Jewish community watch
We are being sued for warning the community that a convicted sex offender, with a history of grooming children in shuls and offering children rides, had anonymously moved into their area.
This sex offender was also armed with a letter (below) from Rabbi Asher Weiss, a respected Rav, in Israel stating that he is a “wonderful and precious Jew” and should be accepted into all shuls and communities.
Because Knopfler’s Beis Din is considered so fringe that many Lakewood Rabbanim signed a letter denying him any legitimacy, we offered to go to another Bais Din, but Sunray refused.
A convicted offender has every right to return to the community upon his release, but the community also has every right to be warned of the potential danger.
The brazen and shameless behavior of Sunray, who has refused to accept any responsibility for his crimes or to register with the local sex offender registry as required, (along with his efforts to silence anyone who makes his past known) gives us even more reason to be concerned about the danger he may present.
We are therefore once again warning the community that Sunray is currently living in Harrison, NY and spends many Shabbosim in Standford, CT.
Here is the translation of a letter from Rabbi Asher Weiss concerning Daniel Sunray to the OU – (R. Weiss’s hand writing is not legible at times so some of the translation may not be word-for-word)
To my brothers and the rabbis of the OU
I know Rabbi Danial Sunray as a wonderful and precious Jew who is G-d fearing and loves Torah. He was tried and convicted for hurting kids in the years 98-99. He was convicted and sat in jail for six years. Those years were hard and heart breaking.
I personally believe that he was innocent, and even if was not, he paid a bitter price, and repented for his sins.
He is able to fulfil any role, being a kashrus supervisor etc.… you should bring him close and encourage him you must not shy him away or hurt him.
It is simple and clear to me that you must except him as a member of the community, and shuls. I stand before God in heaven begging for him to redeem us, and thus it is costumery to behave with those who repent our brothers in Israel.
Signature
Asher Zalig Wiess.
the Rav's letter imho is problematic is that it does not address the concerns of the community. A solution would address both concerns - help the offender reabilitate back into the community and keep the the community safe
ReplyDeleteWhat is JCW hoping to accomplish by making this public statement about their objections to going to Beis Din?
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of suspicion of immorality, daf hayomi Avodah Zarah 15b:
ReplyDelete"In a place where it is the custom to sell small cattle to Cutheans [Members of the Samaritan sect.], such sale is permitted, but where they usually do not sell, such sale is not permitted. Now, what is the reason [for the prohibition]? Shall we say because they are suspected of immoral practices? But are they to be suspected? Has it not been taught: One may not place cattle in inns kept by idolaters even male-cattle with male persons and female-cattle with female persons, and it is needless to say that female-cattle with male persons and male-cattle with female persons [are forbidden]; nor may one hand over cattle to one of their shepherds; nor may one be alone with them [As his life would be endangered.]; nor may one entrust a child to them to be educated, or to be taught a trade [Lest he be taught idolatry]. One may however place cattle in inns kept by Cutheans even male-cattle with female persons and female-cattle with male persons, and it goes without saying that males with males and females with females are permitted; so also may one hand over cattle to one of their shepherds and be alone with them, or hand over a child to them to be educated or to be taught a trade [Tosef. A.S. III]. This shows indeed that they are not to be suspected [Since, however, the sale of small cattle only is governed by custom, it is obvious that big cattle may not be sold in any case to a Cuthean; and as the suspicion of immorality does not exist, the reason for the prohibition can only be the probability of his selling it to an idolater, which is contrary to the view of Raba.]."
Unfortunate and sad, but there is reason to be concerned about the danger of immorality from that individual.
"Because Knopfler’s Beis Din is considered so fringe that many Lakewood Rabbanim signed a letter denying him any legitimacy, we offered to go to another Bais Din, but Sunray refused."
ReplyDeleteThis makes no sense. The defendant, in this case JCW, is under no halachic obligation to accept the plaintiff's choice of Beis Din. JCW has the right to choose a Dayan via Zabla. But JCW it halachicly obligated to accept a Din Torah with the plaintiff. And the plaintiff also has the halachic right to choose one Dayan.
“We are being sued for warning the community that a convicted sex offender, with a history of grooming children in shuls and offering children rides, had anonymously moved into their area.”
ReplyDeleteI looked at
http://www.jewishcommunitywatch.org/
Wow what a story. Six years in jail! Rabbi Asher Zelig Weiss writes “I personally believe that he was innocent.” Surely, keeping the community safe is the top priority. The Badatz Rabbinical Court should throw out this suit.
"Sunray, who has refused to accept any responsibility for his crimes or to register with the local sex offender registry as required"
ReplyDeleteIf he's legally required to register there's no legal way to not register.
'The brazen and shameless behavior of Sunray, who has refused to accept any responsibility for his crimes' end quote.
ReplyDeleteIf I am not mistaken, this person was accused in Israel and served time in an Israeli jail. From what I understood at the time, he was very likely to have been innocent. This is why he 'brazenly refused to accept responsibility' even though if he had, his sentence would have been reduced by probably 3 years.
Shift the paradigm and say that because of the incredible integrity of this person, he refused to admit to a crime that he did not commit.
Why do they have any objections to Rabbi Knopfler more than any other Beis Din?
ReplyDeleteThe Rav's letter to the OU is only concerning giving him a kashrus job. Nothing else.
ReplyDeleteNo such halacha
ReplyDeleteMy comment was merely intended to take issue with Moe's assertion that Rabbi Weiss's "letter to the OU is only concerning giving him a kashrus job. NOTHING ELSE." To which I quoted another line from the letter which indicates that the letter is broader than that.
ReplyDeleteIt's irrelevant of what I think about this scenario, but Rabbi Weiss writes that he believes that the alleged offended was innocent, and even if he was not, he paid a difficult and bitter price, and repented for his sins,
Given the above, he sees no problem in allowing him to be a member in a community or shul.
Why do you feel Rabbi Weiss's position is wrong?
He didn't do Teshuva?
It's impossible for him to do Teshuva?
Wrong.
ReplyDelete"פשוט וברור שיש לקבלו כחבר בכל קהילה ובית כנסת"
"It is simple and clear that you must accept him as a member in ANY community and shul".
Is he legally required to register in the US for 'crimes' committed in Israel?
ReplyDeleteone is allowed to protect himself even against sofek rodef see yeshurun 15
ReplyDeletehow do you know he did tsuvah??????!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about the story.
ReplyDeleteI just quoted from Rabbi Weiss's letter.
He writes as follows:
אני אישית מאמין שחף היה מפשע, אך אף אם נניח שאכן אשם היה, הלא שילם מחיר קשה ומר, וחזר בתשובה שלימה
One's right to protect himself even against sofek rodef, needs to balanced with the rights of the individual.
ReplyDeleteA possible solution wuld be to appoint a monitor in the shul, to keep an eye on him. This may seem inconvenient. However lack of convenience is not a rationalization of ignoring the right of a person to attend shul (as long as he isn't in cherem).
my experience with rabbis is most have no understanding of child abuse or repentance for abusing a child that includes rav weiss
ReplyDeleterav zilberstein said only rabbis understand
No. So JCW's complaint that he didn't register as required is baseless.
ReplyDeleteagan read yeshurun 15 especially rav Silman or my three books where most of the material is brought and translated
ReplyDeleteIncredibly huge disappointment that RAW is signing on with this person.
ReplyDelete