Pedophiles in the Jewish Community Are Going Unpunished

In a recent article published in the Yiddish Forward, journalist Rukhl Schaechter reports on the problem of unreported abuse and cover-ups within the Charedi community.

Below are links to the original article in Yiddish and an English translation commissioned by SFJ (Survivors for Justice) and approved by Ms. Schaechter.

=================== Forward 

Listening to the popular New York Jewish radio program, "The Zev Brenner Show," one suddenly heard the following commercial narrated by a woman speaking in authentic Hasidic Yiddish:"I am the mother of Yoeli Engelman. Yoeli is a survivor of sexual molestation. 15 years ago, when he was a child in cheder (elementary school), he was molested by his principal. This very principal today teaches in the same cheder, and the administration unashamedly defends him. This terrible crime and severe chilul Hashem (desecration of God's name) can only be dealt with by the Child Victims Act, which will force the administration to protect the innocent children instead of the guilty teacher. Fathers and mothers, Remember! Our children need us! Thank you." This commercial, aired by the SFJ (Survivors for Justice) -- an organization that combats sexual abuse in the orthodox world, mentions only one example of a serious problem in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish world: Countless numbers of children, specifically boys, are sexually molested by their teachers, rabbis and other authority figures in the community, but little is being done to punish the perpetrators..

Vacation halachic guidance

YNET

Senior haredi rabbis advise on Halacha matters pertaining to yeshiva students' holiday period between Tisha B'Av and Rosh Chodesh Elul

Rabbi Yehuda Leib Steinman, one of the leaders of the Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox community ruled recently that during flights one is best advised to pray the Amidah prayer (The Standing Prayer) sitting down, restfully, rather than standing up.

This was his answer to haredi yeshiva students currently in the midst of the "Bein Hazmanim" holiday period - a break between Tisha B'Av and the beginning of Elul. Busy planning overseas vacations, the students were concerned about difficulties in saying all the customary prayers on board planes.[...]

Some Orthodox rabbis call for acceptance of homosexuals

YNET

Dozens of Orthodox rabbis have signed a statement of principles saying that religious communities must accept those of its members who are "active homosexuals" and their biological or adopted children, and that they must not be encouraged to undergo "change therapies" or marry someone of the opposite sex.

The statement was formulated following a panel held by the "rashei yeshiva ramim" six months ago in New York. The panel included three homosexual graduates of the Yeshiva University, and was hosted by its spiritual supervisor, Rabbi Yosef Blau. [...]

Grad rocket hit Ashkelon today

YNET

Military officials hope Friday morning's Grad rocket in Ashkelon was lone incident which will not be followed by escalation in south, although two mortar shells land in Eshkol Regional Council several hours later. 'They have longer range missiles,' head of Home Front Command's southern district tells Ynet [...]

Hersh lawsuit - Cross Motion filed by Elliot Pasik esq

Part of Cross Motion filed with the Supreme Court of New York Index

No. 006170

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11. The tenuousness of this action has already been demonstrated. As a result of the aforesaid motion practice, there is no need to elaborate as to the allegations of the amended complaint, but suffice it to state that causes of action for intentional interference with contract, tortious interference with contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and prima facie tort are brought. The heart of the factual allegations, in the 38 page amended complaint, are based on paras. 56 and 57, where it is acknowledged by the plaintiffs that they sent their teenage son to Tranquility Bay, Jamaica, which they refer to as a"school". The complaint then alleges that all of the named defendants, and a group of John Does essentially conspired to force plaintiffs out of their well-paying jobs, including Hatzalah, a volunteer ambulance company, and disrupt their family. One of the John Does is Vin News,according to complaint para. 127, where it is pleaded that Vin is amember of the conspiracy. It is claimed that VIN "posted many entries on his/her website intending that Mr. Hersh be fired from his position at Hatzalah".

12. Tranquility Bay is hardly a "school". In Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, it is described as a residential treatment facility. It is best described as a house of horrors where child abuse and torture were regularly practiced. When it was learned within the orthodox Jewish community in New York that one of the plaintiffs' sons was consigned there, a significant protest arose, which did not subside until leading and widely respected community activists were able to have him released. The Wikipedia entry about Tranquility Bay is Exhibit D herewith, together with a Miami New Times article from June 2006. There are other online media articles well describing the rampant and horrible child abuse occurring at this so-called "school".

13. Vin News is an anonymous, online site which is, essentially, a digest oftopical news stories that are of interest to mostly the orthodox Jewish community. People have the opportunity to comment. Vin News, together with other sites, such as UOJ, Daat Torah, and Failed Messiah, have been active in addressing the ongoing problem of child abuse in the Jewish and general community. Relevant to this case, Vin re-produced two articles, in 2008, about the Isaac Hersh/Tranquility Bay situation, annexed herewith as Exhibit E.

14. In April 2008, the largest orthodox Jewish newspaper in the United States, .the Jewish Press, published a full-page ad which displayed a letter dated April 14, 2008, signed by a very prominent rabbi, psychiatrist, and psychologist, stating, "We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all those shtadlanim (activists) who gave of their time, effort and money to save Yitzchok Meir (Isaac) from a nonJewish oriented reform facility. The selfless devotion that they displayed to save a fellow Jew was truly inspirational. What has clearly emerged, is that the facilities such as Tranquility Bay, Jamaica is not a place for any Jewish child. We understand the need for all types of intervention to help our children, but Tranquility Bay SHOULD NOT be an option." The signatories are, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, a senior member ofthe Council of Sages (Moetses) of a leading ultra-orthodox organization, Agudath Israel of America; Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski, a psychiatrist and widely published author, who for many years was the founder and operator of an addition treatment facility in Pittsburgh, Pa.; and, Dr. David Pelcovitz, a psychologist who pecializes in treating child sex abuse victims, currently a professor of psychology at Yeshiva University, New York, and previously, Director of Psychology at North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, Long Island. This letter also appeared in Vin news.

15. With this basic factual background in mind, the premise of the complaint is actually absurd. The underlying assumption is that the public, including a religious community, may not, legally, discuss and act upon credible allegations of a child being physically abused at a defacto prison camp. To accept that premise would be to eviscerate the protections of the First Amendment, and expose children to the worst forms of abuse. This badly misguided lawsuit is serving as a chilling effect upon responsible adults "getting involved" and preventing child abuse. Web site and blog site operators, such as Vin News and others, should continue to possess the legal right to remain anonymous, so as to avoid harassment and retaliation. Particularly where the interests of children are at stake, the right to remain anonymous should be enforced.

16. The subject subpoenas should clearly be stricken in this dubious lawsuit. This court should consider the public policy of free and robust speech as expressed in the First Amendment, and all of the child protection laws in our state and country. A rescue operation was mounted for Isaac Hersch, and it succeeded. The subject subpoenas are fishing expeditions to get evidence to add even more defendants in this lawsuit which well deserves a summary dismissal. The subpoenas should be quashed.

Dated: July 22, 2010 Cedarhurst, New York

Incest: Yichud of brothers & sisters

Igros Moshe1(E.H. 4:65.11): Concerning the permissibility of a brother and sister being secluded together alone occasionally - whether this also applies in a situation where they are living in their parents home which therefore means it a fixed arrangement. When they are alone together in the house is this considered on occasion and therefore permitted or since he is in fact living with her in a fixed manner it is not permitted for them to be alone - even though the seclusion is only occasional. It seems that the practice of the world is to permit this. Even when the parents have only one son and one daughter who are old enough to be obligated in mitzvos, they leave them alone in the house for hours even at night. No one is concerned about the issue of yichud in these circumstances for brother and sister - even religious people. It would seem that this leniency is implied by Rashi who writes (Kiddushin 81b) that "brother and sister can be secluded together occasionally but he does not dwell with her constantly in the house".... this implies that the permissibility of seclusion with a sister is even when they dwell together for an extended time. However the prohibition of seclusion with his sister is only if they are alone constantly together but if it is only occasionally that they are alone then it is permitted even when they are living together for an extended time. That is the reason for the widespread leniency in this matter. However there is no question that they are not to be left alone in the house for an extended time at nights on frequent occasions until this is viewed as the normal situation - and not just an occasional occurrence. In this matter it is not possible to specify the exact number of hours or times that it is prohibited. Rather each one needs to recognize in his sons and daughters what is appropriate.

What Do You Lack? Probably Vitamin D

New York Times

Vitamin D promises to be the most talked-about and written-about supplement of the decade. While studies continue to refine optimal blood levels and recommended dietary amounts, the fact remains that a huge part of the population — from robust newborns to the frail elderly, and many others in between — are deficient in this essential nutrient.

If the findings of existing clinical trials hold up in future research, the potential consequences of this deficiency are likely to go far beyond inadequate bone development and excessive bone loss that can result in falls and fractures. Every tissue in the body, including the brain, heart, muscles and immune system, has receptors for vitamin D, meaning that this nutrient is needed at proper levels for these tissues to function well.[...]