, so why assume it is so bad? On the contrary, it's probably not as bad as it is in other segments of the American population, because… (2) "A Torah-observant life does not lead to aberrant behavior; it helps prevent it… That fundamental Jewish truth that human inclinations are harnessed and controlled by Torah-life and Torah-study is self-evident to anyone truly familiar with the Orthodox community."

Let's take them one at a time. Let's first deal with a lack of statistics or a lack of information.

Imagine, if you will, that you are walking about five blocks from your home when you get a text message on your phone that your 4-year-old daughter fell down a flight of stairs inside your home, with no information about the extent of her injuries. Let's assume you do not have the presence of mind to call home, or you do and the line is busy. Do you: (A) assume the best, that she fell only a few steps, and onto carpeting and is resilient enough to stand up and walk it off – and therefore you walk home at a leisurely pace, OR do you (B) assume the worst, that she is severely injured with broken bones and you, therefore, run home to see what you can do to help?

Project the same hypothetical about hearing from a neighbor that there is smoke coming out of your living room window – with no one at home. Do you assume the fire is contained to, say, a waste basket and walk home leisurely or do you run home afraid your house is burning down?

Without commenting on the Kolko case, Rabbi Shafran admits that "abuse of children unquestionably exists in the Orthodox community," but gives you the impression that, although there are no statistics and no one – including him – knows the extent of the abuse, it is wise to assume that it's not so bad.

Rabbi Shafran, your (our) house is on fire, you don't know the extent of the fire, and you are taking a leisurely walk home – a "shpatzeir" – to check on it! How amazingly absurd! There is nothing more Jewish than when there is a problem and we don't know the extent of it, to assume the worst.

(By the way, notice how carefully worded his big "admission" is: He calls it "child abuse" avoiding the term "sexual abuse," so that what he is admitting to could be "potching on the tuchis too hard." He does not mention rabbis or teachers or even a school setting; instead he talks about "in the Orthodox community," with which, if pressed for details, he could say he means parental abuse. And by saying "Orthodox" rather than Haredi he could be pointing a finger at Modern Orthodox and imply that it's less of a problem (or non-existent) in the yeshivish and chasidish world… See, I told you he was good!)

His second prong of the attack is even more absurd than his first. We would all like to believe that a religious lifestyle and dedication to God means a more ethical and moral way of living – and for most people, it truly does. Furthermore, most Jews respect those of other religions who are "frum" within their beliefs. Most Jews will tell you that they'd rather have as a boss or neighbor "a frum goy" than a non-religious Jew. Yet, when we observed the Catholic priest scandal it didn't shock us. We were rather smug in our attitude. It seemed NOT to be inconsistent for us that there are large numbers (again, no statistics) of Catholic priests who are homosexual pedophiles. Why doesn't their situation cause us concern about ours? Is it just because we know that their religion is wrong? Certainly their most religious, most pious leaders, believe, act and preach virtually the same morals and ethics that we do. And yet, so many OF THEM are flawed. Could we not have as many, and possibly more?

And how does one define morality and ethics? Is it limited to sexual abuse and deviation? Or does it broadly include business ethics and money matters? Although there are no statistics, if I told you that a higher percentage of Orthodox Jews cheat on their taxes than, say, Protestant Americans, would that shock you? Would you be as offended and protest? Of course not. It seems to be accepted and acceptable – and may even be a source of pride, since some call it a "mitzvah" – that we lie on our 1040's and cheat Uncle Sam out of as much money as we feel we can get away with.

(I recently became aware of this scam: In a certain Chasidic community, a major girls high school has done away with 12 th grade. Why? See if you can follow this: Many of their girls get married at 18. They marry religiously, and not civilly. When they give birth to their children, they file for welfare as unwed mothers. They recently found out that unwed mothers who did NOT graduate high school are entitled to a greater stipend than those who did graduate. To make sure their girls avoid the temptation of getting a diploma, this school did away with 12th grade.)

Why are we so foolish, so "na'arish", as to believe that we frum Jews can tacitly agree that it is acceptable to file for food stamps and get section 8 housing even though we are earning too much money to qualify for it but because it's a cash business or we're getting paid off the books, and that this lack of morality would not affect our sexual morality? That when we rationalize one thing, why do we deny it will cause us to rationalize others?

When our sages said "Mitzvah goreres mitzvah, v'aveirah goreres aveirah," they didn't mean that an doing an aveirah would cause us to do the same sin again. They meant that rationalizing one sin will cause us to rationalize another sin.

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2 IN WHICH I GET TO THE REAL PROBLEM.

RABBI NUCHEM ROSENBERG'S HOTLINE - 212-461-2778

Posted on VIN:

Stamford Hill, London – Williamsburg Controversial Activist Heckled, Flees To Get Police Protection

Published on: 07-24-08 at 07:19 PM - London

Rabbi Nochum Rosenberg of Brooklyn, New York, and a controversial figure in its Williamsburg-neighborhood Chasidic community, was physically accosted this evening by dozens of angry Chasidim in London’s Stamford Hill, after he visited today that community to assist in a private matter.

Seeing a hostile situation about to erupt out of control, Rabbi Rosenberg managed to flee to a passing police car, which carried him away to safety. He is currently being held under protection of the Met, London’s police force, until his departure and return to the U.S.

Rabbi Rosenberg is well-known for helping establish mikvaos all over the world over the past 20 years. His notoriety has spiked in recent months, however, due to his newly-adopted personal crusade against an internal communal problem which he claims goes ignored and untreated in the Orthodox community: molestation of children.

His advice/support hotline and call-in phone show, which he claims draws 10,000 listeners, has labeled specific prominent rabbis and educators as perpetrators, earning him a ban by several dozen New York rabbonim a few weeks ago on grounds of unnecessarily vulgar and graphic language, not to mention exposure of otherwise reputable individuals.

Mr. Rosenberg appeared a couple of weeks ago on a Jewish talk radio show , where he vowed he will not stop his crusade despite a ban against him.

........ And the great rabbis and sages - gedolim - and great judges - say thank you to R' Nuchem!

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE:

"Rabbi Shafran ignores the cultural forces of shame and denial that have kept child rape victims from going public"

Go To: NYMAG.COM - ON THE RABBI'S KNEE



Summer Reruns - Timeless Words!

(06/30/2006)
Orthodox Abuse And Cultural Forces

Robert Kolker

For those closely following the issue of rabbinical sexual abuse accusations in the fervently Orthodox Jewish community, last week’s Jewish Week represented something of a historic moment: An authority from the esteemed haredi organization Agudath Israel, Rabbi Avi Shafran, openly acknowledged that sexual abuse is indeed a problem that requires more attention and measures than the community currently brings to bear.

In the past, The Jewish Week’s own reporting has mentioned how rabbinical sexual abuse has been roundly ignored at Agudath Israel conventions. Rabbi Shafran himself has eschewed any calls for a centralized body to deal with the problem, instead encouraging anyone claiming to have been abused to “go to the rebbe or community rabbi.” So it is refreshing to read Rabbi Shafran grappling with these issues in an open forum and writing, “Must more be done? Yes. And it will be.”

But pausing only briefly to extend sympathy to victims of abuse, Rabbi Shafran saves his real outrage — and most of the space in his piece — for my recent feature story in New York magazine, “On the Rabbi’s Knee,” the first report to publicly detail the plaintiff's astonishing allegations in a recent sexual-abuse lawsuit. (The defendants are Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, Yeshiva & Mesivta Torah Temimah of Flatbush, and Camp Agudah, which Rabbi Shafran acknowledged is affiliated with Agudath Israel.) While the detailed and brave testimony of the plaintiff received little attention from Rabbi Shafran, the uncomfortable question asked in my piece — if molestation is more common in the fervently Orthodox community than it is elsewhere — must have hit a nerve.

Because last week, Rabbi Shafran accused the New York magazine article of “slip[ping] toward slander, not only of Orthodox Jews but of Judaism itself.”

As a journalist and a Jew, I take this accusation very seriously, and I’m grateful for the chance to respond.

First, Rabbi Shafran suggests that when I wrote that “there’s reason to believe the answer to that question [of more sexual abuse among the fervently Orthodox] might be yes,” I was engaging in something “sinister” — and that the only substantiation I provided was an insight from the author Hella Winston about the countless incidents she heard about in her laudable research on chasidic exiles.

While everyone including myself and Rabbi Shafran can stipulate that no hard statistics are available, my explanation of this belief extends for several more paragraphs. The next paragraph suggests that some experts believe “repression ... creates a fertile environment for deviance.” Rabbi Shafran takes this as an assault on what he calls “a Torah-observant life.” I intended it only as my sources did: as a belief that any society that shies away from open discussion of certain issues is a society that allows problems to fester longer — and abusers to stay in business longer.

But it’s what I discuss next that Rabbi Shafran ignores completely: the cultural forces of shame and denial that have kept child rape victims from going public for decades. Nowhere in Rabbi Shafran’s piece is a mention of the so-called shonda factor, lashon hara, shalom bayit, mesira, and chillul Hashem, all of which are invoked to keep victims from bringing their community unwelcome attention by the authorities.

Rabbi Shafran spoke to mental-health experts who believe the problem is smaller among the fervently Orthodox. The experts I interviewed said otherwise — like the pediatrician who was in tears discussing how these pressures keep victims silent, and two psychologists who agreed that the fears of being ostracized from the community prevent victims from speaking out and being treated.

Common sense would indicate that even if there are fewer fervently Orthodox abusers, if they’re allowed to remain in positions of power for decades they can abuse hundreds of more victims and perhaps even create victims who go on to become abusers themselves. As one abuse victim told me, “Whether it’s Jewish or Amish or Mennonite or Catholic or Muslim, it doesn’t make a difference. I feel like this is kind of like a fungus. It grows in the dark.”

But above all, this sort of chauvinistic we-abuse-less argument is an insult to the victims who felt so alone and intimidated for so long. Can there be any doubt that until the cultural bias against the reporting of abuse is tackled head on, not defensively, community leaders are only paying lip service to the problem?

Rabbi Shafran would have you believe that something is being done, but is it really?

While the Catholic Church now has a charter calling for removal of any clergyman who commits an act of abuse, the 3-year-old guidelines for preventing abuse in Jewish day schools that Rabbi Shafran mentions are non-compulsory. Torah U’Mesorah, the National Society of Hebrew Day Schools, has no real disciplinary system in place, but the New York City schools do. Are Jewish children somehow entitled to less protection than public school children? If Rabbi Shafran wants to suggest that fervently Orthodox religious observance in fact fosters superior moral behavior, then why not throw open the doors to the public? Why not urge complainants frustrated by the bet din process to take those grievances to an American court?

The absence of such conviction leads me to conclude that the real point of Rabbi Shafran’s editorial appears to be to distract attention from the lawsuit and make people believe that Agudath Israel’s reputation deserves their support more than the victims do. He would have you believe that the mainstream media — the usual bugbears of the Internet and MTV — are the villains here. He is obviously more concerned with defending Judaism from paper tigers — illusory enemies — than he is with actually dealing with the problems of his community.

Still, a major step has been made. At long last, by admitting there is a problem, Rabbi Shafran has opened the door for more discussion. Is it possible that outside forces like the lawsuit and the mainstream media have actually done some good here? As a Jew and a journalist, I hope so.

Robert Kolker is a contributing editor at New York magazine.

Special To The Jewish Week

06/30/2006)

Hella Winston Responds

For the second time on the pages of your paper (Rabbi Marvin Schick’s paid column “Is this Jewish Sociology,” May 12, and Rabbi Avi Shafran’s Opinion piece “A Matter of Orthodox Abuse,” June 23), the participants in my research have been subject to baseless speculation that they may have lied about their experiences of sexual abuse. I find this disturbing, not only for what it implies about their character and my research, but also because it serves as confirmation that victims who speak out about abuse can expect to have their credibility called into question, even by those ostensibly charged with representing their interests.

What I reported in my book was the result of several years’ research, involving not only chasidim who left their communities, but those who remain within them, as well as a variety professionals who work closely with this population. To be clear: Nowhere have I asserted that sexual abuse is more common in the Orthodox world than it is in the general population; reliable published statistics on this issue are notoriously hard to come by. What I have noted, however — along with many others — are some of the factors that make it particularly difficult for chasidic victims of abuse to seek help and justice: the fear of stigma; the traditional Jewish antipathy toward informers; concerns about lashon hara and making a chillul Hashem; the taboo against speaking openly about sexual matters; the lack of independent entities within these communities to investigate charges of abuse; the fact that offenders often find refuge in other communities.

All of this means that it is possible for abusers to go on abusing unhindered, sometimes for years. Ultimately, however, quibbling over numbers is merely a distraction from dealing with an issue that deserves our undivided attention.

Dr. Hella Winston - professor of sociology - Queens College

(06/30/2006)

Don’t Circle Wagons On Orthodox Abuse

Avi Shafran (“A Matter Of Orthodox Abuse,” June 23) quotes David Mandel of Ohel as saying, “The degree to which Torah leaders have spoken out [on abuse in the Orthodox community] has been remarkable.” I wish he were right.

While there are some who have spoken out in clear, responsible ways, what is remarkable to me are the many who have spoken out against lashon hara (slander), hillul Hashem (scandal) and mesira (the prohibition of going to secular authorities), to name just a few halachic walls to inappropriately hide behind, as a means of silencing victims. What is remarkable are the many stories that I have heard in my extensive work through JSafe with victims of sexual abuse, child abuse and domestic violence in all parts of the Jewish community of denial, cover-up and dismissal.

Interestingly, the non-Orthodox often see abuse as an Orthodox problem, and the Orthodox see it as a non-Orthodox one. And it is a problem for all of us. To date we do not have appropriate studies that give us real numbers. But perpetuating stereotypes of where to find perpetrators does no one any good.

I agree with Shafran’s critique of the New York magazine article and his dismissal of its suggestion that somehow Orthodox repression fosters abuse. But I believe that there are unique factors within the Orthodox community that make it extremely difficult for victims to come forward and get the help they need. There is systemic intimidation, covertly and overtly, of victims and their advocates, and even their rabbis. These people often fear retaliation and intimidation, as well as harmful consequences to their own reputations and those of their families. There are batei din (rabbinic tribunals) that have adjudicated these cases that have no expertise or understanding of these issues and no means to protect past and future victims.

Now is not the time to circle the wagons in order to protect an idealized vision of the community. Now is the time to do everything possible to protect victims from abuse. Then opinion makers won’t have to write columns defending their communities and accusing others of having nefarious agendas — they won’t need to.

CEO, JSafe

Rabbi Mark Dratch
West Hempstead, N.Y.

stoptendler@gmail.com

TO ALL SURVIVORS OF ARON TENDLER – WE NEED YOUR HELP!

"I have been after Aron Tendler for over 5 years. I have pleaded with major rabbis (who knew what he had done and was doing) to stop him - they refused to help. When I went to a very well known rabbi/psychologist and told him of a "rabbi" who had severely molested teenage girls and who was now a rabbi of a shul, the rabbi replied "maybe he doesn't have access to children!!!" I pleaded with him to intervene - He would not. This rabbi would not even let me tell him Tendler's name!

When I went to a well known Rabbi of a well known yeshiva for advice (I had not told him who it was yet, only that he was a rabbi in California) he told me I should talk to Aron Tendler about it and he would be able to do something. He told me I could trust Aron completely.

I told him that I couldn't do that since Aron Tendler was the one I was talking about.

I pleaded with him to intervene and get him away from the shul and possible future victims. He would not.

I spoke to a rabbi from the RCC several times over the last 5 years. Each time he pushed me off saying they were looking into it. Then he told me that the RCC couldn't do anything because in exchange for Aron stepping down from the RCC, they signed a confidentiality agreement with him. When I called him another time he told me that the shul board was looking into it and that he had in his possession an inappropriate email that Aron had sent to his daughter's friend, BUT "he didn't think he had enough to do anything with it."

A year ago Aron came to Baltimore – he tried to buy a house here. Certain people in the community were able to stop him from doing so. He told the rabbis that he had received "in- patient therapy" and was "rehabilitated." The rabbis said that he still could not stay because there were victims of his in the vicinity and it would cause them great distress. He promised that he would not move there and that he would find somewhere else to live. I kept on asking the rabbis if he was still there – they said he was in the middle of moving out.

THAT WAS A YEAR AGO.

He has not moved anywhere.

He even had his address changed to a Baltimore address. He has been living with his daughter until now and has no intention of moving anywhere. I went back to the rabbis and "they told me that they are not sure what they can do at this point." How can this be happening????? No one in Baltimore has been told about this man. He is free to go wherever he wants and to interact with whomever he wants.

THIS NEEDS TO STOP!!!!!

I am a victim of rabbinic abuse myself. I know the devastating effect this has on survivors. I know how to stop this but I need your help! Please contact me at - stoptendler@gmail.com. - You don't need to tell me who you are – you just need to hear my solution. We need to protect potential victims and we need to help heal his many survivors. We need to show the rabbis that we will not tolerate their weakness and inabilty to protect our community from sexual predators, here in Baltimore, or anywhere."

Jewish coach at yeshiva culled nude pix from boys - cops say!

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=6277876





Coach culled nude pix from boys, cops say Monday, July 21, 2008
BY JASON TSAI STAFF WRITER

RIVER EDGE — A former middle school basketball coach convinced at least four teenage boys into taking naked pictures of themselves by claiming that a group of blackmailers already had nude shots of the boys and their families, authorities said today.

Adam Melzer, 34, of Teaneck, told the former Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey students that the blackmailers used telephoto lenses to shoot the boys naked in their homes, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said.

Melzer, who was a basketball coach at the school, told the boys the only way to prevent the group from publishing the photos was for the boys to take naked pictures of themselves with digital cameras that Melzer supplied, Molinelli said.

Melzer claimed he would forward these pictures onto the blackmailing crew, and the crew members would in return give him the pictures they had taken of the boys and their families, authorities said.

All four boys took photographs of themselves and gave them to Melzer.

Joseph Macellaro, chief of detectives for the Prosecutor’s Office, said he was unsure of how many photos Melzer collected.

“He used his position of authority and respect to gain access to very personal photographs,” Molinelli said Monday.

School and law enforcement officials said Melzer told the ruse to two separate pairs of boys in 2006 and 2007. All four, who were between the ages of 14 and 16 at the time, were recent graduates of the Kinderkamack Road school.

Melzer, who had been their basketball coach while they were students, took them on as volunteer referees after graduation, authorities said.

The school’s dean, Rabbi Schmuel Goldstein, said he was shocked by the allegations and described Melzer as popular and well-liked. Melzer was a coach the past four years and had already decided not to return next year for scheduling reasons, Goldstein said.

“There were never any accusations while he was coach,” Goldstein said. “Certainly if there were any concerns we would’ve responded quickly.”

Melzer, who is married, turned himself into county authorities Friday at the Prosecutor’s Office’s office in Paramus, authorities said.

He was released after posting $50,000 bail, authorities said. Melzer is charged with four counts of child endangerment and is scheduled to appear in Municipal Court this afternoon, authorities said.

Calls made to his Briarcliff Road home were not immediately returned Monday.

Molinelli said Melzer also told his victims that the fictitious crew also sought pictures of the boys’ sisters and mothers in various states of undress.

The investigation began recently after one set of victims heard the other set speaking about the Melzer incident. All four are now high school students, though authorities wouldn’t specify at which schools.

“It’s definitely out of the ordinary. I haven’t seen this before,” the prosecutor said. “But in the area of sexual predators, I’m never surprised.”

E-mail: tsai@northjersey.com

The Three Weeks Of Mourning Begins!

Dr. Asher Lipner is going to be a guest on the Dov Hikind radio show this Motzei Shabbos, July 26, 2008, to talk about sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community. It airs at 11:00 (Saturday evening) - on WMCA 570 AM - New York.

Child sexual abuse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which a child is abused for the sexual gratification of an adult or older adolescent.[1][2] In addition to direct sexual contact, child sexual abuse also occurs when an adult exposes their genitals to a child, asks or pressures a child to engage in sexual activities, displays pornography to a child, or uses a child to produce child pornography.[3][1][4]

Effects of child sexual abuse include depression,[5] post-traumatic stress disorder,[6] anxiety,[7] propensity to re-victimization in adulthood,[8] and physical injury to the child, among other problems.[9] Sexual abuse by a family member is a form of incest, and can result in more serious and long-term psychological trauma, especially in the case of parental incest.[10]

Approximately 20% to 25% of women and 5% to 15% of men were sexually abused when they were children.[11][12][13][14][15] Most sexual abuse offenders are acquainted with their victims; approximately 30% are relatives of the child, most often fathers, uncles or cousins; around 60% are other acquaintances such as friends of the family, babysitters, or neighbors; strangers are the offenders in approximately 10% of child sexual abuse cases. Most child sexual abuse is committed by men; women commit approximately 14% of offenses reported against boys and 6% of offenses reported against girls.[11] Most offenders who abuse pre-pubescent children are pedophiles,[16][17] however a small percentage do not meet the diagnostic criteria for pedophilia.[18]

Under the law, "child sexual abuse" is an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification.[19][4] The American Psychiatric Association states that "children cannot consent to sexual activity with adults",[20][21] and condemns any such action: "An adult who engages in sexual activity with a child is performing a criminal and immoral act which never can be considered normal or socially acceptable behavior."[20]

Millions of Children Sexually Abused by School Employees
NewsMax.com Wires
Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Sex Abuse by Teachers Worse Than by Priests

WASHINGTON – More than 4.5 million children are forced to endure sexual misconduct by school employees, from inappropriate comments to physical abuse, according to an exhaustive review of research that reads like a parent's worst nightmare.

The best estimate is that almost one in 10 children, sometime between kindergarten and 12th grade, are targets of behavior ranging from unprofessional to criminal, says the report for Congress by Charol Shakeshaft, a professor at Hofstra University's School of Education.

"Most people just don't think this can really happen," said Shakeshaft, hired by the Education Department to study the prevalence of sexual abuse in schools. "We imagine that all teachers are like most teachers, in that they've gone into teaching to help children. Most do, but not all. We need to acknowledge that's the case and do something to stop it."

The report, required under the No Child Left Behind law and delivered to Congress on Wednesday, is the first to analyze the field of research about sexual misconduct at school.

Some educators immediately took issue with its approach, mainly the combining of sexual abuse with other behavior, such as gestures or notes, into one broad misconduct category.

But another prominent researcher supported the findings, suggesting, as Shakeshaft did, that they might even understate the problem. American Association of University Women, whose surveys of pupils were at the core of the new report, stood by its research.

There have been no nationally financed studies to collect data about how common sexual misconduct is in school, one of many areas Shakeshaft suggests must be addressed. Her analysis covered almost 900 documents and reviews that have dealt with the topic in some way, from private research and newspaper stories to reports for government agencies.

What she found portrays a problem that, no matter how uncommon, united groups of teachers, superintendents, parents and education leaders in concern and disgust.

The report describes schools as places where abusers come to prey, targeting vulnerable and marginal pupils who are afraid to complain or unlikely to be believed if they did.

It describes adults who trap, lie, and isolate children, making them subject to unwanted behavior in hallways, offices, buses or even right in front of other pupils in class. And the offenders work hard to keep children from telling, threatening to fail or humiliate them.

The report found teachers were the most common offenders, followed by coaches, substitute teachers, bus drivers and teacher aides. Among students, 56 percent of those targeted are girls, and 44 percent are boys, a smaller gap than commonly expected, Shakeshaft said.

Robert Shoop, a Kansas State University professor of education law and expert on sexual exploitation in schools, said the estimate of one in 10 children affected was not high. The actual number might be larger, he said, because of historical underreporting of the problem.

"Children need to be very clearly educated about inappropriate behaviors, and teachers do too, so when children see the earliest signs of this behavior, they have someone to tell," Shoop said. "But often, parents say, 'Mind your teacher.' So it's very unlikely that this 10-year-old kid is going to rip the teacher's hands off and say, 'Back off.'"

Describe what you see and how you feel in light of the continued destruction of the precepts of the Torah, in spirit and in deed!

Billionaire Bloggers

I thought I'd get this in before Elul - Pretty corny I must admit!

In an undated photo - UOJ training for the rabbinate






Internet Billionaire Bloggers - The Semi-Jewish Press - Bombay Edition - By Nisht Emes - Contributing Editors - Nisht Geshtogen & Nisht Geflogen




When a billionaire wants a soapbox, he has plenty of options.

He could found his own television network, like Ted Turner did with CNN. Maybe buy a magazine, taking a page from Mort Zuckerman, who bought U.S. News & World Report. Or just go for an old-fashioned newspaper in a nod to Rupert Murdoch, who recently paid $5.6 billion to add The Wall Street Journal to his media empire.

But a few of the world's wealthiest have opted for a decidedly less costly option. One is activist investor Carl Icahn, who has recently been waging very public battles with Yahoo! and a handful of other companies. Another is Ross Perot, a fellow billionaire probably best known for his surprisingly strong 1992 bid to become U.S. President.

UOJ's fortune is a closely guarded secret that - he discloses to no one - for he believes most of the rabbis in the world will be hanging out at his place of business, and a host of other undesirables. He is not very fond of most rabbis, and makes no secret about it. UOJ is a recluse, making it very difficult to get a current photo. The above photo was taken by a former yeshiva classmate - before UOJ was dragged off to the principal's office. He obviously was on to something at a very young age.

In March, Forbes estimated Icahn's fortune at $14 billion and Perot's at $4.3 billion. That's more than enough for each to buy any newspaper, magazine or TV channel, but those bring the pesky issue of editorial independence, and it's clear both Icahn and Perot are interested in editorializing.

At PerotCharts.com, Perot takes up a familiar cause: the ballooning federal deficit. Balancing the budget was a central plank in his run for the White House. He says the problem is only getting worse, and the U.S. is now facing its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Icahn also wants to point out a problem facing the country at IcahnReport.com. On his site, he's railing against corporate abuses in America.

Not surprisingly, some of the abuses Icahn decries are corporate practices that hinder his investing methods. In posts, he attacks the practice of staggered boards, which makes it more difficult for activist investors like Icahn to gain control of a company.

He also rails against so-called "poison-pill" measures, which many publicly traded companies adopt to limit the number of shares any one shareholder can buy. Last year, Icahn built up a 14.6% stake in homebuilder WCI Communities; the board of the homebuilder responded by adopting a provision that would kick in when a shareholder acquired more than 15% of the company's stock.

Blogging billionaires aren't new. UOJ has broken the back of the vastly corrupt Orthodox Jewish establishment, and exposed rampant child sexual abuse by rabbis; although the Agudath Israel, Rabbi Mattisyahu Salomon from New Jersey, and Marvin Schick Esq. - an officer of the court ---- who took an oath to uphold the laws of the United States - vehemently deny that there is a child sex-abuse problem among rabbis; --- "theunorthodoxjew.blogspot.com." Mark Cuban has been writing regularly on BlogMaverick.com since 2004. Pierre Omidyar has a blog and Twitter feed at pmo.vox.com.

Of course, these men have the Web to thank for their billions. Omidyar, 40 and worth $7.7 billion, founded online auction site eBay. Cuban, 49 and worth $2.6 billion, launched a Web audio and video portal he sold to Yahoo for billions; but UOJ refuses to disclose how many billions he made through his blog.

Other billionaires have taken a more measured pace to getting out their messages: Warren Buffet is famous for his annual newsletter to shareholders--that's not exactly a 140-character Tweet. Bill Gates has penned books and newspaper columns.

A blogging Icahn and Perot are a jolt, though. They are part of a different generation of billionaires from which you wouldn't expect as much Web savvy. Perot, 77, made his money in computer services long before the rise of the Internet. Icahn, 72, accumulated his fortune by buying into troubled companies and agitating for turnarounds.

Despite that, early indications are that they're not having any difficulty garnering readers or attention. Their prominence, success, and billions of dollars are instantly granting them an audience curious to hear their two cents.

USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Post, and plenty of other traditional print media outlets covered the unveiling of the Icahn blog. Ross Perot's only post so far, which is merely a press release announcing the Web site, has received 75 comments in the few days it has been up.

The Jewish Press, run by descendants of Albert Einstein, has contributed greatly to UOJ's notoriety, and claims on an average day, there are thousands of hits on his blog (on Shabbos that number falls to about 8,000.)

UOJ, Icahn and Perot have got something to say. It looks like plenty will listen. And they only had to pay for some Web hosting.

Stefan Colmer's Bail Hearing This Wednesday - Bail Has Been Reduced To Just $500,000 - To Spring This Animal From Rikers Island!

Right to left:
Lazer Ginzburg - Stefan Colmer - During happier times in the Mir Yeshiva learning Torah together.

The Colmer hearing is scheduled for this coming Wednesday morning (no time specified) July 16,2008 at the Brooklyn (Kings County) Supreme Court (Criminal Term), 320 Jay Street, Part 11, before Judge Mullen. The docket number is 04314-2007.

Rabbi Lazer Ginzburg of Flatbush (Agudath Israel Synagogue) is involved in raising money for his bail, and there is a good chance that he will be in court (or his representative).

If members of the Jewish community attend, please act respectfully. It would be rather important that our community demonstrate to the D.A., that "we're angry as hell and we won't take it anymore." This hopefully, will set the stage for the D.A.'s conduct, when Mondrowitz is extradited from Israel. Avrohom Mondrowitz is being held in an Israeli jail until he is extradited. The warden - Mickey Achbar - confiscated his shipments of Preparation H; he now sleeps standing up.

Various members of the national and international media will be in attendance.




Steve gently adds his thoughts:

Anyone that contributes to this fund to free Colmer deserves to be locked up together with him and those who enabled him. This is the most perverted distortion of the halacha of pidyon shvuyim. Just like it is a tremendous mitzvah to help free an innocent man, such as Jonathan Pollard, it is a huge aveira to help free a sexual predator like Stefan Colmer. This is a slap in the face of his countless victims, several of which found the courage to go to the police. Is the message we want to send to other child molesters? Do what you want, and if you get turned in, we will set you free and call your victims "shakranim" and "reshaim". This is exactly what is happening. It is Kolko circa 1985 once again, only the players are now Ginsberg and Levin. To them and to all those that aid and abet them by contributing to this criminal fund I say, IT'S OVER! The days of cover ups and pidyon shvuyim for molesters and the perversion of the laws of messira, lashon hara, rechilus are over!

The klal has had enough already! The victims are finding the courage to do the right thing by turning these predators over to the police so that no more innocent children can be harmed. Look at the Yona Weinberg case as one example. All of you that think that you are baalei chessed by contributing to free this beast are baalei chassidim shotim of the worst kind and baalei aveira of the worst kind. You will be exposed and help up to ridicule just like the enablers. If Colmer sees the light of day again, it will be shortlived. The same goes for Mondrowitz and Leizerowitz. The under the carpet sweeping days are over! The reign of terror by the molesters and their enablers is over! We will not turn back the clock to 1985 or 2005 for that matter. Justice will be served and our children will be protected, despite all your perverted efforts.

P.S. Lazer Ginzburg & A.C. Levin fom Chicago are brothers in-law!

UOJ

"...Money laundering scheme that involved the leader of an Orthodox Jewish group and several Los Angeles businesses."

BANKER AND SHAMASH START PRACTICING FOR THE YOMIM NORAIM - HIGH HOLIDAYS!


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Israeli banker pleads guilty in tax fraud
L.A.Daily News Wire Services Article

An Israeli banker pleaded guilty today to taking part in an elaborate tax fraud and money laundering scheme that prosecutors claim involved the leader of an Orthodox Jewish group and several Los Angeles businesses. Joseph Roth, 66, of Tel Aviv, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit tax fraud. U.S. District Judge George Schiavelli scheduled sentencing for Oct. 20, when Roth faces a statutory maximum term of five years' imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Roth once worked at the Los Angeles branch of the Israel-based Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd., and is the first defendant in the case to plead guilty.

Roth is one of several defendants named in a 37-count federal grand jury indictment alleging that Naftali Tzi Weisz, the 59-year-old Grand Rabbi of Spinka, promised to secretly refund between 80 percent and 95 percent of millions of dollars of contributions to several Spinka charities. The contributors could claim the full amount for tax deductions, even though they gave as little as 5 percent of the amount declared on federal income tax returns, prosecutors said. The secret refunds, or kickbacks -- as prosecutors have called them -- allegedly were laundered through third parties. Spinka is the name of a Hasidic sect within Orthodox Judaism. The group is named for the European town where it originated along the border of Hungary and Romania. Trial is set for Sept. 9.

After today's hearing, Roth smiled and shook the hand of the case's lead prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel O'Brien. Roger J. Rosen, one of Roth's attorneys, told reporters he was pleased with how the case has been resolved, but he had no comment on whether Roth was cooperating with the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Roth -- who has been in federal custody since late last year because he was deemed a flight risk -- helped American contributors get loans from Mizrahi Tefahot Bank, so the money could be used in the United States, prosecutors said. The contributors also could hire Spinka to help secretly repatriate the money into the United States in exchange for an additional money-laundering fee after the money was placed in secret accounts at the bank, prosecutors allege.

In addition to Roth's guilty plea, another prominent defendant in the case, Weisz's personal assistant, Gabbai Moshe Zigelman, 60, of Brooklyn, N.Y., has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit tax fraud, according to court documents.

Zigelman is alleged to have played an integral role in the scheme, paying kickbacks and laundering large amounts of contributions from "R.K." -- a participant in the scheme who turned into a government informant once he ran into problems with federal authorities. One method Weisz and Zigelman allegedly used to issue the secret refunds was by an underground money transfer network involving other parties, including businesses in and around downtown Los Angeles' jewelry district. One business was run by 60-year-old Los Angeles resident Moshe Arie Lazar. Other defendants in the case include Yaacov Zeivald, 43, of Valley Village, Los Angeles residents Yosef Nachum Naiman, 55, and 43-year-old Alan Jay Friedman and Tel Aviv attorney Jacob Ivan Kantor.

Five Spinka charities were also named as defendants: Yeshiva Imrei Yosef, Yeshivath Spinka, Central Rabbinical Seminary, Machne Sva Rotzohn and Mesivta Imrei Yosef Spinka. The charities are alleged to have used fraudulent receipts for bogus charitable contributions and benefited from fees charged for transfers of funds as part of the money laundering conspiracy.

Comments Showing posts 1 - 12 of 12 .......

Preach The Truth.... Glendale, CA Good job!........... They need to focus on all the hocus-pocus Armenian church scams here in Glendale/Tujunga, CA now. It's getting rediculous how all these parasites and leeches keep sucking the blood dry of our once-great nation. whatever

Minneapolis, MN ...........Wow, I can't believe that! Not the fact that he did it. The fact that he plead guilty.

Jew Watch Columbus, OH ..........Jews are disgusting..I mean they got white collar crime all over them. It is a pretty much a done deal that they knew of 9/11 before the attack actually occurred. The question is, how did Jews NOT know it was going to happen? abe Los Angeles, CA we all know how jews make money in the us is like big mafia

Israel1948 .................“Am Chai Yisra'el!”

Jew Watch wrote:................ Jews are disgusting..I mean they got white collar crime all over them. It is a pretty much a done deal that they knew of 9/11 before the attack actually occurred. The question is, how did Jews NOT know it was going to happen? And neo nazis such as yourself have blue collar crime. Would you rather have a few bucks taken away, or your life? If you say money, then you're one cheap Jew lol.

Jew Watch wrote: Jews are disgusting......I mean they got white collar crime all over them. It is a pretty much a done deal that they knew of 9/11 before the attack actually occurred. The question is, how did Jews NOT know it was going to happen? Hmmm, lets count how many Jews are in American prison. Now, lets count how many other people are in American prison. There are so many whites in prison, they needed to create the "nazi low riders" and "aryan brotherhood" just so the blacks and hispanic don't beat their asses. Do you see any Jewish gangs in prison? You don't? Really? Who would have guessed.

Abe Los Angeles, CA ..........here are some names mousa shaya,abe camaro,jo.shabany.koby,from koby windows joshi attia,and sam cohen, some jews some persians but all the same

**** Praise Jesus Los Angeles, CA........ There we go again. Los Angeles, CA Quit picking on the Jews they are good folks with big hearts. They are even fully accepting of gays who stood side by side with them in the concentration camps and went to the gas chambers for their families horrific deaths. Take a visit to the museum of tolerance here in Los Angeles and maybe you might get some compassion. I cannot believe some of the racist tones I have read here on this blog. You bigots need to really get a life.

jojo Garland, TX.......... Hmmm, lets count how many Jews are in American prison. Now, lets count how many other people are in American prison. There are so many whites in prison, they needed to create the "nazi low riders" and "aryan brotherhood" just so the blacks and hispanic don't beat their asses. Do you see any Jewish gangs in prison? You don't? Really? Who would have guessed. did you say Neo Nazis?? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Collin "Arguably, the downfall of Frank Collin was the revelation that his father's real surname was either "Cohn" or "Cohen" and had reportedly been a prisoner at the Dachau concentration camp. It meant that Collin was at least half-Jewish by ancestry. It was also discovered that Collin was a pedophile. "

Encino guy Los Angeles, CA.......... there are not jews in jail because they don't take a gun and rob $100 at the liquor store, they just cheat on the system and is hard to catch them they send millions to israel just to ''plant trees'' im not racist im just tellin the truth................

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Daa$ Torah battles The Ko$her Oven & Mo$he Mental Midget-Man - LET'S GET READY TO CRUMMMMMBBBBBLLLLLE!

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Lifted in its entirety from the - New Jersey Turnpike road scholars - at Yeshiva World!

Preventing Transgression: Gedolei HaPoskim Asur Pressing Buttons on ‘Shabbos Mode Ovens’ on Yom Tov

The modern electronic ovens presently being sold are no longer simply ovens that cook, but rather sophisticated, computer driven electronic marvels. While in the past, the Halochos pertaining to using ovens on Shabbos and Yom Tov were pretty straightforward, nowadays simply opening and closing the ovens can entail violations of Shabbos and Yom Tov.

The “Sabbath Mode” on many of the ovens sold today actually do resolve many of these issues, and is very useful.

However, utilizing the “Sabbath Mode” to raise or lower the temperature on Yom Tov is a matter which has been presented to the Gedolei HaPoskim and they have all unequivocally rendered their decision that it is absolutely forbidden to utilize that feature on Yom Tov.

Having seen the written explanation for the basis of the leniency, HoRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlit”a, HoRav Shmuel Wosner Shlit”a, HoRav Nisim Karelitz Shlit”a and HoRav Moshe Sternbuch Shlit”a all signed that it is strictly forbidden to rely on this leniency on Yom Tov.

In addition, when a written lenient opinion (”Daas Yochid”) was presented to local Rabbonim, they were also unanimous in their decision that it is forbidden to utilize that feature on Yom Tov.

Among the Rabbonim who signed were HoRav Yechezkel Roth Shlit”a, HoRav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a Rosh Kollel Avreichim of Toronto, HoRav Yechiel Tauber Shlit”a, Rosh Kollel Mechon Hoyroa in Monsey, HoRav Yaakov Horowitz Shlit”a, Rav Of Telze Minyan in Boro Park, Horav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, Rosh Yeshiva of South Fallsburg, HoRav Gershon Bess, Rav Kehilas Yaakov in Los Angeles.

HoRav Feivel Cohen Shlit”a corresponded with HoRav Elyashiv shlit”a and also expressed his opinion that one cannot rely on the leniency.

Erev Rav Yisroel Hazmana Halevi responded publicly that it is forbidden to adjust the temperature on these ovens, but Yudi Kolko should be reinstated as a rebbe at Yeshiva Torah Temimah.

Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst, Av Bais Din of the Agudah in Chicago also publicly forbade the adjustment of the temperature on Yom tov.

Rav Moshe Shternbach Shlita forbids its use as well.

The following is a translation of the Kol Koreh by a Rov and Posek that was not paid off by Heinemann:

The development of “Sabbath Mode” operation of ovens seeks to permit the raising and lowering of oven temperatures on Yom Tov. The change in temperature settings is accomplished by pressing keys on a keypad that is connected to the microcontroller built into the oven. Pressing the keys while in “Sabbath Mode” does not result in an immediate change in oven temperature nor does it have any other observable effect. Allowing this activity is based on the presumption that pressing the keys is merely a “Grama” and is therefore permitted on Yom Tov.

In our opinion, pressing the keys on Yom Tov is strictly forbidden since pressing a key immediately closes an electrical circuit and instructs the microcontroller to carry out an action. Pressing the key is forbidden just as all manipulation of electricity is forbidden on Shabbos and Yom Tov either because of “Makeh B’patish” or because of “Mesaken” as described in Igros Moshe (vol.3 §42 and vol.4 §84) whereby there can be a Torah violation immediately upon pressing the key even if no “fire’”is created. This operation is not considered “Grama”. [Furthermore, according to a number of authorities, “Grama” does not apply to situations where the eventual outcome is intentional.]

In our opinion, use of “Sabbath Mode” to change the temperature of an oven on Yom Tov represents an assault on the sanctity of Shabbos and Yom Tov and will lead to deterioration in their observance. We hereby declare that one may not rely on “Sabbath Mode” operation to adjust oven temperatures on Yom Tov despite the presence of a Hechsher on these ovens.

To all of the above we affix our signatures:

(HoRav) Yosef Shalom Elyashiv

I have seen the lengthy words of the Rov that permitted the above and they are Halachically incorrect and it is clearly forbidden. - (HoRav) Nisim Karelitz

There is no Heter for the above, nor will Grama accomplish here.
I affix my signature, awaiting the redemption. - (HoRav) Shmuel Wozner

Surely, one is obligated to protest this leniency with all our might. Such leniencies are a great degradation in the foundation of Shmiras Shabbos and those that are careful with the honor of Shabbos will bring an eternal Brocho upon themselves. - (HoRav) Yechezkel Roth, Head of Karlsbad Bais Din

Aside from the actual prohibition, there lies herein a breach in the wall of Shmiras Shabbos and Yom Tov through which the Jewish nation is sanctified thoughout the generations. - (HoRav) Yaakov Horowitz, Rav ,Telz Minyan

(HoRav) Elya Ber Wachtfogel (the world is only 100 years old)
(HoRav) Shlomo Miller, Rosh Kollel, Kollel Avreichim Toronto
(HoRav) Yechiel Tauber, Rosh Kollel Mechon L’Hoyroa, Monsey, NY
(HoRav, Hagaon) Gershon Bess shlita, Chief Rabbi & Posek of Los Angeles, California
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The $tar-K has just released the following statement:

Rav Heinemann, $hlita, $tands by his P$ak that it is permi$$ible to raise and lower temperatures on Yom Tov on ovens equipped with that particular $abbath Mode feature.

The Hancocker Rebbe - Moreinu Chaim Big-Boich Rubin adds his endorsement to any oven that works!

Plea$e $ee $tar-K web$ite, or call our office for detail$ about your particular model.
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