Master Torah website Over 2000 Torah shiurim
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This is the psak of the Beis Din which I was asked to post
Sunday, August 20, 2023
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT Meir Pogrow (founder of Master Torah program) has been determined to be a rasha by beis din and that it is prohibited for women to have any contact with him
Master Torah website Over 2000 Torah shiurim
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This is the psak of the Beis Din which I was asked to post
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Was this the 2 pm announcement?
ReplyDeleteEveryone had it wrong. Only he had it right. As soon as people take this sort of attitude, they are unfortunately doomed for failure. Some fall softly, and some fall really hard. But fall it is, unfortunately.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the Brisker Din should consider releasing the gory details. It would be to the benefit of all to see the evil manipulative mind at work grooming his victims and progressing towards his ultimate end game. A true eye opener to the naive and always "it can't be he's so holy" crowd.
ReplyDeleteReading these sorts of scandals makes me wonder: how can people like this accomplish so much when they are thinking about women all the time?
ReplyDeleteyes I got permission to move up the announcement
ReplyDeleteThe greater a person is the greater his yetzer is. Yetzer is not just yetzer harah but is vitality in general. If the drive of lust is not fully controlled it comes out in unfortunate ways
ReplyDeleteSometimes they accomplish so much *because* they are thinking about women. By which I mean, they know that becoming a famous and respected rabbi they will have access to women, so they work really hard at that.
ReplyDeleteWomen must not go to men rabbis for councelling ever, they can only go with there husband, brother or father, this is happening all to often
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't great. Just smart and rich.
ReplyDeleteMany of these operators start serving the public after 2:00 AM European and Middle eastern time, when most people are fast asleep. They are not the kind that fell from grace because of yitzro tokfo olov, they plot and mastermind their scheduling and everything around it with full command and control mitchila vead sof bishat nefesh. Hayom omer lah kach, umochor yomar lah kach, ad sheyomar lah lech avod...
ReplyDeleteWhat if the husband, brother or father is the reason they need counseling?
ReplyDeleteInterestingly pogrow claimed support for his מהלך from rav Yackov Kaminetsky, and when in June of 2011 rav brudny approached rav Shmuel Kaminetsky about complaints that had reached him from NY and Toronto, Rav Shmual was upset and said to rav brudny, חס ושלום of course it's Not true
ReplyDeleteWhy was there a time embargo to release it?
ReplyDeleteyes
ReplyDeleteThen go to a lady counseling
ReplyDeleteI hear that rav Shlomo eliyahoo millerr said that he is a rosha, wait for the signatures
ReplyDeleteHow is "yes" an answer to "why"?
ReplyDeleteWas the police called?
ReplyDeleteNah, the obvious eitzah is for the rov not to ever meet a woman alone. His office door remains open, with his wife/secretary in the next room, able to hear what is said, and free to come in if she wishes. Women should be told never to agree to meet under any other circumstances.
ReplyDeleteThey are already out there. Otherwise, how have you been?
ReplyDeleteThey need to call RSK's to clarify first whether it's messira. It must be established if the boal davar had any raglayim, if it was consensual.
ReplyDeletey 4 Yes. Noach also waited 120 years for them to do tshuva. They might have been looking for the raglayim (ledovor) memaher larutz lera'a.
ReplyDeleteThis man used his power and influence as a Rav to corrupt vulnerable ultra orthodox Jewish women single and married into licentious acts involving Pogrow himself and other women and gentile men. I know one family that was destroyed by his indulgences.
ReplyDeleteBecause.
ReplyDeleteRead this full, four year old, thread:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.imamother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=158220
Yisroel said: "Perhaps the Beis Din should consider releasing the gory details. It would be to the benefit of all to see the evil manipulative mind at work grooming his victims and progressing towards his ultimate end game. A true eye opener to the naive and always "it can't be he's so holy" crowd."
ReplyDeleteI agree. Furthermore, I have little trust for anyone who works in an opaque environment and says, "Trust me!" whether he be a womanizer or a dayan. The beit din offers the public no inside information and says, "Trust me!" True justice only occurs in a transparent environment.
Seduction is not a criminal offense,
ReplyDeleteEven religion with it's threats of hell and indoctrination of children is still not against the law,
This is what Yehuda Pogrow, Meir's brother, wrote on Facebook: He is my brother. If it might be any consolation, I will share with you that I believe you entirely. I can recall as far back as his first year at Michlala (when I was a teenager) visiting his family where they lived on campus and finding it so odd that he spent such excessive amounts of time in private with his female students. I also witnessed this on many occasions in my mother's house when the larger family gathered and students of his came to visit. I, too, fell victim to his abuse long before he was an educator as he physically abused me growing up. I only wish I could somehow go back in time and have prevented this. I am sorry that could not. I admire your courage and wish you and whomever else may be suffering a healthy recovery.
ReplyDeleteThere was a legal case in NY years ago, where some rabbonim made improper statements, and a court determined she waived confidentiality because her mother was there, too when she told the rabbonim the confidential matter(s). (The case is more complicated, but the confidential matter was considered waived, because she discussed it in fro of her mother, thus denying her rights of confidentiality.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a link to that Facebook post?
ReplyDeleteI saw it on Tamara Schoor's Facebook page but it looks like it's not there anymore
ReplyDeleteIt is considered a crime if it involved harassment, minors, exploiting his position of authority, repeated propositions against the same victim, etc, etc, etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if manipulation of the victim's mind can be considered part of the crime, but... if it's not, it should be.
No beit din would issue a letter of this kind if all he did throughout the years was just normal dating... give me a break.
Why has Rabbi Mordechai Willig signed this? Is Pogrow linked to the Modern Orthodox world?
ReplyDeleteSounds strange. He is in his mid forties. Rav Yaakov passed away 30 years ago. How can anyone think that Rav Yaakov chose to tell this clown - who had then reached the ripe old age of 14 - that all yeshivos got it wrong, but that he is the genius who has got it right.
ReplyDeleteNow, it is true that he claimed that Rav Yaakov supported his schools that were non-existent while Rav Yaakov was alive. It is true that Rabbi Jonathon Rietti has also mistakenly repeated those claims. What I cannot understand is how no one challenged them on these clear falsehoods.
Truth is, that so many of those that have been exposed on this site (ETJ, R. Shmully Feurst, The Kaminetzky heter, the prodding heterim, etc.) also thought to get away with these types of falsehoods. I guess it can take a while, but the truth will always come out.
Targum on Sof dovor.
Never knew the man personally, but knew girls who were obsessed with him.
ReplyDeleteAnd any man who has girls talking a lot him like he is the best thing after carb free bread, is a huge huge red flag....
I can name several other rabbis who make me so uncomfortable from personal brief interactions and from the fact that young women literally get dreamy eyed when speaking about them. But some of them have a kollel, or prominent members of a community. And other than having a large femle following, and giving me a weird vibe I can't bring any proof that there is something wrong with them....
But I guess I am not surprised to see this mans name up here.
I am no supporter of Meir Pogrow and have never met him but I have no idea why you posted this information. Even if Yehuda made this statement and it is 100% true it only evidences that Meir Pogrow beat up his little brother. Given that Yehuda irrelevantly shares that info in a public forum I'm guessing he deserved it. The rest of his speculation is just that. We are limited to the clear words of Bais Din and don't need this sensationalized nonsense. This tragedy has enough victims. Your loshon hora doesn't need to create more.
ReplyDeleteI'd be more worried of other sikos getting ideas of how to be a better predator if all the gory details were revealed.
ReplyDeleteHe taught at Michlalah.
ReplyDeleteI guess the dayanim will just have to struggle on without your trust.
ReplyDeleteIt is, I just saw it. It's an older post, so you have to scroll down her page to see the remarks... very sad story.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=796123030489925&id=319084661527100
ReplyDeleteHe claimed that rav Yackov supported this shitah, and that rav Shmuel supported him as a person, also the women referenced in the psak din is related to the kamentsky family
ReplyDeleteWhat is his shitah?
ReplyDeleteI am very torn by this whole thing, I am sure he is reading this and as someone who knows him personally I can't say I am shocked but I also feel horrible for him. He helped a lot when I was younger, he believed in me when no one else did, and I would like to believe all that transpired (20 years ago) before he started to abuse these woman. It is hard for me because I can't deny what he did but I also can't deny what he did for me. Is he a rasha, of course! I don't what point I am trying to make, but I feel such pain for everyone involved, from his wonderful wife, to his kids, to his victims and some level to him as well. How does a person recover from this? The answer is that they never do and neither do the victims. Meir Pogrow, if you are reading this, you had an impact on my life I believe before you went off, I wish I could help you but you went off, I don't know what the future holds for you if anything.
ReplyDeleteAnd why is this man not going to jail???
ReplyDeleteHe deserves to go to jail-- maybe they would do it in Israel. I personally know a family that was broken up because of his abuse and indoctrination of the ultra orthodox wife. The passage in the Hebrew letter that speaks of a woman who arranged the liaisons is true.those liaisons were with Rabbi Pogrow other married and single orthodox women and gentile men.His had a mission to expand his sub rosa libertine club even as he sought to promote his name in the Torah education world. He was a chotay U 'machatee.
ReplyDelete"Given that Yehuda irrelevantly shares that info in a public forum I'm guessing he deserved it."
ReplyDelete?!?!?!?!
"Because" would have been a better answer!
ReplyDeleteOh, was looking for you. You wanted some proof if women are the greater cause of breakups than men. Forgot the link, if you don't mind, please ask Honesty. He sent it to me, but I can't find it now, sorry. ..
ReplyDeleteI don't understand. This rasha is despised by Klal Yisrael. The rasha Barry Freundel is also despised and his incarceration was applauded by Klal Yisrael. But the rasha in Las Vegas who is declared by Bais Din to be a moser is protected and accepted by Young Israel and the OU. WHY?? Because what Yitzchak Wyne did is an explicit aveirah d'oraisah but is not titillating?
ReplyDeleteThis must be very hard for you. Particularly when in a certain sense the good he's done for you is something that lives on in you. It must be extremely painful.
ReplyDeleteI am no supporter of Meir Pogrow and have never met him but I have no idea why you posted this information.
ReplyDeleteIt is meaningful for a victim, especially if they have opened themselves up to the public, to feel that people understand them, trust them and emphasize with them.
As you say, the psak from the Beis Din is quite clear. But Yehuda's message can add a bit of comfort to broken soul.
I am quite sad as I pen my words here for the first time.I have always followed from afar, this blog as far back as the shocking story of Rabbi Tropper's sad downfall.I was so sure that after that unfortunate incident,that all the Rabbis that want to push Yiddishkeit would make sure they were 100% accountable to the public.
ReplyDeleteBut sadly enough,there has been yet more and more sad stories of people we want to trust and yet are found out to be not who they are supposed to be.
This particular story crushed me as I knew him from the yeshiva we learnt together.I did not really have too much to do with him,but I was quite aware that he was considered to be one of the smartest guys around.I heard of his success,and was quite glad of it until I came across this sad article on Sunday declaring Meir to be a Rasha.Oh,oh,oh,I said to myself as my day was ruined.I feel so hurt for the yeshiva we learnt with,for the honor of the Torah,and for most of all,the hurt he did on all these people.I was so hoping that this story was not true.But oh to my dismay,to see the Rabbis sign against him.
Oh!!!And I can only scream out to Meir,why if you have these problems with women,did you have to carry on with the attitude of that I can still be a leader for Klal Yisrael??!!!Why do people like Tropper,Freundel,and Pogrow and all others brazenly think that if they are not around,Torah will not be taught??Torah will not be forgotten.But if you guys have issues,go find some other job and seek help through the therapist. Did these people really think that Hashem would let these people make a mockery out of his Torah???Meir was brilliant in making this program that helped people learn,but if he had this undeniable problem with women,why could he have not delegated his great idea to some kosher Yid???It would have been better for him to be some business man or even a garbageman,but not to do things to hurt people in the name of his misguided Torah.
Did Meir not know all the places in the Gemara that discusses Chillul Hashem??How about all the Levi from Bnei Kehat that would lose their lives if they came too close to the Aron Hakodesh in an improper fashion???This shows us how the Torah will not let it be maintained by someone that is not fit to be there.
If somebody wants to be a leader for Klal Yisrael,he cannot have this type of double life,and I can only pray and hope that once and for all that any Yid seeking to help us will examine himself carefully, have a competent Rav,and will know how to conduct himself properly in all situations.
How in this day and age,women will go to Rabbis without their husbands or at least it should be done openly is beyond me.Where do ladies think that Rabbis are angels??And if a Rabbi is meeting a lady in a not Jewish way or is talking in a not modest way,speak up immediately!!!Why was there such silence for so long!!!
Sorry for the longevity of the post,but this issue has broken my heart,since I knew Meir from way back,and I just wish I will never have to hear of this breach of faith again.We,Jews,have too many problems,and this problem should never be here to begin with.
I was a student in Michlalah the first year he taught at Michlalah and my dirah was right next to his. He was also the Mechanech for my Kevutza. From the very beginning I thought something was off with him and I personally witnessed my classmates hanging out in his apt until late at night and girl's being obsessed with him and falling under his spell. I remember being confused by his behavior and found it unnerving. I am so grateful that I had the sense to stay as far away from him as I could that year. I hope that none of the girls I knew were victims of his abuse..but I'm sure whatever vibes his brother felt were true.
ReplyDeleteHi there! I will ask Honesty about it, thank you.
ReplyDeleteAside from R' Willig's connection to Michlala, it is common for Rabbi Willig or Rav Hirschel Schachter to be asked to adjudicate disputes in the chareidi community. Especially when dealing with famous people, and a third party with no conflict of interest may be hard to find.
ReplyDeleteit is common for Rabbi Willig or Rav Hirschel Schachter to be asked to adjudicate disputes in the chareidi community.
ReplyDeleteLOL
Please name three such disputes that they were asked to adjudicate. Since, as you claim, it is a common occurrence, it should be easy to name just three.
Oh, this is not dispute over here. This letter is an attempt to protect people. When people try to politicize everything, even at the expense of people getting hurt, then I wonder why and if they are any better than Mr. Pogrow. Yes, I also mean Harry Maryles who pretends that Pogrow was some sort of Chareidi educator and that those were his primary victims. He fails to mention that Mr. Pogrow's career began at Michlalh and that that is where his interactions with females began. All Harry seems to care about is to try and tar Chareidim. 90 percent of what he writes is pure conjecture and stupidity. He is not one for facts, at all.
Rabbi Willig is involved in order to warn girls to stay away from Pogrow. He is a trusted name to many Michlalah students.
Is this what you were looking for?
ReplyDeletehttp://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-shidduch-crisis-spiritual.html
Since I am critical of this blog when I feel it is in the wrong, I would like to praise it for its treatment of this painful but supremely important issue.
ReplyDeleteRMW and RHS are virtually never consulted on a truly internal Chareidi matter. That Pogrow has an extensive history employed in the Modern Orthodox community, where he also grew up in, explains RMW's signature.
ReplyDeleteYes, I wanted to see the statistics and some more information about the 'women initiate divorce' issue... I will read it right now! Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteWhoa, hold off, some folks may have their doubts;-!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know about, and who this woman is l, who is referred to by the Bais Din?
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Given that we have a frail memory and tend to be ever so forgiving, how long do you think it will take until Meir Pogrow is rehabilitated and giving shiurim left, right and centre again? You will probably remember that 3-4 years ago, one certain Rav in North West London, from one of the most important rabbinic families there, had a strong Psak issued against him saying that the public shouldn't have anything to do with him and that he was NOT FIT to be a Rav. Next thing you know, he has a sit by the mizrach and is invited as a guest speaker everywhere.
ReplyDeleteBottom line: Can you say: "Good for him, he did Teshuvah and should be welcomed back into the fold with the same standing as before the scandal" or "This should be neither forgiven nor forgotten" ?
Your thoughts!
nothing to do with teshuva or forgetting. It does have to do with a concerted effort to intimate witnesses and the stamp of approval of the higher echelon rabbis
ReplyDeleteSo how long do you think it will take to Meir Pogrow to be back?
ReplyDeletehe won't the condemnation was universal
ReplyDeleteSo bumbed. Just discovered his Master Torah site and it seems like such a good idea. Anyone else running something similar who is not a predator
ReplyDeleteCounseling should be done by therapists not Rabbis who have no training in counseling in the haredi world
ReplyDeletetraining is not sufficient - they need to produce helpful results
ReplyDeleteI personally have a problem when people who go to therapists for years - but they can't identify any benefit from the therapy
common explanation they give - well I have a problem therefore I go to therapy.
But if the therapy is not working they should find another therapist or therapy
He's my nearly next door neighbor, Tropper my Rosh Yeshiva, and Freundel was a rav I consulted with and once spent a Shabbos with. Hmmm, maybe we see why I don't trust rabbis all that much anymore.
ReplyDeleteCorrect. Dayanim need the trust of the public and have to be careful to operate so as to maintain that trust.
ReplyDeleteI want to thank Dr.Agbazara for his job in my family, this is man who left me and the kids for another woman without any good reasons, i was pain and confuse,till one day when i saw Dr.Agbazara contact, then i contacted him and he help me cast a reunion spell that help my situation with 48hours, since I then the situation has changed, everything is moving well, my husband who left me is now back to his family. reach DR.AGBAZARA TEMPLE via email if you have any problem at:
ReplyDelete( agbazara@gmail.com )
whatsapp or call him on +2348104102662
Rabbi PogroM perhaps?
ReplyDeleteThanks for this blog postt
ReplyDelete