Sefer Daas Torah on Abuse is nearing completion

My sefer on abuse is heading to completion. It is not a complete work or a polished work or even easy reading. But it is very thought provoking. I think that I have assembled enough relevant material that it might make a major change in the way this issue is understood in our community.

If anyone has any suggestions for essays to be included - please let me know soon.

A survivor of Mondrowitz speaks up

Jersey State

As a victim of sexual abuse, and the subsequent failure of his childhood community to follow up on the incident, Mutty Weiss of Highland Park says Jews need to "vote with their dollars" to make sure their institutions are safe.

Community members need to ask schools if they have safety plans and detailed policies for dealing with sexual predators, as well as if they administer background checks and fingerprinting for new employees, Weiss said at the Orthodox Forum of Highland Park/Edison's "Facing Up to Sexual Abuse in the Orthodox Community" program Jan. 9 at Congregation Ohr Torah in Edison. For schools that answer "no," Jews must send a message by exploring other options for their children's education, Weiss said.[...]

EJF - More criticism from Rabbi Aba Dunner

5tJewish Times

The Conference of European Rabbis is the primary Orthodox rabbinic organization in Europe. Its current executive director is Rabbi Aba Dunner. The Five Towns Jewish Times spoke with Rabbi Dunner in an exclusive interview concerning the recent statement by the CER about the Eternal Jewish Family (the EJF).

The Confence of European Rabbis was founded in 1956 on the initiative of British Chief Rabbi Sir Israel Brodie. All the chief rabbis across Europe joined the organization and attended its first conference in Amsterdam. It is now run by a standing committee of 25 members which meets twice a year, and just met in Moscow. [...]

Rav Sternbuch: Special Light of Teshuva & Shovavim

56 Parsha 01-15-10

EJF - the fraud of "universally accepted conversions"

The rationale that EJF justifies its existence is that it is producing "universally accepted conversions." So even if they engage in proselytization, bullying other beis dins as well as other shady practices but they claim that they at least have accomplished this important goal. Therefore even though they are covered with the overpowering stench of the Tropper scandal they insist that they should continue to exist. Rav Reuven Feinstein and other major rabbis clearly hold this view and other rabbis such as Rav Ahron Schecter, the Novominsker Rebbe  -who is in Har Nof this Shabbos - and Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky - who should be visiting Har Nof soon - have remained silent in the face of these claims.

Rabbi Seth Farber has published a list of the conversion courts in the world that are accepted by the Israeli Rabbanut. You should compare this list with the list of EJF certified courts. While the list is not necessarily comprehensive it does raise a question with their claim.

I have been told that the conversion done by one EJF certified beis din is not automatically accepted by another certified EJF beis din. Even Rav Nachum Eisenstein said he doesn't automatically accept the conversion done by an EJF certified beis din.

EJF has never in fact claimed that their converts are automatically accepted by the Israeli  Rabbinate. The simple resolution of this issue is for EJF is to produce a letter from the Israeli Rabbinute that says all EJF certified beis din's converts are automatically accepted. Until they produce such a letter it is fraud to claim their their converts are universally accepted.

Dybuk, Kabblah & Mesorah

Dear Rav Eidensohn,

I stumbled across your blog as I was researching the so-called 'dybbuk' phenomena within the Jewish community. It was my sister who reported this story to me that led me to research the possible Torah sources for whether such phenomena ought to be thought of as anything but psychological illness.

As a college student studying philosophy and chemistry, I am always skeptical when I hear of stories which clash with the claims of modern science, medicine and general logic, so naturally I was doubtful about the supernatural claims being made. Your blog provided me with some relief in seeing that this is not something that Jews categorically believe in.

This episode has led me to the following larger-scale questions, however, which still remain unanswered. These questions have been ones which I have been thinking about a tremendous amount lately, and would appreciate any insight you may have.

(1) I did locate a number of sources in Hasidic/'Kabbalistic' literature which develop the idea of the dybbuk. What are we to make of these sources/claims? Especially when being tied to writings as early as the Ramban, how are we to straddle the line between being men of Torah and reformers when discarding claims being made by earlier rabbis? Does the idea of gilgul purportedly espoused by the Ramban entail the existence of Dybukim? (As an interesting aside, Plato, in the Meno and Pheado, seems to endorse a doctrine of reincarnation of souls on purely rational grounds).

(2) What criteria are we to use to determine when to endorse a given supernatural phenomenon and when to repudiate it? Surely there are certain supernatural events (Har Sinai, Kriyas Yam Suf, etc.) which we take quite literally as having occurred. What justifies our endorsement of these events over events such as dybukkim?

(3) Are the truths revealed by the Torah the same truths that would be arrived at by perfected human reason?

(4) Is the study of secular philosophy advantageous or detrimental in becoming a perfected Jew?

(5) If the claims about dybukkim are false (which I take them to be), then how do we explain how such ideas have crept into our Mesora under the veil of true kabbalah? Why are such ideas endorsed by supposedly important and learned rabbis? And, more importantly, why don't more Rabbis and community leaders who are aware of the spurious nature of such claims publicize the fraud?

Over the years I have formed answers of my own to some of these questions, but I currently find myself in a position where I am in need of further grounded Rabbinic insight to clarify and solidify my stance towards yahadus and my own outlook as a college student and Jew.

Music now has a hechsher

http://blog.yachdus.com/2010/01/new-chareidi-hechsher-for-music.html

בחדרי חרדים | מוסיקה - הכירו: ועדת הרבנים לענייני מוזיקה • חשיפה

Shunning intermarried couples & p.c.

Jewish Press by Rabbi Philip Lefkowitz

I was brought up in the Italian-Jewish neighborhood of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. I vividly recall the sights, sounds and smells of my youth. The kosher deli with its aroma of pickles in a barrel, the Italian deli with its pungent provolone cheese hanging in the window, the barber shop with its background of Italian opera, the newsstand offering a selection of Yiddish and Italian newspapers, and, of course, the ever present sounds of Yiddish and Italian that permeated the streets. It was a wonderful and colorful world.

And the people? We all got along in an atmosphere of mutual respect. In the morning, older Jewish men carrying tallis and tefillin on their way to shul would greet the Italian widows, dressed in black, caressing their rosary beads and mumbling the "Hail Mary" on their way to first mass. [...]

Guma Aguiar in psychiatric hospital

JPOST

Betar Jerusalem sponsor Guma Aguiar has been forcibly admitted to the Abarbanel Psychiatric Hospital following a court order overnight Wednesday.

EJF - fuels conflict over geirus in Montreal

CJNews

MONTREAL — Mainstream Orthodox congregational rabbis in Montreal allege that the haredi-dominated Vaad Ha'ir is trying to undermine their authority in conducting conversions, dissuading prospective converts to Judaism from going to them and influencing the chief rabbinate of Israel that their conversions are not as halachically sound as those of the Vaad.[...]

EJF - The Con Game (first in a series)

Tablet by Allison Hoffman

December was a very bad month for Rabbi Leib Tropper, a powerful ultra-Orthodox rabbi who has been seeking to determine the standards for conversion in Israel and throughout the world through his little-known yet influential organization, Eternal Jewish Family. First, black-and-white posters appeared on walls in Jerusalem and other Israeli cities threatening public disgrace if the rabbi refused to "cease his filth." While the definition of "filth" was left up to readers' imagination, photos and video were prominently mentioned in the text, which demanded that Tropper suspend his involvement in performing religious conversions.

Rav Dunner responds to EJF attack

5tJewish Times

It is long established pattern of the hired cheer-leaders of the ejf to attempt to blacken the name of anyone who criticizes their activities in any way - the pot of gold that the ejf has found is worth $25 million and counting and who wants to lose out on that? but it is clear who the real ganef is in this sad story - it is anyone who associates themselves with this organization whose sole function is to leech as much money as possible out of Mr. Kaplan. The feeble attempts to publish fact sheets in the jewish media demonstrates what and who they are - no serious or well meaning organization finds it necessary to print fact sheets stating that they are not low-lives, not ganovim, etc etc. this is usually a given in any moisad - and if they have to publish something of this nature it can only be that they are and always have been goineiv daas habri'os on a giant scale. [...]

Sefer HaNer on Shabbos

This sefer is a scholarly critical edition recently published by my son Shneur Eidensohn from a manuscript located in the British Library. This the first time that Sefer HaNer on Shabbos has been printed or published. For a description of the nature and importance of this sefer click here.

T

Mekubal's Blog: Ezekiel 8 response to assertion that Orand's conversion vindicated Tropper

This is the purported response of the Ezekiel 8 group to a post on Mekubal's Blog  "Apologies are in order":
==============================
B'ezrat Hashem Yitbarach

Ezekiel 8 : Groups 12/13
Official Response

HaMekubal, your analysis is so factually baseless/mistaken it's almost an EJF-Tropper advertisement.

You seem like a an honest enough fellow; where do you get your rumours from that mislead you into this kind of blatant foolishness?

Let us point out some of the major fallacies you suffer and promulgate, in the hope that you will correct yourself promptly:

To be clear the conversion was done against Israeli Law, and against the stance of the Rabbinate.

You say this, what is your proof, do you know that that the Israeli CR didn't authorise this in advance? For the record, this BD was authorised in advance by the Israeli CR.

This Gadol stated clearly that if the tapes were true...

This Gadol obviously has some tremendous problems with Choshen Mishpat; if you/he can prove that he is privvy to ALL of the evidence, that still doesn't mean his conclusion is right, his opinion is worth no more and no less than any other uninvolved bystander. At best, he certainly was not able to see/hear all of the evidence here, "chachamim, hizharu b'dvarechem", v'hamevin yavin.

It appears that despite professional authentication of the audios and videos that they simply cannot be relied upon

These kind of statements are non-sequitors, you state something as a fact, then you draw a concrete verdict from it, with no basis. Even you "hedge", saying: "It appears", without explicity acknowledging that what "appears" is not neccessarily what is.

She was accused of ... allowing a surveilance[sic] team to set up cameras in her hotel room(on more than one occaision[sic]) to video her having illicit relations with a man and his wife.

1) Who "accused"? Why "accuse" someone of defending themselves? As it is, obviously many victims of erevRabbanim misLeaders have a difficult enough time believing hard evidence and hard facts, and it's also clear the "pilpul" dance of "make it go away" is really in full swing now.

Read and comprehend, please. She is NOT the only victim, she IS the only victim who has "gone public" (so far).

We are the surveillance team, and she and "her" hotel room wasn't the only persons or places involved, R"L.

What is more Rabbis who have recieved the full packet of evidence state that there are multiple videos of her also having relations with other men.

We repeat - THERE ARE MULTIPLE VIDEOS/AUDIOS OF TROPPER INVOLVED WITH WOMEN AND MEN (CANDIDATES FOR GIYUR, MARRIED AND UNMARRIED, AND OTHERS) WHO ARE NOT HIS WIFE, don't keep insisting that Rahel is the only victim, she is the only victim who has "gone public".

She also stands accused of taking money from an enemy of Tropper to make these recordings and videos. With verifiable email evidence to back those claims.

Again, you slander a victim. She herself admits part of the control exercised by Tropper was him paying her for participating in realising his perverse fantasies and fetishes, and let's not forget his worthless promises to help speed her "geirus"...

WE can verify beyond any doubt that she received no money from anyone, least of all "an enemy of Tropper", for any of her righteous actions in exposing EJF-Tropper criminal and immoral misdeeds. After all, we admit to taking any neccessary action in this matter at our own expense and initiative (and there is far more to this matter than the EJF-Tropper issues).

Make no mistake, this geirus is not recognized...

You make no mistake, siyag l'chochma - shtika.

bobX@anonymousspeech.com

EJF's response to Rav Dunner

5tJewish Times

5tJewish Times

EJF: Your interview with Rabbi Aba Dunner, the executive director of the Conference of European Rabbis (January 7, 2010), unfortunately twists the truth about Eternal Jewish Family International

Pinchas Shapiro: RAV DUNNER IS A HIGHLY RESPECTED VENERABLE RAV IN EUROPE. HE STATED THAT THE RABBIS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE CER UNANIMOUSLY VOTED AGAINST EJF COMING INTO EUROPE. HOW IS THIS TWISTING THE TRUTH? [...]

Tom Kaplan - Coffee for Me, Worms for Her

NYTimes

UP AND SCRAMBLING Sunday is the designated morning for my wife to sleep in, so I make sure I'm up early, by 7:30, because one of the kids is usually up around then, and once one is up, the other one seems to follow pretty quickly. My day starts with us making something they call Papa's Special Eggs, which technically are scrambled eggs. I use olive oil, not butter, and some sea salt and a little bit of skim milk; I lean on the healthy side of the equation, but according to the kids, these are the benchmark of great eggs.[...]

Tropper is still running a yeshiva in Monsey!?

Horizons

Kol Yaakov Torah Center - Faculty

Rosh Yeshiva HaRav Leib Tropper, was born on the Lower East Side. He is a grandson of the Valbolneker Iluy, HaGaon HaRav Leib Forer zt"l. After graduating from Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yaakov Yosef at the age of 12 ½, Rabbi Tropper attended the Yeshiva of Philadelphia and then the Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland. Before reaching his 15th birthday, Rabbi Tropper traveled to Eretz Yisroel to learn in Yeshivas Torah Ore. Rabbi Tropper spent more than five years at Yeshivas Torah Ore, where he developed a close relationship with its Rosh Yeshiva, Maran Harav Chaim Pinchus Scheinberg.[...]

Chilul Hashem - requirement to publicize

[Soncino translation]

Avos (4:4) R. JOHANAN B. BEROKAH24 SAID: WHOEVER PROFANES THE NAME OF HEAVEN25 IN SECRET,26 THEY27 EXACT THE PENALTY FROM HIM IN THE OPEN.28 [IN THIS RESPECT, IT IS ALL] ONE [WHETHER ONE HAS ACTED] IN ERROR, AND [IT IS ALL] ONE29 [WHETHER ONE HAS ACTED] WITH PRESUMPTION, IN [A CASE WHERE THE RESULT IS] THE PROFANATION OF THE NAME.30

Notes:
(26) How can any secret misdeed be a profanation of the Name, which necessarily implies a knowledge of the sin by at least one other than the guilty person? Tosaf. Yom Tob says: When the sin can be committed only together with another person, e.g. prohibited sexual intercourse. L.: There are two kinds of ‘profaners of the Name’: (a) one who commits a sin, making it clear to others that he contemptuously disregards the divine commandments; (b) one who transgresses secretly. not because he is concerned for the Glory of the Name of God, but for his own reputation among his fellow men, by whom he wishes to be regarded as a pious man. The latter is profaning the Name in secret, and it is this duplicity that is to be exposed by punishment in public. V.: A sin committed in secret which, should it become known, would cause a profanation of the Name.
=======================================================

Yoma(86b): One should expose the hypocrites to prevent chillul HaShem as it says in Yechezkeil (3:20):When a righteous man turns from his righteousness and he commits sin, I will lay a stumbling block before him.


Rashi(Yoma 86b): Publicize the hypocrites – These people are wicked but they represent themselves as righteous. Therefore if someone is aware of their deeds – it is a mitzva to publicize them because of chillul HaShem. That is because people learn from their deeds since they think they are tzadikim. Furthermore when they are punished from Heaven, people says “what benefit is merit to protect against suffering.”


Chofetz Chaim(Lashon Harah 4:7): All these laws which I have written apply specifically to those whose conduct and manner is to have regret for his sins. However if you investigate his path and discover that he has no fear of G‑d and he is continually doing things which are not good such as throwing off the yoke of heaven or that he doesn’t avoid doing even a single transgression which everybody clearly knows is prohibited – whether it is the sin that you want to reveal and has done it a number of times on purpose or he has done some other transgressions a number of times which is clear to all that it is prohibited – this clearly shows that he is not transgressing because his lust overcame him but rather that it doesn’t bother him that he is transgressing and he has no fear of G‑d. Therefore it is permitted to degrade him and to describe his shame either before him or not before him. Therefore if he does some deed or says something and there is a question of whether to judge it favorably or unfavorably – it is necessary to judge him unfavorably since he has established himself as completely wicked (rasha) in other matters. Similarly our Sages say that the mitzva of “Do not distress others” only applies to those who are equal to you in keeping Torah and mitzvos. Therefore someone who has no concern for the word of G‑d, it is permitted to shame him and to inform others of his abominations and to heap scorn on him until he repents. This is what the Rambam (Hilchos De’os 6:8) said. Nevertheless you should be careful not to forget the conditions that apply in this case (Be’er Mayim Chaim Lashon Harah 4:32).

Rav Sternbuch: Dybuk is mental illness

I showed Rav Sternbuch various press releases which asserted that he had placed the Brazilian dybuk in  niddoi to protect R Batzri.  He categorically denied the story. He added this is not a case of a dybuk but of mental illness. He expressed dismay that thousands of people believed that this was a dybuk and were involved with R Batzri's ceremony. He urged me to please write an article regarding his denial and emphasized the urgency to publicize his denial of involvment with the proclamation of nidoi and that he viewed this is a case of mental illness.

Kaplan Foundation tax return 2008

$3 million to Rav Reuven's yeshiva and almost $5 million to Tropper's Horizons, $8 million to nefesh b'nefesh, $100,000 to Mirrer Yeshiva $100,000 to Lev l'achim.

EJF - Important background information

Read the end of the article

JPOST
A woman from Houston who got mixed up in a sex scandal with a prominent haredi rabbi from Monsey, New York, arrived in Israel clandestinely and was converted to Judaism on Sunday in Alon Shvut by Safed Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Hebron-Kiryat Arba Chief Rabbi Dov Lior and a third rabbi who preferred to remain anonymous.
[...]

NRG

Rav Sternbuch The Unique status of Jews

A student of Tropper defends his teacher

I was given permission by the sender to publish this anonymously - unedited - to provide understanding of the other side.
====================================

I wanted to thank you being a voice of reason in our current world where, unfortunately, it becomes more popular to align against our Rabbaim than to actually consider the consequences.

 A little about me: I am a Talmud of Rabbi Tropper, having learned in his Yeshiva for over 5 years.  The Rosh Yeshiva IS a very affectionate person who is very passionate about Torah values, Ahavas Yisroel and Kiruv. The tests on a Kiruv professional’s emunah and character are obvious. It is very, very easy to upkeep high standards living in a large Jewish community. Remove that community to be in a position of constant bombardment from secular values and viewpoints, and anyone can be vulnerable.  I’ve heard Rabbaim, working far from such communities in Kiruv, bewail about how they’ve had children who became Korbanos because of it …

 However, I have to say that all the collective interactions and experiences I’ve ever had with the Rosh Yeshiva tell me he is absolutely 1000% innocent of all these allegations. He has always maintained his emunah and character. What’s more is that he is a Talmud Chacham, and an uncompromising subscriber to Daas Torah.

 I noticed some responses to your blog concluded that, since he stepped down from EJF, he must be guilty.  This flaw is noted in the Chofetz Chaim’s Hilchos Loshon Harah in the case of one being defamed in public and remains silent.  The din, of course, is that the victim’s silence gives absolutely no basis to conclude that he/she is guilty.  Rabbi Tropper simply does not want to make matters worse for himself and his family, and apparently, he has made some very powerful enemies.

 As for the alleged  audio footage: audio technology nowadays can be edited right up to each millisecond.

 It is my hope that those who wish to harm him see their efforts for what they are and do Tseuvah, and that Rabbi Tropper’s name be vindicated.

 Again,
thank you.

EJF: R Aba Dunner tells it like it is

5tJewishTimes

Interview with Conference of European Rabbis
Rav Dunner Speaks Out Against EJF
By 5TJT Staff

Published on Thursday, January 07, 2010 - COMMENTS (1)

The Conference of European Rabbis is the primary Orthodox Rabbinic organization in Europe. It was founded in 1956 on the initiative of British Chief Rabbi Sir Israel Brodie, and its current executive director is Rabbi Aba Dunner. All the chief Rabbis across Europe joined the organization, and attended its first conference in Amsterdam.

It is now run by a standing committee of 25 members which meets twice a year, and just met in Moscow. The Five Towns Jewish Times and VINNEWS spoke with Rabbi Dunner in an exclusive interview concerning the recent statement by the Conference of European Rabbis about the EJF (the Eternal Jewish Family).[...]

Rav Sternbuch - body scanners

Rav Sternbuch stated that he saw no halachic questions with using these scanners for airport safety

London Beis Din attacks EJF

JC.com

Members of the London Beth Din have attacked a controversial conversion organisation with which their former head, Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu, is involved.

The LBD judges signed a statement from the Conference of European Rabbis, protesting at the American-based Eternal Jewish Family setting up in Europe and calling for the cancellation on its seminar in Munich this week.

Dayan Ehrentreu, who retired as LBD head three years ago, is listed as chairman of the EJF's halachic committee for Europe. He is also a trustee of the CER and head of its travelling Beth Din, supervising conversions for the Conference on the continent....

EJF ad in Mishpacha Magazine

Mazel tov! Shannon Orand converted this week in Israel

Jewish Israel would like to wish a heartfelt Mazal Tov to JI member Shannon Orand upon her conversion to Judaism which she received in Israel earlier this week. Welcome to the Jewish people, Rachel (Shannon's Hebrew name)!...

Jerusalem Post for implications

Rav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, shlita

I was approached this morning by a friend who has very solid connections and knowledge of the yeshiva world. He said in an anxious and urgent tone, "You are in trouble. The word in the higher circles is that you are out to get Reb Elya Ber. They claim that your blog is conducting a smear campaign against him. They claim you are claiming that Reb Elya Ber honored tropper at the malave malke and he is conducting a coverup of the scandal for personal interests. An attack on him is viewed as an attack on the entire yeshiva world and the Torah itself...."

This took me by surprise. The yeshiva world is faced with the greatest chillul hashem in memory and they have remained totally silent. But they are avid readers of my blog and they are doing a great job of distorting and misreading what I have said. They have concluded that it is not tropper that is a shonde but rather the bloggers who have publicized this tragedy.

 I did report that Reb Elya Ber was at a Melave Malka which Rabbi Tropper was the guest speaker - no one denies that happened. I also reported that Reb Elya Ber walked out before tropper spoke - no one has denied that happened. The melave malkae was not for the South Fallsburg yeshiva but was for the South Fallsburg Kollel - again an uncontested assertion. If anyone can find a statement on this blog that I said that Reb Elya Ber honored tropper - than I apologize and will erase such a statement because it is not true. If I said that tropper was honored at a Melave Malke that Reb Elya Ber attended -and left when tropper appeared -  that is in fact true and uncontested.

Finally let me remind you that the kavod of Reb Elya Ber is also precious to me and that I have done more than most of the yeshiva world in defending it. If you recall that when tropper left EJF there was a press release that Reb Elya Ber was taking his place. This statement was uncontested for several days and there was great consternation that such a distinguished Rosh Yeshiva should be seen as supporting such shmutz. I was the first to post a denial of this assertion based on  informed sources that this press release was not true. I publicly requested that Reb Elya Ber should be asked to confirm or deny it. Several hours later Matzav published a letter from Reb Elya Ber denying that he was the director of EJF.


Again let's get facts straight - I have the highest regard for Reb Elya Ber Wachtfogel , shlita in the highest regard and am not trying to smear or degrade him.

Mandated Reporting - Why needed?

Guest Post in response to comments on  Jewish Calculus of suffering see also Sex offenders II and  Rav Silman's Teshuva

Dear Rabbi Eidensohn,


Thank you for your response, I value your engagement on this. Regarding your contention that "there is no legal issue here", I need to respectfully disagree. The fact that the family did not want to press charges at the time is immaterial to the question of mandatory reporting. The 'duty to report' is an independent obligation of certain professions (and in some places, on every citizen), usually at minimum teachers, health professionals, and clergy, to report to Children's' Aid (or Child Welfare, again: the names will vary) any instance where through their professional work they become aware of a child having been abused, and/or where there is a potential continuing risk to any child's welfare (whether sexual or physical abuse---in some places also emotional abuse--or neglect). A generic summary can be seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandated_reporter Usually there is no time limit for this obligation from the time of the incident. Failure to report often carries a penalty of jail time, in Israel I seem to recall it's 6 months. I encourage you, with or without reference to the case under discussion, to phone your local Children's Aid and find out what your legal obligations are in your jurisdiction.

It is precisely because of our natural tendency to "assume" that "someone" else must surely have determined that the assailants are no longer a threat that mandatory reporting laws have become so common. Experience has shown that we can never assume that someone else has taken care of it---usually they are assuming the same thing. Believe me, I know the kind of hassles that can be involved in taking the step of reporting something like this because I've done it a number of times. We are all meshuchadim when it comes to deciding whether someone else 'must have' taken care of it, so the secular law---wisely, in my opinion---takes this decision out of our hands (assuming we choose to follow it).

Having worked as a psychologist in educational and clinical settings since 1996, I've had more cases like this than I'd care to remember; more than I would have expected to have. I see from your website that you are someone who is not afraid to speak out on matters of importance to the Jewish community. So please let me share this with you and your readers: The fact is that if the "rape" as you've called it was never brought to legal attention, it is highly unlikely that a satisfactory assessment was ever made as to whether these men pose a continuing risk. In fact, a teenager who "rapes"---your word---a 10 year-old child is a disturbed individual who we can safely assume does pose a continuing risk. If the case never went to a legal process the reasonable working assumption must be that these men are out there and abusing to this very day. That is pikuach nefesh, as your case example neatly illustrates. Some pedophiles---in the frum world as well---have gone on abusing with impunity for decades because people preferred to assume that someone else must have reported it.

That is why I suggest we need to resist the understandable tendency to prematurely "take away" the legal issues and the concern for future danger to others, to turn to "...the profound"---yet in important ways much easier---"...question of how to give meaning to this event."

Please consider the following: Whenever we hear such a story---even "by the way"---we should ask questions to determine whether the assailant was reported to authorities equipped to assess and monitor future risk. The day that Beis Din is able and willing to take on that role will be a great day---that has not yet come in my experience. The victim should be encouraged to name their abusers---they themselves can generally choose to remain anonymous---and this information should be passed on to those with the training and resources to protect future victims, as a matter of pikuach nefesh.

Respectfully and with blessing,

Yaacov Lefcoe, MA (Psych)

More on EJF by Eli Neuberger

5TJewishTimes

The recent Tropper scandal truly boggles the mind! I do not recall a scandal of this magnitude, where someone like that led an organization in which so many prominent Roshei Yeshiva and Torah leaders were either directly or indirectly associated. How could that be? How could this happen?

Perhaps it might be wise to examine the history of Rabbi Leib Tropper.

He has been involved with Kiruv for close to 40 years. After unsuccessful stints in Ohr Somayach of Jerusalem and Monsey, he established a Kiruv Yeshiva on his own called Kol Yaakov. But his Yeshiva never hit the big time of the Kiruv world. ....

Torah laws must be observed even if observance causes degradation or shame

Berachos (19b): Rav said that if one found a prohibited mixture of threads in his garment he must take off the garment even in public. What is the reason? Because it says in Mishlei (21:30), There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against G‑d.” That verse means that any situation which causes the profanation of G‑d’s name (chilul HaShem) [e.g., not keeping Torah commandments] no concern is to be shown for human embarrassment or degradation.

ברכות (יט:): אמר רב יהודה אמר רב: המוצא כלאים בבגדו פושטן אפילו בשוק, מאי טעמא (משלי כא:ל) - אין חכמה ואין תבונה ואין עצה לנגד ה' - כל מקום שיש חלול השם אין חולקין כבוד לרב

Rambam(Hilchos Kelayim 10:29): If you see kelayim which is prohibited by the Torah in someone’s clothing – even if he is walking in public – you should immediately rip his clothing off. Even if it is your teacher who has taught you wisdom. That is because the dignity of man (kavod habriyos) does not push off a negative commandment which is explicit in the Torah…. However something which is prohibited rabbincally it is always pushed off by the dignity of man. So even though it says in the Torah the basis of rabbinic law, “lo sasur”, but this prohibition is pushed off because of the dignity of man. Therefore if you see someone wearing rabbinically prohibited shatznes – it should not be ripped off of him in public and he should not take it off in public but rather he should wait until he gets to his home. However if he is wearing Torah shatnez he should take it off immediately.

 רמב"ם (כלאים י:כט): הרואה כלאים של תורה על חבירו אפילו היה מהלך בשוק קופץ לו וקורעו עליו מיד, ואפילו היה רבו שלמדו חכמה, שאין כבוד הבריות דוחה איסור לא תעשה המפורש בתורה, ולמה נדחה בהשב אבדה מפני שהוא לאו של ממון, ולמה נדחה בטומאת מת הואיל ופרט הכתוב ולאחותו, מפי השמועה למדו לאחותו אינו מטמא אבל מטמא הוא למת מצוה, אבל דבר שאיסורו מדבריהם הרי הוא נדחה מפני כבוד הבריות בכל מקום, ואע"פ שכתוב בתורה לא תסור מן הדבר הרי לאו זה נדחה מפני כבוד הבריות, לפיכך אם היה עליו שעטנז של דבריהם אינו קורעו עליו בשוק ואינו פושטו בשוק עד שמגיע לביתו ואם היה של תורה פושטו מיד

Shulchan Aruch(Y.D. 303:1): If you see someone wearing clothing with a forbidden mixture of threads – even if the person is walking in public – you should immediately rip the person’s clothing off even if the person is your rabbi. (Some say that if he is wearing these prohibited clothing by accident then because of concerns for human dignity than you should be silent and not to intervene – Tur in citing the Rosh). However if the prohibited mixture is only a rabbinic prohibition then the clothing is not to be ripped off the person nor should he undress in public but should wait until he goes home. (Similarly if he is in yeshiva and has rabbinic prohibited clothing he does not have to hurry and leave – Tur). But if they are a Torah prohibition he needs to take them off immediately.

שולחן ערוך (יורה דעה שג:א): הרואה כלאים של תורה על חבירו, אפילו היה מהלך בשוק, היה קופץ לו וקורעו מעליו מיד, ואפילו היה רבו. (וי"א דאם היה הלובש שוגג, אין צ"ל בשוק, דמשום כבוד הבריות ישתוק, ואל יפרישנו משוגג) (טור בשם הרא"ש). ואם היה של דבריהם, אינו קורעו מעליו ואינו פושטו בשוק, עד שמגיע לביתו. ( וכן בבית המדרש אין צריך למהר לצאת) (טור). ואם היה של תורה, פושטו מיד.

Israel lags behind in pedophile legislation

JPOST

Israel lags behind the rest of the democratic world in legislation and other means of controlling pedophiles, legal experts said on Sunday, one day after police arrested twin brothers from Bnei Ayish in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old boy.

"There is a need for specific legislation regarding pedophiles," Dana Pugach, head of the Noga Center at the Ono Academic College, told The Jerusalem Post.

Currently, Israeli legislation deals with sex offenders in general. But Pugach said pedophiles were a special kind of sex offender, especially male pedophiles who are attracted to boys. They are the most prolific offenders, said Pugach, quoting research in the US which found that a single male offender attracted to boys attacks an average of 700 victims during his lifetime....

Rav Eliashiv: Don't pay for wedding with kidney

YNET

A halachic query directed at Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv illustrated the dire situation of ultra-Orthodox parents in a financial bind faced with meeting their children's wedding costs.

A yeshiva student from Jerusalem who is about to marry his daughter asked the distinguished Lithuanian rabbi whether he could sell a kidney in order to purchase an apartment for the young couple, and was naturally denied. [...]

Between a rock and a hard place

The present situation is one fraught with dangers and opportunities. The above phrase originated in the 1920's in America to describe coal miners who were forced to work in dangerous conditions in the mines or to suffer starvation and unemployment. There are in fact many problems with society and there are many problematic individuals.  There are also beautiful pleople as well as flawed people who sometimes do fantastic things. Whether, how and if they should be dealt with is not an easy decision. No matter what is done - somebody is hurt or humilated while trying to help and improve the lot of someone else. It is definitely not a win-win situation in terms of human perception - though it clearly is from the view of Heaven.

I have recently been sent a number of emails describing the problematic actions of rabbis, loving parents who are also child molesters, thiefs and other deviants. At the same time I have received a steady stream of complaints from people that clearly agree with how I see reality and what has to be done but strongly (euphemism) denounce me and predict that I am going to a warm place in the Next World for violating their understanding of the Chofetz Chaim or for getting in the mud to get the wagons going again. They question whether there is a heter because of to'eles for printing the information that I am. That even if my information is correct, all talmidei chachom are presumed to do tshuva within 12 hours and there are alternative ways of dealing with it, or this is Olam HaZeh and G-d will take care of His vineyard.

People! It is time to realize we are living in a self produced bubble that has insulated us from reality. It is our obligation to correct our society and not wait for Moshiach coming and cleaning up the mess.

On the other hand, to be effect I can't lose the good elements of our society and get labeled as a garbage can spewing forth filth. This blog is a very delicate balancing act and I don't claim to always get it right - but I sure don't have the right not to try because I have in fact been effective in accomplishing things that could not be accomplished in more subtle ways.

Therefore please continue to send in your comments, but try not to get so mad if I don't publish your latest discovery of a scandal or remove posts that offend someone.

EJF - Countering the Propaganda

5tJewish Times

Geirus is an issue that plays an important role in Yiddishkeit, especially in these times of massive Jewish assimilation. No one is in disagreement with this point. There is a perception, however, among Rabbonim and the lay public that the organization known as the Eternal Jewish Foundation (EJF) has somehow, and in some way, insinuated itself improperly onto the Geirus scene.

There are three main issues that are of grave concern.

The first issue is that the EJF has, somehow, changed the rules of the game and has not been very forthcoming about it. Throughout Jewish history, Yiddishkeit has never been a missionary religion. Christianity and Islam have - but not, lehavdil, Yiddishkeit. True, there have been Poskim that permitted a conversion of a spouse of a Jew who is already married to a gentile - but the EJF has actively advertised for and involved itself in situations even when the Jewish person and non-Jewish person have not yet married. And yet even an ad placed in last week's religious papers neglected to mention this. The quote of this ad is below and the offending line is in bold.[...]

Rav Yehoshuah Wender's statement

Rav Silman: Reporting molesters to the police

Obama also fails at Middle East peacemaking

Time

It has taken President Obama just 10 months to achieve something each of his immediate predecessors delivered in their final year in office: failure in the Middle East peace process. Riding a wave of optimism in January, the President on his second day in office named retired Senator George Mitchell as his Middle East special envoy, tasked with kick-starting the dormant negotiations over a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Despite his best intentions, Mitchell's — and Obama's — efforts have managed only to undermine peace advocates on all sides and have pushed hopes for a final agreement into the distant future. The President now faces tough choices over how to proceed.(See pictures of Israeli soldiers sweeping into Gaza.)[...]

London Beis Din & CER vs. EJF

In response to my request for people to send me any and all condemnation of EJF especially in connection with the Tropper scandal I just received this strong statement that was issued by the London Beis Din and the Conference of European Rabbis (CER).

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An open letter to Dr. Tom Kaplan

Dear Dr. Kaplan,

       I am aware of the tremendous time and energy - as well as money- that you have invested in a sincere attempt to be a major constructive force in Judaism. I hear  that you have a meeting on Monday as to whether to continue funding of this program. Please  let me have 5 minutes of your time before then to explain why continued funding will be  disaster for the Jewish people.

   While we have not met before we share something in common - Leib Tropper. You might be familiar with the fact that for the last several years I have been involved in an unsuccessful attempt to get the EJF to become more transparent in their operation. Now there is a bigger problem - Tropper's human weaknesses which has been been captured onvideo and audio recordings.

   I would like to communicate something of the incredible pain which is being experienced in the Jewish world because of this scandal. In particular, I would like to persuade you to stop funding this operation which is bringing shame and  embarrassment to all.


            Sincerely yours,


            Daniel Eidensohn, Ph.D.

Tropper is returning

Tropper is coming back. This is not a threat nor is the result of paranoid psychosis from obsessing over the topic. It is simply a fact.

I have gotten a lot of flak for "beating a dead horse". "You are speaking loshon harah because" 1) Tropper has been defeated so why mention him. You just get pleasure at relishing his down fall  and there is no to'eles because the deed is done or 2) Nothing you say has an impact on human events so it is not to'eles to talk about it. But Baruch Hashem the majority of communication is favorable - especially from Rav Sternbuch.

Tropper has said nothing except to apologize for appearing to violate the rules of modesty. Is it because 1)  he was shocked into silence by the sudden fall from the focus of adulation and power to the garbage heap? 2) He has a smart lawyer who advised him he is liable to lawsuits for admitting any guilt? 3) Is it because he is too embarrassed to show his face? 4) He has been waiting to see the reaction like any cool calculated [expletive deleted]. If there was an outcry from the people and denunciation of the rabbis and/or if Tom Kaplan dumped him in the garbage can for embarrassing him so severely- he would go off somewhere and lick his wounds. But if the clamor of the people i.e. bloggers died out and they found something else to get excited about AND the rabbis were silent because they weren't sure what to do or felt he was really innocent - then he would plot his return to power as a martyr to the blogs and jealous rivals i.e., Guma.

Well folks - it looks like #4 is the correct answer. I just received word from informed sources in America that he has rabbinical allies who are bringing him back. The melave malke in South Fallsburg was not an aberration but served as a chance to test the water. He got away with it. Actually he tried testing the waters earlier with his Maimonides program (December 23) but was stopped by the staff. There has been no outcry from the Aguda i.e. The Novaminsker. Rav Reuven Feinstein has had only praise to say about him. Rav Wachtogel - his designated successor has not commented. The Bedatz hasn't said anyting. Where are the rosh yeshivos form Chaim Berlin or the Mir? There has been no one in chareidi circles except for Rav Sternbuch - and he has been criticised for being out of step or mixing in with something that is none of his business or simply that he is wrong. There was a protest by the RCA - but since he holds them in utter contempt - it doesn't count.

Tropper has been given the clear cut message that there is no signficant objection to his return to power and he and his rabbinical allies are now taking the necessary steps.

If you feel that Tropper should be stopped - please contact your rabbi and anyone else who might help- and make a public protest. I would be glad to publish protests from any rabbi, rosh yeshiva or organization or simply collective petitions from the masses.

 Silence means acquiescence to this victory of evil.

The Jewish calculus of suffering

Surrogate mother declared legal mother

NYTimes

A New Jersey judge has ruled that a gestational surrogate who gave birth to twin girls is their legal mother, even though she is not genetically related to them.

The ruling gives the woman, who carried the babies in an arrangement with her brother and his male spouse, the right to seek primary custody of the children at a trial in the spring.

The case illustrates the legal complexities of gestational surrogacy, in which a woman carries unrelated embryos created in a petri dish. A gestational surrogate in Michigan recently obtained custody of twins she carried, but courts in several other states have upheld the rights of people who contracted with gestational surrogates. [...]

Tragic deaths in our communities

YNET   BCHOL    


Eight-month-old pays ultimate price for parents' marital troubles; wife leaves house after heated argument, husband believed to strangle their daughter
Jerusalem

The suspects in two child murder cases were brought for remand extension hearings early Friday afternoon. Jerusalem resident Nahman Anshin, 23, was remanded for a week in custody at the capital's magistrate's court on suspicion of beating his eight-month-old baby girl, Fruma, to death.

The alleged incident occurred around 11 p.m. on Thursday night, when neighbors in the Shmuel Hanavi neighborhood heard screams coming from the apartment and called the police.

Before officers arrived, one of the neighbors and a police volunteer broke into the apartment from a balcony and claim that they saw the suspect banging his baby's head against the floor while holding her feet.

Rav Sternbuch: Torah & Matters of State

Letter of Chizuk for the "Eternal Jewish Family"

To Mr. Menachem Yitzchack Kaplan,

We have heard of your good works that you do, which we hope that you continue in the future.

May you merit that only good should come from your deeds, like every baal chesed strives to do.

28 of Kislev 5769

Yosef Shalom Elyashiv   Aharon Leib Shtainman   
Michl Yehuda Lefkovitz
Chayim Kanievsky   Yitzchok Shainer

==========================
Mekubal wrote:
Photoshop is so grand.

What you have is a handwritten original note which says just this

בס"ד
לכ' מר מנחם יצחק קפלן נ"י


שמענו על הפעולות הטובות שנעשו על ידך, יישר כחך על כל הנ"ל, ונקוה שכן תמשיך להוסיף כהנה.
ויהי רצון שתזכה שאך טות וחסד יצא על ידך כחפץ לב דורשי חסד.

כ"ח כסלו תש''ע לפ''ק

Then under that orginial note you have photoshopped in the block text Hebrew, which claims it was to the EJF, but in reality it was only to Tom Kaplan, who wrote many a check from his Foundation to various Yeshivot and such.

This is a pure deception. A note to Tom Kaplan encouraging him to continue giving to worthy Jewish causes is not a letter of Chizuk to EJF.

EJF press release: " THE TRUTH ABOUT EJF"

EJF Updates    [Hat Tip: Joel Katz.]
Press Releases
12/24/2009

Recent press coverage of an unfortunate development within the Eternal Jewish Family (EJF) has included inaccurate information about the organization. The following is a review of some of the falsehoods that have appeared in news reports and blogs about EJF:

False Statement: EJF has been paralyzed by the current situation.

Truth: EJF continues its full slate of programs throughout the world, under its rabbinic leadership. Its offices in the USA, Europe, and Israel are fully functioning.

False Statement: There has been no change in EJF.

Truth: EJF is in the process of restructuring its rabbinic leadership, including its rabbinic board. Rabbi Chaim Blum, rabbinic liason and Interim Director, is spearheading the effort to reach out to the many gedolei yisroel who support its mission.

False Statement: EJF conversions are now very much in question

Truth: There is no such concept as an "EJF conversion." It simply does not exist. EJF is not a bais din and has never and will never perform conversions. Conversion applicants who seek EJF support and guidance, and whose sincerity is verified by a reliable sponsoring rabbi, are always referred to separate, independent batei din.

False Statement: EJF is one-dimensional organization focused solely on conversion.

Truth: EJF is involved in a broad kiruv program to head off intermarriage before it happens. It has partnered with such well-known kiruv organizations as Gateways, Ohr Somayach, Arachim, Nefesh Yehudi and Hidabroot, preventing hundreds of young Jews from intermarrying.


False Statement: EJF encourages conversion, which is contrary to halacha.

Truth: EJF's mission of support to batei din and candidates for conversion is only in the narrow case of an intermarried couple where the Jewish spouse is a fully observant baal teshuva and the non-Jewish spouse is committed to a universally acceptable halachic conversion. All the leading poskim, led by the late venerable posek Harav Moshe Feinstein, zt"l, have ruled that, in such a case, the conversion is mandated by halacha.


False Statement: EJF has diluted the standards for conversions.

Truth: On the contrary, EJF's rabbinic and dayanim conferences, which are detailed on its website, address the havoc wrought by assimilation and intermarriage, including the devastating effects of improper conversions. In response to this issue, EJF has helped establish a network of continually growing batei din that operate under the guidance of gedolei yisroel, according to the highest halachic standards. Sincere conversion candidates are guaranteed universal acceptance by any Jewish community throughout the world.

Yes, EJF was victimized by an unfortunate event related to one individual! But this is no time for falsehoods, mistruths, and simply vicious accusations. The mission and support for EJF is sound. The organization prepares to emerge stronger than ever before. EJF is answering the siren call of Klal Yisroel and Kedushas Yisroel, and remains committed to continue under the strong leadership of Moronon Verabonom, Gedolei Yisroel from around the world.

EJF scandal and the British conversion process

Jewish Chronicle

Three children rejected from JFS, their parents' conversions in doubt and their own Jewish identities in tatters. A legal ruling by a British court establishing "Who is a Jew" in a way at odds with the traditional Jewish definition. A community at risk of schism.

How did we get into this mess?

A scandal currently unfolding in New York, at first glance completely unrelated, may shed some light on the current farce. [...]

your disgusting blog

It is important to note that there are many who don't understand that a massive earthquake has happened that needs to be addressed. I have been getting a significant amount of letters like this and personal confrontations with people who have very strong opinions against what I am doing as well as Rav Sternbuch. I am simply waiting for the rabbinic leadership to assume responsibility for investigating this mess and making changes that will prevent it from happening again. This scandal is not simply that one Jew had strong appetites - he was given too much power and his deviations were ignored by too many who should have done something about it. Also contrary to what is asserted in this letter it is clear that those in power either read or are informed of what I say on my blog and thus there is clearly a to'eles

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It is a disgrace and abomination that you invoke the name or any other reference to the gedolei hador who are domeh lemalachim Rav Moshe ZT”L and the Chofetz Chaim ZT”L anywhere on this disgusting blog of yours.

While I don’t disagree with your views per se, we as laymen can just talk and right about anything as long as we long as we are entertained and then stop when we are bored with it. The rabbonim whoever they may be or however much you or I hold of them actually have to deal with the matters at hand until there is a resolution. So lets not be throwing around our opinions that nobody else besides for ourselves particularly values. Because however on the mark you are about the case you are championing currently or any other nobody who carries any weight on these issues lemaaseh are reading any silly blogs. It is of no toeles to have a blog unless it is purely informational (not current events) for whatever use.

                Also I am sure we both agree that there are extreme dangers on the internet and even if one must use it, it must be recognized that the internet is shiflius and tamei while our  gedolim such as mentioned above are kadosh v’tahor and their names and likenesses should be kept off this lowly tool.

                As you can obviously see I am not trying to talk down to you or trying to be “better than thou” because it is apparent that I too am not using the internet purely for work and I am no stranger to loshon horah myself.

However I am just trying to be meorrer a point that hopefully will have an impact on both of us and many others as well.

                                Respectfully,

                                             xxx  

  P.S.  I must tell you that I appreciate your work on both maftechos and if I were you I would be satisfied having my name associated solely with those great works instead of also with  something as looked down upon as a blog.