Forward After the Forward published an investigation into sexual abuse allegations against two former staff members at a high school for boys run by Yeshiva University, Y.U. issued an immediate statement and said that it would investigate. Later that day, Modern Orthodoxy’s official rabbinic association, the Rabbinical Council of America, said it was “deeply troubled” by the report and confident that the university was “equal to the task” of confronting “improprieties.”
But interviews with current and former staff members of Y.U. and with high-ranking RCA officials, as well as with several former high school students who say they were abused, indicate that Y.U. and the RCA have known about some of the allegations against at least one of the alleged abusers, Rabbi George Finkelstein, for a decade or longer.
But interviews with current and former staff members of Y.U. and with high-ranking RCA officials, as well as with several former high school students who say they were abused, indicate that Y.U. and the RCA have known about some of the allegations against at least one of the alleged abusers, Rabbi George Finkelstein, for a decade or longer.
The Forward has spoken to 14 men who say that Finkelstein abused them
while he was employed at Yeshiva University High School for Boys, in
Manhattan, from 1968 to 1995.
ReplyDeletethe Forward is only interested in attacking Orthodox Judaism and using all of you as a ploy. ALL SHOULD STOP COMMENTING AND perhaps this would die out. The students involved are now remembering things that happened in the 60's and 70's AND 80'S . D. The bottom line is why didnt the parents go to the police. The excuse that they were afraid the children's reputations would be destroyed is ludicrous. I would have taken action immediately. DR. LAMM is being used as a fall guy. It would be best if all invilved no longer made comments to the press. Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg
How do you know the motivation of the Forward? Why do you think that collective forgetting of the abuse is best - do you similar believe that we should forget about the Holocaust or other tragedies? Why do you think it matters why they didn't go to the police - did the attack on students occur or not? There is no concept of statute of limitations in halacha. Or are you arguing from some moral concept that crimes should only be of concern if they happened in the last 5 years?
ReplyDeleteSimple question. If two witnesses testified that Reuven killed 6 months ago is it any different then if the murder took place 40 years ago according to the halacha?
DeletetHIS ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT ME. I have helped convict four sex offenders and do not protect them. If you have proof, sue prosecute , do whatever you wish. rabbi dr. bernhard rosenberg
The Forward has daily attacks on all aspects of Orthodox life.There are attacks on Yeshiva funding like TAP and Pell Grants by the exact same author.Obviously they target anything frum on a daily basis.They want the mechitza at the Kosel knocked down.This was the juiciest of targets.But the question is not the Forward.The question is simply in understanding survivors.What is the benefit to them if they do this?Maybe it is therapeutic and will help them finding closure?OK .No difference in halacha.But why not come out at the time or even a few years or even ten years later?
ReplyDeleteIf everyday there are attacks on frum people in the FORWARD would it not be rather obvious that this was the juiciest of targets.They attack the mechitza at the kosel,they attack funding for Yeshivos like TAP and Pell Grants (same author by the way).You have survivors and people who are not survivors.You have among the non-survivors people who want to understand them.Their question is simply why not report this earlier?
ReplyDeleteI am really surprised that a person who is both and ehrliche yid and a modern thinking person could write what Dr. Rosenberg wrote above.
ReplyDeleteThe frum community really needs to come together. I will note that when some charedi risha bar risha get's caught I have gotten the vibe from some more modern bloggers that they were enjoying their disgrace a bit. We really need to come together as kehilla and just do what is needed as openly and honestly as possible without shtucking yenem. The need to look good, to such a degree, is a machlah she'ain k'mohu and strangling all parts of klal yisroel. Why on earth are we so weak?
Michoel
IF YOU CAN PROSECUTE THE ONES WHO HIRT YOUNG KIDS, DO IT. I understand nightmares and terrors, I do not understand why the parents did not beat up the guilty if they violated their children.Sorry to me having respect for a rabbi has nothing to do with his harming my child. I WOULD HAVE BEATEN THE HELL OUT OF HIM.
DeleteTHEY COMPLAIN ABOUT WRESTLING and have nightmares. This I UNDERSTAND and have compassion for them. I hate when people judge me for saying the parents should have acted if they knew.
I was born in a D.P. CAMP and my parents were in AUSCHWITZ AND BUCHENWALD. LOST MOST OF THE FAMILY. these are my nightmares NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH LIFE LIKE THIS. , ESPECIALLY YOUNG TEENAGERS. . rabbi dr. bernhard rosenberg
Why did the parents not go to the police when no one would take action.? Why did the parents not confront the abusers.? If it was my child, I would have gone to the abusers and personally physically confronted them. Go to ISRAEL NOW AND TAKE ACTION. RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
ReplyDeleteHaving been both a student and teacher at Yeshiva University during these years, I pose one question: Why didn't the parents of these students call the police. If it was my child I would have confronted these instructors and gone to the police and administration immediately and hired a lawyer. Had any of these students approached me when I was a young teacher of speech at Yeshiva College and told me of this I would have acted with vigor. Yeshiva University is a great institution. Let's not forget that many of today's Jewish leaders are products of YU. It is good that this horrendous part of the history of Yeshiva University has gone public so the individuals can find some degree of justice and peace. We are all awaiting Yeshiva University's response. It is still a great institution with fantastic teachers and Rebbaim.
ReplyDeleteRabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg
ReplyDeleteSo far there is an anonymous accusation against Rabbi Macy Gordon
MY SOURCE TELLS ME MR. ANONYMOUS GRADUATED EINSTEIN. MEDICAL SCHOOL OF YESHIA UNIVERSITY SEEMS LIKE HE OWES Y.U. HIS CAREER. YESHIVA UNIVERSITY is the school where I spent most of of academic life. Do not lecture me on what I owe or do not. For your information, RIETS and .J.S.S. made be who I am. I will fight for the school that produced abbey that cared for me and nutured me. It is not my fault that parents who knew of these acts did nothing including showing up in mass to punish the individual who did malice to their child. Do not lecture me on sexual violence. Where were the parents who knew. ? Stop whining and trying to destroy Yeshiva University and have Rabbi Lamm resign. He did what was proper at the time. Prove that Rabbi GORDON molested anyone. The story about the toothbrush is ludicrous. I have had my own issues with the R..C.A. AND Y.U. , but I did not wake up 35 years later to realize I was molested. Go to ISRAEL AND CONFRONT these abusers , they are still alive. I call upon current students and alumni to speak up on behalf of their school. I FOR ONE HAVE HEARD ENOUGH UNPROVEN ALLEGATIONS THAT HAVE RUINED TWO LIVES. DO NOR RESPOUND SHAME ON YOU OR I DO NOT UNDERSTAND SEX ABUSE. I understand if this happened to my child and I knew of it I WOULD HAVE CALLED FRIENDS and made sure the culprit never did this to any child again. Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg
IF YOU CAN PROSECUTE THE ONES WHO HIRT YOUNG KIDS, DO IT. I understand nightmares and terrors, I do not understand why the parents did not beat up the guilty if they violated their children.Sorry to me having respect for a rabbi has nothing to do with his harming my child. I WOULD HAVE BEATEN THE HELL OUT OF HIM.
ReplyDeleteTHEY COMPLAIN ABOUT WRESTLING and have nightmares. This I UNDERSTAND and have compassion for them. I hate when people judge me for saying the parents should have acted if they knew.
I was born in a D.P. CAMP and my parents were in AUSCHWITZ AND BUCHENWALD. LOST MOST OF THE FAMILY. these are my nightmares NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH LIFE LIKE THIS. , ESPECIALLY YOUNG TEENAGERS. . rabbi dr.
Many of us are very proud graduates of numerous schools of Yeshiva University. These comments are made by people who either have no allegiance to the school or have probably never attended. Schools such as Einstein medical school, Wurzweiler school of social work, Cardoza Law school, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Azrieli, Revel as well as Yeshiva College and the various Religious divisions of YU including REITS and JSS have provided leaders in all fields of the worldwide Jewish and general community.Attacking Yeshiva University in the Forward on an almost daily basis is a wonderful way to sell newspapers. While there are some who have legitimate accusations, there will be many seeking merely to sue for the sake of making money.Stop blaming the entire Orthodox Jewish world for the deeds of a few. RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
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