Subject: Ultra-Orthodox leadership group in Israel defends senior colleague
--------------------------------------------------Outrageously - but unsurprisingly - a senior ultra Orthodox leadership group in Israel has today issued a public statement in support of their colleague, Rabbi M[****]., who has been indicted for a 'series of rapes carried against a number of female relatives over the course of several years
Shortly after I received a follow up letter
Dear colleagues,
I have recently heard from [****] that after further research, it has been determined that the letter is bogus.
[The letter was removed from the Facebook page of the advocate.]
In fact in this case of the Jerusalem mashgiach - I have heard that the rabbonim have fully cooperated with the police - there was no cover up. The knee-jerk reaction of the above advocate needs to be tempered with the reality that awareness of the problem of abuse and how to properly handle it - has been penetrating the world of rabbis. So while there is still clearly room for improvement - it is time to acknowledge that things have changed and are getting better.
It would be nice for the advocates to at least acknowledge this change - instead of merely silently removing bogus letters from their Facebook accounts.
At this stage, it could be internal charedi politics that the leadership decided to 'throw him under the bus.'
ReplyDeleteMaybe he has no 'patron', maybe the victim(s) have more 'protexia' than him, maybe his RY doesn't have pull, or doesn't want to use his pull, or has a fear of effects on fundraising, or any of a hundred other factors.
Yes, its a start, but . . .
It may be hard to issue an acknowledgement. It may be hard because abuse may be only the proverbial tip of the iceberg as far of things that are out-of-order in the community. They may be thinking: "Where will all this end?"
ReplyDeleteOr maybe I'm just "projecting". I find it hard to crack open my personal safe of misdeeds. (Despite what Kishkeyum thinks, that it's empty.)
By the time we read about this, it already was deep into the court system and the Theater of Operations were caught off guard, or shall we say for a lack of a better term, caught with their pants down. The first line of defense, the machers, cover uppers, threatners, ostracizers, ksus enayim-ers, hush-hushers, yordei lachyov-ers, the table turning accusers, anshei bliya'al, ubnei avlo, the Goons, anoshim pochzim vereikim, Gvar alims, professional deniers, the so called gedoilem-ers, velo hispiku betzeikom lehachmitz, and their backs got burned in the baking sun. If I missed anyone in the list, kindly please stand up and be counted.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this MO will keep these Hyena's at bay before they start screaming to drown you out - "Hey" {{{{{ innocent until proven guilty - and thereby, give due process a chance. Why isn't Shmendrovits and Malka Aussie given the same chance to have their day in court? Can't the rabbanut pasken that the safety of our children according to the Torah has priority, 'Can' them for good and throw away the key. You go to the Mishtara with no questions asked, lock up "Messira" and throw away the key as well. Is there a difference in the victim's blood of children miChu"l to dam bnei Eretz Yisrael? This is Pikuach nefesh from a Rodef which has priority over the so called Agunot and they do seem to have jurisdiction al Kol haOlam Kulo. There should be no discrimination bein Dam leDam, all children are equal lifnei HaShem. Maybe our tactics to apprehend these perpetrators is due for a make over, first give due process a chance and only when the- men- in black - intervene in obstructing Justice do we call for Citifield's. Let the so called Gedoilem's know, Torah achas yiyeh lachem applies equally to all, to us and to them as well. Uviarta hara mikirbecho!
another cover up http://www.kikar.co.il/199908.html
ReplyDelete