SAVE THE CHILDREN

UPDATED BELOW:

We are all painfully aware that abuse in our communities is still a big problem. In both the Modern Orthodox community and the charedi community these cases, in the past, were handled poorly. From Lanner through Kolko the batei dinim that were set up dropped the ball and for too long these accusations went unchecked and it was not until there were exposes in the Jewish Week and New Yorker magazine that it began to unravel and the truth came out.

Since these cases and others, such as Mondrowitz, came to light there has been an increased call in both our community and the charedi community to bypass the bet din system and take the case right to the authorities. (One point that should be made is that for too many years the DA in Brooklyn, Charles Hynes has been complicit with the charedi community in keeping the problem quiet because he is afraid of losing their vote). Dov Hikind has done a good job in exposing and getting some of these cases brought to light and just last week a Bar Mitzvah teacher in Brooklyn was found guilty and sentenced to prison.

At the sentencing in that case the judge had some harsh words for our community, as reported by the Forward he said " a communal attitude that seems to impose greater opprobrium on the victims than the perpetrator.” He termed the role played by such rabbinic courts in particular “inappropriate,” saying that these courts were “incapable” of dealing with criminal matters."

Yet with all this and Beit Din failing the community in this matter, both the [RCA] and Agudah still feel that Beit Din should play a roll in abuse cases BEFORE THE AUTHORITIES ARE BROUGHT IN. Again quoting from the Forward (PLEASE SEE UPDATE BELOW). ["Sometimes, unfortunately, people make allegations which have no substance because they have an agenda,” said Rabbi Moshe Kletenik, president of the Rabbinical Council of America, the organizing body of Modern Orthodox rabbis.

He said the rabbinic courts, or beit dins, are useful because they allow “for an investigation to see if there’s substance, and if there is, it’s immediately referred” to civil authorities". ]

Dovid Zweibel from Agudah also thinks that Beit din needs to continue to play a roll "David Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America, a leading umbrella group of ultra-traditional Orthodox organizations, agreed that religious courts can play a positive role in sexual-abuse cases.

“I think there are people in the community who are concerned about certain things that the secular authorities might not be concerned about,” Zweibel said. “If a child has to be removed from a family, if you are not sensitive to religious concerns of the family, they might be placed in a home setting that would not facilitate the child’s observance of religion.”

Are you kidding me? Have these people learned anything from our communities experiences over the last few years? The Beit Din method was tried and failed and now the authorities must be called in immediately. You have lost our trust and we cannot leave the lives of our children in your hands. If, G-d forbid, something like this happens in our community the authorities need to be brought in immediately. If you are concerned about children being removed from home, I like to think that the Jewish lobby is strong enough that an organization like Ohel can be brought in. Why not work something out between Ohel and the authorities so they are consulted AFTERWARDS if a child does, indeed, need to be removed from a home. It seems to me that they are going about this backwards.

At least there is still one voice of reason in the wilderness. There has been no greater advocate in our community for victim's rights other than the Mashgiach, Rabbi Blau. Time and again he has stood up for the victims I both the Lanner and other cases he has taken the side of the child (even if it was not the most popular stand to take). Rabbi Blau is once again stating the obvious, that rabbonim are not trained to handle these cases and they should be left to professionals "Therapists now [know better], but I don’t think the rabbis know much better. Rabbis are not trained to do this. This isn’t the kind of training they get in rabbinic school.”

Maybe there needs to be increased training in Rabbinical schools, but until such a time that there is training like that in place and it can be proven that it works the rabbonim should be playing no roll in abuse cases from the time they are reported through the end of the trial. One thing that was said by this judge, which is infuriating, is that of all the people who came forward to support the abuser not one person spoke to the abused

"At the sentencing earlier this month, the courtroom was filled with Weinberg’s supporters. Almost 100 members of the Orthodox community wrote letters to the judge defending him.

Judge Reichbach lamented that no letters displayed “any concern or even any acknowledgement for these young victims which, frankly, I find shameful”. Rather, the community “seeks to blame, indeed punish, victims who seek justice from... civil society”.

Until such a time that our community can come to terms with the fact that abused need rachmanus and not the molesters Rabbonim should be left out of the process.

UPDATE 2:47 pm

I recieved the following letter from a member of the RCA who reads this blog, the letter was sent to the members by Rabbi Kletenik:

October 16, 2009To the Editor of The Forward: I am writing this letter to set
the record straight and to correct any misimpressions that may arise from a
quote attributed to me in the article "Rabbis Still Want Role In Sex Abuse
Cases" by Josh Nathan-Kazis. The quote is out of context and therefore may be
totally misconstrued. In my conversation with the reporter, I emphasized that in
cases of allegations of sexual abuse "protecting the victim is of paramount
importance." I also spoke of special Batei Din or Rabbinical Courts, which exist
in some communities such as Chicago and Los Angeles, in which rabbis work
together with appropriate professionals, including psychologists, social workers
and legal counsel, who are equipped to deal with such cases. In response to a
question as to the value of such special Batei Din, I explained that they assure
that the appropriate steps be taken internally within the Jewish community, such
as immediate suspension of someone who is working at a school, until the matter
is clarified. They also follow up to assure that any steps mandated by the civil
court, such as therapy, are in fact pursued. In addition, they afford the
opportunity to investigate allegations, and if there is any hint of substance,
to immediately refer the case to appropriate government authorities.
Unfortunately, most Jewish communities do not yet have the benefit of such
special religious courts. In the absence of such a court, suspicion of abuse,
especially as related to minors, must immediately be reported to the appropriate
governmental agencies for action to protect any potential victims. This is
consistent with resolutions and policies of the Rabbinical Council of America
concerning such issues.I again emphasize that protecting potential victims is of
the utmost importance, and all necessary steps must be taken immediately. I
invite readers to visit the website of the Rabbinical Council of America at
http://www.rabbis.org/ for statements of policy concerning allegations of abuse
including clergy abuse. Rabbi Moshe Kletenik President

[Aslo see here: Orthodox Shielding Sex Abusers]

(Hat Tip UOJ & Failed Messiah)