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Sunday, November 18, 2007

In The Basement, Behind A Closed Door - The Ger Hassid Avrohom Mondrowitz - The Pedophile From Brooklyn!

NEWER POSTINGS WILL BE AT THE END OF THIS ONE!******************************************
AVROHOM MONDROWITZ - ARRESTED!!!!!!
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Last update - 14:43 16/11/2007

Israel Police arrest alleged child molester wanted in the U.S.

By Aviva Lori, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service

tags: pedophilia, Israel, Gur Hasid

Avrohom Mondrowitz, a Gur Hasid suspected of sexually abusing Haredi children in the United States, was arrested Friday morning pending extradition orders to the U.S.

Mondrowitz fled the U.S. over 20 years and has been hiding in Israel ever since. The U.S. Justice Department two months ago submitted a request to Israel to extradite the suspect.

The spokesman of the Justice Ministry confirmed the arrest.

Mondrowitz, a member of the Gur Hasidic sect who styles himself a rabbi and a psychologist, was a highly influential figure in the Gur community of Brooklyn in the early 1980s.

Police suspect Mondrowitz sexually abused children brought to him as patients, including with acts of sodomy. In many cases, the parents were waiting in the next room for the treatment to end, so they could take the children home. Those are the facts as collected by the Brooklyn police and told by the children.

An arrest warrant was issued for Mondrowitz in 1984, but when police arrived at his Brooklyn home to arrest him, they found it empty. An indictment was drawn in 1985, but Mondrowitz was able to evade arrest due to the complications of extradition.
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For the full feature on Avrohom Mondrowitz, read this weekend's Haaretz's Magazine: In the basement, behind a closed door

In the basement, behind a closed door

By Aviva Lori

tags: Judaism, Israel

A few years ago, A. came to Israel with one mission: "To find him and kill him." He didn't think twice, he says; he really intended to do it. "My wife understood. She knew what I felt and she called friends in Israel, who never left me alone for a minute. They saved me from myself. If not for them, it would have ended in murder for sure."

A. is not the only one to have harbored thoughts of cold-blooded murder for more than 20 years. There are several hundred others, he says: men now in their thirties and forties who two or three decades earlier were students at yeshivas in Brooklyn. They say they were victims of Avrohom Mondrowitz, who lives in Jerusalem's colorful Nahlaot neighborhood.

Mondrowitz, a member of the Gur Hasidic sect who styles himself a rabbi and a psychologist, was a highly influential figure in the Gur community of Brooklyn in the early 1980s. He had a yeshiva and a private clinic in which he treated mostly children in distress. But the Brooklyn police suspect that instead of educating and helping, he sexually abused his pupils, his patients, children in the neighborhood and friends of his own children. The venues were varied: his office, his home, the yeshiva, his car, the family's summer cottage in the Catskills, amusement parks and public parks. In short, everywhere. Day and night. The respected rabbis of the community modestly averted their gaze. They knew, they saw, they were silent.

A., now about 40, was born and raised in an Orthodox family in Brooklyn. At the age of seven he was sexually assaulted in the street by an unknown assailant. "That already marked me," he relates, "and it was like a prelude to what came after." What came after was fomented by two respected figures. The first was a revered teacher in Brooklyn. The second respected figure was Mondrowitz. He kept the horror to himself and turned inward. "I became a troublemaker," he says. "I was thrown out of one yeshiva and then out of another. I became a nomad. I lost my self-esteem and didn't care about anything. The hardest part was when I told the rabbis in the yeshiva what the teacher did to me. They just ignored me and did nothing."

When A. was 15, the rabbis persuaded his parents, who did not know how to deal with their wayward son, to send him to the man who presented himself as a psychologist, a certain Avrohom Mondrowitz, who lived on 60th Street in Brooklyn's Borough Park section. "I was forced to see him three or four times a week, because I was a very special case," A. says. "From the very first, something about him bothered me. I didn't like the way he looked at me. After the first time, I came home and told my mother than I didn't want to go to him anymore, but he came to our place and spoke to my parents, and they persuaded me to go back."

A. went to Mondrowitz for two months. But the treatment immediately assumed a peculiar form. "It didn't take more than two visits, and he stopped taking an interest in my problems and started to mess with me."

A. recalls that at first he was very moved and opened up to Mondrowitz, telling him what the teacher had done to him, but instead of being supportive, Mondrowitz began to touch him. "I was in a state of shock. I didn't know what to do. The place you are meant to trust and where you go for help, attacks you. I froze and bottled up completely. I was drained of feelings. I called him 'Herr Doktor,' like Mengele, who also did experiments on Jewish children."

Did you understand what was going on?

"I understood immediately. It was like a game. It's hard to explain - only someone who has gone through an experience like that can understand. The assailant knows that you are easy prey, that he can play with your feelings because you are at your weakest point. He will not mess with the tough kids, only with the weak and the miserable. And that's how it went on, every time I went to him. He didn't even try to pretend that he was treating me. He got down to business right away. He took me to movies, for walks, and he kept touching me all the time."

Why didn't you run away?

"I have asked myself that question hundreds of times. I feel suffocated when I think about it. It drives me crazy. I didn't run because I thought there was something wrong with me. That I was a whore. I believed that that was my fate. That that is what I deserved - the fact is that it happened more than once. Deep inside I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't control it. I tried to fight with my parents, told them I didn't want to go to him, but they made me, so the yeshiva would agree to take me back - that was the rabbis' condition, for him to say I was cured. And in fact, two months later the yeshiva took me back and I stopped going to him. I told my parents I wasn't going there anymore and that was the end of it."

But two weeks later, he was expelled from the yeshiva again. That summer his parents sent him to a camp, but there he got into trouble again. Desperate, his parents called Mondrowitz and asked him to help. "I was an angry, rebellious adolescent," A. says. "I was angry at the religion, at the system, at the establishment and at everyone who represented the establishment. I hated the whole world and I fought everyone. Mondrowitz came to the camp, and when I saw him from a distance, I ran. My father didn't understand what was going on. 'He just wants to help you,' he said, and I remember telling him, 'He is a faggot, get him away from me.'"

In his senior year, A. fell apart completely. He did not attend school and lived in the streets. Most of the time, he saw the world through a haze of alcohol and drugs. His parents could not communicate with him. And then he was thrown a lifebelt: "Someone took me in, looked after me and saved my life. I told him everything, and he believed me. He asked what he could do to lessen my pain. I told him, 'That won't happen until I drive the last nail into the coffin of all the people who hurt me. I want justice to be done.'"

A. says he had clear, graphic, highly detailed dreams about killing them. The dreams recurred every night and turned into an obsession. "They absolutely took my life from me."

You wanted revenge?

"It's not a matter of revenge. Those people are sick, and there is only one way to deal with them - to eradicate them, like stray dogs. Otherwise they will go on doing what they did. They took from me something that will never be returned, and I can never forget, and maybe should not forget. People like me have to spread the word that these monsters are still walking the streets. I have been given the task of warning people about them."

With the help of the young man who befriended him, A. went to the police and filed a complaint against Mondrowitz. "I didn't know then that there were also other children he had hurt. I thought it was just me. Today I know at least 20 people who were his victims, but I know there were hundreds."

It was only then that A. told his parents about what Mondrowitz had done to him. "They felt terribly sorry and guilty for having sent me to him. But a few days later I learned that he had fled to Israel and was living the comfortable life of a respected Jew in Jerusalem." A. is now married and has children of his own. He leads a religious life, though when he was in the lower depths, wandering the streets, he removed his yarmulke and spurned religion. Even though his wife and children know about the sexual abuse he endured, he insists on remaining anonymous. He still has doubts, he says: he feels afraid and threatened by the religious society in which he grew up and was educated. He is not the only one who feels persecuted. Most of Mondrowitz's alleged victims live a secret life, fearing exposure.

A community psychologist

Avrohom Mondrowitz, 60, was probably born in Poland and settled in Israel with his family after World War II. He grew up in Tel Aviv, but in the 1950s the family immigrated to Chicago. He attended the Telshe Yeshiva, in Wickliffe, Ohio, run by the Lithuanian branch of Orthodox Jewry. In the 1970s, he came to Brooklyn, saying he held a master's degree in the sciences, a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Columbia, and another Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of Florida, in addition to being an ordained rabbi. The Jews of Brooklyn were impressed, and Mondrowitz began to acquire social status. He wrote articles on education for the Haredi press, had a radio program on which he gave listeners advice on how to treat children, established a yeshiva for children in distress and was active in Ohel, a large New York organization for orphans and children from broken homes. Finally, he hung a "psychologist" sign on his door and started to receive patients.

"He made a name for himself and was very respected in the community," says a Brooklyn Hasid. "Children were referred to him, hard cases from Ohel, and he treated them. Rabbis also referred children to him for treatment. His expertise was treating children who had been sexually molested."

Children who visited his office, which was located in the basement of his home, remember him boasting about the "bragging wall," on which hung his diplomas and certificates, all finely framed, which attested to his qualifications as a therapist. But according to Patricia Kehoe, a retired New York Police Department detective, "his diplomas turned out to be fakes, including his rabbinical ordination."

The police suspect that in that office, behind a closed door and drawn curtains, he sexually abused children, including with acts of sodomy. In many cases, the parents were waiting in the next room for the treatment to end, so they could take the children home. Those are the facts as collected by the Brooklyn police and told by the children.

I understood what happened

Mark Weiss, 40, from Chicago, grew up in a strictly Orthodox family, but in adolescence began to feel constricted by the rigid religious lifestyle. When he was 12, the family spent a sabbatical in Israel, and at 13 he was sent to a less strict yeshiva in San Francisco. He did not do well in his studies and felt out of place. A year later, the yeshiva informed him that he would not be able to continue his studies there, and his worried parents sent him to New York for instant counseling by a renowned psychologist.

"I was 14, and my parents sent me by plane," he said in a telephone interview. "They knew Mondrowitz's parents from Chicago - sometimes I went with my father to his father's synagogue. Mondrowitz himself attended the yeshiva in which his father was a rabbi. He was well-known. I was sent to him for a week, a week and a half, to get my head straight."

Mondrowitz went out of his way to make Weiss' stay a pleasant one. He picked him up at the airport, took him out to eat, then to an amusement park and finally to his place on 60th Street. "His family was away in a cottage in the Catskills and I slept with him in the house. At first it was terrific fun. He took me to all kinds of places and I took in every new thing: it was a perfect trap. At night he asked me where I wanted to sleep, in his son's bed or with him. I remember that he created this queasy atmosphere about his son's bedroom, so I said I wanted to sleep with him. During the night he suddenly touched me. From start to finish, including sodomy. I was naive, I didn't understand what was happening, I thought it was part of his niceness, that this is how he wanted to make me feel good."

What happened in the counseling sessions?

"Almost nothing. It was all one big fraud. In the morning, he was downstairs in the basement, receiving patients, and when he didn't have patients he went with me to all kinds of places, and at night he would come on to me, and on the weekend we drove up to the family's cottage."

When he was 16, Weiss was sent to a boarding school in Kiryat Tivon, near Haifa, where he spent two years, before returning to Chicago. He repressed the Mondrowitz experience successfully. He told no one, and it was as though it had never happened. But one day, during the Sukkot festival, he saw Mondrowitz in the synagogue. He was about to go over to him, when he suddenly understood what had happened to him a few years earlier.

"I froze, turned around and ran home," he relates. "On the way I started to cry, and my mother asked me what was wrong. I told her, but she found it hard to accept. Then my father came home and my mother told him, and he couldn't believe it, either. He tried to find out if maybe I was mistaken. Afterward I went to a friend and told him, but he couldn't believe it, and then I started to ask myself if maybe I was wrong. But a week later I got a call from a rabbi who asked me to see him at his home. I entered his office and he asked me, 'Would you send your children to Mondrowitz?' It was like a bomb went off in my head. I was in a state of shock. It took me a few minutes to reply, 'No, I wouldn't.' He asked why, and I told him, but again, nothing happened."

Weiss, who is married and has three children, lives in New Jersey, where he installs home movie systems. In 2001 he saw an ad in a religious paper about a conference of rabbis in New York on the subject of sexual molestation. "I went there," he says, "but it was disgraceful. I realized within a few minutes that they had no idea about what really goes on. They think that with them it's not like with the goyim or secular people, and they think they know how to help children. The truth is that they don't have a clue, because they sweep everything under the rug. It's all because of the matchmaking, because if it ever gets out what these people went through, no one wants them."

Are you angry at the rabbis?

"They silenced a whole generation. When one of them destroys other people, they do nothing. These are far more important matters than the shmita year [the land lying fallow every seven years] or worms in lettuce."

A public beating

G., 44, from New York, married with children, a rabbi's son, knew Mondrowitz as the head of a yeshiva he attended for five years, from the age of 11. "He molested me for many years," G. says. "He collected vulnerable children from broken homes who didn't get along with their parents, and abused them. He took me to the mountains, where he had a cottage. He would bring rifles and play with us, we would have contests shooting air guns, and he would win so that he could later do what he wanted with us as his prize. There was a dirty film playing in Manhattan at the time, called 'Caligula,' and he took me to see it. I was 14, and during the movie he pawed me."

Did you know that was bad?

"I'm not sure I knew. He was an adult, the head of a yeshiva. He gave me a lot of money and bought me things. After I understood, I came to the school one day and went up to each kid and told them to keep their distance from him. Then he entered the classroom and in front of everyone he pounded me really hard with both hands, on my face and back. That was already the end of high school; I was 18 at the time. And the whole time he kept telling me that I was weird and would never marry."

Did you tell your parents?

"Never. I was afraid he would beat me."

How do you live with a story like this?

"It's very hard. I now have terrible guilt feelings that maybe I did something bad and deserved everything that happened to me. I get very aggressive toward people when they seem to be approaching my children. I overprotect them and I have become very suspicious. All these years I repressed everything, and only recently did I begin professional therapy."

245 years in prison

At the beginning of the 1980s, when Mondrowitz was at the height of his glory, married and the father of seven children, rumors started to spread in the Orthodox community about the type of treatment he was giving, and his yeshiva closed down. On November 21, 1984, Detective Patricia Kehoe received an anonymous phone call about Mondrowitz's many victims.

"I will never forget it, because it was my birthday," Kehoe says in a phone conversation. "I was working in the sex crimes unit. It was a horrific conversation, but even more horrific were the stories of the victims we found that night. My partner and I went there immediately, and on his block we met children, but not Jews. His street was mixed - Jews and Italians lived there. It turned out that he was the friend of all of them, and all the parents thought he was this great guy. They told us that he took the children for weekends and bought them bikes. That shook me, and I asked the parents to let me talk with the children alone.

"The first boy I talked to broke down and said straight off what happened, and so did all the other children on the block. That night we found five victims. From them we received the names of other children and went on investigating. Then we received another anonymous call from someone who said he was a rabbi, and he told me about Jewish children he had molested. I went to the yeshiva to question more children, but they wouldn't let me in."

Kehoe's investigation eventually yielded four complaints by children of Italian origin aged 11 to 16, which led to an indictment of 13 counts: five counts of sodomy in the first degree and eight of sexual abuse in the first degree. The maximum punishment for these offenses in New York State is 25 years for each count of sodomy and 15 years for each count of sexual abuse, a total of 245 years. Two weeks later, the District Attorney's office issued a warrant for his arrest. When Kehoe and her partner, Detective Sal Catalfulmo, arrived at Mondrowitz's home with the warrant, they found it empty.

"We got the warrant from the judge in the middle of the night, but when we got there he was already gone," Kehoe says. "In his study we found lists with the names of hundreds of children and a great deal of pedophilic material. It then turned out that his wife and children hid with relatives and he went to his parents in Chicago, from there apparently to Canada and then to Israel. If you ask me, the whole thing worked too slowly. The DA's office delayed and he was able to escape."

Was there nothing you could do to speed up the process?

"I was only a policewoman, not a politician like the DA. If it had been up to me, I would have issued an arrest warrant immediately after the children complained. I am very happy that these people have now decided to talk, because at the time, when we tried to reach them to question them, we did not get cooperation, but now, when they are parents themselves, they understand how important it is. That man should have been in prison for the past 23 years. It's very frustrating, especially after I heard all the stories about him from the children."

Kehoe learned that Mondrowitz continued to teach and was around children in Israel. "That is awful. Everyone has to be warned about him. I only hope that God will give me a point in my favor after all the efforts I made, even though, at the end of the day, I didn't succeed."

Fake degrees

Avrohom Mondrowitz doesn't leave his home much these days. The last place that employed him, the Jerusalem College of Engineering, has dispensed with his services. "He taught here until the end of last year," says the college spokesman, Daniel Berman.

Why is he no longer working there?

"Because of what you know. What you heard, we also heard."

Searching for a job, Mondrowitz offered himself to the Herzliya Municipality as director of the education, welfare, culture, youth and sports department. When that didn't pan out, he tried for a less prestigious position, as director of a home for the aged, also in Herzliya. He claimed to have considerable experience in treating the elderly.

Mondrowitz's CV is flexible, changing with the circumstances. With every job application he attaches a CV to fit the requirements, or as he himself put it on one occasion, he possesses "a rare talent for flexibility and adaptation."

So rapid is his adaptability that it's hard to follow. According to one resume, he obtained a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Columbia University in 1977, but elsewhere he wrote that in that year he completed a master's degree in educational administration at Long Island University and proceeded immediately to an MBA at Harvard. According to this version, he did not obtain his Ph.D. in psychology until 1984, though still at Columbia. But in yet another place he states that the 1984 degree is in developmental, not clinical, psychology, and is from Columbia University in Florida. And that is not the end. According to another CV, his doctoral degree in clinical psychology is actually from Heed University in Florida.

As far as the Israel Police know, Mondrowitz is currently devoting most of his energy, in the many leisure hours at his disposal, to the Internet. There he gratifies his deviant inclinations by watching clips of sadistic activity and pedophilic material. In his remaining time he makes a living by issuing bogus academic degrees to all comers, particularly to students from the Third World. He has emblems and logos from various universities, as well as seals, examples of signatures and registration forms. He refers most of the students to Thornhill University, in London, which grants degrees by correspondence and has a branch in Brooklyn. The letters that are sent out are signed by a Dr. George Coleman, who probably does not exist. A student who sought a Ph.D. in nuclear physics received a reply from Dr. Coleman to the effect that he was overdoing it, and that on the basis of his academic achievements the most that could be done for him was a degree in a less prestigious field such as education or psychology. In return for issuing a doctoral degree in theology and evangelism, for example, Dr. Coleman gets $2,000.

The Israel Police are taking an interest in Mondrowitz's various Internet occupations, and a month ago, on October 18, he was called in for questioning and released under restrictive conditions, says attorney Adian Daniels, from the law firm of Yigal Arnon, who is in contact with the police. "I am doing this pro bono, because I believe it is in the public interest," he says.

Avi Aviv, head of the computer crimes unit in the Israel Police, confirmed that Mondrowitz had been questioned, but declined to provide further details.

Extraditable

The indictment against Mondrowitz was drawn up in February 1985, and a court order was sent to his empty home in Brooklyn. However, it was not until September of that year that the Brooklyn District Attorney, Elizabeth Holtzman, sought his extradition from Israel. But that was impossible at the time. To begin with, it was not until 1988 that sodomy was recognized in Israel as full-fledged rape, including the sodomizing of males. In addition, at that time the extradition treaty with the United States included rape of a woman, but not sodomy against the will of a male.

"We were ready then to stretch a point and construe sodomy as an extraditable offense, on condition the Americans would also change it in their treaty, but they declined, so we decided not to extradite Mondrowitz," says attorney Irit Kahan, who headed the Justice Ministry's international department. "Recently the extradition treaty with the United States was changed, and now extradition is possible for any offense for which the punishment is more than one year in prison."

Despite this development, the Americans still did not rush to request Mondrowitz's extradition. The victims accuse the present Brooklyn DA, Charles Hynes. In the opinion of attorney Michael Lesher, who represents six of Mondrowitz's alleged victims, "This is an elected position. The Haredi community in Brooklyn has a great deal of electoral clout. Hynes was elected in 1989 with the support of the Orthodox, and no one wants to commit suicide because of some criminal who is sitting quietly in Israel."

In the past year, the community in Brooklyn has begun to seethe. The children of that period, those who see themselves as Mondrowitz's victims, organized and, through Lesher, put pressure on the DA's office to issue a new request for Mondrowitz's extradition. They all declared that if it proves necessary, they will testify in court. As a result, in February of this year the Brooklyn DA's office transferred all the material to the U.S. Justice Department.

"On September 6, the Justice Department issued an official extradition request to the State of Israel," a spokeswoman for the Justice Department said in response. "The statute of limitations does not apply here," Lesher says. "In the case of sodomy, you only have to be charged within five years of the perpetration of the offense, and he was charged but was not brought to court because he fled. There is also a time limitation from the time you are indicted until you are tried, but if the accused leaves his area of jurisdiction, that regulation is suspended. So there is no problem in extraditing Mondrowitz and bringing him to trial."

What stage have the extradition proceedings reached? The Justice Ministry says that the State Prosecutor's Office does not comment on extradition requests, "whether they have been filed or not."

Like poison

Dr. Amy Neustein, a sociologist from Brooklyn, has devoted the past 25 years to getting Mondrowitz arrested. She and other Orthodox Jews established a group with the goal of locating Mondrowitz and bringing him to justice. She also set up a research center in New York called Help Us Regain the Children (HURT), within the framework of which she is investigating the phenomenon of pedophilia within the closed Jewish society. The author of two books, she works with victims of sexual assault to help them cope.

"My aspiration to see justice done and get Mondrowitz tried became an obsession, because of all the molesters, he is the worst, according to the charges. He abused children in the light of day, perpetrated these crimes in front of his colleagues. I was told this by people who witnessed it in the yeshiva he worked in. Everyone knew, and they all covered up for him. As a sociologist I ask, if this is what happens when everything is in the open, what happens when things are less open?

It is perfectly clear that Mondrowitz is not alone. He is a microcosm of the Orthodox society, in which pedophilia is rampant, in which the use of pornography is thriving and known to everyone - but it is all hidden under the rug. In the 1980s, everyone was afraid that if he started to talk he would take down others with him."

Neustein and others in Brooklyn tell about three cases of young people committing suicide and one case, last year, of suicide by an adult. "All three went to Mondrowitz for treatment and afterward became deeply depressed, and the families believe that this was the reason for the suicides."

A. says that he can fully understand a boy who would want to commit suicide after undergoing abuse by Mondrowitz. "It is very hard to live with so much pain and guilt. I also have no doubt that some of these victims will do the same things to others. I am certain that it works like poison that was injected into you as a child and then you pass it on."

Mark Weiss has never considered suicide, but he too can understand those who contemplate the act. "I am still alive, and that is not to be taken for granted. There are some who killed themselves, and others who are wandering around like crazy people."

Reached by telephone, Avrohom Mondrowitz refused to comment. He hung up even before he heard the allegations against him.**************


Twenty Two Years Later, a Child Abuse Suspect’s Extradition Is Sought!

By TINA KELLEY- The New York Times

Published: November 16, 2007

Prosecutors in Brooklyn said yesterday they were pursuing the extradition of a man who fled to Israel more than 20 years ago after being accused of molesting young boys.

The man, Avrohom Mondrowitz, 59, was indicted in 1985 on eight counts of child abuse and five counts of sodomy involving four boys ages 9 to 15. He left for Israel before he could be arrested.

Michael Lesher, a lawyer for six other men who said they had been molested by Mr. Mondrowitz, said that Mr. Mondrowitz was believed to have sexually assaulted boys while posing as an educator or psychological counselor in Borough Park, Brooklyn.

Jerry Schmetterer, a spokesman for the Brooklyn district attorney, Charles J. Hynes, said that Mr. Hynes’s office had asked the State Department to extradite Mr. Mondrowitz.

Mr. Hynes’s predecessor, Elizabeth Holtzman, requested Mr. Mondrowitz’s extradition in 1985, but at the time the offenses did not qualify as grounds for extradition under Israeli law, according to a memo written by federal officials and obtained by Mr. Lesher. Mr. Schmetterer said that in January a new extradition treaty went into effect that allowed the request.

A State Department spokeswoman referred questions about the status of the request to the Justice Department. A spokeswoman there, Jaclyn Lesch, said the department did not comment on extradition matters.

Messages left for Mr. Mondrowitz on his cellphone and at his home in Israel were not immediately returned.

Amy Neustein, an author who is editing a book on rabbis and pedophilia, who has researched Mr. Mondrowitz’s case, said that Mr. Mondrowitz claimed to have a degree in psychology from a New York university but that the university stated in writing that he had never been a student there. She said that he also posed as a rabbi, but that his credentials were from a nonexistent rabbinical school.

Mr. Lesher said that the case was particularly troubling because Mr. Mondrowitz belonged to an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect whose members were reluctant to report his offenses to secular authorities.

Rabbi Mark Dratch, who operates the Jewish Institute Supporting an Abuse-Free Environment, a nonprofit organization in New York, said, “Social pressure in the community had a real stifling effect, a silencing effect, not to cooperate with the investigation.” He said that such pressure allowed Mr. Mondrowitz “to continue his activities for a while and escape the jurisdiction.”

In a statement provided by Mr. Lesher, a man who said he had been one of Mr. Mondrowitz’s victims said: “It’s now over 20 years and nothing has been done! I know the pain and torture that I go through on a daily basis.”

The man, whose name Mr. Lesher did not release to protect his privacy, added, “Knowing that this monster is still out there among children just adds insult to injury.”

Mr. Lesher said he hoped that the case against Mr. Mondrowitz, if resolved, could help prevent future molestations.

“I want it to be an example of what it looks like when you do try to sweep something under the rug, and 23 years later it comes back from the dead,” he said. He added, “Had we looked at this kind of case differently to begin with, and said, ‘Let’s go to the police and stop this man as soon as we can,’ how many of these men wouldn’t be victims at all?”
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FUGITIVE 'PERVERT' RABBI HELD

By PHILIP MESSING


Jailed in Israel after 22 yrs.November 17, 2007

A disgraced self-proclaimed rabbi who police suspect molested hundreds of children in Brooklyn is finally behind bars after evading justice for more than 20 years, authorities said.

Avrohom Mondrowitz, 60, fled the United States for Israel in 1985 after he was indicted for sexually abusing four children in his Borough Park community, where he reportedly worked as a counselor with bogus credentials.

"My reaction was, 'Finally!' " said one of Mondrowitz's alleged victims, Mark Weiss, 40. "We have a monster that has been taken off the streets."

Mondrowitz, who once hosted a radio show in the city, was arrested in Jerusalem yesterday.

He will go to court tomorrow to be remanded until his extradition hearing, said a spokesman for the Israeli Justice Ministry, Moshe Cohen.

The case against Mondrowitz represented one of the most shocking allegations of sexual abuse by a respected Orthodox Jewish religious and community leader in the late '70s and early '80s.

According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Mondrowitz has worked odd jobs as an educator and fund-raiser while in Israel.


Ex-Brooklyn rabbi likely to be dragged back to Brooklyn to face kid-sex charges

BY MATTHEW KALMAN in Jerusalem, JOE GOULD and DAVE GOLDINER in New York
DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Saturday, November 17th 2007, 4:00 AM


An Ex-Brooklyn rabbi accused of raping several boys more than 20 years ago has been arrested in Israel and could finally face justice.

Avrohom Mondrowitz, 60, a married father of seven, could be headed back to Brooklyn because a new agreement with the U.S. allows extradition for the sodomy and sex abuse counts he faces from a 1985 indictment.

"I don't see it as a moment for celebration," said Michael Lesher, who represents six adult men who claim to have been abused by Mondrowitz.

"This is a moment of gratitude to victims who came forward, who were willing to expose their pain."

Mondrowitz has a hearing in an Israeli court Sunday that could clear the way for him to be returned to Brooklyn for trial.

The case was jump-started a few weeks ago after the U.S. and Israel agreed to extradite suspects who face at least a year in prison.

Mondrowitz was once a popular child psychologist and youth counselor in Borough Park, where he was especially well-known among ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jews.

He fled to Israel after several boys filed horrific complaints claiming he sodomized them after befriending them or taking them to amusement parks and movies.

Sometimes, he would rape them in his counseling office even as their parents waited outside, the boys claimed.

"Finally, justice will prevail," said Rabbi Mark Dratch of J-SAFE, a child-abuse prevention group.

Mondrowitz's wife insisted he would fight extradition.

"He's absolutely innocent," she said at their Jerusalem apartment.

Mondrowitz's case attracted controversy because critics claimed District Attorney Joe Hynes put the explosive case on the back burner under pressure from Hasidic community leaders. His office has emphatically denied that charge and insisted it was pushing for a legal way to try Mondrowitz.

dgoldiner@nydailynews.com

133 comments:

Anonymous said...

dont give one dime to ger until they stop protecting mondorowitz

call sol werdiger one of the big machers in ger and ask him to make sure mondorowitz comes back

he is at outerwear sports and ask him why he is helping protect mondorowitz

Anonymous said...

"The respected rabbis of the community modestly averted their gaze. They knew, they saw, they were silent."

Don't look at me. These were mistomme rabbonim from either Flatbush or the country.

Anonymous said...

Werdyger?

Isn't he the guy from East 23rd who rubs shoulders with all the ganovim & other lowlives at Frankel's shul?

Anonymous said...

Can UOJ confirm the allegation that Rabbis Shea Fishman & Elya Svei masterminded the Mondrowitz cover up?

Anonymous said...

Mondrowitz is in good company with Margo. Now we know that both of them like hitting kids in the head.

Anonymous said...

LVF said...
"UOJ" - "The Un-Orthodox Jew" said...
What is the Gerrer Rebbe doing to fight the extradition?

----------------

He brought Yitzchak Kaduri and his buddy Mr. Moshiach to the mishtara and gave them a pulsa d'nura!

11:24 AM, November 15, 2007

Uoj, lets be fair!
I am no big chusid of the man i was brought up to love and fear as the man of god, but to make such a statement as he is fighting his extradition w/o facts backing it up, I dont want bull shit, either give us the facts or you take down that comment, I just want to be fair.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know how I can get a hazmanna to Haaretz reporter Aviva Lori?

The last straw for her was when she tried calling Margulies, Applegrad & Schiffenbauer to call a meeting of Vaad Hahorim.

Anonymous said...

I shall be issuing a letter soon that it's impossible that Mondrowitz touched any talmidim of YTT. I, along with Aron Twerski & David Mandel have the situation under control.

Anonymous said...

Everyone please, a few minutes of your time to write an e-mail to pressure a bit the israeli ministry of justice to do the right thing and extradite mondrowitz.


CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD ON THE AVROHOM MONDROWITZ EXTRADITION REQUEST FROM THE U.S. DEPT. OF JUSTICE!


*******Department Of Justice In Israel...Be Polite********

Ministry of Justice
Main telephone: 011-972-2-646-6666

Department of Public Inquiries telephone: 011-972-2-646-6340/6321
Fax: 011-972-2-646-6357

Mailing Address:

Ministry of Justice
Salah-a-Din 29
P.O. Box 49029
Jerusalem 91490
Israel Fax: 011-972-2-628-543

E-Mail:YaelK@justice.gov.il

Anonymous said...

All the meathead rabbis who knew about Mondrowitz but did nothing should be named here and ostracized.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

Can UOJ confirm the allegation that Rabbis Shea Fishman & Elya Svei masterminded the Mondrowitz cover up?

------------
I'm working on it!

Anonymous said...

Mondrowitz is an honorable man!

Anonymous said...

The records are on Federal Govt websites that are being publicized but Rubashkin brazenly calls them lies.

Rubashkin Fressers should be worried about getting Swiss cheese perforations in their brains.

http://yudelstake.blogspot.com/2007/11/rubashkin-mad-cow.html

There is some sort of calls & Emails out there that the USDA has found 250 violations at Rubashkin. Some of those violations are regarding MAD-COW.

As far as we know the situation at Rubashkin is that there is a sophisticated system in place of "NO-TRACEABILITY" which it seems to be what the USDA is saying.

If there is "NO-TRACEABILITY" you can never track your MAD-COW, you can never be sure that any cut of meat is kosher, it may very well be "TREIF" with a Rubashkin, Supreme, KAJ, etc label.

It is very serious situation at the AGRI Rubashkin plants re: kashrus, Treif -Traceabilty etc.

We all remember the PETA video that clearly demonstrated the "Treif-system" employed at the plant.

The Rubashkin plant's products display different labels which is strictly a marketing tool, it doesn't indicate that there any better or different standards because of the label. They will label every thing with any label the customer wants.

All of the "Rabonim-Machshirim" e.g. Weismandel, Brody, Hatchual, KAJ even with the best intentions can't control the labeling. Yes, you may be eating "Treif" with a beautiful kosher supreme label. (ask Rabbi Brody)

The Rubashkin responded to the emails & calls that are currently circulating, THEIR RESPONSE HAS MANY INACCURACIES which others may call blantant lies.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

LVF,

I have the goods, I can't divulge the anonymous sources right in the Israeli government and in Ger. I can't even give a clue; part of the deal.

They're feverishly attempting to block his extradition!

Anonymous said...

http://theunorthodoxjew.blogspot.com/2007/11/wholl-rid-us-of-pedophile-rabbis-their.html#c2794475989648063980

Anonymous said...

End of message.

Anonymous said...

We know you are closely following what is being written about you here and elsewhere in the blogosphere, even reaching out to the bloggers in some cases.

You will be exposed for the FRAUD that you are so stay tuned to this page.

And get out of the gerus business before you have to be carried out on a hydraulic stretcher.

Anonymous said...

We've pinpointed the exact hiding spot where the rear ends of both Shea Fishman & Herbie Bomzer are sticking out of.

The Real Leah Kleim said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Paul Mendlowitz said...

I would very much want all the chaverim...right here...to acknowledge the unimaginable amount of work and dedication from Michael Lesher Esq., and Mr. Mark Weiss...to get the Mondrowitz case this far!

Please...don't hold back...praise them to the heavens!!!!

Anonymous said...

Which yeshiva was Mondrowitz running in Boro Park?

Anonymous said...

http://www.mbw.usmc.mil/aco_default.asp

21 gun salute for Michael Lesher Esq. and Mr. Mark Weiss.

Anonymous said...

What's the point of the Leah Kleim post? It's obscene & should be removed.

Anonymous said...

“All the rabbis who knew about Mondrowitz but did nothing should be named here and ostracized.”
------------------------------
Avrohom Pam
Elya Svei
Yaakov Perlow
Chaim Dov Keller
Aharon Schechter
Shia Fishman
Yankel Bender
Moshe Scheinerman

Anonymous said...

I don't know about the other stories but apparently Leah Kleim from Crown Hts has been suckering Boro Park / WB lowlives to state on tape they would like to have gay sex. She then posts the audio on the internet to shame them.

The point of the counter blog is to direct people to an attorney to sue her.

Anonymous said...

Could the anonymous accuser please explain what role each of those rabbis played in covering up for Mondrowitz?

Anonymous said...

Scheinerman is a nobody. Why is he on the same list as the others?

Anonymous said...

Dont ever trust Ohel or anyone they recomend unless you check them out

children, established a yeshiva for children in distress and was active in Ohel, a large New York organization for orphans and children from broken homes. Finally, he hung a "psychologist" sign on his door and started to receive patients.

Anonymous said...

Because the Pisher from Ave PP likes to stick his nose into everything.

He likes to get up all excited at the bimah and tell everyone about the latest yeshivishe shtuss he's involved in.

Scheinerman, you shtink!!!!

Anonymous said...

Detective Patricia Kehoe is from the Chassidei umos haolam.

Does anyone know how to reach her?

It would be a kiddush Hashem to thank her for her mesiras nefesh.

Anonymous said...

http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2007/11/conversion-and-age-of-universe-ii.html

I was contacted by R. Leib Tropper, who presented at the recent EJF conference discussed in this post, and he offered the following clarifications (in my words, which he approved):

1. R. Tropper does not believe that R. Eisenstein said in the name of Rav Elyashiv that someone who believes that the world is older than 6,000 years is a heretic. Rather, he is not worthy of being a dayan. Presumably, this means that the past conversions he performed are still valid.

2. R. Tropper quoted Rav Chaim Kanievsky as saying that a person who believes that the Sages of the Talmud could have made mistakes should not be converted. He does not rule definitively on someone with that view who already converted.

3. R. Tropper stated that dayanim should dress conservatively and that even secular courts have dress codes. However, he did not state that dayanim who do not dress appropriately are disqualified from serving as dayanim.

4. R. Tropper also said from the podium that it is the opinion of R. Elyashiv and R. David Feinstein that a Beis Din performing a conversion should release the "Te'udah" (certificate) immediately so that the convert can move on.

My comments:

1 & 2. It is impossible to have truly universal standards for conversion (and dayanim) because the standards of different communities are contradictory and, even if not, would be incredibly restrictive. For example, the Satmar community would demand that Zionists cannot be dayanim because they are heretics. I do not know how literally they take this, but the Satmar Rav wrote that anyone who votes in an Israeli election has the halakhic status of an idolator and, presumbly, is disqualified from serving as a dayan. On the other side, there are communities that follow the rulings of the Rambam and Maharal that those who pray to angels or human beings (including rebbes) are heretics. Should we disqualify from serving as a dayan anyone who is a Zionist or recites "makhnisei rachamim"? I don't see how that is possible. If you are a follower of Satmar or of an ultra-Rationalist, then you must follow those rulings and disqualify as dayanim as above. But if that is the case, then you should not be trying to institute "universal" standards that exclude large segments of the current Orthodox community.

If (and I stress IF) Rav Elyashiv holds that the majority of Orthodox rabbis in the US--including the most active dayanim in America who oversee hundreds of gittin and conversions a year--are disqualified for serving as dayanim, then his followers must abide by that ruling. But I don't see how they can impose that on the general community or claim that by following him they are implementing standards that are anywhere near universal. As above, truly universal standards are impossible. Close-to-universal standards would be as inclusive as possible, not incredibly divisive and exclusive.

3. I think every rabbi and dayan agrees that dayanim should dress appropriately. The question is what is considered appropriate, and on this standards differ based on time and place. No one would require dayanim to dress the way dayanim in Rambam's Egypt dressed, nor in Rav Ashi's Bavel. Therefore, I don't know that an out-of-town rabbi should need to dress according to Boro Park fashion, nor should a Boro Park dayan need to dress according to Wall Street fashion. Colored shirts and wedding bands may raise eyebrows in Monsey but in Teaneck they are considerable respectable, formal and wholly appropriate.

4. Nothing to add.

Anonymous said...

"Could the anonymous accuser please explain what role each of those rabbis played in covering up for Mondrowitz?"
------------------------
They kept it quiet in order to protect Ohel and Torah Umesorah from legal jeopardy. When confronted (in front of all the other named culprits), Svei admitted and defended his position.

Anonymous said...

Patricia Kehoe and Carol Deach wrote a book published in 1987 by Parenting Press, Inc. called Something Happened & I'm Scared to Tell: a book for Victims of Abuse.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

The film "Narrow Bridge" In Baltimore!


http://www.narrowbridgefilm.com

Wednesday, January 2, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Seating is Limited - Reservations Required
443-857-5560

Pikesville Library
1301 Reisterstown Rd
Pikesville , MD 21208

Anonymous said...

R' Chaim Dov Keller is related to that big lowlife ganev & noeif Prager from Scheinerman's shul. He's currently in round two of serving time in prison.

Anonymous said...

I will have to get together with Rabbi Heinee-meenie-miney-mo to asser everyone from attending the Narrow Bridge screening.

Anonymous said...

http://www.lubicom.com/news/lubicom_continues_managing_conferences_and_seminars_for_ejf/

Lubinsky's Lubicom Marketing & Consulting Co is shilling for Leib Tropper too.

How much is Kaplan paying him?

Paul Mendlowitz said...

All of a sudden...overnight, I became a movie critic...in my spare time:


UOJ Review:

Izzy does a fine job in portraying how sexual abuse has a life-long damaging effect on a victim's life. He tackles the issue with finess and sensitivity. Narrow Bridge breaks the taboo of - never talking about it - the mantra of the Orthodox Jewish community, at the expense of the numerous victims' well-being; past, present and future. I believe he should be lauded for his efforts to make a difference...and to bring comfort to the thousands of sexual abuse victims, who have been silenced by the indifference of the Orthodox Jewish establishment.

Anonymous said...

I was wondering where Tropper got that Boro Park address from. The one he uses to collect correspondance from Fresser rabbis appealing to Tom Kaplan for a free EJF vacation.

It's just Menachem Lubinsky who was vetting them:

Lubicom, LLC
1428 Thirty-sixth Street
Suite 219
Brooklyn, NY 11218
718.854.4450
fax: 718.854.4474
info@lubicom.com

Anonymous said...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20060422/ai_n16209884

Rabbis ease conversion rules

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Apr 22, 2006 by Alexandra Alter Knight Ridder Newspapers

Abraham was a late-in-life convert. Moses married an Ethiopian gentile who some say later joined the Jewish faith. (Tropper believes the Isha Kushis falshkeit?)

American Jewish leaders have delicately sidestepped a centuries-old prohibition against proselytizing and launched new efforts to convert non-Jewish spouses.

Leaders of the Reform and Conservative movements outlined initiatives to unmix mixed marriages at denominationwide conventions last year. Now even Orthodox rabbis, the staunchest opponents of interfaith marriage, are exploring ways to encourage conversions.

Recently, 130 Orthodox rabbis from five continents gathered at the Westin Diplomat Resort in Hollywood, Fla., to outline new approaches to interfaith marriages and conversion. The meeting -- sponsored by the New York group Eternal Jewish Family -- provoked groundbreaking discussions among Jewish legal scholars on how to simplify the long and involved Orthodox conversion process, participants said.

"When there's an intermarriage, the Torah considers it to be a serious violation of Jewish law," said Rabbi Leib Tropper, who heads Eternal Jewish Family's program to "streamline" conversion for members of interfaith couples. "We want to remedy a problem. At the same time, we don't want to compromise on standards." (what Chutzpah!)

Tropper and other Orthodox rabbis say they hope to ease some restrictions on conversions, including a mandatory waiting period of a year or more. According to Jewish law, a rabbi is supposed to turn away a potential convert three times before even considering the request. But some Orthodox rabbis are now softening their position.

Jewish leaders from more liberal sects say they've urged outreach to interfaith families for years.

Rabbi Terry Bookman of Temple Beth Am, a Reform synagogue in Pinecrest, Fla., says he has been encouraging conversions since he arrived at Beth Am 11 years ago -- a controversial stance in a religion that staunchly discourages evangelism.

"It wasn't always a very popular idea, but now the Reform movement is catching on," Bookman said. "The Jewish community needs to be more open about outreach to the unchurched."

The Orthodox community has been slow to embrace non-Jewish spouses. But Rabbi Chaim Shapiro, who heads Congregation Torah Ohr in Boca Raton, Fla., said Orthodox families have also grown more accepting when someone marries outside the faith.

"The attitude has been softened. At one time it was very harsh. You have cases where families went into mourning like it was the end of the world," Shapiro said. "I don't think it's quite as harsh anymore, maybe because we see so many intermarriages."

Anonymous said...

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1150886040722

These thugs are really keeping Rav Elyashev in the dark about their true intentions. When RYSE showed up to speak at Tropper's conference in Israel, he said that intermarriage must be prevented. Tropper is doing the exact opposite and encouraging intermarriage with his bogus strategy.

Anonymous said...

http://www.eternaljewishfamily.org/washington/form.htm

Come one, come all. Fill out this form to be selected to have a free trip, 5 star hotel room & gourmet FOOD paid for by Tom Kaplan, the oil & mining magnate billionaire who is married to a shiksa that Tropper sanitized for him.

Anonymous said...

Tom Kaplan's nephew who is always on the dais of Tropper's fresser events was once a meshumad to Evangelical X-tianity.

Anonymous said...

More rabbis who should be implored to stop associating with Tropper's farce:

Rabbi Aharon Kahn (Beis Din of Lakewood)

Rabbi Mendel Senderovic (Beis Din of Milwaukee)

Rabbi Pinchos Rabinowitz (Beis Din of Monsey)

Rabbi Baruch Zaitchik (JEP & Chofetz Chaim)

Rabbi Moshe Krupka (OU & Touro College)

Rabbi Eli Gewitz (Torah Umesorah)

There are two other rabbis who Vicky Polin has a problem with:

Rabbi Yona Metzger (Chief Rabbi of Israel) and Rabbi Tovia Singer (Chief Rabbi of Ronnie Schreiber)

Anonymous said...

Why is Charlie Hynes getting any credit?

The putz is in bed with the Iggud Haganovim, Aron Twerski and many more.

He is a fraud who only caved after reevaluating the vote landscape.

Let's vote him out in 2009.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

Why is Charlie Hynes getting any credit?
---------
He ultimately came around...VERY LATE!...."better late...

I expect his cooperation in full as long as he's in that job. To be makir tov...even on one good deed, is a good idea.

Am I forgiving, no...but he deserves credit for issuing the extradition request to the DOJ. He was the only person that could have issued that request.

Anonymous said...

The Jerusalem Post and Ha'aretz both have pieces on the Chabad embezzlement scandal.

As you read keep in mind the "Young Chabad" "movement" or "association" is Tzach (Lubavitch Youth Organization), and is the main Chabad organization in Israel. It controls all but a handful of Chabad Houses and major Chabad organizations in Israel, and most minor Chabad organizations in the country, as well as some in Russia.

Tzach under Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Aronow took control in questionable ways, driving Rabbi Wolfe out of power in about 1990.

When I worked for one of Rabbi Wolfe's organizations in the early 90s, I heard stories from reliable Chabad representatives close to the situation. They spoke of rigged beit dins (religious courts) that issued judgments before hearing witnesses, and other such corruption.

In one case a judgment was mailed to and received by a soon to be deposed Chabad leader one week before the beit din was scheduled. When that leader called and asked how this could happen, the head of the court replied, "Oh, I made a mistake. I meant to hold this until after the trial and mail it then." He claimed to have filled it out ahead to "save time."

Is Rabbi Aronow guilty? I think so, largely because of what he allegedly did to others years ago, and because I saw the behavior of his office with my own eyes.

Rabbi Aronow's office once stole an advertising campaign I did for a rival Chabad organization. The rabbi stopped in to see my boss, who was out. He saw the project I had and asked me for a copy because he loved the concept. He was told this was a proof, that we were fixing the graphics and then sending it out in a couple of weeks.

I was flattered he liked it so much, but I would not let him take a copy unless he promised not to use it. I also wanted the shaliach I worked for to know and give his approval. Thinking no one would steal a concept so brazenly, I called my boss who, after speaking to the rabbi and getting assurances, allowed him take a copy.

What happened?

The next week it was the back cover of Rabbi Aronow's fund raising magazine, there with minor copy changes and more expensive graphics.

When challenged about this blatant theft, Aronow's employee said, "My guys were already working on it before I showed yours to them." And this is not the only story I can tell.

Now for the current allegations. According to Ha'aretz:

The leader of the "Young Chabad" movement in Israel and four other suspects were arrested by Israeli police yesterday on suspicion of embezzling $60 million from donated monies, tax evasion and money-laundering. The arrests of Yosef Aharonov, his assistant and the others followed a collaborative secret eight-month investigation by the Central District Fraud Squad and the Tax Authority.

Donated money never reached its destination, police suspect, and the money-laundering was effected in part by paying salaries to people under the table, and by "paying" money into fictitious bank accounts, Channel 10 reported last night. Businessmen reportedly abused the mechanism by "donating" money to the organization that they'd simply get back by these methods, while taking advantage of the tax break on charitable donations, not to mention the adulation. "We discovered that money was changing hands left and right, and it seems that the suspects were treating the money as though it belonged to them personally," investigating officer Avi Mantzour told Haaretz yesterday.…

[Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak] Aharonov, the Young Chabad manager, is suspected of theft by a manager, fraud under grave circumstances, falsifying corporate documents, hiding income and abetting tax evasion.

Evidence shows that a great deal of money passed from the Young Chabad bank account to both private and fictitious bank accounts linked to Aharonov and his cronies. "Fictitious bank account" means that documents showing transfers refer to accounts that don't actually exist. The fiction went on with donations by major businessmen. "They would donate the money, and receive an income tax break on it. But we can now say that they got it back, though a certain sum would remain in the association's hands," Mantzour said.…

Leading businesspersons are expected to be brought in to police headquarters for questioning including, according to reports, Arcadi Gaydamak.

Ha'aretz also notes:

Police also say that Young Chabad laundered money by paying some workers in cash, in order to help them dodge taxes, too.…

I find it far more likely Chabad paid employees in cash because Chabad could then pay those employees less and at the same time have both Chabad and employees save money by avoiding taxes. This is common practice throughout the haredi community. I personally know of employees of haredi kiruv organizations that were forced to accept cash payments instead of being paid on the books.

For those not familiar with Chabad politics, the Jerusalem Post notes:

…The Young Chabad Association represents mainstream Chabad leadership in Israel. It is differentiated from the overtly messianic camp within Chabad that preaches that Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who passed away in June 1994, is really still alive and will reappear as the Messiah.

Aharonov was behind the "Bibi is good for the Jews" campaign that mobilized Chabad to support Binyamin Netanyahu as prime minister in 1996. He also led an aggressive offensive against breakaway groups within Chabad.

Then the Post drops this bombshell:

Yosef Segal, who was accused over a year ago by Chabad officials of embezzling NIS 17.5 million from Chabad coffers, was also detained by police Wednesday.

Attorney Na'ama Zer-Kavod, who is representing Chabad along with attorney Gideon Fisher, said that all the accusations against Aharonov, Edrei and Livitin were concocted by Segal.

"In an attempt to clear his own name, Segal is disparaging the names of dozens of upright Chabad families," said Zer-Kavod. "Chabad was the one that uncovered the crimes in the first place. Now, for some inexplicable reason, a year later, the police stage this publicized raid."

Asst.-Cmdr. Avi Mansour, head of the criminal investigation against Chabad, rejected the claims by Zer-Kavod and said there was no connection between Segal's embezzlement and the present case.

"Besides, even after Segal was uncovered as an embezzler he continued to be employed by Chabad," said Mansour.…

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Paul Mendlowitz said...

Endangered Runaway -

Please FORWARD

SHANA COLBY

DOB: Jul 13, 1991
Missing: Oct 30, 2007
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
Eyes: Blue
Race: White
Age Now: 16
Sex: Female
Weight: 130 lbs (59 kg)
Hair: Blonde
Missing From:
RICHMOND
VA
United States

Shana may travel to Richmond, Virginia, or to Brooklyn or Monsey, New York. Her ears are pierced.


ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)

Henrico County Police Department (Virginia) 1-804-501-5000

Anonymous said...

"Archie Bunker" is asking good questions but is he getting a correct answer?

Those rabbis being accused would have been more central perhaps to the Kolko scandal.

Since even Jacob Perlow cannot deny that Mondrowitz is a Boro Park issue, wouldn't there have been more Chassidish type rabbonim involved in the cover up?

Anonymous said...

Why is lvf so surprised about the gerrer rebbe?

Anonymous said...

See below how the OU continues to use false and deceptive advertising. Children, once again repeat after me "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GLATT POULTRY!"


Marci,
Thanks for your prompt reply. I was unaware that TJ's has their own
private label of kosher poultry. Please advise the source of this
poultry and under which supervisory agency it is being produced.
Furthermore, please note that there is no such thing as "glatt kosher"
poultry (despite such deceptive advertising by Agriprocessors among
others). Poultry is either classified as "kosher" or "unkosher", there
is no mid-tier. I think you have confused poultry with beef.
-----------------------------------
Hi, Steve-

These turkeys certified by the Orthodox Union as Glatt.

Thanks for shopping with us,

Marci
Trader Joe's Customer Relations

Anonymous said...

elya fisher of the gerer beis din in boro park AND the officiating rabbi in the 51st St. and 16th ave. gerer shul where mondrowits "whoreshipped" on a regular basis AND a current member of agudah's moetzes told parents of molested children and other askonim that 1. he cant throw out somebody who dosn't consider him his rabbi and 2. besides, he didn't bother any gerer boys so its not his problem. (Jesus! now i know where perlow got the line from)

Turns out mondrowitz ass-reamed plenty of gerrer boys while teaching an exclusive class 6:30 AM in the gerrer boys school on 18th avenue and while managing a catskill vacation resort that had gerrer boyz coming from across the road AND most all of his children's friends and playmates became his playmates and bedmates as well. One of the worst enablers of Leizerowitz (a exclusively gerer molester) was lured to mondrowitz in exchange for some cool toy. Now that the legal wheels have come unstuck from the mud and DA hynes has gotten updated polling data Im curios to see who will get in the way of getting this guy to stand trial in the US. And leizerowitz ought to do a sex change to throw off UOJ's bloodhounds from his trail if he hopes to avoid colmer and monstrowitz's fates.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
“All the rabbis who knew about Mondrowitz but did nothing should be named here and ostracized.”
------------------------------
Avrohom Pam
Elya Svei
Yaakov Perlow
Chaim Dov Keller
Aharon Schechter
Shia Fishman
Yankel Bender
Moshe Scheinerman

-----------------------------------
Let's not forget the beloved(by Mondrowitz) Herbert "the Momzer" Bomzer:

http://www.forward.com/articles/524/

One member of Hynes’s Jewish council, Rabbi Herbert Bomzer, said he does not remember Mondrowitz’s extradition being discussed by the council. Bomzer did say that he knew Mondrowitz when the younger man was a counselor at Yeshiva University’s high school, and that Mondrowitz had been “loved” by the students.

When asked if he would now support extradition proceedings, Bomzer, president of the rabbinical board of Flatbush, said: “If he has managed to get to Israel and is protected by the law there — then leave it alone.”

Anonymous said...

Ultimately it probably was not the chassidim who covered this one up. It was the Ohel lay leaders (they will be paraded before the courts in Mondrowitz's trial like Vashti on Purim) and the cohorting gedoilim of asher yatzar fame.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

...and the cohorting gedoilim of asher yatzar fame......

And the world went nuts when I used that term two years ago!

Anonymous said...

PLEASE PLEASE!!!
Attention all victims of Mondrowitz no matter your childhood status then and level of religion today. Now that this beast is starting to face the music, come join the 6 victims who are from all walks of jewish life and denominations who have cooperated with Attorney Michael Lesher. Tell your story to a lawyer who has worked this case for free and has commited his energies to this case for years out of a genuine sense of justice. You will NOT be pressured to appear in court and can and will remain anonymous. YOUR HEALING CAN START TODAY WITH A SENSE OF DOING SOMETHING CONCRETE TO BRING YOUR TORMENTOR TO JUSTICE. The more testimonials Mr. Lesher gets the more powerful a case can be made. Help put this man in jail to the last breath of his miserable life. Let all victims of him join hands in this effort to bring some closure of sorts to a miserable past. Truly good jews are behind you and with UOJ's help we wont let you down. If your interested in group therapy of only Mondrowitz's victims let Michael know as well. G-d bless you all.

(this was posted without Michael Lesher's knowledge and I hope he has no problem with me posting this)

Anonymous said...

Fact Checker:

In your question lies the answer. The "Rabbis" covered up many instances of horrific abuse. Yes, some of the above also protected Kolko and Margulies (and some still do so until this day,) but the list above relates to Mondrowitz. These men met and heard of the horrors. They agreed to do nothing lest they jeopordize Ohel and Torah Umesorah. Fact.

Anonymous said...

UOJ, Why would the gerrer want to keep mondrowitz in israel when he could unload this liability in the us?

Anonymous said...

The following was in todays mailing from The Awareness Center:

The Awareness Center wants to thank the survivors for their courage and determination over the years. We also want to thank all of those who have been diligently doing what they can to make sure Rabbi Avrohom Mondrowitz is held accountable for his actions.

The Awareness Center also hopes that all of the individuals who helped Mondrowitz elude law enforcement over the last twenty years will also be held accountable. If Mondrowitz molested any more children after they first learned of the allegations and especially after they helped him leave the United States -- those individuals should be held responsible for the creation of more survivors of child sexual abuse

Anonymous said...

Havent had a total of hits on your site for a while. care to update us? Tropper and the likes would love to know how bad your bad is and if you order a call for action how many phone lines should i install.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Why is lvf so surprised about the gerrer rebbe?

7:52 PM, November 15, 2007
-----------------------------------

Surprised? not at all, anything goes in this crazy world. but, to make such a harsh statement Its only fair that it be backed by facts.

Anonymous said...

where in the world is waldo?
where in the world is boog?

Anonymous said...

Hey avremil whatever happened to your radio signoff "Have a good day and a better tommorow" looks like there aint no better tommorow for you momzer!

Paul Mendlowitz said...

Regarding the amount of hits....Tell Tropper to definitely worry!

Anonymous said...

l'iluy heshmas boog, gross v'umbudsman v'tuvya is chaim neuhof zechusom yugoin aleinu.

Anonymous said...

kaddish somebody. this is getting very emotional.

Anonymous said...

is ronnie shcreiber still reading this or is he busy with a burnt out circuit board?

Anonymous said...

denial is a river that runs in perlows intestines

Anonymous said...

mondrowitz is an honorable man.....so is leizerowitz.
and i'm a bridge salesman

Anonymous said...

...............through shmuel kaminetski's gizzards.................

Anonymous said...

....through the penetrated pinky the twinky scheinberg under a pile of tzitzis.......

Anonymous said...

..........and out of the wise mouth of Margo and Belsky doing the french kiss

Anonymous said...

We comedians of uoj's blog will join the broadway and holywood picket unless we are promised free tickets to the aguda fress convention and lubinsky's kosher pork show at the javitz

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the gerrer rabbi even knows about mondrowitz. it was way before his times.

Anonymous said...

putzola, tsedreiter, yeshivishe nudnik, boog, gross, umbudsman, lakewood talmid..... a walk down memory lane.

A cryin' shame they are not around to see the results of all the hard efforts.

Anonymous said...

Where is Lesher's victory speech? Are we going to have to wait till he brings the monster to rykers for free douches in the touches?

Anonymous said...

Once we overcome our bout of hiccups brought on by the laughter of our little comedy show I beg the readership to pause a minute and shed a tear for the 2 or three poor souls who succumed to the cruel ravishes brought on by mondrowitz and being unable to bear the dark secret of molestation all alone ended life without a chance at even dreaming for closure. Imagine a minute. Poor forlorn preteen boys harboring a dirty secret that they themselves didn't fully understand at the time. "Al aile ani bocheya" "Al bochur batziyon ini" "V'ain poitze piv" And to the shtick tinaf rabbis who turned a cold shoulder to these boys and to grieving parents g-d has brought down colmer and mondrowitz and may he bring u conniving deviant imposters down as well.

Anonymous said...

I find it very hard to believe that Rav Pam would have covered for Mondrowitz.

In fact, I heard a story that Rav Pam protested the behavior of some other Rabbis whose collective Daas Torah was being decided by the Torah Mesorah legal team.

Anonymous said...

If I'm not mistaken, UOJ wrote previously that Rav Pam tried the stop the Kolko conspiracy. If so, there's no shaayle that he would be opposed to a Mondrowitz cover up too.

I have no connection to Torah Vodaath but I believe that if anyone tried to do the right thing it would have been Rav Pam. And if Rav Pam made any kind of error it would stem from his difficulty grasping the evil that men are capable of.

Anonymous said...

opposite is true.

reb elya shlita was the one who chased after mondrowitz when no one believed it.
he was the one gado; who cared about the molesters again and again.
facts 1005
he chased mondrowitz out of ny.
unfortunately he could not catch him fast enough before he ran to eretz yisroel.

Anonymous said...

the list of rabonim who knew about mondrowits is kolo sheker.they were alerted about mondrowitz by a number of yungeleit at the time, who discovered molested children at the hands of mondrowitz. three yungeleit worked belaiv vonefesh to get him for very long period of time. two of those were the then young yankel bender and moishy scheinerman !
watch the shekarim !

Anonymous said...

זה היום עשה ה' נגילה ונשמחה בו.

J. "יהוא בן יהושפט בן נמשי" Izrael said...

People like this should be tarred, feathered and set ablaze in public. That is the only thing that can keep them at bay. Knowing that they just won't get away with whatever they wantr to do. See my post "Street Justice" you'll understand.

Such animals don;t desrve the air they breathe. What really must change is the kehilla's obsession with keeping everything secret, to be afraid your neighbor will know your daughter had an ear infection at age 3 because then chas veshulem sh won't be able to marry Mr. Choooooooooooshiva Yid's retarded son and get all the money swindled from another swindler.

Instead of buying fist-sized diamonds get an M-16. You'll never need to use it - knowing it's in the closet will make the Monstrowitzes at bay.

Anonymous said...

Recently many books by the Gaon R. Eliyahu Rabinowitz-Teomim (the Aderet) have appeared, by publishers with very different hashkafot. The volume of teshuvot, Ma’aneh Eliyahu, was published by Yeshivat Or Etzion in Israel, whose Rosh Yeshivah is R. Hayyim Druckman. It is obvious that the editors have no knowledge of American Jewish history, otherwise, the words I quote (from p. 352) would never have been allowed to appear. The editors no doubt assumed that the Aderet was attacking some phony. The name Jacob Joseph means nothing to them.

וידענו היטב היטב את האיש ואת שיחו תהלוכותיו ותחבולותיו מתחילה ועד סוף . . . ואותו הרב ר' יעקב, שלא שמש תלמידי חכמים ומלך מעצמו, ע"פ תבונתו, כי פקח גדול הוא, אינו מגיע לקרסולי תלמידי תלמידיו של הגאון חתם סופר ז"ל, לא בתורה ולא במעשים טובים, והרי לפנינו שעזב עיר ווילנא תפארת ליטא, והלך לנוע אל ארצות אמעריקא להיות שם רב ראשון בנויארק כחלומו אשר חלם. והרואה דברי הר"מ פ"ו ה"א מדיעות, יעוי' שם היטב בלשונו, יראה עד כמה מלאה לבו יראת שמים לעשות כן.

He goes on demeaning the Chief Rabbi of New York, but you get the picture.

As long as I am talking about the very interesting sefer Ma’aneh Eliyahu, let me also call attention to something in it that is relevant to what is in the news today. I refer to the problem of rabbis covering up cases of sexual abuse. In no. 32 the Aderet deals with a case where a girl was raped by two young Jewish men. Her family wanted to report this to the police, so that the rapists would receive a fitting punishment. The Aderet writes:

ודברתי אל לבם להשקיט הדבר, לבל יתחלל שם ישראל בעמים מהפקרות ופריצות צעירי הנערים, לאנוס ולנאוף ולחלל שבת ולרצוח, וגם יש סכנה בדבר לריב עם עזי פנים כמותם, ושמעו אלי.

We see from this that the practice of covering up these sorts of things is hardly a recent phenomenon.

Anonymous said...

New York Times
November 16, 2007

22 Years Later, a Child Abuse Suspect’s Extradition Is Sought
By TINA KELLEY

Prosecutors in Brooklyn said yesterday they were pursuing the extradition of a man who fled to Israel more than 20 years ago after being accused of molesting young boys.

The man, Avrohom Mondrowitz, 59, was indicted in 1985 on eight counts of child abuse and five counts of sodomy involving four boys ages 9 to 15. He left for Israel before he could be arrested.

Michael Lesher, a lawyer for six other men who said they had been molested by Mr. Mondrowitz, said that Mr. Mondrowitz was believed to have sexually assaulted boys while posing as an educator or psychological counselor in Borough Park, Brooklyn.

Jerry Schmetterer, a spokesman for the Brooklyn district attorney, Charles J. Hynes, said that Mr. Hynes’s office had asked the State Department to extradite Mr. Mondrowitz.

Mr. Hynes’s predecessor, Elizabeth Holtzman, requested Mr. Mondrowitz’s extradition in 1985, but at the time the offenses did not qualify as grounds for extradition under Israeli law, according to a memo written by federal officials and obtained by Mr. Lesher. Mr. Schmetterer said that in January a new extradition treaty went into effect that allowed the request.

A State Department spokeswoman referred questions about the status of the request to the Justice Department. A spokeswoman there, Jaclyn Lesch, said the department did not comment on extradition matters.

Messages left for Mr. Mondrowitz on his cellphone and at his home in Israel were not immediately returned.

Amy Neustein, an author who is editing a book on rabbis and pedophilia, who has researched Mr. Mondrowitz’s case, said that Mr. Mondrowitz claimed to have a degree in psychology from a New York university but that the university stated in writing that he had never been a student there. She said that he also posed as a rabbi, but that his credentials were from a nonexistent rabbinical school.

Mr. Lesher said that the case was particularly troubling because Mr. Mondrowitz belonged to an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect whose members were reluctant to report his offenses to secular authorities.

Rabbi Mark Dratch, who operates the Jewish Institute Supporting an Abuse-Free Environment, a nonprofit organization in New York, said, “Social pressure in the community had a real stifling effect, a silencing effect, not to cooperate with the investigation.” He said that such pressure allowed Mr. Mondrowitz “to continue his activities for a while and escape the jurisdiction.”

In a statement provided by Mr. Lesher, a man who said he had been one of Mr. Mondrowitz’s victims said: “It’s now over 20 years and nothing has been done! I know the pain and torture that I go through on a daily basis.”

The man, whose name Mr. Lesher did not release to protect his privacy, added, “Knowing that this monster is still out there among children just adds insult to injury.”

Mr. Lesher said he hoped that the case against Mr. Mondrowitz, if resolved, could help prevent future molestations.

“I want it to be an example of what it looks like when you do try to sweep something under the rug, and 23 years later it comes back from the dead,” he said. He added, “Had we looked at this kind of case differently to begin with, and said, ‘Let’s go to the police and stop this man as soon as we can,’ how many of these men wouldn’t be victims at all?”

Anonymous said...

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/3/prweb354285.htm

I'm a major figure at conferences for the radical left-wing feminist JOFA organization.

Where do you think I pick up my clients from?

Anonymous said...

It's sick how Tropper twists around halacha.

Rebibo is a schmo who gives an unreliable hashgocho.

http://www.jewishaz.com/issues/story.mv?070420+universal

With intermarriage rates skyrocketing, a traditional resistance to converting intermarried spouses is counterproductive, said Rabbi Leib Tropper, who heads Eternal Jewish Family.

"It would be devastating if we ignored them," Tropper said, adding that Maimonides' teachings on the subject almost prophetically address modern issues of intermarriage and conversion.

"According to Jewish law before Maimonides, there was a suggestion in the Talmud not to make conversions for the sake of marriage," Tropper said, "but Maimonides said it's better, without compromising the standards of conversion, to try to get the non-Jewish spouse to convert."

But isn't converting for the sake of marriage considered a bad reason to convert?

"It's not a problem that somebody undertakes study for conversion because they want to get married," said Rabbi David Rebibo, president of the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of Greater Phoenix. However, he added, it's hoped that through study, the non-Jewish partner will learn that the decision is about the religion they are embracing.

Tropper said the Eternal Jewish Family conversions are Orthodox and halachic, according to Jewish law, and the organization works to ensure that if there are any questions about the conversion they are ironed out.

"It began with a session with the philanthropist Thomas Kap-lan," Tropper said. "We talked about the assimilation issue and some of the problems," including conversions of a spouse being rejected out of hand and some spouses having to undergo conversion two or three times. (The Lillian Jean Kaplan Jewish Pride Through Education Project, named after the philanthropist's mother, sponsors Eternal Jewish Family). [Note how Tropper doesn't reveal that he was "megayer" the shiksa Kaplan married]

When a spouse's conversion is not accepted, Rebibo said, "it's destabilizing the marriage and seriously impacting their relationships."

Eternal Jewish Family has "performed a really considerable service to the community at large, to highlight this problem and give it the urgency that it deserves," Rebibo added.

Tropper said that part of the problem was that individual rabbinic courts often would not provide the feedback a person would need to correctly fulfill requirements or would give only a fuzzy picture of the requirements.

"We give people a path to learn to become observant and to do it properly," Tropper said. "We're streamlining the process."

He said the group has involved 11 rabbinic courts (batei din) across the country and in Israel and hopes to have one in Europe soon.

The Valley was chosen as the site for the May seminar because "we have so many people come from Phoenix to have their conversions done." In addition, Eternal Jewish Family plans to open a local office in the next six months, Tropper said.

Ken and Lucia Schnitzer of Phoenix, one of eight Valley families who have been helped by Eternal Jewish Family, praise the program.

So much so that Lucia will speak on "Becoming Part of a Jewish Community - Firsthand Experience" at the seminar, and Ken sits on the national board of Eternal Jewish Family. They both represent the group in Phoenix and work with intermarried couples seeking conversion here.

"If we ever make aliyah, there isn't going to be any question of my Jewishness," said Lucia. "If my daughter wants to marry a kohen, there isn't going to be any question."

Paul Mendlowitz said...

If I'm not mistaken, UOJ wrote previously that Rav Pam tried the stop the Kolko conspiracy. If so, there's no shaayle that he would be opposed to a Mondrowitz cover up too.

I have no connection to Torah Vodaath but I believe that if anyone tried to do the right thing it would have been Rav Pam. And if Rav Pam made any kind of error it would stem from his difficulty grasping the evil that men are capable of.
*******************
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! HE COULD NEVER GRASP THE EVIL THAT MAN IS CAPABLE OF - THAT WAS PART OF HIS GREATNESS - AND PERHAPS WHY HE NEVER REALLY WANTED TO GET INVOLVED IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY IN THE JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS!

HE WAS A "CHAD B'DORO" IN TZIDDKUS!

Anonymous said...

http://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=7939&TM=7960.406

Rabbi Yaacov Benamou who heads a Rockville MD kiruv org that teaches Kabbalah has been appointed Tropper's go 'fer boy in the Washington DC area. After other area rabbonim did not want to associate with fraud Tropper, they were publicly maligned at the conference there last week.

Anonymous said...

http://www.jewishmediaresources.com/article/1094/

Now Yonosson Rosenblum is shilling for Tropper too which means he has the green light from the Agudah.

Sometimes known as Jonathan Rosenblum, he is Israeli director for Avi Shafran's Am Echad organization & writes for the Agudah's Jewish Observer.

Anonymous said...

Implore these rabbis to stop associating with Tropper's fraud:

Rabbi Yitzchok Breitowitz - NCSY & University of Maryland

Rabbi Tzvi Block - Aish Hatorah

Rabbi Amir Krispal - aide to Rav Ovadya Yosef

Rabbi Shlomo Amar - Chief Rabbi of Israel

Rabbi Eli Yishai - Shas

R' Aron Schechter - Chaim Berlin

R' Hillel David - Flatbush

R' Abba Bronspiegel - Touro

R' Yisroel Dov Webster - Emek Halocho

R' Aron Felder - Philadelphia beis din

R' Aharon Felder - Chicago beis din

R' Yisroel Grumer - Cleveland beis din

R' Yonosson Binyomin Weiss - Montreal beis din

R' Pinchos Weberman - Miami beis din

R' Eliyahu Schmeltzer - (son of Telz-Chicago rosh yeshiva?)

R' Avraham Jakobovitz - Ohr Sameach & JAAM http://www.jaam.net/

R' Yehoshua Wender - Vaad of Houston

R' Daniel Gelb - Vancouver beis din

And these rabbis who Tropper is trying to convince:

R' Berel Povarsky - Ponivizh

R' Nissim Karelitz - Bnei Brak Badatz

R' David Yosef - son of Rav Ovadya

R' Avrohom Ravitz - Yahadus Hatorah

Anonymous said...

First he distorted R' Moishe's psak now he's publicizing that he has haskoma from R' Shlomo Zalman Auerbach & the Minchas Yitzchok.

Anonymous said...

http://jewishsurvivors.blogspot.com/2007/11/more-on-alleged-sex-offender-rabbi.html#5888906377306297078

Anonymous said...
I KNOW AVROHOM MONDROWITZ FOR ALMOST FIFTY YEARS. I HAVE SYMPHATHY FOR ALL HIS ALLEGED VICTIMS HOWEVER ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. HIS LAST TWENTY FIVE YEARS HAVE BEEN HELL ON THIS EARTH WHICH IS MORE THAN ENOUGH OF A PUNISHMENT. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT SINCE HE IS IN ISRAEL HE HAS NOT TOUCHED A SOUL. FURTHERMORE HIS ELDERLY FATHER A VENERABLE SAGE , SHOULD NOT HAVE TP PAY FOR HIS CRIMES BY SEEING HIS SON DRAGGED BACK TO THE USA. THIS ALLEGED STORY WILL HAUNT AVREMIL FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. THIS IN ITSELF IS THE MOST SEVERE PUNISHMENT. THE TORAH FORBIDS REVENGE.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
opposite is true.

reb elya shlita was the one who chased after mondrowitz when no one believed it.
he was the one gado; who cared about the molesters again and again.
facts 1005
he chased mondrowitz out of ny.
unfortunately he could not catch him fast enough before he ran to eretz yisroel.

12:33 AM, November 16, 2007

then why was elya fisher heard friday nite at the time mondrowitz was being investigated way back in the early 80s bragging to his mispalelim that when non gerer parents came to seek his help in stopping the monsterowitz he shrugged them off saying it was not his problem since no gerer boys were molested? Anyone there at that time will attest to it. He said that statement and then urged the men not to talk about it and start davening. It was said while sorounded by many mispalelim and most all are alive to say they heard it. elya fisher is a tragedy unto its own, but that dosn't validate the stupidity that emanates when he opens his mouth.

Anonymous said...

OHEL is toast and so are the gedolim who aided and abetted his escape from justice. that is why our moral leaders are scrambling to find a carpet large enough to sweep this under. Mt. Sinai is too small to cover this one. Try Rushmore or Washington.

Anonymous said...

Boog has disappeared from this site cause he has enlisted as a US Marshall and is working on getting the assignment to escort Colmer & Mondrowitz to rikers for an anal.

Sources have it that police sorrounded mondrowitz's house 2:Am israel time Friday morning and took him away. Boog was in military fatigues with US mArshall logo and UOJ cap.

Go Boog Go!

Anonymous said...

Yudel Shain is being threatened by voices in the shadows to stop complaining on his hotline 1-212-990-7238 about the tarfus in Monsey at Kyo restaurant & Yeshiva of Spring Valley & the 2 catering halls in Williamsburg.

Are these the same mercenaries that work for Margo?

Anonymous said...

What do you want from my son Abale Konstam? He wears a nice bekitche Shabbos!

Anonymous said...

Can anyone verify this?


Posted on vosizneias:

Israel - Police have just arrested Avrohom Mondrowitz, who is suspected of abusing Orthodox Jewish children in the United States, pending extradition orders to the U.S.
As was reported here on Vin News, Mondrowitz was hiding in Israel for the last 20 years after he fled the U.S. The U.S. Justice Department two months ago submitted a request to Israel to extradite him.

Anonymous said...

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/story.php?storySection=Style&sid=45019

The turkey rating that I wrote about has created a lot of passion. People have written and even stopped me on the street to ask where they can find the Aaron's Best Rubashkin's turkeys that were praised by the testers at Cook's Illustrated.

Well, good news. I heard from Mark Halbe, national sales manager for Agriprocessors, the producers of the sought-after bird. He said, "Trader Joe's will carry a Fresh Trader Joe's turkey, which is packed at our plant. It's the same turkey rated in the Cook's article. If you turn it over, you'll see 'Packed by Rubashkins' on the back."

Contact Donna Maurillo at sentinelfood@maurillo.com

Anonymous said...

http://www.recalls.org/f01-07.htm

Agriprocessors, Inc., a Postville, Iowa, establishment, is recalling approximately 2,700 pounds of frankfurters due to possible underprocessing.

The following products are subject to recall:
Two-pound vacuum-packed packages of "SUPREME KOSHER, FAMILY PACK CLASSIC FRANKFURTERS MADE WITH BEEF & CHICKEN."
One-pound vacuum-packed packages of "SUPREME KOSHER, CLASSIC FRANKFURTERS MADE WITH BEEF & CHICKEN."

Each label bears the establishment number, "EST. 4653A" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The labels also bear the Use-by date "March 16, 07."

The frankfurters were produced on November 15, 2006 and were shipped to retail establishments and institutions in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Consumers with questions about the recall should call company Sales Manager Mark Halbe at (563) 864-6114.

Anonymous said...

http://www.jewishpress.com/print.do/25972/Kosher_Tidbits_from_around_the_Web_-_November_12%2C_2007.html

It's confirmation something is corrupt when it gets the Low Klass seal of approval.

Anonymous said...

Confirmed!!!!

At exactly 2:30 am, uoj swat team members along with the mishtara, surrounded mondrowitzs house, and took him in.

Anonymous said...

FREE SCREENING of the Film NARROW BRIDGE:
Confronting Sexual Abuse in the Jewish Community
Seating is Limited - Reservations Required!

Here are two opportunities to catch the controversial, acclaimed film "Narrow Bridge", which has been making waves in the Orthodox Jewish community. it is the first film of its kind to break the silence on the issue of sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community.

Following the film there will be a panel of experts in the field of sexual abuse to answer questions (Names to be announced soon).

These events are sponsored by The Awareness Center, Inc., (the international Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault). For more information call: 443-857-5560 or send an e-mail to vickipolin @ aol.com.

Click on links below for details:

* December 18, 2007 - Washington, DC
* January 2, 2007 - Baltimore, MD

Following the show in Baltimore will be a panel discussion lead by:

Mesa Leventhal Baker, MD
Dr. Baker is on the advisory board of The Awareness Center. She has been board certified in pediatrics since 1991 and a Fellow of the AAP since 1994. She has held Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatric posts with the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda and the John A. Burns School of Medicine in Honolulu. She is currently an Associate Professor in Pediatrics with the University of Maryland and a Special Consultant in Child Abuse to Sinai Hospital.

After working in private pediatrics and forensic pediatrics part-time for a year, Dr. Baker became the Medical Director of the Baltimore Child Abuse Center in 1998. For the past 6 years at the Baltimore Child Abuse Center, Dr. Baker has seen 600-700 children per year, to reach a total of well over 3000 forensic sexual abuse exams.


Vicki Polin, MA, LCPC, NCC, ATR-BC
Vicki Polin is the founder and executive director of The Awareness Center. Vicki is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in the state of Illinois and is a Board Certified Art Therapist.

In the past Vicki has qualified as an expert witness and provided testimony in juvenile court on cases related to childhood sexual abuse and neglect. She has presented educational and experiential seminars to community groups, universities, and at professional conferences on both a local and national level. Vicki served as a board member of several different not-for-profit organizations, which included VOICES in Action, Inc and Alternative Behavior Treatment Centers: For Juvenile Sex Offenders and Sexually Reactive Youth). Vicki also served on the planning committee of Jewish Women International (JWI) 2nd International Conference on Domestic Abuse.


Joyanna Silberg, Ph.D.
Dr. Silberg is the Coordinator of Trauma Disorder Services for Children at Sheppard Pratt Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and past president for the International Society for the Study of Dissociation. In addition to her role as a clinician, Dr. Silberg is an Associate Editor for The Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, and sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Trauma Practice.

Dr. Silberg is the recipient of the Walter P. Klopfer Award, 1992, for outstanding research contribution and the Cornelia Wilbur Award, 1997, for clinical excellence. She is the co-editor of the book Misinformation Concerning Child Sexual Abuse and Adult Survivors (Haworth Press, 2002). She has presented at 100s of professional conferences and conducts training workshops around the world on the treatment of traumatized and dissociative children. She has authored approximately 20 professional articles and book chapters

Anonymous said...

opposite is true.

reb elya shlita was the one who chased after mondrowitz when no one believed it.
----------------------
Nonsense. There is no room here for revisionist history. Elya Svei single handedly (over the eidel objection of Rav Pam) prevented other rabbonim from getting involved in the Mondrowitz affair.
His behavior is unconscionable.

Anonymous said...

There were two psychologists in Monsey named Greenwald. Does anyone know where his degree is from?

There was also a frum hypnotist on 306 in Monsey. Does anyone know where his degree is from?

J. "יהוא בן יהושפט בן נמשי" Izrael said...

I see I have been maligned here of hating all gerim and having an agenda against them. This is absolutely false.

Yes I did suggest that today as Jews have it good, have a state of their own (althoug many reject it, the majority accepts it at one degree or another) and there are benefits available to Jews such as aliyah packages and Jewish bimbos with rich daddies, we should check if this is not cosidered "yad Yisroel tekifah", i.e. that Jews are in a good or privileged situation.

This however, was but a tiny fraction of my claims. My main objective was always to stop the dishonest corrupt profiteers who destroy Judaism with their greed and lies.

It is also true that people like Smarya ben Alfred Rosenberg have an agenda to destroy Judaism and push Reform/Conservative/Tropper/Reconstitutionist "methods" of phoney geirus which would lead to assimilation.

There is a HUGE problem in Israel as the Russian aliya brought in close to 500,000, yes that's trye, HALF A MILLION Gentiles to the country. Among the many benefits of multi-culturalism they g
brought with them from the land of Tolstoy, Dostoiewsky, Babushka and Borsht were neo-nazi gangs who vandalized and shuls and brutalized people in Israel FOR OVER SEVEN YEARS NOW!. See my articles on the subject ("The devil cried", and "Raging Silence", you'll find many eye-opening resources.) this is all covered up both by Israeli media, gov't and bloggers. Now I'm supposed to keep quiet? I shouldn't tell the truth to avoid offending someone? I apologize if I did, but following your logic we should hush up Kolko & Co so Avi Shafran doesn't get offended. DO me a favor.

BTW, R' Bloch who is very opposed to be pulicesd asked me to take his shmuess off the web. If you put enough pressure it may change his mind, and others must join him.

Anonymous said...

"the list of rabonim who knew about mondrowits is kolo sheker.they were alerted about mondrowitz by a number of yungeleit at the time, who discovered molested children at the hands of mondrowitz. three yungeleit worked belaiv vonefesh to get him for very long period of time. two of those were the then young yankel bender and moishy scheinerman !
watch the shekarim !"
---------------------------
Dear Mr. Revisionist:

Sheker? Me thinks not.

The list of “rabonim” who knew about Mondrowitz is not only accurate, it is sadly incomplete.

This list is from ONE meeting hosted by Perlow during which ALL THE PARTICIPATING “RABONIM” clucked and apologized that they could do nothing.

As for Scheinerman; true, for a time he worked like the devil to organize and go after Mondrowitz and Kolko. In fact, for a short while he was the man of the hour.

Which is why his suddenly dropping the ball after being offered a job as a shul rabbi was so hurtful to many victims. It exposed him as the vile and corrupt status seeker he is and most importantly caused the campaign to be derailed which caused countless loss of souls and several lives. Nice work Scheinerman.

Anonymous said...

Not sure if that was mention but I think should credit one person the Holy UOJ who tirelessly worked to get this encouraging outcome.

Anonymous said...

Too bad the Gerrer rebbe protected him and thus he got to molest a whole bunch of children in the last 20 years.

So much for orthodoxy's protection of children. They care so much about hiding them from watching TV and bilboards, but protect child molesting rabbis like Kolko, Mondrowitz, the Tendlers, and many, many more.

Where is the mea culpa from the chassidic community in Brooklyn that helped him escape justice? They have some tshuva to do, I'd say.

Makes me sick.

Anonymous said...

Most Rabbis are Cowards:

No

These voices are coming from Goldwasser's gang of thugs. For all the years they laundered their illegal money through the YSV catering department under Felix Adler, who was too scared to start up with the chairman-of-the-board Moish Finkel (ex son-in-law of Goldwasser). The last thing Goldwasser wants is a full blown investigation into YSV catering department.

Yudel was threatened years ago when he was against Finkel's Glatthouse meats coming to Lakewood's Shoprite Kosher Experience. If you can see the connection. This is part of Goldwasser's services when you get his special loans. He'll protect you as long as he gets his money, once you cross him...

His son Eli, a close talmid of Reb Elya, is a fox in sheep clothing. His mechutanim in Lakewood are Yaffe from the Old Shul, and Shlomo Katz, the relative of Prager/Keller.

Anonymous said...

Mercy for Mondrowitz?

Kol Hamerachaim Al Hachzorim, Soifoi Lehois Achzor Al Harachamim

Anonymous said...

reb moishe scheierman is a yunger man who doesnt know much, but rav elya signed a psak bais din calling mondrowitz a rodef and warned that he cant teach children. How can you say such terrible things about him?

Anonymous said...

reb moshe scheinerman is a yunger man who doesn’t know much,
-----------------------------------
Emes, but as the Briskers like to say, “nebach ah murderer is furt ah murderer.”

People died because of Scheinerman.

Even Scheinerman should have known that once you start open heart surgery you had better know what you’re doing and you can’t stop in middle.

Ela mai? He didn’t care a hoot about the lives he was messing with.

Anonymous said...

"but rav elya signed a psak bais din calling mondrowitz a rodef and warned that he cant teach children. How can you say such terrible things about him?"
-----------------------------

Emes, but this was on September 29, 2006 and Elya Svei only signed below a psak din of the Badatz Yerushalyim AND only after Yakov Perlow also agreed to sign alongside his name.

He lacked the integrity to simply put his name on a psak din when asked.

Most egregious was the fact that this was years after he said he would not help warn people about Mondrowitz. The blood on his hands is not easily washed off.

Certainly not by reluctantly putting his name beneath other’s after everyone knew about Mondrowits.

Give it up. If you have a shaila about esrogim, by all means go to the “rabonim.” If you have life threatening or legal questions stay far away from these people and go to a professional or the police.

Anonymous said...

Heard from mondrowitz family member, the family has already contacted every askan on the east coast to stop this extradition, Please everybody call or e-mail the DA charles j hynes to thank him and to make sure that he goes all the way on this.

asktheda@brooklynda.org

CienavaM@ BrooklynDA.ORG

JausR@BrooklynDA.org

Anonymous said...

Yudel Shain should stop sticking his nose in everything. It's our business if we want to FRESS Rubashkin.

http://yudelstake.blogspot.com/2007/11/conventions-yeshiva-functions.html

Saturday, November 17, 2007

AGUDAH CONVENTION!

Catering by Michael Schick

What will be served at the AGUDAH Convention?

MEAT? POULTRY?

Should I stay home ?

Don't ask-Don't tell? I can't live with that either.

Call Schick caterers at 1-718-257-8837

Anonymous said...

http://theantisemite.blogspot.com/2007/11/pressure-will-blow.html

Friday, November 16, 2007

The Pressure Will Blow

I spoke to Rav Yossef Bloch this evening, and he asked me to take off his shmuess from Youtube. He said the shmuess was never meant to be made public, and had he known that he'd have an audience greater than his immediate circle of talmidim, he would have used slightly different expressions. All the information is nonetheless true and he stands behind every statement made.

Please note that there was no pressure exerted on me whatsoever. He told me that the sound files are in my hand and he cannot force or pressure me, but he asked me to take them down. R' Bloch does not want to have any shaychus to the internet, nor to be quoted in public. I reluctantly take off the shmuess for the sole reason that I respect him as an honorable Talmid Chochom and an ish emes.
_________

I spoke today to rabonim across the haredi spectrum. I was able to gather the following information:

· EJF accused their opponents of taking quotes from their pamphlet “guide” for giyur-rabbis (not distributed to the public), which then several rabbis refuted, and they actually changed that paragraph. (A Shach leniency regarding the ger’s total and sincere intent to accept full mitzvah observance, which was distorted by EJF to mean that the acceptance itself could be eased.)

· RE: Centralizing and/or institutionalizing Halocha, (i.e. in and on itself) whether for general purposes or for a single issue is very strongly discouraged is a bad and dangerous notion. Rabbis should collaborate as neede or see fit, but not monopolize Halocha or Yiddishkeit.

· RE gerus in this day and age: halahic guidelines for all?: Varying answers, more or less around the lines that such guidelines can (or should) be published, or rabbis should voice their opinions if problems emerge, or protest. But certainly not by instituting a body that will be active in the very same field. (Totally unreasonable and illogic rationale, no?)

· RE Belief in a world older than 5768 years: a) constitute ‘kfirah’: widely varying answers from laughs to a firm “yes”;

· -b) if yes, does it retroactively passel (void) giyurs by rabbis believing in an older universe: Chas Veshalom!

· -c) does it disqualify such rabbis from performing gerus: No. The most kanoi: no answer.

· -d) Do such people lecatchila count in a minyan and is their wine muttar: Yes / reluctant yes.

Explanation by most kanoi & second most kanoi: their kfira is not complete, i.e. they believe H’ and are mekayem mitzvos, but they have one (or certain) heretic belief.

RE EJF:

& - Correction & apology: Thomas Kaplan’s wife is in all probability Jewish from birth, albeit they have other intermarried relatives. This person should not be maligned or criticized as he acts in good faith and doesn’t understand halocha and halachic thought (tinok shenishba) and acts in good faith.

& - EJF actively pursues intermarried couples and encourages conversions – more details to come.

& - EJF do use leniencies in converting intermarried couples or their children.

I did not mention names because some rabbis didn't wanted to be quoted in public for different reasons (not knowing enough about EJF, not wanting problems from EJF surrogates etc.) and are unwilling to voice public opinion on the matter. Not yet! The pressure will blow!

Stay tuned.

Anonymous said...

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-airbus1nov01

Singapore Airlines, the first operator of the new Airbus A380, has dashed the hopes of sexual thrill-seekers planning to engage in amorous activity aboard the world's biggest jumbo jet.

The carrier said it would ask passengers on the A380 to refrain from sex while ensconced in one of its 12 first-class suites, which boast the world's first airborne double beds.

"All we ask of customers, wherever they are on our aircraft, is to observe standards that don't cause offence to other customers and crew," the company told Reuters in a statement.

"Nothing different applies for our Singapore Airlines Suites customers."

While private, the double cabins are neither sound proofed nor completely sealed.

"So they'll sell you a double bed, and give you privacy and endless champagne and then say you can't do what comes naturally?" Tony Elwood, who travelled with wife Julie in a suite aboard the inaugural flight, told the Times of London.

Anonymous said...

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11172007/news/regionalnews/casino_shark_shock_705537.htm

November 17, 2007 -- A Brooklyn man played a fast one at Connecticut's Mohegan Sun casino when workers caught him marking cards while playing Texas Hold 'Em, officials said.

Sholem Weisner, 26, of Williamsburg, had been cheating the casino for several days and was found with $55,000 in his hotel room when he was busted on Thurs day night, Connecticut State Police said.

"He obviously was defacing the cards in a way that obviously would not be de tected," Sgt. William Griffin told The Nor wich Bulletin. "He was good at it."

Staff at the casino - which is located on an Indian reservation in eastern Connecticut - started picking up on the marked cards. They then reviewed surveillance footage and spotted Weisner playing poker at a table in the Casino of the Sky.

When they con fronted the brazen gambler, they realized Weisner had been tossed out of the casino in September 2006 for cheating, Griffin said.

Normally, casino officials put known card sharps on a list barring them from ever entering again, but this time Weisner checked in using player reward and Social Security cards that belonged to a friend.

"He came here to get some money from the casino," Griffin said. "He came here specifically to make some money and got caught."

A spokeswoman for Mohegan Sun declined to comment.

Marking cards involves bending or gently creasing specific cards in a way that allows the sharp to track the location of certain high cards as they make their way around the table.

Sometimes, cheaters even use dollops of Vaseline to mark the cards.

Weisner was charged with felony charges of cheating, first-degree larceny and criminal trespass and was released on $5,000 bond.

His name was also passed on to officials at Connecticut's Foxwoods Resort Casino as well as casinos in Atlantic City.

The alleged flim-flammer has a long history of playing fast and loose with money and with the law.

He has several liens against him for failing to pay traffic tickets in New Jersey and for several thousand dollars in credit-card debts.

He is also listed as a persistent violator by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, whose records show Weisner has committed an almost endless list of traffic infractions, from running red lights, talking on a cellphone behind the wheel, speeding, and driving without a seat belt.

And he has failed to pay tickets at least 13 times, according to the records.

Neighbors in his South Williamsburg building on Hewes Street described Weisner, an Orthodox Jew, as little more than a con man.

One woman - who declined to give her name - dismissed him as a "lowlife."

Another said, "He is just dumb. And now he has ruined his life."

Additional reporting by Lorena Mongelli

lukas.alpert@nypost.com

Anonymous said...

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11172007/news/regionalnews/casino_shark_shock_705537.htm

November 17, 2007 -- A Brooklyn man played a fast one at Connecticut's Mohegan Sun casino when workers caught him marking cards while playing Texas Hold 'Em, officials said.

Sholem Weisner, 26, of Williamsburg, had been cheating the casino for several days and was found with $55,000 in his hotel room when he was busted on Thurs day night, Connecticut State Police said.

"He obviously was defacing the cards in a way that obviously would not be de tected," Sgt. William Griffin told The Nor wich Bulletin. "He was good at it."

Staff at the casino - which is located on an Indian reservation in eastern Connecticut - started picking up on the marked cards. They then reviewed surveillance footage and spotted Weisner playing poker at a table in the Casino of the Sky.

When they con fronted the brazen gambler, they realized Weisner had been tossed out of the casino in September 2006 for cheating, Griffin said.

Normally, casino officials put known card sharps on a list barring them from ever entering again, but this time Weisner checked in using player reward and Social Security cards that belonged to a friend.

"He came here to get some money from the casino," Griffin said. "He came here specifically to make some money and got caught."

A spokeswoman for Mohegan Sun declined to comment.

Marking cards involves bending or gently creasing specific cards in a way that allows the sharp to track the location of certain high cards as they make their way around the table.

Sometimes, cheaters even use dollops of Vaseline to mark the cards.

Weisner was charged with felony charges of cheating, first-degree larceny and criminal trespass and was released on $5,000 bond.

His name was also passed on to officials at Connecticut's Foxwoods Resort Casino as well as casinos in Atlantic City.

The alleged flim-flammer has a long history of playing fast and loose with money and with the law.

He has several liens against him for failing to pay traffic tickets in New Jersey and for several thousand dollars in credit-card debts.

He is also listed as a persistent violator by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, whose records show Weisner has committed an almost endless list of traffic infractions, from running red lights, talking on a cellphone behind the wheel, speeding, and driving without a seat belt.

And he has failed to pay tickets at least 13 times, according to the records.

Neighbors in his South Williamsburg building on Hewes Street described Weisner, an Orthodox Jew, as little more than a con man.

One woman - who declined to give her name - dismissed him as a "lowlife."

Another said, "He is just dumb. And now he has ruined his life."

Additional reporting by Lorena Mongelli

lukas.alpert@nypost.com

Anonymous said...

Rav Sternbuch, shlita approved translation by Daniel Eidensohn

5th of Kislev 5768
Concerning the Holiness of the Jewish People – the Holy Nation.

The senior dayanim of the Bedatz met today to discuss allegations that certain kiruv activists are actively proselytizing the children of intermarried couples to convince them to convert – even though according to Torah law there is no halachic relationship
with their Jewish fathers. They are calling for the acceptance of these non-Jewish children in Jewish programs and religious schools.

Such an action isliterally a disaster and self-destructive. It is self-evident that such a program is absolutely prohibited by the Torah.

Furthermore until now anyone who wanted to marry a non-Jewess – Heaven forbend! – knew very well that this act would sever them from the Jewish people forever.

Because of the dire consequences of intermarriage, there was a strong barrier that prevented many from intermarrying. However now that the consequence of exclusion from the Jewish people has been removed - this motivation not to intermarry has been lost. Consequently these intermarried couples and their children remain amongst the Jewish people. This results in their non-Jewish children being accepted into religious schools out of the hope that they will eventually convert.

Therefore we are warning that this activity is against the Torah. It has never been acceptable to proselytize non-Jews. Furthermore as we mentioned it actually encourages intermarriage.

We therefore are turning to the poskim and the roshei yeshivos not to participate in their conventions - such as the one that occurred in America last week. Even if their motivation was to improve the standards of conversions – they are making improvements in one area while making things worse in another.

This approach is directly causing serious problems.

Those who heed our cautions will benefit and receive blessings.

We - the members of the Bedatz in Jerusalem - affix our signature to this document out of fear and concern for the holiness of the Jewish people – the holy nation.

Anonymous said...

The AP via the International Herald Tribune reports:

JERUSALEM: Israel has requested clarifications of a U.S. request for extradition of an Israeli man wanted in New York for allegedly sodomizing and sexually abusing several boys ages 9 to 15 more than 20 years ago, a spokesman said Saturday.

Israeli police arrested Abraham Mondrowitz, 60, before dawn Friday at his home in the ultra Orthodox Jerusalem neighborhood of Nahlaot.

The suspect's detention came two months after the United States had resubmitted an extradition request first made in 1985, months after Mondrowitz fled his Brooklyn, N.Y. home for Israel in light of police charges against him, Justice Ministry spokesman Moshe Cohen said.

The new U.S. request came after Israel and the United States amended their extradition treaty to encompass all crimes whose punishment is more than one year imprisonment, according to the Israeli state prosecutor's office. Prior to the change that took effect in January of this year, the treaty did not cover crimes relating to sodomy.

Israel has requested a few corrections in the U.S. extradition request, the state prosecutor's office said in a request to be submitted Sunday for an extension of Mondrowitz's arrest by 12 days.…

Under New York law, those convicted with first degree sodomy can receive 25 years in jail, according to Israel's state prosecutor's office. Punishment for first degree sexual abuse brings a seven-year punishment, the office said.

Anonymous said...

What does this mean?

On the surface, Israel wants lesser penalties for Mondrowitz, if he is ever extradited and if he is then found guilty.

But the real story seems far different. Israel had the extradition request in mid-February (although it now claims to have received it in September, which does not seem plausible). It did not act until extensive Ha'aretz coverage ran this Thursday and Friday. Now Israel seeks "clarifications"?

Any change in the US extradition treaty – which is what I believe Israel truly seeks – will take years. Even if all Israel wants is to guarantee Mondrowitz lighter penalties if found guilty in Brooklyn, the process of arranging that – with its many implications for other cases from other nations – cannot be seen as easy or quick.

Mondrowitz will probably live out his life in Israel. He may serve time there for crimes committed on Israeli soil, but that service will be in a yeshiva prison with family and conjugal visits and regular vacations from confinement (I kid you not).

Israel's move to amend the extradition treaty removes Mondrowitz's fate from Israel's courts – which would most likely extradite him forthwith – to the political branch – which probably never will.

Why is this happening?

Because the Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Yakov Aryeh Alter (also known as the Gur Rebbe) is both the co-head of a religious political party, United Torah Judaism, controlling slightly more than half of that blocks votes, and a very wealthy man. Various Gerrer Rebbes (the title is hereditary and has been closely held in the same family for more than 100 years) have allegedly been protecting Mondrowitz for decades. Mondrowitz himself comes from a wealthy Ger hasidic family.

Because of Israel's fractured political landscape, no politician with his or her eye on the prime minister's job can risk alienating the Gerrer Rebbe. His small number of Knesset seats can (and often do) determine which coalition rules and which falls from power.

What the world is seeing is the corruption of both Israel's politicians and haredi rabbinic leadership there and in the US (where haredim pushed the Brooklyn DA to let Mondrowitz remain in Israel and not seek extradition). Both should be made to pay a political and financial price for what they have done.

Anonymous said...

http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2007/11/mondrowitz-arre.html#comments

SHmarya claims both in the main post & in the comments here that Attorney Lesher, Mark Weiss & UOJ were not the most instrumental figures in getting Mondrowitz on extradition row. He says that the people responsible are secular Jews, that he knows who they are, but that he is not yet at liberty to identify them or tell their story.

What does all this mean?

Anonymous said...

http://theantisemite.blogspot.com/2007/11/pressure-will-blow.html#c5783108050142426128

Anonymous said...
To the best of my knowledge, (Tropper's) EJF has not yet successfully had a single conversion accepted by the Israeli Rabbinate.

So far, it is just dinner and drinks in nice hotels courtesy of the generous benefactors.

Meanwhile the majority of Shomer Shabbat children of born Jewish mothers in my community do not attend a Jewish Day School because their parents cannot afford it.

In fact we have a running joke around here. If you want to get a full scholarship for children to attend Jewish Day School for free, just go in and tell them that you (the mother) are not Jewish, but your husband is and you are thinking about converting.

If only some of the money that is being spent trying to attract Gentiles to convert to Judaism could be spent to give Jewish children a decent Jewish education.

(SIGH).

Anonymous said...

http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/11/17/badatz_ejf_hebrew.jpg

UOJ should be made an honorary dayan of the Badatz.

J. "יהוא בן יהושפט בן נמשי" Izrael said...

A psak of the Edah Charedis came out thursday RE EJF style giyurs more to come!

http://theantisemite.blogspot.com/2007/11/gay-ruth.html

Anonymous said...

Uoj, how do we get a petition with as many people singing off on it anonymously for example through social security number or maybe some other way sent to the israeli ministry of justice- israeli consul-and the DA of brooklyn.

Anonymous said...

This is the e-mail i just sent the ministry of justice in israel.

Shalom,

I beg of you once again, for the sake of avremil mondrowitzs victims, do the right thing and extradite this man, please dont give in to the pressure of the ger community, I am from ger in brooklyn, and know a few of his victims, they are still bleeding today and are waiting for one thing "Justice". this guy has to be brought to trial just for the fact to show future molester wannabees and the rabbonim that covered up for the molesters that "yesh din vyesh dayan" and you cant run away forever, and that eventually if you covered up for a molester you will be exposed.

with all due repect,
-----------------------------------

Please rabboisi give a few minutes of your time to e-mail him or the israeli consul and let our voices be heard loud and clear, its the least we can do for his many victims.

Miriam said...

HEY ALL. I DON'T COMMENT HERE VERY OFTEN. I HOPE THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE BLOGS THAT IF YOUR NOT A 'REGULAR' YOU GET IGNORED.

IF ANYONE IS IN CONTACT WITH ANY OF THE VICTIMS, I'D RECOMMEND THEM ANY BOOK BY SUSAN FORWARD. I DON'T THINK ANY OTHER SELF HELP BOOK DOES A BETTER JOB.

TAKE CARE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.