Unorthodox-Jew
A Critical View of Orthodox Judaism

"David Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America, a group representing many haredi factions, offered the moderate view. “A broad consensus has emerged in the last few years,” he said, “that many of these issues are beyond the ability of the community to handle internally.” But he added that prosecutors should recognize “religious sensitivities” by seeking alternatives to prison, to avoid depriving a family of its breadwinner, or by finding appropriate Orthodox homes for children removed from abusive families. “The district attorney should be careful not to be seen as making a power grab from rabbinic authority,” Mr. Zwiebel said."

New York Times - October 13, 2009

Now, a growing number of haredi Jews in Brooklyn say they do not think they can get justice from the rabbinical courts, which in several high-profile cases have exonerated people who were later criminally convicted of child abuse. And although some advocates for victims contend that the district attorney has been too accommodating of the rabbinical hierarchy — a charge Mr. Hynes denies — families are increasingly turning to his office for help.

"Aguiar says he has a portfolio of thank you letters that Rabbi Tropper allegedly drafted, signed and forged in the name of great rabbis. "I approached some of them, and they said that they never received the funds and never wrote those letters," he says."

Rabbi Stanley Z. Levitt, 63, of Philadelphia, was indicted last month by a Suffolk County grand jury on four counts of indecent assault and battery on a person under 14, prosecutors said. He will be arraigned during the magistrate session at Suffolk Superior Court. In one instance, Levitt allegedly sexually assaulted an 11-year-old male student in his hospital room while the boy was recuperating at Children’s Hospital in Boston after an accident, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley. A different 11-year-old boy was allegedly assaulted in three other attacks during a three-night visit to Levitt’s Chiswick Road home. All the alleged offenses occurred in 1975....

Ben Hirsch, president of Survivors for Justice, an advocacy group for survivors of sexual abuse in the Orthodox community, told The Jewish Week on Friday that "Reichbach's compassion and admiration for the courage of these victims have resonated through our community, as has his rebuke to those within our community who would protect pedophiles.
"Not only will his just sentencing save children from this predator," Hirsch continued, "it also sends a message that these crimes will not go unpunished, which will go a long way towards reducing the prevalence of abuse in our community."
Hirsch went on "to commend DA Hynes and his staff for their effective prosecution of this case. We hope this will encourage members of the Orthodox community to bring all cases of abuse directly to the sex crimes division of their police departments so that the justice system can do its job."

..."With his stinging critique, Judge Guston Reichbach placed himself at the center of a fierce debate in the Orthodox community over how best to police the problem of pedophilia.
Speaking from the bench the day after Yom Kippur at the sentencing of Yona Weinberg, who received a 13-month jail term, Judge Reichbach said he found it "troubling" that the community "seeks to blame, indeed punish victims who seek justice from the … civil society," according to a
court transcript. He went on to add that the Orthodox community's religious courts are "inappropriate" and "incapable" of dealing with criminal matters....."

http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/

September 30, 2009

Rabbi Dr. Jack Nusan Porter of Newton, MA, was found guilty of 2nd degree assault and 4th degree sexual assault today in Baltimore. He received probation before judgment and sex offender counseling, he also received unsupervised probation for one year. If you or anyone you know was ever assaulted by Dr. Jack Nusan Porter, please call Ellen Opdyke, staff attorney at MCASA (Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault): 301-565-2277

"There is a perverted sense of Chillul Hashem that places the blame, not on those whose behavior mocks their external look of piety, but places it instead on those who unmask them."

Rav Yosef Blau Shlita - Mashgiach Ruchni Yeshiva University - Rabbeinu Yitzchok Elchonon

Please say Tehillim for Dafna bas Dina Malka who was born today and is in the NICU. The next 48 hours are crucial so please have this precious neshama in your tefilos.
Thursday, September 24, 2009 -- 6th day of Tishrei, 5770

Use Tips: Place UOJ Roach Motels in yeshivas and shuls, at the Agudath Israel - 42 Broadway - N.Y.C. - Torah Umesorah - Every classroom in Yeshiva Torah Temimah - The Novominsker Rebbe's office, Yisroel Belsky's house, Chaim Malinowitz's shul in Ramat Bet Shemesh, Elimelech Kornfeld's mouth, Shalom Tendler's trousers, Matt Salomon's carpet sweepers gesheft (aka Lakewood Bais Din), and other areas where roaches live and breed. If after 3 seconds, you have not trapped any of the above Roach Gedolim, the Roach Motels are knockoffs from Solomon Dweck. The authentic UOJ Roach Motel will tell you -- you have a Gedolim roach problem and how bad it is. If a Roach Motel trap is filled with more than 15-20 Gedolim roaches within 24 minutes, you have a heavy infestation (as expected), and should consider calling a professional exterminator, and of course, UOJ The Roto Rooter Guy! Chazak!

Dear David Morris, founder of L'maan Achai - Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel:
In truth, there are many voices that need to be heard on this subject. Ohel has been involved in treating many survivors so regardless of their mistakes (and misjudgments), they know a lot about the problem. Perhaps their biggest ongoing mistake is in not reaching out to work together with others and attempting to monopolize the community's voice on this issue for which there needs to be a host of voices. Having said that, it is great to hear that you are taking a different approach than many of the communities here have taken of having a one time event "telling" parents what they need to do to protect their kids. Suggestions for educators/speakers are as follows:
Rabbi Yosef Blau, Mashgiach Ruchni of Yeshiva University, and leading rabbinical supporter of victims of abuse and their families. He has published and spoken widely on this topic, is a huge Talmud Chacham and a courageous leader.
Rabbi Marc Dratch, Director of JSAFE and executive member of the RCA who have been at the forefront of raising community awareness.
Elliot Pasik, Dr. Asher Lipner and Bracha Goetz of the Jewish Board of Advocates for Children (JBAC) are experts in the legal, clinical and societal issues that need to be addressed by our community for prevention of sexual abuse. However, perhaps the people who can teach us the most are the survivors of abuse themselves.
David Framowitz, who lives in Israel, Mark Weiss and Joel Engleman as well as Joel's mom Mrs. Pearl Engelman are all people who have courageously taken on the establishment that has sought to keep the issue swept under the rug. Joel, Mark and David are the founding members of Survivors for Justice. They have spoken publicly and for the news media and have begun a community service radio advertisement campaign, and have written articles on how to prevent children from suffering what they went through.
UOJ has not made public appearances as of yet, but we are all waiting anxiously for him to "reveal himself" and to impart his knowledge and wisdom, as he has been a major leading force for change in our community. He has shown a particular interest in helping your community, as you know, as many people from there have reached out to him.
Vicki Polin, while controversial in her approach, and not orthodox herself, has likewise brought the issue of sexual abuse in the Orthodox community to light possibly before anyone else, when she started The Awareness Center back in 2001. She also has Orthodox rabbis and clinicians on her board of directors such as Dr. Vivian Skolnik and Dr. Michael Salamon.
Hella Winston and Gary Rosenblatt of the Jewish Week have written and published extensively on the problems and solutions facing our community on this troubling issue. An educational approach that utilizes the widest scope of expertise and experience is (according to Chazal at least) the wisest, as they say "Eyzehu Chochom, Halomed Mikol Adam."
Good luck with your efforts and as UOJ would say, Chazak!

Available at: Feldheim.com

He's the grandson of Rav Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz, and he left behind his Jewish heritage and the yeshivah world he grew up in to take a wild ride through secular, upstate New York where his long-haired, businessman image took over.
Until Hashem tapped Moishe Mendlowitz on the shoulder and led him, through a series of miraculous events, back to Torah Judaism in a roller-coaster ride across continents and turbulent emotions. Today he's the manager of the Heritage House in Jerusalem's Old City and a sought-after speaker and founder of a kiruv organization.
In this inspiring, fascinating, and exciting book, the author brings the reader into his inner world, telling a tale that will have you crying, laughing and thinking--about the power of just one Jew.

http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/article/300970/Microsoft%27s-Marketing-Stunt-Goes-Viral?tickers=msft,aapl

Previous 5 of 10 Next

Evangelist Tony Tendler Alamo, center is led from the federal courthouse in downtown Texarkana Ark. Tuesday July 14, 2009 following opening statements in his trial. Tendler Alamo is charged with taking underage girls across state lines for sex.

Public Affairs Office, District of New Jersey,
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Public Affairs Office: 973-645-2888
Last updated Thursday, July 23, 2009, 1:00 p.m.

07-23-09 -- NEWARK -- The mayors of Hoboken Secaucus and Ridgefield, the Jersey City deputy mayor and council president, two state assemblymen, numerous other public officials and political figures and five rabbis from New York and New Jersey were among 44 individuals charged today in a two-track federal investigation of public corruption and a high-volume, international money laundering conspiracy. Contact: Michael Drewniak, PAO, 973-645-2888.
Bid Rig III News Release & Addendum(.pdf)
Addendum (.pdf)

Michael Sabo attended Yeshiva Torah Temimah in Brooklyn. The school was made infamous when its owner, Lipa Margulies, deflected investigations of a longtime teacher, Yehuda Kolko, who last year pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child endangerment and who is suspected of widespread sexual abuse. Sabo said he could not recall if he had been a victim of sexual abuse by Kolko.

Internet sex sting nabs 13, Including Valley Torah Graduate David Mazlin

Aug. 14, 2007 - by Tony Castro - L.A. Daily News

Thirteen men - including five from the San Fernando Valley and one from Simi Valley - were nabbed in a sting targeting suspects who troll the Internet seeking sex with underage girls, officials said Friday.The undercover operation mirrored the popular "To Catch a Predator" segments on NBC's "Dateline," with undercover FBI agents and police officers portraying adolescent girls in online chat rooms. Some of the men who made dates with the "girls" arrived at an undisclosed Valley location bearing gifts, ranging from alcohol and jewelry to teddy bears and ballet slippers, officials said.The suspects include: Babak Habashi, 24, of Winnetka; Abraham Aleksanyan, 30, of Van Nuys; (RCC mashgiach of Mashu Mashu Kosher Restaurant) David Mazlin, 23, of Valley Village; Oscar Hernandez-Garcia, 25, of Sherman Oaks; David Avram Cohn, 49, of Woodland Hills; and Shalendra Avi Parasram, 27, of Simi Valley.

Due to developments of last week, the New York Assembly vote on the Child Victims Act (A2596a-b) will take place during the week of June 15th, not Tuesday, June 9. Look for an update from our office tomorrow.

Michael A. Armstrong - Office of Assemblywoman Margaret Markey
718-651-3185, 917-279-8437 armmic@earthlink. net

Survivors for Justice Launches Radio Ad Campaign in Support of Child Victims Act, Against Agudah
Click above link:
Ads feature UOJ, survivors, parents and even a police officer. Some are openly anti-Agudath Israel of America.

The Mashgiach at - RCC in Los Angeles - certified Mashu Mashu
http://www.lajewishpages.com/kosher/Mashu-Mashu-Kosher-Restaurants---Chinese-208-36.html
is a registered sex offender David Mazlin - 12601 ALBERS ST.
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA 91607
http://www.familywatchdog.us/ShowList.asp Zip code 91607

"........It seems to me that if (the Orthodox Jewish) community would have been able to police itself over the last 30 years, we would not have any concerns about lawsuits now to begin with. But since nobody has done anything to protect your children legislatively, and Agudah, for example has fought every initiative to protect children, my bill which would flush out of the system all the molesters who have been there for years is necessary.

Secondly, there would be no "frivolous" lawsuits, and false allegations you know, just as there were none in California where the window bill passed into law. This is because the law stipulates that to file suit you have to first prove from a mental health professional that you were molested.

Why conjecture about possible bills that will help find out who is molesting? Why not go with mine, that has been proven in Califoria and Delaware to identify over 360 molesters otherwise unknown to authorities.

From what I understand, at the current time, the Orthodox community has gross underreporting of sexual crimes due to concepts like "mesirah", "chilul Hashem" and "lashon hara". The same way that fear of loss of money can be a powerful deterrent to stop yeshivas and all schools from covering up child abuse, it can also be an incentive to get victims to come forward and give us information society needs to know in order to protect its children."

For Zehava (not her real name), the decision to break with the stringent cultural norms of her tight-knit haredi community in Ramat Beit Shemesh and report the suspected sexual abuse of her three-year-old child to the secular authorities came quickly.

"I grew up in the community, but I have always been open and accepting of the world around me," begins the haredi-raised Zehava, as she shares the story of her battle against the town's religious leaders, who in her view turn a blind eye to the ongoing problem of sexual abuse in the semi-private haredi school system.

"We have an epidemic on our hands, and there is complete denial here that there is anything wrong," she continues. "I spoke to the rabbis and other community leaders here, but they all called me a liar and said that this kind of thing does not happen here... but it does."

...The angry exchange outside the annual dinner May 17, 2009 - for Agudath Israel, a national ultra-Orthodox umbrella group, encapsulates the escalating battle within the Orthodox community over sexual abuse of children by rabbis, yeshiva teachers and other religious authority figures. On one side, a band of loosely organized victims of sexual abuse and their supporters are crying out for community leaders to take a tougher stand against pedophilia. On the other side, many powerful leaders regard any public airing of sexual abuse allegations in the Orthodox community as hillul Hashem, a desecration of God’s name...

***********************
Coming up this Motzei Shabbos on the Zev Brenner Show this week Professor Marci A Hamilton will be a special guest together with community advocate Mark Mayer Appel to discuss the proposed "Markey" Bill on extending the statue of limitations against child sex criminals. Having clerked for Supreme Court Judge Sandra O'Conner, Dr. Hamilton will discuss why we need this bill passed and will reassure us that the yeshivas will not be hurt by frivolous lawsuits. Professor Hamiltion is also the Chair of Public Policy at Yeshiva University and a leading advocate for children. It promises to be a very informative and educational show. Tune in to hear it on WMCA 570 AMat 12 am on May 3, 2009!
*************************

"The Ohel position, as enunciated in the Mandel statement, calls for an amnesty of sorts on prosecution or civil lawsuits provided offenders come forward on their own, admit their guilt, and seek professional help. Pasik said that he was astounded by such a suggestion, saying, “How can there even be a mention of any kind of amnesty for the type of damage wrought here for so long without anyone stepping forward and speaking out?” Mr. Pasik, who is lobbying Albany to pass legislation on these matters, is astounded that now that we’ve finally begun, after all these decades, to seriously address abuse issues, we are talking about amnesties and reducing the ability of a victim to seek redress."

*********************
Merrick, NY - Teaching Assistant at Two Yeshivas Arrested On Child Porn Charges

April 28, 2009

NY - A teacher who worked at two Queens yeshivas and a Long Island elementary school was arrested after cops found child pornography on his home computer, cops said yesterday. Two online tipsters told state police that Timothy Holt, 44, of Baldwin, sent child pornography over the Internet last month. Cops seized the divorced father's computer and allegedly found nine videos and pictures depicting sexually explicit images of children. Holt, who pleaded not guilty to felony child-pornography raps on Friday, worked as a third-grade teacher's assistant at the Birch Elementary School in Merrick and taught Earth science at Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim and Yeshiva Tiferes Torah. "We are shocked and saddened by these charges," said a Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim representative who would not give his name. State Police Inspector Carlos Ramos said there was no evidence that Holt had inappropriate contact with any of his students but he's been fired from all three schools.

**********************
"Rabbi Jacob Aaron Max, was found guilty Monday - April 13, 2009 - of sex offense in the fourth degree and second degree assault for the molestation of a former Sol Levinson & Bros. Funeral Home female employee in December 2008.
The verdict given by Baltimore County District Court Judge Nancy Purpura resulted in one year of incarceration suspended and one year of unsupervised probation. Rabbi Max’s legal representation said the long-time spiritual leader will appeal the verdict.
Rabbi Max, 85, is the rabbi emeritus of the Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Hebrew Congregation, better known as Pikesville’s Liberty Jewish Center. A polished stone in the congregation’s parking lot designates it the Rabbi Jacob A. Max campus. He is a well-known figure in Baltimore Jewish circles, where he has been active for more than six decades.
The fourth degree sex offense means that the “defendant had sexual contact with the victim and that the sexual contact was made against the will and consent of the victim,” according to County Asst. State’s Attorney Jared Green, who prosecuted the case......."
**********************

*****
In 2006, New York magazine and ABC's Nightline both featured stories dealing with rabbis who had abused children entrusted to them. Then, at the start of 2007, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency published a five-part series on sexual abuse by rabbis who led congregations, taught religious studies, and ran youth groups. The series soon was picked up by Jewish newspapers nationwide. Despite this spate of media coverage, there has been a dearth of scholarly material investigating sexual abuse within the Jewish clergy. Tempest in the Temple brings together fifteen practicing rabbis, educators, pastoral counselors, sociologists, mental health professionals, and legal advocates for abuse victims, each of whom offer insights into different facets of the problem. This book is divided into three sections. The first section, "When the Vow Breaks," describes rabbis who break their "vows" through active pedophilia. The second section, "Sacrificing Victims," illuminates the community dynamics surrounding abuse: how a community unwittingly contributes to the cover-up of abuse; why victims of abuse are all too often ignored or cast off by their religious communities; and the mechanisms by which powerful religious institutions protect their own. The third section, "Let Me Know the Way," addresses how Jewish communities can overcome the ignorance, bias, and corruption associated with clergy sexual abuse. Solutions--some already successful, others yet to be tried--are explored here. Tempest in the Temple offers an open discussion of some of the most deeply rooted fears in the Jewish community. While it is the first book to bring child sex scandals in temples and synagogues to light, its purpose is not to blame or shame Jews but to examine this horrific problem with as much clarity and precision as possible so that the best remedies can be offered to the community as a whole. *****

Don't Give Up!

Rays of Light and Strength for the Hardest Times - Doing Hard Time!

By - Rabbi Leib Pinter

Bad news is a challenge. Jail is even a bigger challenge!

It can be overwhelming , especially showering with Bubba - or it can point the way to growth and strength. This powerful and insightful book is important for everyone, in jail or on your way to jail -- for who has not seen or experienced pain, suffering, tragedy? Which rabbi is not a criminal - waiting for that knock on the door?

The author, Rabbi Leib Pinter, a previously convicted felon, is a "noted" putz and a man with great love for other people's money. He, however, hates getting caught, that drives him mad! He has known, lied to, consulted, and read the works of many of the greatest rabbis and illiterate guides of the last two generations - and distilled a wealth of fraudulent mortgage money into a book that provides guidance for the fools, hope for the dumb, and sheer stupidity in the face of adversity.

We are certain to hear more from the great rabbi; his next book title could be - "Davening Without A Gartel", Or " No Water For Nitilat Yadaim", or " Reading Slifkin B'shas Hadchak", one of the few titles he could share his wisdom with us on hopefully.

Chaim Dovid Zwiebel of Agudath Israel Presses Justice Department to discuss the "Law of Return" and its relevance to criminal proceedings of Jewish defendant Sholom Rubashkin in its weekly newsletter - Not one word about the extradition of Avrohom Mondrowitz!

Particulars
Date of Birth: 02/09/1948
Place of Birth: Germany
Residence: Jerusalem
Family Status: Married
Number of Children: 5
Education: High School, Yeshiva
Contact Telephone: 02-6408008
Telephone # 2: 02-6408009
Fax: 02-6753730
Email:
ylitzman@knesset.gov.il
Languages: English, Yiddish