Clergy Abuse: Rabbis, Cantors & Other
Trusted Officials
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among
thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor"
(Leviticus 19:16).
Table of
Contents
Please note : The Awareness Center looks at Clergy
Abuse and Mass Molestation Cases as a Jewish Issue, not a denominational
issue. We need to tackle these issues together as a people.
Opening up darkened spaces is a scary, saddening
task, but it is a sacred one as well. For as we have been taught by our learned
rabbis of the Sanhedrin, "anyone who saves one soul of Israel, it is said
about him that he/she has saved a whole world" (Sanhedrin 37/a). Let
us be "or La-Goyim", a light to show the way for other nations, by mending
our communities without fear or shame.
In order to escape accountability for his/her crimes, the perpetrator
does everything in hispower to promote forgetting. Secrecy and silence
are the perpetrator's first line of defense. If secrecy fails, the
perpetrator attacks the credibility of his victim. If he cannot silence
him absolutely, he tries to make sure no one
listens.
-- Judith Lewis Herman
Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a
recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if
the resources meet their own personal needs.
Table of
Contents:
-
Jewish
Resources
-
Policies
Addressing Victimization and Offenders
-
-
Articles
-
Lashon
Hara ('derogatory speech, that is true')
-
-
Anti-Semitism,
Sexual Abuse, and The Jewish Community
-
Laws
-
-
Sex
Addictions
-
-
When
A Family Member Molests: Reality, Conflict, and The Need For Support
by Vicki Polin, Michael Salamon and Na'ama Yehuda
-
-
When
Melodies, Torah Scholars, and Abuse Collide
-
-
Cases of Clergy Abuse
-
Case
of Shlomo Aviner (Rosh Yeshiva, Ateret Cohanim Yeshiva,
Rabbi of Beit El, Israel)
-
Case
of Rabbi Lewis Brenner (Convicted of child molestation.
The original charges included 14 counts of sodomy, sexual abuse and
endangering the welfare of a child. He agreed to plead guilty to one
count of sodomy in the third degree, a Class E felony, in exchange for a
sentence of five years' probation.)
-
Case
of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhak Brizel (Accused of child
molestation)
-
Case
of Rabbi Ephraim Bryks (Accusations about sexual inappropriate
behavior with children started surfacing in the 1980's. Rabbi Bryks is currently
a member of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens. The Vaad is a Rabbinical
committee that makes important decisions within an orthodox
community.)
-
Case
of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (Accused of several cases of
child molestation, and sexual assault of young women)
-
Case
Rabbi Perry Ian Cohen - Montreal and Toronto Canada
(Accused of sexual abuse of a seventeen year old. Fired for
sexual impropriety with congregants)
-
Case
of Rabbi Yitzchak Cohen (Accused of sexually harassing students
at Bar-Ilan University)
-
Case
of Rabbi Ephraim Goldberg - Boca Raton,
Flordia (Pled guilty to one misdemeanor
count of exposure of sexual organs in a washroom at a Palm Beach
Mall.)
-
Case
of Rabbi/Cantor Sidney Goldenberg (Convicted of molesting
children. The first complaints came in 1971. He was finally convicted
in 1997.)
-
Case
of Cantor Joel Gordon (Convicted of having keeping a
house of prostitution and involvement in a prostitution ring.)
-
Case
of Rabbi Israel Grunwald (Accused of molesting
a 15 year old on a 1995 plane flight from Australia to LA. The charge against
him were dropped after agreeing to perform 500 hours of community service
and to seek counseling. Grunwald was the chief rabbi of an
Hungarian Hasidic congregation in Brooklyn, known as the Pupas).
-
Case
of Yehudah Friedlander - Rabbi 's Assistant
(Accused of molesting a 15 year old on a 1995 plane
flight from Australia to LA. Friedlander was the assistant to the chief rabbi
of an Hungarian Hasidic congregation in Brooklyn, known as the
Pupas)
-
Case
of the Rabbi at Hillel Torah, Chicago, IL (A teacher
at the Chicago school was accused of child molestation. His name was
not released. The school did everything correctly in attempting to keep the
children safe once accusations were made.)
-
Case
of Rabbi Solomon Hafner (Accused of sexually abusing
a developmentally disabled boy)
-
Case
of Rabbi (Alan J.) Shneur Horowitz (Convicted and sentenced
to 10 - 20 years in prison for sodomizing a nine-year-old psychiatric patient.
Allegedly, he has assaulted a string of children from California to Israel
to New York in the past twenty years. Alan J. Horowitz is an Orthodox rabbi,
magna cum laude, M.D., Ph.D. A graduate of Duke University, and was
a writer for NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association).
-
Case
of Jacob Frank and the Frankist Movement (Accused of cultic
type practices and sexual offenses)
-
Case
of Cantor Stuart Michael Friedman (Convicted and sentanced
to 15 months in federal prison on one count of distributing child pornography).
-
Case
of Rabbi Israel Kestenbaum (Accused of child pornography on
the internet)
-
Case
of Rabbi Robert Kirschner (Accused of sexually exploited or
harassing three congregants and a synagogue employee)
-
Case
of Rabbi Ze'ev Kopolevitch (Convicted of molesting
students at Rosh Yeshiva, Netiv Meir yeshiva high
school)
-
Case
of Rabbi Baruch Lanner (Convicted - child
molestation.)
-
Case
of Rabbi Jerrold Martin Levy (Convicted of two counts
of soliciting sex through the Internet and two counts of child pornography.
He was sentenced to six years and sex in prison. He was caught
in the "Candyman" year-long sting operation by the US
government.)
-
Case
of Rabbi Pinchas Lew (Accused of exposed himself to
a woman.)
-
Case
of Rabbi/Psychologist Mordecai Magencey (lost his license
to practice in the State of Missouri because of his sexual misconduct with
his patients.)
-
Case
of Rabbi Richard Marcovitz (Convicted of indecent or lewd
acts with a child, and sexual battery)
-
Case
of Rabbi Juda Mintz (Convicted - internet sting on child
pornography)
-
Rabbi
Yona Metzger (Accused of sexually misconduct with four
men)
-
Case
of Rabbi Avrohom Mondrowitz (Accused of two counts of sex
abuse with boys at a special education school in New York)
-
Case
of Cantor Howard Nevison (Accused of molesting his
nephew)
-
Case
of Rabbi Michael Ozair (Accused of sexual molestation
of a then-14-year-old girl)
-
Case
of Cantor Stanley Rosenfeld (Convicted of molesting a
12-year-old boy he was tutoring.)
-
Case
of Rabbi Charles Shalman (Accused of sexual misconduct toward
female congregational members)
-
Case
of Cantor Robert Shapiro (Accused of three counts of rape
and four counts of indecent assault and battery to a mentally retarded
woman)
-
Case
of Cantor Michael Segelstein (Accused of attempted rape;
Chabad - Las Vegas, Nevada)
-
Case
of Rabbi Ze'ev Sultanovitch (Accused of sexually molesting
a number of adult yeshiva students at the Merkaz Harav
Yeshiva)
-
Case
of Rabbi Melvin Teitelbaum (Accused of three counts of sex
crimes against two boys under the age of 14, and one count of assault with
intent to commit rape against one boy's mother. The charges were dropped
for lack of evidenced)
-
Case
of Rabbi Isadore Trachtman (Accused of cultic type practices
and sexual offenses)
-
Case of Rabbi
Hirsch Travis (Rabbi in Monsey, accused of posing as a Brooklyn
doctor specializing in infertility problems, and allegedly sexually abusing
and assaulting a patient.)
-
Case
of Rabbi Matis Weinberg (Accused of cultic type practices
and sexual offenses)
-
Case
of Rabbi Yaakov Weiner (Accused of molesting boy at Camp Mogen
Avraham, New York)
-
Case
of Rabbi Don Well
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Case
of Cantor Phillip Wittlin (Convicted of molesting two
girls)
-
Case
of Rabbi Mordechai Yomtov (Convicted of sexual abuse and
committing lewd acts against three boys)
-
Case
of Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman (Violated guidelines
concerning "sexual ethics and sexual boundaries,"
)
-
Case
of Rabbi Max Zucker (Accused by three women of improperly
touching)
-
Case
of unamed womanizing rabbi who changed his name and moved to
Israel
-
Case
of unamed NY rabbi who has an unhealthy interest in teenage
boys
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-
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And Other Trusted Officals (Parents, Teachers,
Camp Counselors, etc.)
-
Case
of Faiz Suleiman Abukarinat - The Negev Pedophile (Convicted
of kidnapping and raping three girls from Beersheba and
Ashdod)
- Case of Hen Alkobi - Haifa, Israel - (Accused of raping and sexually abusing teenage girls in the Haifa area, ended in a plea bargain arrangement.)
-
Case
of Ben Amotz - Tel Aviv and Jaffa, Israel (Allegedly lured
12 to 13-year-old girls to his apartment using drugs)
-
Case
of Arie Adler and Marisa Rimland, NY (Arie Adler was accused
of molesting his daughter. Marisa Rimland murdered her daughter, and then
committed suicide).
-
Case
of Simcha Adler - Ohel Counselor, NY (Plea-bargained charges
of sodomy, sexual abuse and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child
down to attempted sodomy.)
-
Case of
Father/Grandfather from Ashkelon, Israel
(Accused of molesting his daughter and
granddaughter)
-
Case
of Eugene Loub Aronin - School Counselor, TX (Convicted
in 1984 of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy)
-
Case
of Leeore Batshaw - Psychology Student at The University of Winnipeg
(Convicted - internet sting on child pornography)
-
Case
of Be'er Sheva Sex Offender (Be'er Sheva, Israel)
(Convicted of sexually molesting a four-year-old girl and of
raping a middle-aged woman).
- Case of Yoav Biran Accused of distributing child pornography over the Internet, also of performing indecent acts on children
-
Case of Yaron Blanc - Ariel, Israel (Accused of using the internet to lure minors for sexual activity)
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Case
of B'Nai Torah Congegation - Hillel Community Day School janitor (Boca Raton,
FL (Accused of child molestation)
-
Case
of Chaim Ciment (Accused and charged with first-degree
sexual abuse, after allegations were made that he fondled a 17 year old girl
in an elevator).
-
Case
of James A. Cohen - Jewish Youth Group Leader (Convicted child
molester, sentenced to 9 years for assaulting 4 boys)
-
Case
of Larry Cohen - Soccer Coach (Lake Oswego,
OR) (Accused of molesting two
individuals.)
-
Case
of Lawrence Cohen - School Teacher, NJ (Convicted and sentenced
to 10 years in federal prison for transmitting child pornography through
his home computer).
-
Case
of Phillip "Eli" Cohen (London, England) (Accused of
13 charges of indecently assaulting a boy and four offences of indecently
assaulting a girl)
-
Case
of Stuart Cooperman, MD - Pediatrican (Merrick, New
York) (Accused of molesting six female
patience).
- Case of Corrido - Murder of Alexandra Brandt
-
Case
of "D" - The South Tel Aviv Pedophile (charged with committing
sodomy and indecent acts on at least four children. The real number is probably
higher)
-
Case
of Oren Danan (Tel Aviv,
Israel) (Confessed to child abduction,
sexual assault, and attempted murder of a neighborhood girl)
-
Case
of Delaware Family (Father accused of alleged child
molestation)
-
Case of Eric Dorfner, Counselor
-
Case
of Mordechai (Morton) Ehrman - Simcha's Play Group (Brooklyn, NY)
(Accused of molesting dozens of students).
- Case of the Father in a Mazda 323 - Suspected of rapes inNahal Ashan, Be'er Sheva and Negev, Israel
-
Case
of Hbrandon Lee Flagner (Convicted of
the kidnapping and aggravated murder of Tiffany Jennifer Papesh a 8-year-old
girl. Flagner also claimed to have molested hundreds of girls during his
life. While in prison, Flagner convert to Judaism by an Chasidic
rabbi.)
- Four Suspected Web Pedophiles - Israel
-
Case
of Arnold and Jesse Friedman (Capturing the Friedmans)
(Convicted sex offenders)
-
Case
of Richard "Steve" Goldberg (Allegedly
engaging in sex acts with several girls under 10 in California. He
is on the FBI's ten most wanted fugitives list)
-
Case
of Avraham Ger (Tel Aviv, Israel) (Accused of sexually
assaulting several girls and boys)
-
Case
of Ovadia Gershon - Director of Group home for Mentally Challenged
minors (Convicted raping a mentally challenged resident in
a group home in Tel Aviv, Israel)
-
Case
of Ross Goldstein (Convicting of sodomy
in the first degree (three counts) and use of a child in a sexual performance.
He was Sentenced to four concurrent indeterminated terms of 2 to 6
years imprisonment. Also see: Case of Arnold and Jesse
Friedman)
-
Case of Teen Girls who Beat Younger Girl - Rishon Letzion, Israel
-
Case
of Several Child Sex Offenders in Har Nof (Jerusalem, Israel)
(Outlines several cases of alleged child sex offenders in the
charedi town of Har Nof)
-
Case
of David B. Harrington - School Principal / Big Brother (Rockville,
MD) (Convicted sex offender. Cases from the 1960's -
1980's.)
-
Case
of Eric Hindin - Jewish Big Brother Volunteer (Newton, MA)
(Convicted of 35 counts of child rape. He was sentenced to 20-22
years in prison).
-
Case
of State of Israel Vs. a Sex Offender (Convicted - 68
year old Israeli religious man pled guilty to repeated molestation of his
granddaughter, was sentenced to 19 years in jail.
-
Case
of Lord Greville Janner - Former British Labour MP
-
Case
of Jewish Youth Group Leader/Rabbinical
Student (Accused of molesting an 11 year old boy in the
basement of a synagogue).
-
Case
of Jewish Quarter child molester (Jerusalem, Israel)
(suspicions in the quarter that the 16-year-old arrested by
the police in 1988 had "taken the rap" for his older brothers, who are still
on the loose. The youth was eventually institutionalized. This case involves
a 5 year old male victim).
- Case of Rafael Kaplanovsky - (Accused of distributing child pornography over the Internet)
-
Case
of Judge Ronald Kline, CA (Accused of possessing child
pornography and for allegedly molesting a neighborhood boy 25 years
ago).
-
Case
of Six Male Teenagers at Kibbutz Shomrat (Accused and
Convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, over a period
of several days on the kibbutz)
-
Case
of the Kosher Butcher in Chicago
(Accused of molesting children for over 30
years)
-
Case
of Gang Rapes in Rishon Letzion and Ashdod, Israel
(gang rapes in two different towns)
-
Case
of Howard Lichtenstein, D.D.S. (Skokie, Illinois)
(charged with indecent solicitation of a
child.)
- Man from Ramle, Israel - (Accused of stabbing a prostitute over money)
-
Case
of Yitzhak Mordechai - Israeli Public Official
(Convicted of sexual assault)
-
Case
of Lawrence Nevison - (Convicted of molesting his nephew.
He is the brother of
Cantor Howard
Nevison)
-
Case
of Stuart Nevison - (Convicted of molesting his cousin. He
is the brother of
Cantor Howard
Nevison)
-
The
Case of the Students of Ner Israel Yeshiva in the 1950's (Baltimore,
MD) (Students accused of sexually molesting a younger
student)
-
Case
of the New York Society for the Deaf's Home (Accused
of treating disabled patients ``like animals,'' beaten, drugged and robbed
of their government checks).
-
Case
of the Orthodox Singer and a Haredi Friend (Two haredi men,
one the singer son of a prominent American haredi performer, were in for
enticing girls, some of whom were below the age of 16, to take dangerous
drugs and then to have sexual relations with them.)
-
Case
of Ozzie Orbach, M.D. (Accused of molesting his
daughter)
-
Case
of Raymond M. Pietrowski (Convicted in the attempted
rape of an 11-year-old boy will serve no prison time but instead will spend
10 years on probation in Israel)
-
Case of the Man from
Ramle, Israel (A man was arrested
after stabbing a minor (13 year old girl, over an argument over payment for
her services. The girl was taken to Ichilov Hospital with light
injuries)
-
Case
of the Rogers Park JCC, (Chicago, Illinois) (This was the
first case of alleged mass molestation recorded in Illinois to involve
accusations of sexual abuse by a group of adults, consists of 246 allegations
that staff members abused children enrolled at the center, according to the
Illinois Department of children and Family Services).
-
Case
of Jonathan Rosenthal - Community Police Liason (London, England)
(Acquitted of sexually assaulting a few children, after
a jury used ancient common law right, deciding evidence wasn't strong
enough.)
-
Case
of Marni Nasia-Rubin (Toledo, OH) (Convicted, pleaded
no contest to one count of unlawful sexual conduct with a
minor).
-
Case
of Adam Theodore Rubin - Teacher, Coach and Girl Scout Coordinator
(Accused of using a computer to solicit sex with a minor, possession
of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug
paraphernalia).
-
Case
of Tuvya Sa'ar - Director-General of the Israel Journalists' Union
(Arrested on suspicion of having intercourse with a minor and
coercing her for sexual favors.)
-
Case
of Georges Schteinberg - Teacher (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
(Accused of possession of child pornography. Charges dropped
when Schteinberg fled the country).
-
Case
of Aryeh Scher - Israeli vice-consul (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
(Accused of possession of child pornography. Charges dropped
when Scher fled the country).
-
Case
of David Schwartz - Camp Counselor (Culver City, CA)
(Convicted and sentenced to one year in residential treatment
and five years' probation for molesting a 4-year-old boy in his care at summer
camp. A six-year prison sentence was suspended).
-
Case
of Jerrold Schwartz - Scoutmaster, NY (Convicted and
sentanced to 8 years in prison for multiple counts of sodomizing his former
scout ).
-
Case
of Benny Sela (Tel Aviv, Israel) (Convicted serial
rapist)
-
Case of the Serial Pedophile in Tel Aviv
-
Case
of Gal Shamir - Holon, Israel (Convicted to 17 years
imprisonment for sexually assaulting six children.
-
Case
of Yitzhak Sha'ari and the House hostel - International Youth Hostel (Jerusalem,
Israel) (The local building and planning committee cited
allegations of sexual harassment against Sha'ari published in the popular
U.S. student travel guide Let's Go.)
- Case of Jackie Shoshan - Be'er Sheva, Israel - (Convicted of 14 indecent acts against a 13 year old boy)
-
Case
of Irwin Silverman - Chief Counsel to U.S. secretary of interior
1933-53 (Accused of molesting his daughter Sue
William Silverman. )
-
Case
of Paul Slifer - Teacher (Accused of
sexually assaulting a several students, and impersonating a doctor.
)
- Case of Itai Snapir - (Accused of distributing child pornography over the Internet)
-
Case
of Ari Sorkin - Synagogue Youth Worker (Elkins Park, PA)
(Accused of molesting a 16 yr. old girl)
-
Case of the Soviet Father - (Accused of physically and sexually assaulting his 17 year old daughter)
-
Case
of Robert Taylor - Former Board Member Temple Beth Emet (Los Angeles,
CA) (Convicted of molesting a boy, served a sex month
jail sentance).
-
Case
of Tel Aviv Arts School (Tel Aviv, Israel)
- Case of the Unnamed Fourth Individual (Jerusalem, Israel) - (Accused of distributing child pornography over the Internet, a gag order has been placed on the name)
-
Case
of unamed Florida pedophile who works with Jewish
youth (Accused of molesting children in his
care)
-
Case
of unamed Principal in a Brooklyn yeshiva (Brooklyn,
NY) (Accused of molesting students)
-
Unnamed Cop in Tel Aviv - Convicted of raping his younger brother
-
Case
of Dr. Saul and Judith Wasserman (Accused of
molesting their daughter)
-
Case
of David Douglas Webber - Mashgiach (Kashrut Supervisor), Canada
(Convicted and sentenced to six years for possessing child
pornography and molesting seven boys over the past eight years).
-
-
Related Cases
-
Case
of Rabbi Bernard Freilich (Acquitted of death threats
to an alleged victim)
-
-
Case
of Domestic Violence in Jewish Communities
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-
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Secular
Resource
-
Sex Offenders: Problems
Our Parents Wouldn't Speak - Jewish Offenders
Resources
(Top)
Jewish
Resources
Articles
back to table of contents
|
Critics:
Jewish Court Stymies Reports
(04/16/2002)
|
NEW YORK (AP) - The case of a rabbi accused of molesting
more than 20 girls sparked a review of sex abuse policies in Orthodox Judaism's
most prominent group, but critics say a rabbinical court unique to the Orthodox
branch still hinders abuse claims from getting a full airing.
|
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Court
To Hear Sex Offender Registry Case
Case
Could Affect Oklahoma Law
(05/2/2002)
|
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court agreed Monday to consider
a constitutional challenge to some registries of known sex offenders, the
second case the court will hear involving lists meant to keep tabs on potentially
dangerous sex criminals.
|
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Orthodox
Rabbi Issues Warning on Sexual Abuse - Says Community Needs To Learn From
Catholic Church Scandal
(05/03/2002)
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Rabbi Ari Berman, the religious leader of the Jewish
Center, a well-heeled Modern Orthodox congregation on the Upper West Side,
issued the warning last weekend during a Saturday morning sermon. Berman
said the Orthodox community needs to learn from the sex abuse scandal racking
the Catholic Church. While asserting that sexual abuse cases are far more
common in the Catholic community than in Orthodox circles, Berman criticized
Orthodox institutions for dismissing many of the claims that do arise in
their own backyard.
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Haredi
Group Balks At Clergy Law
(04/05/2002)
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New legislation adding clergy to those professionals
who are legally required to report suspected child abuse is being welcomed
by a wide range of rabbinic leaders and those who work with victims, but
it is being opposed by an influential group in the fervently Orthodox community.
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New
cases refocus attention on misconduct in Jewish clergy
(2001)
|
NEW YORK -- For those who look up to the American Jewish
clergy, it has not been a good year. Last week, one of the Reform
movement's most prominent rabbis was suspended from the movement's rabbinical
association for past sexual misconduct.
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What
People Need To Know (Sexual Abuse in the Orthodox Jewish
Community)
(01/28/2000)
|
Two incidents recently occurred in the Orthodox Jewish
community with contrasting reactions on the part of our rabbinic leadership.
The first involved two new "kosher" establishments with questionable
certification. In response to the quandary of the kosher eating public, the
rabbis embarked on a thorough investigation and advised the community via
the pulpit of their negative findings. This type of forceful leadership and
guidance won the respect of the community which felt cared for and grateful
for being informed.
Would that this same type of leadership could have
been demonstrated in the second incident involving a serious case of pedophilia.
The rabbinic reaction was one of "don't ask and don't tell" in the face of
mounting angry parents who worried about the safety of their children. Why
is the safety of our children any less of a concern than matters of kashrut?
Why wasn't the community alerted about this problem from the pulpits so that
parents could take the necessary precautions as was done with kashrut?
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Rabbi
Sexual Misconduct: Crying Out for a Communal Response
|
Rabbinic Sexual Abuse: The exercise by rabbis of their
trusted position to exploit others by means of sexual activity or suggestion.
That these unwelcomed sexual behaviors are used to degrade, humiliate, control,
hurt, and otherwise misuse another. And, that coercion, secrecy, and betrayal
often play into this abuse. (The Reconstructionist)
|
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(10/26/1996)
|
Many Bulletin readers will find the current series
on rabbinic sexual misconduct compelling if not disturbing. But you may think:
"It could never happen in my congregation. My rabbi would never do
that."
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Sex
Offenders: Problems Our Parents Wouldn't Speak - Abuse in The Jewish
Community
|
More information from the Awareness Center on Jewish
Offenders.
|
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Seminaries
fail to offer full courses in sexual ethics
(10/26/1996)
|
NEW YORK -- When it comes to training rabbis in sexual
ethics, most American seminaries score an "incomplete."
None of the four major rabbinical seminaries -- the
Reform movement's Hebrew Union College, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical
College, the Conservative movement's Jewish Theological Seminary and the
Orthodox Yeshiva University -- offers any full courses devoted specifically
to issues of rabbinic sexual ethics and behavior.
|
Laws
back to table of contents
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REPORTING
LAWS: CLERGY AS MANDATED REPORTERS
|
This Ready Reference is a product of the Child Abuse
and Neglect State Statutes Series prepared by the National Clearinghouse
on Child Abuse and Neglect Information. The Clearinghouse is a service of
the Children's Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and Families,
Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
Clergy's Responsibility to Report -A mandatory reporter
is a person who is required to report suspected cases of child abuse and
neglect. Every State and the District of Columbia have statutes identifying
mandatory reporters of child maltreatment and specifying under what circumstances
they are to report.
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Reporting
Laws: Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect (USA)
|
The Compendium of Laws presents citations and text
of State laws on different topics related to child maltreatment reporting
laws, central registries, permanency planning and domestic violence. While
every attempt has been made to be as complete as possible, additional information
on these topics may be in other sections of a State's code as well as in
agency regulations, case law, and informal practices and procedures. Readers
interested in interpretation of specific statutory provisions within an
individual jurisdiction should consult with professionals within the State
familiar with the statutes' implementation.
The Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention and Treatment
Act, as amended, requires States to make provision for the reporting of known
or suspected instances of child abuse and neglect (42 U.S.C. 5106a). The
publications included in the Compendium of Laws: Reporting Laws focus on
how States have made provision in their statutes for defining acts that are
reportable as abuse, enumerating mandated reporters, and specifying procedures
for the making and receiving of child maltreatment reports.
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Massachusetts
AN ACT
REQUIRING CERTAIN RELIGIOUS OFFICIALS TO REPORT ABUSE OF
CHILDREN.
Approved May 3, 2002.
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Chapter 107 of the Acts of 2002
Whereas , The deferred operation of this act would
tend to defeat its purpose, which is forthwith to mandate the reporting of
abuse by certain religious officials and to protect the victims of child
abuse, therefore, it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary
for the immediate preservation of the public safety and convenience.
Reports required by this section shall be subject
to the penalties provided in said section 51A.
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Special
Notice: The New Massachusetts Mandated Reporting Bill
|
On May 3, Jane Swift, Acting Governor of Massachusetts,
signed into law a bill that makes clergy, paid religious educators and other
specified individuals mandated reporters of abuse and neglect of minors,
which includes sexual abuse. This statute may impose very important reporting
obligations on you, and a failure to report is a criminal offense for which
a fine of up to one thousand dollars may be imposed. Hence, we are providing
you with a brief summary of the law for your information, along with links
to other more detailed resources. Consequently, we expect that you will want
to review the law's provisions on an urgent basis and take any actions required
of you promptly.
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Child
Punishment in Halacha
(03/30/1995
|
Is it permissible to hit children? Section 43 of the
Criminal Code of Canada states, "Every school teacher, parent or person standing
in the place of a parent is justified in using physical force by way of
correction toward a pupil or child, as the case may be, who is under his
care, if the force does not exceed what is reasonable under the circumstances."
In, Campeau v. The King (1951) 103 C.C.C. 355, the Quebec Court of Appeal
ruled that "the mere fact that the children disciplined suffered contusions
and bruises is not in itself proof of exercise of undue force." This ruling
presupposes that use of physical punishment is beneficial for the discipline.
and education of children.
|
Secular
Resources
Secular
Organizations Dealing with Clergy Abuse
back to table of contents
|
Interfaith
Sexual Trauma Institute. Index
|
The Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute is a joint creation
of Saint John's Abbey and University with a national interdenominational
leadership board of women and men, victims, offenders, practioners in the
helping and legal professions, academics, writers, and church leaders.
email:
isti@csbsju.edu
|
|
SNAP
|
SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
) is a self-help organization of men and women who were sexually abused by
spiritual elders (Catholic priests, brothers, nuns, ministers, teachers,
etc). Members find healing and empowerment by joining with other survivors.
SNAP was founded by Barbara Blaine of Chicago in 1989. We are an all-volunteer
group with local chapters scattered throughout the United States and Canada.
We also have a very active on-line e-mail support group with members from
throughout the world. E-Mail:
SNAPBlaine@hotmail.com
|
|
Survivor
Connections Inc.
|
We were formed because of publicity
from
Frank
Fitzpatrick's involvement in ex-priest
James
R. Porter's case - and the many calls for assistance thereby received.
But SC is for ALL survivors, not just those abused by clergy.
Contact: Frank
Fitzpatrick
|
|
The
Linkup's Homepage
|
Victims' and survivors' advocacy group, is dedicated
to the fight for justice, prevention and the healing of victims.
We track cases around the
world, publishing up to date summaries and special in-depth articles
in our newsletter. Email Linkup:
LinkupOffice@aol.com
|
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