We've come a long way - It is now commonplace to criticize rabbis for failure to deal with abuse

Not too long ago - only about three years - when I was contemplating publishing my books on child abuse, I was advised by rabbis, friends and family that it was suicidal. There were two major reasons given. 1) "We don't talk about abuse." Stores told me they would not sell any book that had the word abuse in its title or used the word "sex" in it. Someone who had initially offered support for the book, withdrew it when he saw that I actually explicitly discussed sexual abuse in the book. 2) "You can't criticize rabbis for failure to deal with the issue." Or rather I was told I can't make the claim that rabbis were not following halacha - it was viewed as an oxymoron. Obviously rabbis follow halacha because that is what rabbis do - at least Chareidi rabbis.

In fact I was told that I was going to be put into cherem and that nobody would sell the book or buy it. Rav Sternbuch, however, was insistent that the issue of child abuse needed to be dealt with and he urged the publication of the book.

Fast forward to the present. In the past week I have had the following encounters. 1) After kayaking on the Jordan River - someone gave me a seat on the overcrowded bus returning us to the parking lot. In the ensuring conversation, I discovered that he had a kollel for Choshen Mishpat. I mentioned that I was dealing with child abuse and C.M. 388. He responded that the rabbis either didn't know halacha or were grossly misapplying it in regards to abusers. Furthermore he had quit a good teaching job at a yeshiva because of his disgust with the school's failure to deal properly with child abuse. Thus after a few minutes of first meeting another Chareidi Jew we were openly discussing the problem of abuse and the failure of rabbis to follow the halacha. 2) I had a long talk with a relative who is a solid talmid chachom learning in Kollel. He is a very strict about lashon harah, respecting rabbinical authority and is strongly against Internet, smart phones and believes in Daas Torah and only reads the Yated. Yet he readily acknowledged that he personally knew cases of abuse that were mishandled by rabbonim and is fully aware of the cowardice of poskim in  dealing with the issue of mesira and calling the police. He also expressed surprise that I thought that any rabbi would apologize for making a serious mistake. 3) Today I met a very well known Yerushalmi posek and rav that I haven't seen for years. He remembered who I was and asked me what I was working on. When I responded, "Child abuse" - he readily expressed strong approval. When I told him my biggest problem was that the rabbonim don't follow the halacha - this well known exemplar of the rabbinic establishment's immediate response was , "I can tell you some really good stories about that." There was no hesitation, no defensiveness. It was simply an obvious fact - such as the sun rises in the morning or objects fall when dropped.

Theology and therapy

 I was once consulted by a young lady who had been molested by some frum boys when she was ten. She concealed the event from her parents and became increasingly withdrawn and depressed. As a teenager she tried committing suicide. Had a mental breakdown. Was hospitalized in a mental hospital for several years. Now at the age of 20, she seemed fully recovered, cheerful and productive.

My question to her was, now that it is over why are you coming to me? She replied that she has learned to deal with the horrible memories, the pain and degradation. She has learned to let go of feelings of revenge. She has a single problem left. She had asked a single question to all the rabbis she has consulted, “Why did G-d do this to me?” They all replied with some version of, “G-d always does what is best and for reasons beyond our comprehension felt that you had to be raped.” She said simply, “I can’t accept that G-d is so cruel!” My response was that these rabbis were wrong. That they were providing her with one legitimate view of theology i.e., that all that happens is caused by G-d. But there is an alternative view – that of all the Rishonim.

This view says that one man can harm another man – even though G-d doesn’t want it to happen. This is the view not only of Rishonim but is that expressed in Michtav M’Eliyahu, the Netziv citing the Zohar, it is also the view of the Maharal. Thus I told her, G-d did not want it to happen but He gives free-will to man, He does not stop man from acting. You have suffered greatly but will be compensated in the World to Come. She replied that she could live with such an understanding of G-d, while the other view was totally unacceptable. However other victims receive greater consolation from the original answer. One needs to be sensitive to individual differences.

R' Zwiebel & history of inaction against child abuse

I recently responded here and here to Rabbi Zwiebel's statement in the May 2012 interview that the bloggers made the issue of child abuse be taken seriously. Rabbi Zwiebel is an intelligent lawyer who is well aware of the significance of words. The interview was in a magazine where the interview was obviously reviewed and edited. So it was not a slip of the tongue that he made this comment. He also noted that he wasn't sure whether the price being paid for having these blogs (i.e., lashon harah and bitul zman) was worth the benefit of having abuse being taken seriously. As can be seen from the numerous citation that follow - the issue has been documented that gedolim have know there was problem for at least 28 years dealing with Kolko and Mondrowitz - so why was it necessary for the bloggers to make child abuse to be taken seriously? Bloggers have only dealt with the issue for about 7  years - starting in 2005 with UOJ and the Kolko case. I started blogging about abuse in 2007

Mondrowitz was 28 years ago. In 2003 there was a clear declaration from Torah U'Mesorah. In 2006 Meir Frischman - the director of Orthodox Camps provided guidelines for the camps . In 2007 Declaration of Baltimore Rabbis against abuse and acknowledging that Rabbis can't handle it properly. (In 2010 I interviewed one of the Baltimore rabbis responsible for the declaration and asked him why the declaration had produced no changes in dealing with abuse? He responded simply that the rabbis regretted having published the declaration - because every case needs to be decided by a gadol) However not until 2010 does Novominsker Rebbe publicly acknowledge problem at Aguda Convention

And even then no concrete changes proposed or instituted

As I document in my Child & Domestic Abuse books (also confirmed in recent law article by  Prof Resnicoff) the issue is not primarily a halachic issue but is a social one involving lack of resolve to deal with the problem or being more concerned with public image then the welfare of the victims. Public pressure is critical for rabbinic leaders to deal with the issue.

The following are from Child & Domestic Abuse vol I

2003 - Acknowledgement of Torah u'Mesora that there is a problem

At recent meetings of the Rabbinical Board of Torah U’Mesorah, attended by Rav Dovid Feinstein, Rav Yitzchok Feigelstock, Rav Aharon Feldman, Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, Rav Avrohom Chaim Levin, Rav Yaakov Perlow and Rav Aaron Schechter, shlita, the following statement concerning a painful issue was issued:

We address ourselves to the problem of child molestation in our community. A small number of individuals have caused untold pain to many children, primarily varying in age from three to fourteen. In addition to the sins which they have committed, they have created painful memories in the minds of their victims, memories which can have a devastating lifetime impact.

It is incumbent upon everyone to use every means to stop these violations of children, including, at times, exposing the identities of the abusers and even their incarceration. At times, our primary intent may not be to punish the perpetrators, but rather to help them. Therefore it is preferable, wherever appropriate, to force them to undergo appropriate professional therapy.

Torah U’Mesorah is issuing a set of behavioral and reporting standards for principals to implement in their yeshivos and day schools, which, it is hoped, will strengthen the protection of students. It is well documented that molesters are rarely strangers to the child; they are usually relatives or neighbors – and in rare occasions, even teachers. They are able to act because they have the child’s confidence, and then, after the act, they usually threaten him or her with punishment if he or she reveals what has occurred or they shame their victims into keeping a secret.

It is important that parents advise children in an appropriate manner to beware of potential molesters. Children must be told to advise their parents of any abusive behavior, and assured that they will suffer no consequences if they do so. We encourage rabbanim throughout our communities to address this issue, which, in itself, will serve as a deterrent to potential abusers. Rabbanim must also help and support anyone who has fallen victim to abuse, as well as refer them to seek professional help from frum private practitioners and/or organizations in their community. It goes without saying that rabbanim should take precautions that accusations are not made maliciously or without basis.

2008 Claims ignorance of severity and magnitude of problem until recently. Acknowledges problems in correctly handling abuse cases.

Rabbi David Zweibel executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America The Jewish Daily, October 10, 2008

“Until not terribly long ago, the issue was very much in the shadows,” said David Zwiebel, director of government affairs and general counsel of Agudath Israel of America. “The fact that there were isolated reports here and there of cases arising in yeshiva settings, it was known, but they were very isolated.”

“Sometimes they were dealt with correctly and sometimes incorrectly,” Zwiebel added, “but the severity of the problem and the possible magnitude were really things that most people, including myself, just didn’t understand.”

Bloggers legitimately target the Aguda over child abuse

 Rabbi David Zweibel executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America (Jewish Star November 12, 2008):

“[Sexual abuse] is an issue which has come out of the closet in a certain sense and is engaging the attention of our community and its leadership and that’s ultimately a good thing. That’s why it’s hard for me to be totally annoyed with some of the excesses of the blog world. Their outrage, anger, and sometimes excessive advocacy and negativity towards the establishment, it’s a terrible thing, but at the same time, I know that their hearts are in the right place and it is stuff to be very upset about. Is Agudah a fair target? I think we could always use a healthy dose of introspection and honest assessment of how well we as a society have performed in this area and lots of other areas.”

Community can't handle abuse - but D.A. should not be viewed as taking power from rabbis

New York Times (October 14, 2009 Orthodox Jews Rely More on Sex Abuse Prosecution By Paul Vitello):

David Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America, a group representing many chareidi factions, offered the moderate view. “A broad consensus has emerged in the last few years,” he said, “that many of these issues are beyond the ability of the community to handle internally.”

But he added that prosecutors should recognize “religious sensitivities” by seeking alternatives to prison, to avoid depriving a family of its breadwinner, or by finding appropriate Orthodox homes for children removed from abusive families.

“The district attorney should be careful not to be seen as making a power grab from rabbinic authority,” Mr. Zwiebel said.

 Financial well being of yeshivos take precedent over victims

New York (April 2009) - Agudath Israel of America and Torah U’Mesorah –

 The National Society for Hebrew Day Schools, upon consultation with their respective rabbinic leaderships, respectfully submit this statement regarding legislative proposals to amend existing statutes of limitations for civil claims, including claims against schools and other communal institutions, based on allegations of child sexual abuse. We do so only after much serious thought, after weighing all relevant arguments and for the sole purpose of protecting the most fundamental interests of our community.

Agudath Israel and Torah U’Mesorah fully acknowledge the horror of child sexual abuse and the devastating long-term scars it all too often creates. Our rabbinic and lay leaderships are acutely aware of the emotional trauma and damage caused by the perpetrators of such abuse. Our hearts go out to their victims, and we share in their pain. We realize that for too long many victims have suffered alone. We are committed as a community to do whatever we can to root out perpetrators of child abuse from our schools and other communal institutions, and to help victims on the road to healing and recovery.

Indeed, in recent years, as awareness has increased and sensitivity has been heightened regarding the incidence of sexual abuse and its severity, both in the broader society around us and in our community specifically, Agudath Israel and Torah U’Mesorah have taken a number of concrete steps to help ensure that Jewish schools, extra-curricular youth programs and summer camps implement policies and procedures designed to protect children against such abuse. Our organizations have also supported legislative efforts to furnish such protection, including the recently enacted legislation in New York authorizing nonpublic schools to screen all prospective employees through the state’s fingerprint checking system. [...]

Stated simply, legislation that would do away with the statute of limitations completely, even if only for a one-year period, could subject schools and other vital institutions to ancient claims and capricious litigation, and place their very existence in severe jeopardy. Agudath Israel and Torah U’Mesorah most vigorously oppose any such legislation.

We must continue to seek out ways to protect our precious children and help eradicate molestation and other forms of abuse. We must also redouble our efforts to help those who have suffered the horrors of child abuse obtain the healing they so desperately need. However, we dare not bring down our most vital communal institutions in the process.

Heretic to deny Resurrection?

 Sefer HaIkkarim (01:23) As long as one believes in reward and punishment generally, whether corporeal, in this world, or spiritual, in the world to come, he does not deny a principle of the Law of Moses if he disbelieves in resurrection. Nevertheless it is a dogma accepted by our nation, and every one professing the Law of Moses is obliged to believe it, 

Jerusalem Post Israel News Palestinians brought explosives to al-Aqsa in last week's riots - police chief

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-738832

 Palestinians who barricaded themselves in al-Aqsa mosque last week brought explosives into the mosque, Israel Police chief Kobi Shabtai told KAN news on Sunday evening.

The Shin Bet is reportedly investigating the explosives being brought into the mosque, with defense sources telling Ynet that the investigation is "complicated and complex."

Shabtai stated that there were over 400 people who barricaded themselves in the mosque last Tuesday, bringing fireworks, explosives and stones into the building.

The Tennessee Expulsion Is a Glimpse of the Future

 https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/04/06/tennessee-expulsion-future-democrats-00090911

The case of the two Tennessee Democrats involves neither criminal nor immoral conduct nor the mere statement of opinions. It involves conduct — encouraging demonstrations and bringing a bullhorn and posters to the state House floor — that violates the rules of the House. Still, the legislature has never imposed before so severe a penalty for rules violations, and over the past few years, a number of legislators have kept their posts even after being charged with serious sexual misconduct.

Crying for Trump and not children killed in school shooting

Historic ousting of Black TN Dems demands nation's full attention

Adolf Hitler’s country of birth salutes Karl Lueger, a mayor with a checkered past

 https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-736481

But what of the Jewish community in Vienna and its various officials? What are they doing about it? I was perplexed, if not astounded, when my requests for a response from leading figures in the Jewish community to the very existence of a place of honor to an antisemite who actually called for the murder of Jews went unanswered. I can appreciate that, whether we like it or not, at the end of the day, one has to play the political game. One might hypothesize, for example, that were Oskar Deutsch, president of the Jewish community and the Federal Association of Jewish Religious Communities in Austria, to make too much noise about the Lueger issue, that might put a few municipal noses out of joint. That, one might surmise, could generate some negative budgetary backlash for the community. Of course, that is just my uneducated apolitical speculation, but the resounding silence left me with troubling question marks.

Amulets and incantations

 Ohr HaShem (04:05) Is there any advantage for people using amulets and incantations? If you are one of the educated of our people you greatly avoid them altogether and regard those who believe in them and use them as mistaken fools, However we can not reject our experience and what our Sages say in many places in the Talmud that these things work  in an apparently unnatural way.

הדרוש הה' אם יש לקמיעות והלחשים מבוא בפעולות האדם: הנה אם היה מחכמי אומתינו והרחיקו מאד שיחיה להם מבוא כלל אבל החזיקו המאמין בהם לאיש שוגה ופתי אמנם אנחנו לא נכזיב החוש ומה שנתפרסם לרז״ל במקומות רבים מהתלמוד אלא שצריך שנשתדל בהתר הספק הזה דחזק והוא המראה פנים לצד השולל והוא איך יגיע הפועל המכוון מהפועל בקמיעות או בלחשים אשר הוא פועל חוץ מהמנהג הטבעי. וזה שכבר התבאר במה שאחר הטבע שכל דבר שיוציא זולתו מהכח אל הפועל הנה ימציא לו בפעל מה שנמצא למתפעל בכח ולפי שהוא מבואר שאין בקמיעית והלחשים דבר בפועל ממה שיכוין בהם. הנה אם כן אין הקמיעות והלחשים הפועלים לזה הפועל ומזה הצד בעצמו. יתבאר שאין הגשמים השמימיים הפועלים וזה שאין יחס בינם ובין הקמיעות והלחשים. וכבר יראה שהשם יתברך ויתעלה שמו לעד אינו הפועל. וזה מפנים מהם שלמה שהמבואר מהפעולת האלה שהם מיוחסות לרצון הפועל יתחייב אם כן שיהיה השם יתברך וישתבח שמו לעד נמשך גם כן והוא מגונה׳ מאד ומהם כי לפי שהפעולות המכונות ההם מהם לטובה ומהם לרעה יתחייב שיהיה השם יתברך מסכים אל הרע ההוא חלילה ומהם שאם היה השם יתברך פועל והוא מבואר באלו שהם מפועל הבחירה והרצון לאדם יתחייב אם שתהיה לו יתברך חדוש רצון והוא נמנע בחקו ואם שיהיה כן מרצונו הקדום בעת ההיא ויבטל טבע האפשר למה שיהיה רצון האדם בו מחוייב ומוכרח בלתי רוצה התבאר א״כ שאין הש״י הפועל והוא מבואר שאין אדם הוא הפועל וזה שהוא מן המבואר בו שלא יפעל דבר חוץ מהמנהגת הטבעי במה שהוא אדם וכאשר יפעלהו יחוייב שיפעלהו באמצעות הקמיעות והלחשים ולזה איזה התיחסות ביניהם ובין הפועל המניע מהם מי יתן ואדע ואמנם הספק הזה ואם הוא חזק אין התרו ממה שיקשה וזה שכבר יראה שהפועל הקרוב לפעל הזה המגיע מהקמיעות והלחשים איננו אחד בכלם אבל הוא מתחלף בהם. מהם שהפועל הקרוב הוא הגרמים השמימיים ומהם שהפועל הקרוב הוא הש״י ואמנם ישתתפו שהקמיעות והלחשים להם במדרגת הכלי וזה שמהם יש בהם קשר ותנאי שיהיה הפועל להם חכם וירא חטא ושיעשה פעולותיו באופן מהקדושה והטהרה והמחשבה הנכונה אשר זה וכיוצא בו מין ממיני התפלה והעבודה אשר כבר התבאר שיועילו לו ולזולתו ואמנם המעשים ההם הקויים ועמודים אשר בהם ישענו המחשבות ולזה היו הקמיעות והלחשים במין הזה במדרגת הכלי למה שיקבע האמונה והמחשבה בלבות בעליהן אשר באמצעותם יפעלו. ומהם שאין בהם תנאי וקשר שיהיה הפועל ירא חטא ושאר התנאים והמין הזה איננו רחוק שיהיו הפועלים הגרמים השמימיים ושיהיה המעשים במדרגת הכלי. וזה אמנם לקשר והתייחסות אשר בין הגרמים השמימיים והנמצאות השפלות. וזה שאנחנו ואם היה שנסבל זה התייחסות והדמיון הנה אין המלט מההתייחסות מה ביניהם. ואם היה שהפלוסוף דמה שאינם בעלי אכיות. ולפי שההתייחסות הוא אם עצמותי ואם מקרי והוא מבואר לחלוף עצמותם ולרחקם קצת מקצת שאיננו עצמותי הנה יהיה כהכרח מקרי וההתייחסות הזה המקרי הוא בהכרח דומה לאלו האיכיות אשר לנמצאות השפלות. ואולם איך יתבאר זה הנה ממה שאומר מה שאנחנו נראה שהשמש יחמם האויר והירח יקרר אותו ואם היה שהתבאר בככבים שאינם בעלי איכיות הללו והוא מבואר בכל דבר שיוציא זולתי מן הכח אל הפעל בדבר מה שהוא נמצא לו בפעל מה שנמצא למתפעל בכח לא אשער איך יתיחם החום והקור השמש והירח אלא א״כ נאמר שניצוץ השמש מתיחס לטבע החום וניצוץ הירח מתיחס לטבע הקור ואולי שיהיה לשינוי טבעיהם רושם בזה ואיך שהיה אחר שהניצוצים מתיחסים להם יחוייב בהכרח היותם תחת סוג א׳ מהאיכיות וזה כי הוא מבואר בדברים שאינם תחת סוג אחד שהם בלתי מתיחסים כי אין יחס בין המתוק והלבן כל שכן בין המתוק והשטח ולזה הוא מבואר שאנחנו ואם נסכל האיכות או האיכיות שיתוארו בהם הגרמים השמימיים הם מתיחסים עם אלו האיכיות אשר בנמצאות השפלות עכ"פ ואיך לא והנה ענייני הטלסמאות והלוחות המספרות התאמת עניינם בהשגות רב ואם לא היה החתיחסות והדמיון אשר בין הגרמים השמימיים והנמצאות השפלות לא היה ענין להם ולמה ונרחיק אם כן עניינ׳ הקמיעות והלחשים אלא שלהתיחסם בגרמים השמימיים וביניהם יגיע באמצעותם השפע מהם והנה הם במדרגת הכלי לפעולות ההם והוא קרוב שיעזור לזה עזר גדול ציור הפועל והוא אמרם בכיוצא בזה אתמחי גברא ואתמחי קמיעא וכבר התבאר התיחסות והדמיון ממה שנראה מתנועות איסורות בסבוב וזה שהדבר מוסכם עליו היות יסוד האש יניעהו השמש והנה ש״א שיגיעהו על צד הדחיה והחיתוך לג' סבות הא׳ לרחוק זה מזה והב׳ מהשמש לא יתואר במקשייות ורכות הג׳ להיות השמש קבוע בגלגלו בלתי ממיר מקומו אין המלט אם כן להיות ניצוצו מחמם האש ומניעו אין המלט אם כן מיחס והדמיון: 

Florida officials cut key data from vaccine study

 https://apnews.com/article/florida-ladapo-covid19-vaccines-c498ffcb2393a1fffd692e1687e62e4e

An analysis that was the basis of a highly criticized recommendation from Florida’s surgeon general cautioning young men against getting the COVID-19 vaccine omitted information that showed catching the virus could increase the risk of a cardiac-related death much more than getting the mRNA shot, according to drafts of the analysis obtained by the Tampa Bay Times.

Soldiers Make Secret Pact to ‘Destroy’ Putin’s Empire From Within

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/chechen-fighters-make-war-pact-with-ukrainian-troops-to-fight-vladimir-putin?ref=scroll

While much of the world was shocked by the bloody atrocities committed by Putin’s forces in cities like Mariupol and Bucha, for many Chechens none of this came as a surprise.

Now, this shared trauma appears to have formed a bond between Chechens who have flocked to Ukraine to fight against Putin’s invasion and their new Ukrainian comrades, who have agreed that once the war is finished here, they will travel to fight for a free Chechnya.

Israel's bitter political divisions of today are nothing new

 https://www.thejc.com/news/world/israels-bitter-political-divisions-of-today-are-nothing-new-1j6rUzo8tpxpxCBX7RcURq

The current conflict is the result of a perfect ideological storm: the protesters citing the defence of democracy lean on the importance of the balance of powers between the executive (government), legislature (Knesset), and judiciary (Supreme Court), the latter thought to uphold enlightened platonic values of the noble philosopher kings, who rule benignly in the people’s interest.

Meanwhile, the government argues for a Socratic form of democracy in which the majority and their elected representatives have the right to deliver their chosen agenda.

Rabbi Kaminetsky speaks about the Friedman-Epstein case

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5RfioaAq8LRZjBMTTc4Y19LaHdXSHpVR3hlblJfbXNYN0g0/view?

https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/11/tamar-epstein-heter-r-greenblatt-said.html

https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/11/tamar-epsteins-heter-r-shlomo.html

A careful reading of the letters at the above link shows that contrary to Rav Kaminetsky's claim in the recorded phonecall of non involvement - he not only was actively involved but  was in fact the sole reason for Rav Greenblat's heter