Tuesday, December 5, 2006

AN OPEN LETTER TO RABBI MATISYAHU SALOMON

An open letter to Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon, Mashgiach, Bais Medrash Govoha, Lakewood, New Jersey:

Dear Rabbi Salomon:

I heard your speech at the Agudah Convention and have a few comments and questions I would like to share with you. I am writing this letter in an open forum as I believe the issues herein are of vital importance to our people and warrant the same circulation as your much publicized speech.

I take no issue with your well reasoned argument calling for civility in expression of disagreement. Bnai Torah should be able to agree to disagree. While I join you in condemning the deplorable language used by the few, I respectfully suggest that dissenters need not be placed in the category of “rasha,” or “maskil” for you to make your point. Likewise, suggestions of “hakei es shinov” and proclamations that children of select members of our community whose views you may disagree with have no place in our schools; do little to further civilized discourse.

In your speech you made a point of declaring your lack of cowardice in dealing with the issue of sexual abuse by rabbeim in yeshiva and insisted that keeping your efforts discreet or as you put it to “sweep under the carpet,” is a choice you make to protect human dignity. Whose dignity are you referring to? The dignity of those few victims courageous enough to step forward and confront these powerful monsters or the dignity of these monsters and their poor families? I respectfully suggest that by concerning yourself with the dignity of the pedophile and sweeping his heinous acts under the carpet, you subject his victims to another round of abuse at the hands of the community while enabling the predator to continue his reign of terror on unsuspecting victims.

We are taught “chochmah b’goyim, taamin.” Medical statistics tell us that a treated pedophile has a sixty percent rate of recidivism. This places the pedophile squarely in the category of a rodeph and as such we have a duty to our community to expose him so that potential victims are aware of this clear and present danger. Sex Offender Registries exist for a reason. Namely, the law and medical science recognize that these people are incapable of controlling themselves. You may be impressed by a heartfelt and tearful confession coupled with a commitment to never again succumb to temptation, (“teshuva”). However, you will not be present when this pedophile succumbs to his overwhelming urges and destroys another poor innocent life. Respectfully, you do not have the right to ignore universally accepted medical knowledge and take innocent children’s lives into your hands for the sake of a pedophile’s “dignity.”

Indeed, your strategy of not acting until the pedophile has been proved 100 percent guilty and using the Torah as your guide to protect our mosdos is not new. As will be shown below this very same strategy was followed by many other rabbonim with disastrous results. Rabbi Shalom Yosef Elyashiv puts it best while writing about this very issue. Rabbi Elyashiv quotes the Rashba who writes in his Responsa, III no. 393, “…Because if you will adjudicate based only on the laws established by the Torah, society will be destroyed…” (emphasis added).

Yes, we do need to stop “the terrible assault” and “immunize against a plague” of “insidious poison seeping in.” It is our duty to teach our children to “rise in their defense” and of course we must “give them the ammunition to fight back when they are attacked.” You and I differ only in our opinion of where the threat lies. You maintain with an impressive fervor that the threat lies with disrespectful bloggers. I respectfully disagree and see the threat to be that deadly minority of rabbeim who are morally corrupt and are destroying our children.

In your speech you alluded to the case of Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, a rebbe in Yeshiva Torah Temimah for over thirty-eight years. You express indignation that this one example of a pedophile that “slips through the fingers” is being used as an illustration of how Klal Yisroel behaves. Rabbi Salomon; unfortunately one is as one does. As such, this is who we are as a community today. Tragically, the story as depicted by the secular media in all its gory detail is but the tip of the iceberg.

The below bullet point history is general and merely touches upon events of the past forty years. If you want more details, I suggest you confer with Rabbi Ephraim Wachsman, who was employed by Kolko in Camp Ma-Na-Vu and will surely share his knowledge of events with you. Remind Rabbi Wachsman of his expression of remorse to his friends for not having informed his uncle, Rabbi Shloime Klein, of Kolko’s predilection for young boys when Rabbi Klein was embroiled in a difficult din torah with Kolko and Rabbi Lipa Geldwirth in or around 1990.

A Partial Biography of Rabbi Yehuda Kolko & Rabbi Lipa Margulies

· 1967 – While working as Dormitory Counselor at Yeshivas Mir, Rabbi Yehuda Kolko calls a student (name withheld) out of his dormitory room and begins discussing matters of a sexual nature with him while rubbing up against him in an aroused state. This abuse continues for the remainder of the school year and into the summer season at Camp Agudah. This student is now a distinguished Manhattan attorney living happily with his partner in New York City and insists that his lifestyle choice has absolutely nothing to do with his abuse by Kolko.

· 1969 thru 1971 - Rabbi Yehuda Kolko begins abusing Dovid Framowitz in Yeshiva Torah Vodaas of Flatbush (now known as Yeshiva Torah Temimah) and Camp Agudah, the details of which abuse are now public knowledge. Mr. Framowitz, a grandfather living in Eretz Yisroel, has not gone a day since being abused without reliving the unspeakable agony he suffered at Kolko’s hands.

· 1972 - Rabbi Yehuda Kolko sexually abuses two young campers (names withheld at the request of the victims) in Camp Agudah who complain to their counselor. Their counselor reports the complaint to Rabbi Simcha Kaufman. The abuse of these two boys cease for the remainder of that summer. Rabbi Simcha Kaufman is a co-worker of Kolko in Yeshiva Torah Temimah (more on Kaufman below) and was a co-worker of Kolko in Camp Agudah until 1976 when Kolko voluntarily left Camp Agudah after he co-founded Camp Ma-Na-Vu with Rabbi Lipa Geldwirth, another co-worker of his at Yeshiva Torah Temimah.

· 1977 – Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, employed as a rebbe in Yeshiva Torah Temimah in the morning, is employed in the afternoons by Yeshiva Karlin Stolin as Secular Studies Principal. During the course of his short tenure in Yeshiva Karlin Stolin numerous complaints are lodged by both students and parents (names withheld at the request of the victims) accusing Kolko of sexually abusing boys in the yeshiva. Rabbi Shmuel Dishon asks Kolko to leave the employ of the yeshiva.

· 1977 on – Eyewitness testimony and accusations of sexual abuse by Rabbi Yehuda Kolko of students at Yeshiva Torah Temimah and Camp Ma-Na-Vu reach a crescendo which culminates in several businessmen approaching Rabbi Lipa Margulies in 1984 and offering to fund a retirement package for Rabbi Yehuda Kolko provided he seeks employment away from children. Rabbi Lipa Margulies steadfastly refuses to accept the offer and suggests that those parents who disagree with his decision remove their children from his Yeshiva Torah Temimah.

· 1981 – Rabbi Yehuda Kolko sexually abuses a twelve year old student of Yeshiva Torah Temimah (name withheld at the request of the victim.) This victim publicizes the abuse and acts out, vandalizing Kolko’s home and car. Rabbi Lipa Margulies calls this victim's father and warns him that if this activity does not stop his other children would be expelled from yeshiva and the safety of his family could not be guaranteed. This victim is subsequently referred to Avrohom Mondrowitz for counseling.

· 1984 – As instructed by Rabbi Avigdor Miller, an askan calls for a meeting which takes place at the home of Rabbi Yakov Perlow (the Novominsker) and is attended by Rabbi Avrohom Pam, Rabbi Elya Svei, Rabbi Chaim Dov Keller, Rabbi Aharon Schechter, Rabbi Moshe Scheinerman, Rabbi Shia Fishman and Rabbi Yankel Bender. At this meeting, chaired by Rabbi Perlow, the askan discusses what is transpiring to innocent boys at the hands of Rabbi pedophiles and requests that Torah Umesorah and the rabbonim issue a statement calling for their removal from chinuch. Rabbi Svei informs this askan that Torah Umesorah has consulted their attorneys who advised that for Torah Umesorah to admit knowledge of such abuse would subject Torah Umesorah, its staff, all its member schools and their staff to liability for not having reported their knowledge to the authorities earlier. Accordingly, Rabbi Elya Svei informs the askan, neither he nor Torah Umesorah will do anything about this problem.

· 1984 thru 1985 – At directed by Rabbi Avrohom Pam an askan approaches Rabbi Moshe Scheinerman and the two meet with Rabbi Shia (Joshua) Fishman in the office of Torah Umesorah. Both Scheinerman and Fishman neglect to inform this askan that Fishman had been instructed by Torah Umesorah’s lawyer to do nothing about this issue. Rabbi Fishman requests the names of Kolko’s victims and promises absolute confidentiality. Names are provided to Rabbi Fishman who begins his own investigation of the allegations. He meets with and speaks with several victims who pour their hearts out to him after he guarantees them confidentiality. Rabbi Shia Fishman promptly discloses all he has learned to Rabbi Lipa Margulies who in turn publicly disparages and discredits each and every one of those boys who were brave enough to step forward.

· 1985 – A follow up meeting takes place at the home of Rabbi Simcha Kaufman and includes Rabbi Kaufman, Rabbi Lipa Margulies, Rabbi Shia Fishman, an askan and an eyewitness. The eyewitness recounts his personal knowledge of Rabbi Kolko’s sexual abuse of boys and discusses the information he had gleaned from others. Rabbi Lipa Margulies insists that the charges are all fabrications and attacks the reputations of everyone involved in seeking the removal of Kolko from his Yeshiva Torah Temimah. Rabbi Shia Fishman subsequently informs anyone who asks that he can not deal with this issue as he is old (50 at the time) and will lose his job if he pursues this matter.

· 1985 – Rabbi Moshe Scheinerman is offered a lucrative and prestigious position as rav of a shul (a position he holds to this day) and is told that he must cease and desist from his actions against Yeshiva Torah Temimah rabbeim (his own words) which he promptly does. Scheinerman abandons ship explaining that it is not appropriate for a rabbi of his stature to deal with these matters. Rabbi Yehoshua Leiman takes over.

· 1985 - Rabbi Yehoshua Leiman and others continue their quest for a solution and convene a bais din for this purpose. This bais din, consisting of Rabbi Menashe Klein, Rabbi Yechezkel Roth, Rabbi Aharon Stein, Rabbi Moshe Stern and Rabbi Chaim Yankel Tauber, is scheduled to hear testimony for two days after which they will rule on how to proceed. This panel meets and hears testimony for one day. Shortly thereafter, Rabbi Moshe Stern states that he is unable to participate in any more sessions and this bais din is disbanded without further explanation. In a private conversation with one of the askanim, Rabbi Stern disclosed that he had been approached by Rabbi Lipa Margulies which resulted in the discontinuance of the din torah.

· 1985 – Upon the dissolution of the above bais din, Rabbi Lipa Margulies retains Rabbi Pinchus Scheinberg to convene a second bais din for the purpose of clearing Rabbi Yehuda Kolko’s name. Rabbi Lipa Margulies then drafts Rabbi Friedman (the Tenka Rav) and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Brown to serve on Rabbi Scheinberg’s bais din. Prior to convening the bais din, Rabbi Pinchus Scheinberg speaks with several of Kolko’s victims and asks them to describe what Kolko has done to them. Upon hearing the allegations Rabbi Scheinberg informs the boys that in the eyes of halacha they had not been molested. Rabbi Scheinberg also calls the askanim and tells them to cease and desist in their attempts to remove Kolko from chinuch. Rabbi Avigdor Miller disagrees and instructs the askanim in no uncertain terms to do whatever must be done to protect children from Kolko. Rabbi Pinchus Scheinberg convenes the bais din and takes the position that Rabbi Kolko has a chezkas kashrus absent any testimony by two adult witnesses to any single event. Rabbi Friedman takes the position that in light of the persistent rumors Rabbi Kolko must be kept away from children. Rabbi Brown ultimately concedes that there is no halachic evidence against Kolko and the din torah is concluded. Rabbi Lipa Margulies insists that he has a psak from this bais din but to this day has refused to produce it. Regardless, it is of note that no victims testified before this bais din.

· 1987 – Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, having groomed a former first grade student of his for years, begins systematically sexually abusing this boy (name withheld at the request of the victim) both in and out of the Yeshiva Torah Temimah building. When this boy complains to Rabbi Lipa Margulies that his grades are slipping because Kolko is removing him from class almost daily, Margulies responds by slapping the boy across the face and throwing him out of his office. This young man is now living down south where he is on leave of absence from the U.S. Army.

· 2001 – Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, takes a young Yeshiva Torah Temimah student under his wing (name withheld at the request of the victim) and begins removing him from class for “special projects.” These special projects include the boy being sexually molested by Kolko in the basement of the yeshiva, in Rabbi Kolko’s car and in Rabbi Kolko’s private office, which Rabbi Lipa Margulies has conveniently equipped with its own private bathroom. This young man is currently in therapy and hopes to be able to recover enough to be able to get married and start a family.

· 2005 – Dovid Framowitz, after years of searching on the internet, chances upon a post written by a blogger calling himself “Un-Orthodox Jew” which makes reference to Rabbi Lipa Margulies harboring Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, a known pedophile, in his Yeshiva Torah Temimah. Dovid begins communicating with this blogger via e-mail who in turn posts Dovid’s story on his blog. Over the course of several months other victims of Kolko begin to step forward with their stories.

· January 2006 – Several askonim decide that this four decade long chillul hashem must stop and approach both Rabbi Yehuda Kolko and Rabbi Lipa Margulies with a demand that Kolko be removed from Yeshiva Torah Temimah and Camp Silver Lake and further commit to spending the rest of his life in treatment and away from children. Both Kolko and Margulies refuse.

· February 2006 – A letter is drafted informing the public that Rabbi Yehuda Kolko is a dangerous pedophile and that Rabbi Lipa Margulies continues to employ him despite his knowledge of this fact. Copies of this draft letter are delivered to Kolko and Margulies. Both Kolko and Margulies are offered the opportunity to deal quietly with the issue and are informed that if they continue to refuse, the letter would be mass mailed to the entire community. Kolko responds by stating that “the matter has been taken care of” and Margulies responds by asking if anyone “thinks Kolko is still a threat” and declares “if anyone does not like the way I run my yeshiva let them not send their children to my yeshiva.” They refuse to comply and the letter is sent out in a mass mailing.

· February 2006 – Eli Greenwald, a graduate of Yeshiva and Mesivta Torah Temimah, son of one of the founders of the yeshiva and a parent in the yeshiva receives the letter and spends a few days investigating the matter. He calls Rabbi Yaakov Applegrad, the yeshiva’s Administrator, and requests a meeting of the Vaad Ha'horim in order to address this serious issue. Rabbi Applegrad informs him that there will be no meeting as the allegations are false and that he and Rabbi Margulies have the matter under control. Mr. Greenwald called Rabbi Lipa Margulies and makes the same request of him. Rabbi Margulies responds by shouting at him.

· February 17, 2006 – Eli Greenwald is served with a hazmana issued by Rabbi Yisroel Belsky calling him to a din torah to answer the charge of hotzoas shem rah allegedly committed against Rabbi Yehuda Kolko. Mr. Greenwald responds on February 21, 2006, that he will appear for a din torah before the Bais Din of America. To this day there has been no reply to Mr. Greenwald’s response by either Kolko or Rabbi Yisroel Belsky.

· February 2006 – An askan meets with Rabbi Yaakov Perlow and pleads with him to get involved in this matter. Rabbi Perlow refuses on the basis of his being a yuchid and this being a tzibur matter. After being pressed further Rabbi Perlow takes his final stand that this is a Flatbush matter and as he is a Boro Park rabbi it would be unseemly for him to get involved in this matter.

· March 2006 – Rabbi Lipa Margulies reaches a standstill agreement with the askonim by committing to appear before a panel consisting of two rabbonim and one frum lawyer, all three of whom had been chosen by him. Rabbi Lipa Margulies reneges on his promise to appear before this panel.

· March 23, 2006 – A hazmana to a din torah is sent to Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, Rabbi Lipa Margulies and Yeshiva Torah Temimah summoning them to a din torah before the Bais Din of Mechon L’Hoyroa or a bais din of ZBLA. The hazmana is ignored by all the defendants.

· March 30, 2006 – A second hazmana to a din torah is sent to Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, Rabbi Lipa Margulies and Yeshiva Torah Temimah summoning them to a din torah before the Bais Din of Mechon L’Hoyroa or a bais din of ZBLA. By fax sent on April 5, 2006, Rabbi Lipa Margulies responds to this hazmana stating he will not appear for a din torah “without a prior determination of the charges against Rabbi Kolko.” Rabbi Kolko continues to ignore the hazmanas.

· April 6, 2006 – A third hazmana to a din torah is sent to Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, Rabbi Lipa Margulies and Yeshiva Torah Temimah summoning them to a din torah before the Bais Din of Mechon L’Hoyroa or a bais din of ZBLA. By fax sent on April 10, 2006, Rabbi Lipa Margulies responds to this hazmana by stating “the Hazmonah that you sent to us was not a valid Hazmonah.” Rabbi Kolko does not respond at all. It is of note that Rabbi Yehuda Kolko is still teaching in Yeshiva Torah Temimah while these exchanges are taking place.

· May 4, 2006 – A lawsuit is filed in United States District Court: Eastern District of New York, naming Rabbi Yehuda Kolko; Yeshiva & Mesivta Torah Temimah, Inc. and Camp Agudah as defendants. Rabbi Yehuda Kolko remains in the classrooms of Yeshiva Torah Temimah.

· May 5, 2006 – Rabbi Simcha Kaufman approaches Dovid Framowitz and with tears in his eyes tells him that if only he had known what Rabbi Kolko was doing to him he would have put a stop to it. Of interest was Rabbi Simcha Kaufman’s complete denial of any prior knowledge of any accusation before Dovid Framowitz brought his lawsuit. Rabbi Simcha Kaufman pleads with Dovid to withdraw his lawsuit lest he hurt Rabbi Lipa Margulies and the Yeshiva.

· May 10, 2006 – After being approached for comment on several occasions by Robert Kolker, a reporter for New York Magazine, and with a 5:00 printing deadline looming, Rabbi Lipa Margulies issues a statement through his attorney at 4:30 PM. Beginning with a proclamation that Yeshiva Torah Temimah is the preeminent yeshiva in the world followed by an absolute denial of all the allegations, the statement concludes with an announcement that Rabbi Kolko has agreed to a “leave of absence” pending resolution of this matter. Despite this claim, Rabbi Yehuda Kolko remains in the classrooms of Yeshiva Torah Temimah.

· May 12, 2006 – A second lawsuit is filed in United States District Court: Eastern District of New York naming Rabbi Yehuda Kolko; Yeshiva & Mesivta Torah Temimah, Inc. as defendants. Still, Rabbi Yehuda Kolko remains in the classrooms of Yeshiva Torah Temimah.

· May 15, 2006 – “On the Rabbi’s Knees – Do the Orthodox Jews Have a Catholic Priest Problem” a feature article in New York Magazine, a publication with a circulation of three million, is published. Within days of the publication of the article and after thirty-eight years of committing unspeakable acts of perversion in Yeshiva Torah Temimah, Kolko leaves the classrooms of Yeshiva Torah Temimah. It was only after the magazine hit the newsstands that Margulies succumbed to pressure and removed Kolko from the classrooms of Yeshiva Torah Temimah.

· July 2006 – Over the vocal protest of many residents and with the help of his friend Rabbi Yaakov Applegrad, Rabbi Yehuda Kolko takes up summer residence at a home in Regency Estates in the Catskills. Despite the claim that Kolko was on a leave of absence from Yeshiva Torah Temimah, he continues working for Camp Silver Lake, Yeshiva Torah Temimah’s summer home. In addition, Kolko initiates and organizes a multi-camp excursion to Lake Compounce, a water park located in Connecticut, where he is seen frolicking with young boys in bathing suits. A secular media outcry ensues resulting in Kolko being banned from the park by its non-Jewish management. Astonishingly, in August Kolko organizes a second trip to Lake Compounce, which is attended by the same frum boy’s camps who participated in the July trip.

The above is but a sampling of the cases I am aware of. One need not be a great lamden to realize that I am aware of only a small percentage of Kolko’s abuse victims. As rachmonim bnai rachmonim, it is unbearable to grasp the stunning extent of this catastrophe.

To all who decry the “chillul hashem” the New York Magazine article resulted in, I say; embarrassing, yes. Chillul hashem, absolutely not! Indeed, it is ironic that this very article which has been condemned by many rabbonim is what got you and them to belatedly acknowledge Kolko’s guilt. Apparently a mere forty years of koila d’lo posuk was not enough. Were the lawsuits and the magazine article the chillul hashem? No! The decades long chillul hashem is that of Margulies's and Kolko’s actions coupled with the many decades of improper action and inaction by our rabbonim and organizations. Their chillul hashem was somewhat offset by the recent kiddush hashem of the action taken by a few askonim. They, who had the courage to do what had to be done to protect our children from the acts of monsters and the cowardice of our rabbonim. All this I say with the utmost respect and reverence.

I lay no blame at your doorstep for the above; you come from another part of the world, did not participate in and have no first hand knowledge of these events. I merely ask you to understand the world of pain and destruction that Rabbi Yehuda Kolko and his enablers; with a special note of distinction going to Rabbi Lipa Margulies; have left in their wake. I respectfully question your judgment in showing respect and support for Rabbi Lipa Margulies without having done a thorough investigation of his history. Surely, l'man yishmeu v’yirahu, a man such as Lipa Margulies must be publicly vilified; not cholila v’chas publicly honored by someone of your esteem.

I respectfully submit that despite the focus of your speech, this issue has nothing to do with an obnoxious blogger or kovod haTorah. No reasonable adult takes this blogger’s inane ravings as anything but. That he fell into this issue and “b’mokom she'ain ish” he chose to “hishtadail lehios ish” and participate in pushing it forward, is a sad commentary on the egregious failures of our leadership. Rather, the issue is the still unanswered question of where our leaders were all these decades while Rabbi Yehuda Kolko and Rabbi Lipa Margulies were savaging our children. I ask with the utmost respect and humility; how can you stand in front of us in good faith and turn this into an issue of kovod hatorah? I ask that you hear the constant cries of anguish laden souls destroyed by chronic inaction coupled with a misguided concern for the “dignity” of rabbeim who molest.

This is not a tale of something that somehow “slips through the fingers” but rather only one of many glaring examples of what occurs in a community whose leaders are unwilling to deal with an issue that sits under a spotlight for four decades and engulfs the souls of countless innocent children. Hashem yerachaim.

As parents we have every right to expect that accusations of sexual abuse by a rebbe be first verified post haste and then publicized so that we may protect our children from this predator and make informed decisions about where to send our children to yeshiva. In the face of pikuach nefesh; cries of kovod haTorah, chillul hashem and loshon harah have no relevance. To resort to such cries is simply am ha'haretzes and violates the precept not to be a merachaim al ha'achzoir. The issue all of us need to address, lay people and rabbonim alike, is why nothing was done for so many decades and what lessons we can learn from our past mistakes to prevent future catastrophes of this nature.

Respectfully yours,

772 comments:

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Anonymous said...

Aguda and Torah Umesora are two sick dying groups. Every normal day school and yeshiva should opt out of them real fast. For the sake of the children.

Anonymous said...

Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Lakewood's powerful gathering against internet
Powerful, inspiring was Lakewood's gathering on the detructiveness and harm of the internet.

Thousands jammed Bais Faiga Hall and its' outdoor spaces where from a three level crowded dais and numerous large screens, rabbonim, just days before Rosh HaShana declared a war against the internet.

Leading off was the rosh yeshiva Rabbi Malkiel Kotler who spoke about the necessity of erecting "walls", safeguarding yourself and your children. "Don't let cracks in that wall; don't open any door!"

Next Rabbi Shmual Kaminetsky delivered via video (having recently fallen) a passionate plea. He called the internet "Sakanas Nefashas", and said the takanas, rules, that will be given are about saving our children.

Rabbi Ephraim Wachsman came to the lectern thundering that the satan has us by a death grip. He quoted R' Rosenblum Shlita saying: "The pillars of Klaal Yisroel are shaking!".
Now, he said, we're deciding how our children and grandchildren will look in the future.
"Infections are spreading class to class like a plague.", he wailed, with visible sweat trickling down his face.

Lakewood's beloved mashgiach Rabbi Matisyahu Solomon ended off bemoaning how our generation is dancing with the satan and- "he's spinning out of control with much excitement", having gotten the internet in our homes.
Any heter, exclaimed the mashgiach, to posses the internet for parnasah is "B'Deyeved of B'Deyeved, adding: "I'd like to say something radical: maybe it is better to live in poverty than to give away your neshama- bring the internet in your house!".
He warned everyone : "It has no place in a jewish home",... "One picture can ruin a child for life.",... "You don't give children keys to your car"!
"We need a fear of the internet", he declared emphatically.
He ended off with the sad- but not helpless fact- of today's world, "We can't protect our children from others except with tefilah (prayer)." With that he concluded the historic asifa by leading all in the Psalm "..from the depths I call you.."

The new Takanas will be forthcoming.

posted by Yeshiva Orthodoxy

Anonymous said...

A friend of mine who lives on Lakewood's 14th St is no fan of molesters and the protection racket. He has no idea of any molester besides Oratz and says he would know about it if it were true.

Is someone spreading false rumors or do you have more information to share?

Anonymous said...

At first I thought the above post was a satire. Its not. This was a real article from two years ago.

Why are we following these people? We expect them to fix the child sex abuse problem?

For many years, I felt yeshivish, and of like mind, thought and style to these rabbis. No more. This is not for me. I wear a black hat on Shabbos, but you can call me modern orthodox, modern yeshivish, I just don't don't care.

Its true. Aguda and TU are sick.

Anonymous said...

Don't despair. I'm putting out two pamphlets on child abuse. One is for parents on how to speak to their children and teach them the difference between good touching and bad touching. The other pamphlets will be for the administration and teach them the proper way to cover up these issues.

Anonymous said...

Satire? Not only is the comment accurate, look at the link! Wachsman has a website for his shul!!

This same jackass who screams about the evils of the internet warning that satan himself has us in a death grip through the internet, uses the internet for his shul.

These bums are priceless.

Anonymous said...

Go ahead, Agudah. Lecture everyone but those responsible. i.e. U friggin rabbis!

Anonymous said...

That Ohel Yitzcok link is not Wachsmann's shul. It's for Rabbi Arieli's shul where all the Hungarians & heimishe style Israelis in Queens daven.

Anonymous said...

Hey mr. Anonymous,
It's pretty obvious that you're all one person. And your probably the same person who posted the same thing six times on the chaptzem website. Get a life!

Anonymous said...

Hey Mr. Anonymous,
Why don't you give yourself a name so that we can all see how many people you are?

Anonymous said...

Chabibi: If you have knowledge of Rabbi S. molesting under age girls; GO TO THE POLICE! You will accomplish nothing without the police.

If he is fooling around with adult women only; mind your own business.

Anonymous said...

"Rabbi Arieli's shul where all the Hungarians & heimishe style Israelis in Queens daven."

Not all. They also daven by Rabbi Ashkenazi. The mikva there is one of the mikvaos that Ephraim Bryks is in charge of.

Anonymous said...

סוטורסקי מנוול

Anonymous said...

sitorsky pig

Anonymous said...

sitorsky go to hell

Anonymous said...

סוטורסקי מנוול

Anonymous said...

Rav Arieli is a good guy. I went out with his daughter a long time ago and I still remember that he was a big mentch

Anonymous said...

The Only Solution
By Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum

As the news of another meat scandal spread rapidly through the city of
Chelm an emergency meeting was called by the Vaad Haletzonim to make
takones that would prevent such a catastrophe from happening again.
Speaker after speaker got up to let off steam, shouting at the top of his
lungs, and waving his hands frantically, putting the blame on everyone
but himself. Some claimed that they must hire an additional mashgiach to
keep check on the mashgiach while others claimed that they must raise the
salary of the supervising rabbi so that it would make it worthwhile and
profitable for him to go check up on the food establishment more often.
This last suggestion was unanimously accepted by a nodding of heads.
Some blamed the water on the floor for the rabbi slipping up on the job
while others decided that each piece of meat must be wrapped with five
additional wrappers so that it would make repackaging much too difficult
and time consuming for anyone to bother with. Some suggested that more
numbers must be added to the code on the box containing the meat and
special x-ray machines would have to be installed at the entrance and
exit of every food establishment that would automatically detect any
non-kosher meat that they would try to smuggle in. One clever Chelemite
that owned a fruit and vegetable store suggested that meat be completely
banned and that everyone become a vegetarian. There was much hissing and
booing at this suggestion which was declared out of order and was
immediately rejected since it would put the shochtim and supervisors out
of business. They were already suffering a great loss because of the
recent wedding takones that had been implemented. Others rightfully
claimed that the eating of vegetables was far worse since for each bug
one transgresses many sins and not only one. The best suggestion came
from a well known elderly Chelemite rabbi who proposed that from now on
people use only paper dishes and metal pots for cooking since this will
minimize the eating of treif and avoid having to constantly buy new
dishes and kashering the pots which can be very expensive. The Chelemite
Paperific distributor immediately seconded the motion. Another
respectable rabbi with a flowing white beard proposed that from now on
these matters must be kept silent and swept under the carpet and not
publicized since it just causes a chilul Hashem and gets people to speak
loshon horah. Another Chelemite rabbi, greatly respected by the entire
city of Chelm for his great wisdom, claimed that the story never happened
and was only staged in order to bring shame upon Chelm's chief rabbi who
had provided his endorsement on the store. Some conspirator theorists
claimed that the entire problem was set up by some hardware store owners
whose business was now booming with the sale of pots and dishes flying
off the shelves like never before.

The meeting went on until late into the night with charges and
countercharges and with questions about the price of tea in China. It
finally ended with the last speaker addressing an audience which was
already half asleep by then. When it came time to sum up the resolutions
one could only hear the sound of snoring echoing throughout the hall and
therefore it was decided that perhaps another meeting be held on Shevuos
night when everyone would be fully awake. The presiding rabbi thereupon
took out a copy of all the takonos passed at the last years meeting and
seconded them once again. Everyone walked out happily that the meeting
had finally ended without anyone having been put on the hot seat. By
popular demand, it was decided to hold the next meeting on the following
Purim with the Purim rav presiding over the meeting.

And so everyone lived happily ever after and the only thing that changed
a few months later when the next scandal was uncovered and sent shock
waves throughout the town was the place, time, and date, as well as the scenery.

P.S. Unfortunately it's a "bittere gelechter," and it's time we take
the matter more seriously and perhaps put the Shomrim in charge.

Anonymous said...

Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY - Four people including a rabbi stole a half-million-dollar home from a cancer-stricken woman, using a forged power of attorney to sell it and pocket the profits, Brooklyn prosecutors charged.

According to investigators, Margaret Franklin's Crown Heights home was stolen after Nathen Farkas, 31, forged a power of attorney, signing Franklin's name, that effectively handed control of her assets to co-defendant Russell Pitt. The power of attorney was notarized by a third defendant, Jerry Brauner, 53, a rabbi who had been on probation. Brauner was convicted in 2002 for sexual abuse of a 15 year old boy.
Pitt then "sold" the property to the fourth defendant, Winston Roche, 59, and a $476,000 mortgage was split among Roche, Pitt and Farkas.

Farkas was ordered held in lieu of $85,000 bail and Roche on $45,000. Pitt is still at large. Brauner was held in lieu of $85,000 bail for lying about prior convictions when he applied for his notary's license.

Anonymous said...

http://stlouis.ujcfedweb.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=205469

Agudath Israel typically just ignores the group, which tends to garner press coverage because the image of Chasidic Jews embracing anti-Semites is so striking, Shafran said. But he called the Neturei Karta’s public display of affection for Ahmadinejad “graphic and disgusting.”

Yo, Shafran, you two-faced manipulator! What about the public display of affection for Mr. "Honorable Man" Margulies who gets to be shaliach tzibur for Tehillim leinen at Agudah functions?

That's not disgusting?

And Kolko's crimes are not both disgusting and graphic?

Anonymous said...

In the broadest sense, I think that the time for fathers and mothers to begin protecting their beloved children from sexual abuse is the moment that they walk down from the chuppah and begin their married life together.

Think of it this way. Children who are raised in homes that are havens of safety, love, mutual respect and tolerance are far more likely to immediately notice when they are treated in an abusive manner. Emotionally healthy, self-confident children who appreciate their sacred right to privacy (click here) and personal space are far more likely to hear the warning bells blaring whenever that space is invaded. Children who grow up with the notion that they can be comfortable discussing anything – ANYTHING – with their (click here) parents will, in all likelihood, inform their parents the very moment that something is amiss.

Conversely, children who are bullied into submission by their own parents or those who regularly view one parent being cowed into silence by the other may think that abusive behavior is quite normal. Children who are denied their personal space or whose individuality is crushed or suppressed by their parents may not think much is amiss when outsiders do the same to them. In fact, most predators have a ‘sixth sense’ of which children have grown up in these trying conditions – and zoom in on them like a moth drawn to light.
Let’s face it. Foolproof protection is impossible. You cannot follow your children wherever they go, nor should you raise them to be frightened or suspicious of every adult that they will meet. Moreover, as I noted last week, even though the high-profile abuse cases are school based, they are only a tiny percentage of the instances of molestation. Abusers are far more likely to be extended and close family members, older kids in the neighborhood, family friends, neighbors and peers.

Therefore, the most effective things that parents can do is to keep their children safe are to model healthy interactions between adults (that’s you) and children, and to empower them to speak up if they feel threatened or uncomfortable.

Here are some practical tips:

• Encourage your children to share the events of their day with you when they arrive home each day. Spend time with them, make eye contact, and listen – really listen – to what they have to say.

• Tell your children – early and often – that they can discuss anything with you, no matter how disturbing or uncomfortable those things are. Be aware that this means that you must develop true tolerance for their misdeeds if you want this to continue.

• One of the most effective methods of protection is to teach your children that no adult is ever permitted to tell them a secret that they cannot tell their parents. This is a huge ‘red flag’ for predatory behavior, since part and parcel of the depraved strategy of molesters is to keep things secret from parents. There is no acceptable set of circumstances where any adult should ever be telling a child to keep secrets from his/her parents. Teaching your children that this is wrong is a powerful tool in their protective arsenal. Likewise, parents who keep secrets from each other are also modeling poor values (the kids figure it out quite soon).

• Encourage the notion of personal space in your child’s life. Tell your children to knock before entering a room if they think that someone there may be undressed (do the same yourself). Give your children a drawer to keep their private possessions, and ask their siblings to respect that privacy.

• “Your body belongs to you,” is a theme that should be stressed with children. While bathing young children, for example, is often a good time to discuss privacy matters in a calm, matter-of-fact manner. Tell them about ‘good touching’ and ‘bad touching’. One way of expressing this concept is to explain to them that no one except for parents can touch them in a spot covered by a bathing suit. Please do not alarm them. Frame the discussion as one of safety, and use the same tone that you would use when informing them not to take candy from strangers and not to cross the street without an adult.

• Another supremely important thing to convey to children is that they should not ever be forced to do things that make them feel uncomfortable. Tell them that if they are asked to do something that “doesn’t feel right,” they have the right to say no – even to an adult. (Many, many victims report that they felt they had no choice but to go along with the demands of the abuser.)
If you suspect that your child was molested, please seek the counsel of a trained mental health professional, preferably before you speak to your children.

On a Communal Level

These columns are primarily devoted to helping parents raise their children – not to address communal issues. However, it is clear that in the arena of the prevention of sexual abuse, there is much overlap between what parents ought to be doing and what communities (schools, shuls, etc.) need to do to protect our children.

Communal change can only happen when there is an honest assessment of the facts on the ground and the steely determination to do whatever it takes to improve matters. In other words, when reality-based thinking rules, not faith-based wishing. Sadly, in the area of molestation, we are nowhere near that stage yet.
I find that in many ways, my experiences with the abuse-prevention matter mirrors what transpired about ten years ago when I – and several others – publicly lectured and wrote about the fact that frum people were (and still are) pushing drugs to our children. At the time, there was a stunning level of denial that this was happening. Even after there were several well publicized deaths of frum children from drug overdoses. Even after a 50-year old charedi man was arrested for selling drugs in a Boro Park shul. And even after that arrest was widely reported on the front pages of NYC newspapers.

We kept writing and speaking about it – but people didn’t seem to “get it.” Please read these 3 articles that I published three years ago in The Jewish Press.

I cannot understand why members of our community are not willing to report the criminals who are selling drugs to our kids directly to the police. This is, in my opinion, a misplaced application of the concept of mesirah. Ten years ago, I asked our leading gedolim if I should pass along information to the police regarding drug pushers. I got a unanimous psak that drug dealers have the full status of a rodef (one who poses life-threatening danger to others), and that I have not only the right, but also the obligation to do everything in my power to have them arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. In my opinion, there is no substantive difference between a drug pusher and a child molester. Let the system work and let’s finally start protecting our children before there are any more shattered lives and suicides.
I think it is a terribly sad statement that an individual who sold non-kosher food in my hometown of Monsey ran for his life the moment the story broke and was not seen since, while a fiend who molested both Jewish and non-Jewish children in Boro Park is living comfortably in Jerusalem while evading extradition. I am most certainly not promoting or condoning vigilante violence. But it would be a positive step forward when accused child molesters in our community need to ask for police protection for fear of being harmed by righteously indignant people.

Incredibly, in that case, only the non-Jewish parents pressed charges. Here is text from a Nightline article on the subject: “The only victims that cooperated with the investigation were Italian. They were neighborhood boys who trusted the rabbi because he bought them gifts like bicycles. Not a single Orthodox Jewish boy or their parents would talk to the police. The statements of four Italian boys, aged 11 through 16, were the basis for the indictment against Avrohom Mondrowitz. He was facing eight counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, endangering the welfare of a child, and five counts of sodomy in the first degree.”

I ask, “Are Jewish children less sacred and worthy of protection than are non-Jewish children?”

Anonymous said...

Very verbose. Why can't he simply say:

IF YOU OR YOUR CHILD ARE MOLESTED GO TO THE POLICE!

If you read through his fundraising fluff it is there, but why can't he just say it loud and clear?

Anonymous said...

iDIOT - Rabbi Horowitz is a rare exception and your are railing against him????

His words are really pricelss and you call it fluff!!!!

Anonymous said...

Rabbi Horowitz is being very bold here and should be commended. My question is, what has he said to the Gedolim? There will be no change in the community until Agudah,Torah Umesorah, etc. make full investigations, and the people who covered up lose their jobs. They must make sweeping actions, not statements (they haven't even done that) that send the message to Mechanchim and Rabbonim regarding these situations in the future: You will be held accountable. "You cannot follow your children wherever they go". I say I should be able to feel safe when I send them to Yeshiva, even if, tragically, "they are only a tiny percentage of the instances of molestation".

Anonymous said...

The true champions of this cause, those behind the scene, have expended substantial sums in bringing rabbinic child molestation and our organizational cover-up out into the open.

Yaakov Horowitz, who dropped into the “At-Risk Teen” scene at a most opportune moment and has done some good while profiting greatly, has now seen fit to place himself (hand outstretched) into the sexual abuse business.

Horowitz would serve this vital cause well to proclaim loudly and clearly in as few words as possible: VICTIMS, GO TO THE POLICE! As importantly, he must do this without asking for money. This is one issue that he and his ilk should not be allowed to profit from.

Yaakov Horowitz is not selfless nor is he committed to this cause. He is moving sloth like in the right direction while at the same time seeking to raise funds with lightening speed.

Horowitz can be a helpful voice in this arena provided he is crystal clear with his message and stops looking to profit off the backs of victims.

We who seek no glory and continue to spearhead and fund this mission have the right to object to his unseemly behavior.

Anonymous said...

Courtesy of the Awareness Center newsgroup:

>According to Menachem, sexual assault of
>children isn't a rare thing in the Charedi
>world, and many cases are silenced within
>the community. It was the reason why he
>didn't tell anyone about other events that
>took place over the years. "I'm not alone,"
>He says, "assaulting children is a common
>thing in the Charedi world, almost accepted.
>Everyone knows, but they try to take care of
>it internally. To go to the police? It is out of
>the question."

Breaking Silence
(Translated from Hebrew to English)
Ma'ariv Dec, 28 2006
http://www.nrg.co.il/online/11/ART1/523/767.html

As a Charedi (ultra-orthodox) child he had been through a series of molestations and attempted rapes. Even after he left the religious life, he suffered from nightmares and sleepless nights. Now Menachem Lang decided to gather his courage, confront his attackers, and force the Charedi world to deal with its demons. Dressed as a Charedi, he infiltrated Bnei-Brak and followed them--until he managed to squeeze an detailed admission and request for forgiveness; all in front of the cameras.

Menachem Lang was born as a Charedi in Bnei-Brak. Already at a young age he was discovered as someone who possessed a unique voice for Chazanut (leading the community in religious song)and became the wonder child of the Charedi world. However, alongside the success, Lang was hiding a relentless dark secret.

"The first time was when I was 7 years old," tells Lang. "The attacker took me to the bathroom and spent five hours with me there. He rubbed against me and touched me, breathed like a drunkard. I just lowered my eyes and waited for it to be over." This week, almost 20 years later, Lang went back to the streets of Bnei-Brak--and this time as a non-religious Jew dressed as a Charedi--in order to confront the people who sexually assaulted him.

Menachem, 25 years old, is an actor in the Ensemble of Herzelia Theater, went on the shuddering trip into his past accompanied by Channel 10 reporter Guy Lerer. "I always wanted to do this," he says, "it hurt me that these people are walking free. It haunted me nights, but I didn't have the courage to do this because I didn't have anyone to do it with. I made the decision when Lerer came to me to prepare a report on the show I participate in. I told him about my dream and he immediately told me 'we're doing this!'. During the shooting we walked into the Satmar borough dressed as Charedis, the same Chassidic group that sent its people to meet with Ahmad Nigahd. It is a hard, violent place."

"I am regretful!"
About two weeks agog, Landg and Lerer, outfitted with a hidden camera, arrived in a neighborhood in Bnei-Brak. He waited under one of the houses, dressed as a Charedi. A few minutes later, a familiar figure approaches up the street. Menachem identifys "A", the man who attacked him violently and molested him when he was 13. He goes to him and calls him to stop. "A" turns and flees, Menachem runs after him. Several tens of meters later, he catches him, and the two begin to fight. When "A" understands that he has no place to run to, he stops, and after he calms down a bit an exchange develops between Menachem and him.

A: "I admit that I used to mess (with children) but three years already I hadn't messed with any one."
Menachem: "How old are you today?"
A: "I'm 37."
Menachem: "Until the time you were 34 you touched children?"
A: "I did to you what I did to you in the Synagogue. Since I did to you I hadn't touched anyone."
Menachem: "Why did you do (this)?"
A: "Folly. Everyone has a Yetzer-Ha'ra (an urge to do bad).
Menachem: "With how many children have you done this?"
A: "I didn't do a lot (of times/of kids), I did with two-three, not more than that. I repented and I don't do it and don't touch anyone."
Menachem: "You know why I don't believe you? Because I can see in your face that you are not sorry."
This is the moment when "A" loses his cool and yells in the middle of the street: "I am regretful! You want to murder my life?" At this point a large crowd gathers in the street. Menachem and the filming crew, afraid of being Lynched, leave the place. Later on, Menachem confronts another attacker, who offers to compensate for the molestation with payment, as is customary in the Charedi world. Menachem, surprisingly enough, accepts the offer.

That very day Menachem receives a threatening phone call from the Bnei-Brak Modesty Patrols. "I head people talking about it and they decided to go to the end," whispers the voice on the other end of the line, "if this stops, it'll stop. If this happens again, there will be a battle against battle here. You want this? Be our guest."

"Entering Satmar was when I felt that we might be crossing a line," tell Lerer, "there were factors in the Charedi world who told us that even they would be afraid to go in there. We were dressed as Charedis, but you can say that the costume wasn't all that credible. If they were to expose us, we wouldn't have left there alive."

"It is common in the Charedi world"
Five years ago Menachem left religious life. Now it is much easier for him to talk of the atrocities that he underwent in Bnei-Brak, this that repeated themselves over years, by the hands of a number of people.

"The second time it happened to me, at age 10, a man I didn't know tempted me and got me into a stairwell," he reconstructs the event, "there he undid my pants, touched me, and tried to enter me with his penis. I will not forget that in the midst of all this he was talking Gemara with me, probably to distract me while he was doing what he was doing. It was terrible. I told about it to an older and qualified man. He caught the attacker and took him to a very known rabbi, who takes care of such matters. Unfortunately, I saw him (the attacker) walking free the very next day. I found out that he was the son of a very known 'Admor' (congregation leader rabbi), which meant that nothing could be done to him."

According to Menachem, sexual assault of children isn't a rare thing in the Charedi world, and many cases are silenced within the community. It was the reason why he didn't tell anyone about other events that took place over the years. "I'm not alone," He says, "assaulting children is a common thing in the Charedi world, almost accepted. Everyone knows, but they try to take care of it internally. To go to the police? It is out of the question."

Since the brave journey back to the world that abused him, Menachem has been exposed to tens of additional phone threats. "Bnei-Brak is on fire," he says, "They feel that this is one of the hardest things that ever hit them. I'd already heard about organized plans to come and exact revenge upon me, but I'd also heard about those who support me. They say that no one ever stopped it from within. It is about time that someone brings an end to this from outside."

Even though he has filmed admissions from his attackers, Menachem decided not to place a complaint with the police. He doesn't deny that one of those reasons is the many threats he receives. "If a complaint is made with the police, I will need to leave the country (Israel) the next day," Menachem explains. "It is not something I want to do. Anyway, I think that the report will do far better service and maybe will result in tens of poor children not having to go through the same hell as I did."

The full story, Friday 12-29-06, on "Shee-Shee" with Raviv Droker and Ofer Shelach on Channel 10.

Anonymous said...

The NYS Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment

The abuse or maltreatment of children is against the law. Victims need an effective child protective service to prevent them from suffering further injury and impairment.

The purpose of the Child Protective Services Act of 1973 is to encourage more complete reporting of child abuse and maltreatment. The law established a Child Protective Service in each county in New York. Each Child Protective Service is required to investigate child abuse and maltreatment reports, to protect children (under 18 years old) from further abuse or maltreatment, and to provide rehabilitative services to children, parents, and other family members involved.

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services maintains a statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment for reports made pursuant to the Social Services Law.

The Central Register, also known as the "Hotline", receives telephone calls alleging child abuse or maltreatment within New York State. The Central Register relays information from the calls to the local Child Protective Service for investigation, monitors their prompt response, and identifies if there are prior child abuse or maltreatment reports.

The Hotline receives calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week from two sources: persons who are required by law, or mandated, to report suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment; and calls from non-mandated reporters, including the public.

Among those who are mandated to make reports are:

medical and hospital personnel
school officials
social service workers
child care workers
residential care workers and volunteers, and
law enforcement personnel.
*This list is not all inclusive.

A signed, written report (LDSS 2221A Report of Suspected Child Abuse or Maltreatment Adobe PDF LDSS 2221A / Microsoft Word LDSS 2221A) must be filed by mandated reporters within forty-eight hours of an oral report. You should submit written reports to the appropriate local child protective service. You may request the address of the investigative district from the child protective specialist at the time you make the oral report to the State Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment.

The Summary Guide for Mandated Reporters (Adobe PDF or Text), also available in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian, provides mandated reporters with an overview of their obligations and a conceptual framework of the New York State Child Protective Services System (CPS).

Voluntary reporters (neighbors, relatives and concerned citizens) may also use our statewide, toll free number to make reports. If you suspect a child who has been harmed or who is at risk, dial 1-800-342-3720, to report what you have seen or heard. You can make a difference!

Child Protective Services/State Central Register Forms

baalbatish said...

Menachem Lang confrnts his molesters.

http://news.nana.co.il/Article/?ArticleID=419794

Anonymous said...

I just happened on this blog and want to point out whata i belive is a mistake. rabbi wachsman did not work at camp minavu when rabbi kokko was the head counselor. he only joined the camp after rabbi kolkjo left and rabbi klein was in charge

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
I just happened on this blog and want to point out whata i belive is a mistake. rabbi wachsman did not work at camp minavu when rabbi kokko was the head counselor. he only joined the camp after rabbi kolkjo left and rabbi klein was in charge"

Mr. Anon,
Effy Wachsman was in Ma Na Vu from the getgo. All you have to do is see who edited the yearbooks from those years. And he also led the camp in a Color War cheer that was done to the tune of Donna Summers "Hot Stuff"

Anonymous said...

Anon: you are a liar . Rabbi Wachsman than known as Effie Wachsman was in Manavu way before the split between klein and kolko.

Saturday night - Dov Hikin had a show on abuse and had a guest who he called Chaim. This 27 year old discussed how hw was molested by his Rebbi. This happened the year he started learning gemoro which presumably is 5th grade. He told his parents at the end of the year. He found at later that his parents spoke to the Rosh Yeshhiva who told them that they must keep quiet because it is loshon hara and chillul hashem. He said that publicizing it would be totally against the values that they instill in their bachuim. Pretty sick, huh? I believe the boy was 10 at the time meaning that it happened 17 years ago.

Hikind said that the Yeshiva that it happened in was one of the top Yeshivas in our chareidi community and that it was (is) considered very hard to get in there and that there was a big competition to get into the particular Yeshiva.

Does anyone know what Yeshiva Chaim and Hikind were referring to?

Anonymous said...

I too remember the Hot Stuff cheer. Kolko was certainly there at the time..

Sitting here eating our supper, baby

fire drill in middle of the soup...

or something like that

Anonymous said...

"Hikind said that the Yeshiva that it happened in was one of the top Yeshivas in our chareidi community and that it was (is) considered very hard to get in there and that there was a big competition to get into the particular Yeshiva.

Does anyone know what Yeshiva Chaim and Hikind were referring to?"

He was referring to Torah Temimah.

Anonymous said...

baalbatish said...
Menachem Lang confrnts his molesters.

http://news.nana.co.il/Article/?ArticleID=419794

Sunday, December 31, 2006 10:12:00 PM IST

its sickening i just watched the whole video of him on arutz 10 i litterally want to throw up,just look how the rabbonim are putting case after case under the rug they tell the police they will take care of it and all they do is silence the victims they dont get it that there is no more room under the carpet pretty soon there will be such an uproar from case after case that are coming out publicly and annoncing for all to see the cover ups these rabbonim did all these years and with their silencing of victims enabled these perverts many more yiddesha kinderlach to be victimised by these scum who with all the good deeds they canput together in an entire life are not worth the small toe nail of MENACHEM LANG i just hope that the explosion on the street from the many victims happens sooner rather than later for i have no more strength to look at another video like this. i am sitting at home crying for him what he went through i am sickened to the core.
LEIZEROWITZ VICTIM FOREVER

Anonymous said...

Rabbi DO, as a school official of Mesifta Bais Yisroel of Ger you knew for MANY years of the hanky panky going on between the mashgiach and buchurim. So u r a mandated reporter and are required to report to child services or the police in writing and via hotline within 24 hours. And as a Rov in ger u were moraly obligated to even put your job and career on the line to insure that AML was removed immediately from the school. Given your immense knowledge of torah it stands to reason that u knew all along that halacha requires u to do the same. THEREFORE, HERE IS MY ULTIMATUM: REPORT ALL THAT U KNOW TO THE AUTHORITIES IMMEDIATELY OR RESIGN FROM ANY AND ALL POSITIONS IN THE GER COMMUNITY THAT U SO MISERABLY FAILED. DON'T CRY LIKE THE NAZIS DID THAT U TOOK YOU ORDERS FROM HIGHER UPS. IT WONT DO WHEN MURDER OF OUR KIDS WAS INVOLVED.

THIS IS MY DEMAND. IGNORE IT AND I WILL SET A DEADLINE FOR U TO ACT. AFTER THAT WE TAKE OVER AND WE GO TO THE STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES. WE KNOW ALOT MORE THAN U IMAGINE WE DO.

Anonymous said...

To the one who said that Hikin was referring to Torah Temimah. ou might be right, but they were clearly talking about a 5th grade Rebbi(the year that Chaim started Gemara)- Kolko was always a first grade Rebbi.

Can you help with this one??

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
To the one who said that Hikin was referring to Torah Temimah. ou might be right, but they were clearly talking about a 5th grade Rebbi(the year that Chaim started Gemara)- Kolko was always a first grade Rebbi.

Can you help with this one??"

The boys molestation started when he was in 5th grade. Kolko was also an assistant principal.

Anonymous said...

That's not what CHAIM said. He said that he was tutored by his Rebbi. It sure sounded like the Rebbi that he had that year - meaning fifth grade. This was not Kolko.

Anonymous said...

"IT IS SOMETIMES USEFUL TO MISLEAD, TO DECEIVE AND TO ENSLAVE MANKIND TO ENSURE THEIR HAPPINESS"

Pierre-Simon, System Of The World, 1796

We are indeed enslaved! Enslaved not for our happiness, but for the sake of the corrupt institutions and their chief benefactors, the rabbis.

Let's analyze the plight we Orthodox Jews find ourselves in today. We uncovered the corruption in our institutions. We discovered that their halacha, Jewish law, is against the law of man. Primitive man after Avraham Avinu, did not sacrifice their children on the alter in the name of religion, unless you are a Muslim. But we are not much different. We sacrificed our children by turning them over to schools/yeshivas and criminals that have no problem at all permitting our childrens' lives to be destroyed for their personal gain,I call Fascist-Judaism. Fascism is an ideology where there is only one rule of law, the law of the leaders. It has nothing to do with our welfare, nothing.

We now know for certain that every single Establishment rabbi, EVERY SINGLE ONE, knows and knew that there are child molesters posing as rebbes in their schools, and did nothing! Bogus kangaroo batei din, sanctioned these acts by citing every single distortion possible to enable these freaks of nature and their enablers to endanger our children's welfare for life.

LET ME BE CLEAR! The Ger Rebbe is a criminal! Sheftel Neuberger is a criminal! Tzvi Berkowitz is a criminal! Shmuel Kaminetzky is a criminal! Yisroel Belsky is a criminal! Pinchos Scheinberg is a lunatic criminal! Shlomo Mandel is a criminal! Lipa Margulies is the very embodiment of a psycopathic criminal! And WE, YOU, are accomplices to their crimes against humanity!

They turned Orthodox Judaism into a haven for very evil and ill people, but making certain that YOUR children are sacrificed at the alter of their Baal; MONEY!

There is only one God to them, your money, and if your children are their korbanot, so be it. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU , THEY DISDAIN YOU WHILE DESTROYING YOUR LIVES AND YOUR PROGENY!

What is it going to take for you, all of you, to stand up and scream out in disgust?

WHY? WHY? WHY? Leave your children in these schools???? Is there no crime committed in the name of God that you are not able to decide for yourselves, without the help of criminal rabbis? Have your minds been totally mangled into a heap of worthless atoms that are not able to understand that you've been taken? That you have been enslaved for THEIR happiness?

I call upon Sheftel Neuberger to remove Moshe Eiseman from the Ner Israel campus or I will do it! Do you think for one second that I'm going to let you whitewash his illness and permit him to remain surrounded by a thousand vulnerable children?

Rabbi Hopfer clearly ruled that Eiseman is a danger, and verified the claims of Eiseman victims as absolutely true! You Neuberger have NOT snuck in under my radar, I am watching you and will destroy NIRC, the same way I destroyed Margulies' kiddie playground for rebbes if Eiseman is not removed from your campus forthwith! Take this as your only warning!

This IS every bit about ALL of Judaism, not just halacha sanctioned child molestation.If we don't take a stand against the abrogation of the rule of law and humane behavior, we have lost all of Judaism. There is nothing left of Judaism if we permit these psycopaths to destroy every ounce of humanity that exists in our beings.

I have in my database, 2800 plus names of individuals, male and female, who allege to be victims of rabbi child molestation. I will never divulge their names and identities, but they will! One at a time! I had confirmed 17 bona fide Kolko victims prior to going public. So far a few were able to come forward. I understand their plights and encourage them to assess their personal situations carefully before going public.

Mondrowitz victims are coming forward one at a time after a lifetime of torture!

My dear friends, we are at a crossroads. Accept the challenges that lay ahead of us. Do not accept the status quo, we all deserve better. Protest in any way you can, by removing your children from these schools and witholding your hard-earned money from their sham personal, private enterprises.

Stand up in protest before Orthodox Judaism will have no more meaning than the Branch Davidian sect of inhumanity!

Anonymous said...

We hear u UOJ. So long as u keep the fires lit we will slowly purge ourselves from the Mondrowitz's and the Kolko's among us. Did u see the Lang video? Every victim should get his day of revenge like he did.

All the best UOJ
U know who I am. I've slipped under the radar for know....but I'll be back! AND WITH ONE FREAKIN' VENGENCE to have my day of revenge and closure too!

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
That's not what CHAIM said. He said that he was tutored by his Rebbi. It sure sounded like the Rebbi that he had that year - meaning fifth grade. This was not Kolko."

He said Rebbe, not current Rebbe. Do you need everything spelled out for you?

Anonymous said...

Get the feeling that UOJ is pissed that this blog has taken the attention away from him?

Anonymous said...

As aboslutely instrumental as UOJ has been in spearheading this fight to expose corruption and abuse in the charedi world, I wish he would stop speaking as if "Judaism" is some pure and beautiful philosophy that has been corrupted by evil people; "Judaism" (like all other religions) does not exist in some kind of vacuum, and cannot be divorced from its practitioners. Further, one also cannot deny that there is in fact much in the Orthodox interpretation of Judaism that is ethically questionable (at least by contemporary standards). None of this is meant to take away from the righteousness of UOJ's cause, his tremendous efforts on behalf of victims and his community or his bravery.

Anonymous said...

Heck! If your gonna mention names go ahead and mention the more recent of the Gerre molesters. The high and holy Avrohom Mordechai Leizerowitz (of New York Post fame), the Mashgiach (the one in charge of discussing puberty and coming of age with the boys) of the Gerrer Mesivta. What a sordidly sick bunch we are incubating within us.

Anonymous said...

to the nachshon ben aminadov of our time UOJ thanks once again for everything you have done for all victims at times its been really tough going but with the amount of courage we have seen in you gave renewed energy and hope to push on and continue for all of us and i beleave that at least 90% of rage going on in our community right now against people fed up with the corrupt system is in your zchus i beg of you please continue this for all of us that video of menachim lang just broke me apart once again i cant see another such video
LEIZEROWITZ VICTIM FOREVER

Anonymous said...

to GOT THE HINT:

I am not stupid. My point is simply that maybe there was more going on at TT - at least that is what it sounded like from Chaim's words. You seem to be in the know and are sure that it was Kolko - but Chaim did not seem to be saying that

Anonymous said...

Is it true that the charges against Kolko were dropped?

Anonymous said...

fyi - see http://www.torahweb.org/mesirah

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"to GOT THE HINT:

I am not stupid. My point is simply that maybe there was more going on at TT - at least that is what it sounded like from Chaim's words. You seem to be in the know and are sure that it was Kolko - but Chaim did not seem to be saying that"

G-D forbid, that you think I'm calling you stupid, but sometimes you have to read between the lines. Would you be suprised if I told you the guys name wasn't Chaim?

Anonymous said...

Between the lines - it was obvious that the guys name wasn't Chaim. It does not take someone with inside knowledge to figure this one out. However, it did seem like CHAIm was saying that another Rebbi molested him. I will defer to you as you seem to have inside knowledge. Do you know if Chaim is joining the lawsuit and why he is speaking out now?

Anonymous said...

Yes, "Chaim" is joining the lawsuit, and it was Rabbi K. There were two other Rebbeim that were under investigation. One has retired, and the other is still a Rebbe. There have not been recent allegations against him (and none as severe as Kolko,)but enough to warrent an investigation. The main thing is that Lipa Margolis is now under investigation for these crimes, and hopefully he will soon be doing the Perp walk.

Anonymous said...

Is 'Chaim' frum? Does he live in Brooklyn? It would really take this whole parsha to the next level if someone from 'within' who is still 'within' would step forward and put his name and/or his story out there. I know that there's a terrible downside to it and that is of course why it hasn't been done yet. Even those who are 'outside' have found it very difficult to step forward. They are to be wildly applauded for what they did. I hope 'chaim' and the others will do the same; each according to their ability.

Anonymous said...

The best thing that UOJ can do with his 2800 names is give them to a Hella Winston type so s/he can make a book. Then when the next New York comes out, Avi Shafran won't be able to say that no studies have been done and no numbers are known. Let's put a face on this beast so we can know what to call it.

Anonymous said...

Is 'Chaim' frum? Does he live in Brooklyn? It would really take this whole parsha to the next level if someone from 'within' who is still 'within' would step forward and put his name and/or his story out there. I know that there's a terrible downside to it and that is of course why it hasn't been done yet. Even those who are 'outside' have found it very difficult to step forward. They are to be wildly applauded for what they did. I hope 'chaim' and the others will do the same; each according to their ability.
------------------------------
What is your name?

Anonymous said...

Your point is well taken. But then again, there is no point in revealing my name.

Do you agree in theory that if one of the victims would voluntarily 'leak' some information about themselves that places them squarely within the 'oilam' that the balance of power might shift?

Anonymous said...

The balance of power has shifted. It may take some time, not much, for all to see.

Once Kolko's victims realize how many hundreds of other victims were abused by him and Margulies, they will come out of hiding one by one.

Our community will treat them as the heroes they are.

Anonymous said...

1) You are correct

2) Ha'lvai

Anonymous said...

"The face of the generation (our leaders just prior to redemption) will be like the face of a dog"

Says something of the Moetzes and the likes of them, No?

Until these morons do something about this epidemic they are in my eyes (& I'm as Charedi as it gets) as dogs feeding off our blind acceptance of rabbinical flatulation and mechanchim felatio. G-d has a seperate hell for these worshipped self promoting bastards. This is as "pikuach Nefesh" as it gets and I will begin to speak like UOJ until we get some attention to this genocide.

Anonymous said...

Take that Solomon the Unwise!

Anonymous said...

Whoever is the boss over this blog should delete the above disgusting comment. I've spoken to this fine, sincere young lady, and she is a source of z'chus for the Jewish people.

Anonymous said...

Call the gerer rabbis in boro park and ask them why they did nothing all these years WHEN THEY KNEW THE FACTS ALL ALONG AND ASK THEM WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO IN THE FUTURE TO ASSURE VICTIMS WONT BE IGNORED And how and when they intend to reach out to the system's victims with apologies and comforting words.
Lastly, ask them what teshuva they took upon themselves for this massive dereliction of duties.

David Olewski 718-436-8216 854-8777
Elie Fisher 718-853-3084 or 435-9135
Nuchem Kernwasser 718-853-7179 917-515-8117

LEIZEROWITZ VICTIM FOREVER

Anonymous said...

while your at it calling the gerer rabbonim why not call the molester himself.
AVROHAM MORDECHAI LEIZEROWITZ
RESIDING AT: RECHOV YECHESKAIL 102
JERUSALEM ISRAEL
PHONE NUMBER:011-972-2-627-3330
lets confront him and see what he says, probably the same he told me when i confronted him awhile back "YOU WERE DREAMING". as if i have nothing better to dream about than pervert leizerowitz.
LEIZEROWITZ VICTIM FOREVER

Anonymous said...

This blog has focused on abuses in yeshivos where an adult man has abused boys. As soon as a woman's name was mentioned some responded with disgusting ugly sexual references to her. There is an apparent need to remind them that most sexual abuse is against women.
Yosef Blau

Anonymous said...

Rabbi Blau gets it right again.

I don't get the point of those mean comments. This site is only for going after molesters and enablers.

Anonymous said...

Why the hell so many boys were dreaming about being fondled and "used" by that sicko gerrer is beyond me. In Lakewood somebody went around saying that it is common knowledge in some gerrer age groups in Boro Park that a certain guy was known to be involved "oraly" with this Lazerowits fellow for many years and is still upset his partner had to run away. Makes u wonder if this guy is a messed up victim of him or just another weirdo like AML but liked blowing somebody many years his age. Ugh!

Y the hell these sick chasidim r hear in lakewood spreading this disease is a mistery

Anonymous said...

A Peek Under The Rug
Rabbi Mark Dratch


Just a decade ago, the issue of sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community was merely whispered about by some, discussed behind closed doors by few, and hushed up by many. It was certainly not a significant part of many public discussions and forums.

And yet this Thanksgiving weekend it was featured prominently on the agendas of the annual conventions of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, where I had the privilege of addressing the topic openly, and the Agudath Israel of America.

Prominent rabbinical leaders who spoke for the Agudah included Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon, the mashgiach of Bais Medrash Govoha; Rabbi Ephraim Wachsman, rosh hayeshiva of Maor Yitzchok; and Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, the Agudah’s executive vice president for government and public affairs.

Acknowledgment of a problem is the first major step in confronting it. So we have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. After all, the emphasis of the Agudah presentations was not on helping victims of abuse, but on calling for decent and responsible speech (which was judged to be lacking in many blogs which bring allegations to light) and on protecting the dignity and honor of many prominent Torah leaders (who have been subject to harsh criticism for their perceived mishandling of abuse cases). Nothing wrong with that—as far as it goes. Lashon hara (derogatory speech), lashon nekiah (decent speech), and kevod ha-Torah (respect for Torah and its teachers) are fundamental values in our tradition. But there are other fundamental values as well.

It is most appropriate for an organization like Agudath Israel to address head-on the issue of the molestation of innocent bodies and souls, the issue of the honor due to the tzelem Elokim (image of God) in which everyone is created and is violated when a person is abused, and the issue of correcting the misguided communal values and pressures which discourage and prevent victims from coming forward and getting the help they desperately need.

With all due respect to Rabbis Salomon, Wachsman and Zwiebel, I do not believe that many of the bloggers and accusers they roundly condemn and label as “resha’im” (wicked) or “maskilim” (corruptly modern) were motivated by a disdain for rabbis, their authority or their opinions. At least not originally.

My experience with many victims/survivors of abuse is that they desperately want rabbinic leaders and the community and the Torah and the halachic system—which they were taught to revere and upon which they were raised to depend—to work for them.

Many believe that rabbis and rabbinic judges are advocates for those that were hurt and injured. Many, whose physical and emotional welfare were torn apart, want, at the very least, their faith to sustain them and remain strong. But many of those who speak out in crude and insolent ways have felt betrayed by those very rabbis and communal mores in which they desperately wanted to believe. Many felt revictimized by those they believed should have been there to help them. So they lash out with feelings of betrayal, disillusionment, abandonment and resentment. This is perhaps no excuse for crude behavior, but perhaps an explanation…and an indictment.

Rabbi Salomon responded to the accusation that these matters were being swept under the rug through denial and cover-up by stating that, in fact, he and his colleagues have dealt with cases of abuse (kudos for this public admission) and that they do indeed sweep these matters under the rug—in the sense that they keep their efforts discreet in order to protect human dignity. Unfortunately, it appears to many of us that in doing so the human dignity of many victims has not been protected. It appears to many of us that in doing so perpetrators have been allowed to remain where they can perpetrate again and again.

It appears to many of us that misrepresented piskei halachah (halachic decisions)—like that of the gadol who was quoted as ruling that without penetration there has been no abuse, or those who promulgate prohibitions of speaking out because of lashon hara and mesirah—have been detrimental to the welfare of victims and have not been publicly corrected. It appears to many of us that the opinions of poskei ha-dor (leading halachic figures) in these areas have been roundly ignored by many (like those of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv that obligate the reporting of known child abusers to the police in America).

When our community and its leaders will act efficiently, appropriately, and responsibly, their critics will be silenced. When allegations are listened to seriously and respectfully, and responded to effectively and properly—in accordance with the halachah and informed by the best expert resources contemporarily available—communal integrity and respect will be restored.

The problem with sweeping things under the rug, for whatever reason and for whatever motivation, is that the shmutz remains. Our communal carpet has been soiled for too long. And there’s just no more room under it to hide any more of our secrets. It’s time to peek under the rug and clean up the mess. n

Rabbi Mark Dratch is founder and CEO of JSafe: The Jewish Institute Supporting an Abuse Free Environment.

Anonymous said...

A refreshing voice of sanity. But y did it have to come from a Modern Orthodox rabbi? Could not one of our own used his brain for a change too?

Anonymous said...

"A refreshing voice of sanity. But y did it have to come from a Modern Orthodox rabbi? Could not one of our own used his brain for a change too? "

Does it matter how you label this rabbi? Let's stop playing partisan politics and work together to protect our children. This is not a left wing vs. chareidi issue. It effects Jews of all stripes and colored hats.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, there is a particular problem in the chareidi circle because they have cultivated a disdain for secular knowledge and authority. For some reason they think that submitting to experts and to the legal system is an admission of failure.

Anonymous said...

UOJ is reporting that another minor has stepped forward to accuse Kolko & Margo of abuse. Why is the NYPD Special Crimes Unit waiting? Arrest the fat ferd too.

Anonymous said...

Margo is telling the parent body that they have nothing to worry about. Twersky is coming in to say that Margo is not only honorable but is a "Korbon." Every generation needs one , you know.

Ohel will give special sensitivity training to the Rabbayim but will not demand that they being given access to interview every single child and adult who has ever walked through YTT's doors.

Meanwhile, parents will continue to support this true MOKOM TORAH and wouldn't dare think about removing their kids lest Margo will ruin their chance for a good shidduch

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile, parents will continue to support this true MOKOM TORAH and wouldn't dare think about removing their kids lest Margo will ruin their chance for a good shidduch
--------------------------------
They are slowly coming to the realization that the fact their son is in Torah Temimah is his greatest impediment to a good shidduch. Who in their right mind is going to allow their daughter to marry a boy who spent years in Torah Temimah and could very well be one of Kolko’s hundreds of victims?

Thank you Lipa Margulies for casting a dark shadow on thousands of innocent boys. Great job!

Anonymous said...

JOHN DOE NO. 5,
by and through his natural parents and guardians, and by his MOTHER and FATHER individually,

Plaintiffs,

vs.

Yeshiva & Mesivta Torah Temimah, Inc.

Defendant

Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Kings

Index No. 268/2007

Anonymous said...

This boy was molested by Kolko and Margulies in 2004 & 2005 in Torah Temimah.

Another $10,000,000 lawsuit against TT.

Another felony indictment against Kolko. Maybe this time they charge Margulies too.

Anonymous said...

This poor kid was abused by Kolko in the classroom together with several classmates. G-d in heaven.

Anonymous said...

Where are you getting the details from?

Anonymous said...

who's the lawyer for this case?

Anonymous said...

Jeffrey M. Herman, Esq.
18205 Biscayne Boulevard
Suite 2218
Miami, Florida 33160
Telephone: (800) 686-9921
Facsimile: (305) 931-0877 www.hermanlaw.com

Anonymous said...

jherman@hermanlaw.com

Anonymous said...

"Does it matter how you label this rabbi? Let's stop playing partisan politics and work together to protect our children. This is not a left wing vs. chareidi issue. It effects Jews of all stripes and colored hats."

I'm just saying its a crying shame that the chareidi world is so ass-forward that not one rabbi can figure out right from wrong here. Me thinks its because thier is no money to be made from this. (Except for the brave victims.)

Anonymous said...

Can the lawyers here please explain this

http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/kcco/KccoNameSearchServlet

19678 /2006
Plaintiff : YESHIVA & MESIVTA TORAH TEMIMAH INC. INRE
Plaintiff Attorney : TEPFER
Defendant : FOR LEAVE TO SELL 609-617 OCEAN PARKWAY
Defendant Attorney :
Remarks :
Opened : 06/30/2006
Type : Other

Filed Actions Rec. Room
06/30/2006 Application For Coverpage ,ORDER 07/03/2006
07/07/2006 Order for leave to sell the premises, etc. 07/13/2006

38902 /2005
Plaintiff : YESHIVA & MESIVTA TORAH TEMIMAH INC , ETC, INRE
Plaintiff Attorney : TEPFER
Defendant : 1537 EAST 19TH STREET, ETC
Defendant Attorney :
Remarks : BLOCK # 6766 LOT 89
Opened : 12/27/2005
Type : Other

Filed Actions Rec. Room
12/27/2005 Unsigned Order 12/29/2005
01/18/2006 Order to sell real property granted etc, petition 01/26/2006

8914 /2003
Plaintiff : YESHIVA & MESIVTA TORAH TEMIMAH INC. ETC INRE
Plaintiff Attorney : TEPFER
Defendant : FOR LEAVE TO SELL PREMISES ETC..
Defendant Attorney :
Remarks :
Opened : 03/11/2003
Type : Other

Filed Actions Rec. Room
03/11/2003 Order (UNSIGNED), PETITION(COPY) 03/11/2003
03/20/2003 Order authorizing to sell real property etc,petition 03/26/2003

Anonymous said...

http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/kcco/KccoNameSearchServlet

16137 /1997
Plaintiff : SILBERSTEIN, CHESKY, INFANT, ETC
Plaintiff Attorney : BECKER
Defendant : CAMP SILVER LAKE a/k/a YESHIVA MESIVTA TORAH TEMIN
Defendant Attorney :
Remarks : DEF. CAMP SILVER LAKE
Opened : 05/08/1997
Type : Tort

42975 /1997
Plaintiff : CUETO, LUIS ETANO
Plaintiff Attorney : RACHLIN
Defendant : YESHIVA AND MESIVTA TORAH TEMIMAH INC
Defendant Attorney :
Remarks :
Opened : 10/31/1997
Type : Tort

Anonymous said...

Someone above inquired as to what is going on in action number 19678/2006.

In New York, when a not for profit organization wants to transfer real property, it must file an action to obtain court approval to effectuate the transfer. The charity names the New York State Attorney General as a party, and if the Attorney General does not object to the transfer, the court approves it as a matter of course.

YTT is basically filing for court approval to transfer 609 Ocean Parkway. This house was owned by Margo, who transferred it to YTT at the end of 2005. At the time that he transferred it to YTT, there was already a developer who was interested in buying it for redevelopment. I suspect that Margo was already under contract to sell the property to the developer at the time he transferred the property to YTT.

As noted by someone named VFB on the UOJ site some time ago, Margo made the transfer to YTT, so he could report his capital gain on the sale in 2005, rather than 2006. Because his wife died in 2005, that was the last year he could file a joint tax return. By filing a joint tax return, his IRC Section 121 exclusion was $500,000 rather than $250,000. This saves him $50,000 to $60,000 in taxes, depending on his exact circumstances.

Anonymous said...

So you are saying that the Harvard of Yeshivos has been reduced to being a playground for pedophiles and money launderers in addition to being a huge tax shelter? That type of hachnosas orchim would make Avrohom Avinu jealous.

Anonymous said...

Often teachers target vulnerable or marginal students who are
grateful for the attention. And, students that adults regard as marginal are also unlikely to be accepted as credible complainants against a celebrated teacher (Shakeshaft and Cohan, 1994).
In elementary schools, the abuser is often one of the people that students most like and that parents most trust. The abusers of children younger than seventh grade
have different patterns than those who abuse older children (Shakeshaft, 2003).

The educators who target elementary school children are often professionally accomplished
and even celebrated. Particularly compared to their non-abusing counterparts, they hold a disproportionate number of awards.

It is common to find that educators who have been
sexually abusing children are also the same educators who display on their walls a community “Excellence in Teaching” award or a “Teacher of the Year” certificate.

This popularity confounds district officials and community members and prompts them to ignore allegations on the belief that “outstanding teachers” cannot be abusers (Shakeshaft and Cohan, 1994).

Anonymous said...

Many educators who abuse work at being recognized as good professionals in
order to be able to sexually abuse children. For them, being a good educator is the path
to children, especially those who abuse elementary and younger middle school students
(Shakeshaft and Cohan, 1994).

At the late middle and high school level, educator
abusers may or may not be outstanding practitioners. At this level, the initial acts are
somewhat less premeditated and planned and more often opportunistic, a result of bad
judgment or a misplaced sense of privilege (Shakeshaft and Cohan, 1994).

Anonymous said...

Whether premeditated or opportunistic, selection is influenced by the compliance of the student and the likelihood of secrecy. Because most educator
abusers seek to conceal their sexual contact with students, offenders often target students that they can control. In some cases, control is characterized by force.

However, most abuse occurs within the much subtler framework of grooming and enticement. While almost all children respond to positive attention from an educator, students who are estranged from their parents, who are unsure of themselves, who are
engaged in risky behavior or whose parents are engaged in such behavior are often targeted, not only because they might be responsive but also because they are more likely to maintain silence (Robins, 2000; Shakeshaft and Cohan, 1994).

Anonymous said...

Robins (2000) describes the process of grooming, where an abuser selects a student, gives the student attention and rewards, provides the student with support and understanding, all the while slowly increasing the amount of touch or other sexual
behavior.

The purpose of grooming is to test the child’s ability to maintain secrecy, to desensitize the child through progressive sexual behaviors, to provide the child with experiences that are valuable and that the child won’t want to lose, to learn information
that will discredit the child, and to gain approval from parents (Robins, 2000).

Grooming allows the abuser to test the student’s silence at each step. It also serves to implicate the student, resulting in children believing that they are responsible for their own abuse
because, “I never said stop.”
Grooming often takes place in the context of providing a child with extras like additional help learning a musical instrument, advisement on a science project, or
opportunities for camping and outdoor activity. These opportunities not only create a
special relationship with students, they are also ones for which parents are usually
appreciative.

Anonymous said...

Some of the children who are sexually abused by educators do not characterize what is happening as abuse. That is not to say
they don’t identify what is happening as shameful, unwanted, wrong, or frightening. In
many cases, they are told that what is happening is love. Many abusers of children at all
ages couch what they are doing to the children as love, both romantic and parental.

Offenders work hard to keep children from telling. Almost always they persuade students to keep silent either by intimidation and threats (if you tell, I’ll fail you), by exploiting the power structure (if you tell, no one will believe you), or by manipulating the child’s affections (if you tell, I’ll get in trouble; if you tell, I won’t be able to be your friend anymore).

Anonymous said...

Boys abused by men often don’t tell because of homophobia.


Because children often get something positive in the transaction—attention, gifts,
physical pleasure, and feelings of belonging or attractiveness—they can be made to feel responsible.
Offenders use this to their advantage.

Finally, abuse is allowed to continue because even when children report abuse,
they are not believed.

Because of the power differential, the reputation difference
between the educator and the child, or the mindset that children are untruthful, many
reports by children are ignored or given minimal attention.

Anonymous said...

An analysis of documentation from legal proceedings and from interviews with school officials and student targets indicates that
sexual misconduct by educators occurs in the school, in classrooms (empty or not), in
hallways, in offices, on buses, in cars, in the educator’s home, and in outdoor secluded areas.

Sometimes the abuse happens right in front of other students.

Within the documents found in case law, there are instances where a teacher has taken a student
into a storage room attached to the classroom and had sexual intercourse while the rest
of the class does seat work (Shakeshaft and Cohan, 1994; Shakeshaft, 2003).

In one class, boys reported that the teacher would call them up to his desk at the front of the room and, one at a time, while
discussing homework, would fondle each boy’s penis.

Every child in the room knew what
was happening and students talked about it among themselves.

The teacher repeated this behavior for 15 years before one student finally reported to an official who would act upon the information that everyone knew (Shakeshaft and Cohan, 1994).

Anonymous said...

Several studies estimate that only about 6 percent of all children report sexual abuse by an adult to someone who can do something about it.

The other 94 percent do
not tell anyone or talk only to a friend. (And they swear their friend to secrecy)

(Finkelhor, Hotaling and Kerti Yllo, 1988; National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse, 1994).

Anonymous said...

When alleged misconduct is reported, the majority of complaints are ignored or
disbelieved (Shakeshaft and Cohan, 1994). Other students note this lack of response and conclude that teachers cannot be stopped
(Shakeshaft, 2003).

If the school will not act, what can a mere student do?

Few students, families, or school districts report incidents to the police or other law enforcement agencies.

When criminal justice officials are alerted, it is almost always
because parents have made the contact. Thus, most cases are not entered into criminal
justice information systems (Shakeshaft and Cohan, 1994).

Anonymous said...

Robins (2000) found that the most common reason that students don’t report educator sexual misconduct is fear that they won’t be
believed.

Research indicates that students have good reasons to suspect they won’t be believed. Robins documents the case of a teacher, Kenneth DeLuca, who was convicted
of sexually abusing 13 students between the ages of 10 and 18 over a period of 21 years.

Nearly all of the students reported this abuse at the time. However, school officials did
not take these accusations seriously.

Anonymous said...

The possibility of a false accusation is included in this
section because there is widespread belief that false accusations are common. Because
this is the prevailing mental model, students are often not believed.

Studies of child sexual abuse in general indicate that false allegations are not common. In a 1991 review of false or mistaken accusations of sexual abuse, Yates concludes that the majority of false accusations occur in custody cases and that in other circumstances, the incidence of false accusations appears rare.

In the Shakeshaft and Cohan (1995) study of 225 allegations of educator sexual misconduct, there was not one in which the actions reported weren’t proved to have happened.

Anonymous said...

However, both Robin (1992) and Yates (1991) have pointed out that false accusations can cause serious emotional stress to the person falsely accused. Olson
and Lawler (2003) have compiled cases in which educators have been falsely accused of
maltreatment of students, including accusations of sexual abuse. Their accounts describe
the harm that false accusations coupled with inadequate investigations can yield. That is why a system must be set up to investigate all claims.

Anonymous said...

Supreme Court in
Franklin v. Gwinnett County Public Schools, 503 U.S. 60 (1992) ruled that students may
seek monetary damages from schools for sexual harassment visited on them by school employees.

Schools are responsible for prohibiting and responding effectively to sexual harassment and there are potential legal consequences for ignoring sexual harassment of students by staff or
students.

Anonymous said...

Besides federal, civil and criminal approaches to
identifying and stopping educator predators, legally enforceable codes of professional
conduct, generally in connection with state licensure, exist in most states. The language
in many of the states such as New York’s “conduct unbecoming a teacher” is inclusive of
a wide variety of behaviors. As a result, it is often difficult to categorize the various
behaviors that have been found to be prohibited. However, sanctions by state teacher
certification agencies do provide for revocation of a professional license for misconduct
(LaRue, 1996). Like criminal approaches, these regulations vary by state.
Most states require criminal background checks which use FBI and state records
in addition to fingerprinting. An April 2003 Education Week report notes that only eight
states do not require these checks.
I found no formal studies of licensure revocation in cases of educator sexual
misconduct, although there are newspaper accounts that document local or state
instances (see section 2.4). Seventeen states require school officials to report any
alleged educator misconduct to state education officials. To insure safety in reporting, 17
41
states11 (although not all the same states as require reports to state officials) protect
school officials from lawsuits based upon job references.
A 1996 study of tenure laws (LaRue) notes that most states include language that
covers a broad range of behaviors in their statutes for revoking tenure. Thus, educator
sexual misconduct might be covered by prohibitions such as “immorality,” “conduct
unbecoming a teacher,” or “moral turpitude.” Twelve states have no category into which
educator sexual misconduct would fit. However, LaRue found no state that specifically
listed educator sexual misconduct (or language that was similar) as a reason for
terminating or dismissing an employee.

Anonymous said...

At least a third of students report behaviors that would negatively affect academic achievement:

• Avoid the teacher or other educator (43 percent).

• Do not want to go to school (36 percent).

• Do not talk much in class (34 percent).

• Have trouble paying attention (31 percent).

• Stayed home from school or cut a class (29 percent).

• Found it hard to study (29 percent).

About a quarter of students who were targets of educator sexual misconduct report academic or discipline repercussions that they attribute to the incident.

• Thought about changing schools (19 percent).

• Changed schools (6 percent).

• Received a lower grade on a test or assignment (25 percent).

• Received a lower grade in a class (25 percent).

• Got into trouble with school authorities (25 percent).

• Felt less likely to get a good grade (23 percent).

Health effects such as sleep disorder and appetite loss were reported by 28 percent of
students. A substantial number of students report negative feelings of self worth because of the abuse.

• Felt embarrassed (51 percent).

• Felt self conscious (39 percent).

• Less sure of self or less confident (37 percent).

• Felt afraid or scared (36 percent).

• Felt confused about identity (29 percent).

• Doubted whether could ever have a happy romantic relationship (29
percent).

*Went off the Derech (Too Many)

Anonymous said...

For most children, being the victim of sexual misconduct does damage that lasts well into adulthood, and for most it is never fully repaired (Kendell-Tackett, 1993).

Child sexual abuse targets lose trust in adults and authority figures, suffer physical ailments
and lowered immune systems, and do less well in school (Finkelhor & Brown, 1985).

They often drop out of or avoid school. Sexually abused children are more likely than children who are not sexually abused to be substance users as adults and to have difficulty forming intimate relationships (Finkelhor, 2001).

David Finkelhor (2001), the
premier researcher of child sexual abuse, notes that the same sense of betrayal and shame that attaches to incest is found in sexual abuse by teachers where the pseudo parental relationship that the teacher plays has been sexualized.

Anonymous said...

In addition to costs to the targeted child, there
are costs to society when educator sexual misconduct is not adequately addressed by
school officials.

For instance, a report on sexual abuse in the New York City schools
indicates that more than $18.7 million was paid between 1996 and 2001 to students who were sexually abused by educators, and 110 cases were still active. Fees for attorneys and investigators are in addition to the settlement amounts (Campanile and Montero,
2001).

A 2004 report (Campanile, Jan. 20, 2004,
http://www.nypost.com/news/retionalnews/16207.htm) lists more than 600 legal claims and lawsuits filed against New York City public schools in the three years since 2001 at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars if the claims prevail.

If educator sexual misconduct had been prevented, the effort and resources necessary to respond to the claims might have been put to better use.

Where educator sexual misconduct is not adequately addressed, the negative effects spread to other staff and students. Studies of sexual harassment in the workplace
indicate that the climate and culture changes when sexualization and abuse are not
prevented (Shakeshaft, 1992).

Thus, the additional harm to other students as well as the cost of litigation is an area about which little is known and which would benefit from examination.

Anonymous said...

Educator Sexual Misconduct:
A Synthesis of Existing Literature

Prepared for the U.S. Department of Education Office of the Under Secretary Policy and Program Studies Service

By Charol Shakeshaft
Hofstra University and Interactive, Inc.
Huntington, N.Y.

This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is
granted.

While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be:
U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Under Secretary, Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Synthesis of Existing Literature, Washington, D.C., 2004.

Anonymous said...

Carol Shakeshaft is from Hofstra, where the new dean Aaron Twerski must be moving to shake up & shaft her abuse findings, lest they impugn an honorable man like Margulies.

Anonymous said...

John Doe #5 is being represented by David Berkey of Gallet Dreyer & Berkey. David Azrin of this firm is representing John Doe #4.

Berkey lectures at YU's Cardozo Law School.

Anonymous said...

My lawyer told me to stop talking to the press because I look like such a liar and idiot.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01052007/news/regionalnews/4th_sex_abuse_suit_vs__yeshiva_regionalnews_alex_ginsberg.htm

The suit, filed yesterday in Brooklyn Supreme Court on behalf of an underage "John Doe," accuses Yeshiva Torah Temimah of covering up a sex attack by Rabbi Yehuda Kolko during the 2004-2005 school year. It seeks $10 million from the yeshiva.

Lawyers for Kolko and the yeshiva, facig four suits by five students, declined comment.

Anonymous said...

http://theunorthodoxjew.blogspot.com/2007/01/uoj-to-gedolim-drop-dead-another.html

The filing posted here by UOJ is the first that so explicitly outlines the criminal intimidation conspiracy orchestrated by Margo in concert with Kolko. These are grounds for Margo to be charged with a crime. Does anyone know if Margo has been brought in for questioning? It's not "Giuliani Time" anymore, but the "plunger crew" at the 70 precinct knows methods that can persuade people to confess.

Anonymous said...

Kolko was molesting 6 year old boys - little innocent 6 year olds!!!

Anonymous said...

I was molested by kolko, he didn't give me a candy like the rest of the class.

Anonymous said...

Wimp Gil Student permits people to bash UOJ, call him a liar. But when I posted this email from uoj to me after I questioned the number of e mails he received because Ed called him a liar, wimp Student deleted it.

Ed, you momzer, UOJ lied, he did not receive 23000 emails, he received 76000 from his readers. You and Gil Student deserve each other.




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Anonymous said...

The original theme of this blog was a very respectful, clearly and concisely written, letter to Rabbi Mattisyahu Solomon. It was first sent out nearly six weeks ago.
Without a doubt, by this time, some Talmid or friend of Rabbi Solomon would have advised him about this letter (some Lakewood people do have internet).

During this six week period, more and more information, justifying the bloggers, and damning the people who chose to sweep it under the rug, has emerged. That same time period has also, no doubt, seen many statements by our alleged Gedolim dealing with such earth shattering issues as skirt lengths, hat colors, use of the internet, attendance at Lakewood Blue Claw baseball games, ad absurdum.
I wonder, have any of the readers, commentators and contributors to this blog, been contacted by, or heard public statements by the revered Mashgiach and other so called Gedolim, apologizing for the ongoing fiascos in the world of Chinuch. or perhaps, are Jewish kids, less important than all of the above Narishkeit?

Anonymous said...

Kolko is still walking around town attendimg shiurim and seen with sefer in hand and hat on head.

What is happening to us???

Anonymous said...

Is the latest young victim still in Torah Temimah? Does anyone know?

The father of the victim sent a letter to all of the 3rd grade parents. It has many people talking.

Anonymous said...

Could you imagine the "stink" these people would make if it turned out that there was abuse in a school like Flatbush, Ramaz or MTA. It just so happens that the "Charedim" were caught, so it's being swept under the rug.

By the way, who started this new term "Charedim", anyway. When we were growing up, you were either Orthodox or not. If you followed Halacha, you were Orthodox. If you didn't but believd in Halacha, you were non practicing, or partially practicing Orthodox. The biggest Gedolim weren't charedim!!

Anonymous said...

Someone needs to start a new thread. This comments section is way too long.

Anonymous said...

Is that letter going to be posted on the blogosphere, or is it 'private'?

Anonymous said...

This Open Letter was mailed directly to Rabbi Salomon with return addresses and signatures by several people. No one received a response from him.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
This Open Letter was mailed directly to Rabbi Salomon with return addresses and signatures by several people. No one received a response from him.

Monday, January 8, 2007 3:01:00 AM IST
duh! did you really think of receiving a response from the gadol shebgadol hador to you some low life yid. in his eyes you are a nothing and that is the problem here, until we lowlife people will be a somthing nothing will be done.he probably just took the letter and shoved it under the bathroom rug, that is why we have to continue making enough noise so maybe someone will here us from beneeth the carpet
LEIZEROWITZ VICTIM FOREVER

Anonymous said...

who iz laizerowits? u mean Monderowitz?

Anonymous said...

I spoke to someone close to Rav Salomon. The cookie cutter response being put out is that "as R' Shneur said, anyone can write a letter". They say if someone has something to say, he should pick up the phone or meet with the mashgiach in person. They say this letter writer has nothing to fear, as Rav Salomon & his circle will not retaliate like Margo and his ilk did against Eli Greenwald.

Anonymous said...

Rav Salomon should learn from me.

The Agudah demands you peons out there talk to us with the utmost respect, but we will sneer back at you.

And never, ever, will I admit I made a mistake.

Anonymous said...

He can't get over his anti-UOJ fit, even though he admits Rav Hershel Schechter poskened UOJ was allowed to attack Torah Temimah the way he did. Gil keeps moaning that attack blogs are assur, before admitting they are needed, before going back to them being assur. The confused soul sounds like John Kerry forming a contradictory position on the Iraq war.

Gil attacks UOJ while giving a pass to his buddy, the vile Tuvya Neuhoff, who enables Margulies to wage his sexual abuse war of terror. There has been a deafening silence from Gil Student over that despicable blog. Some friendships don't come cheap. Could it be that while Neuhoff takes Margo's $$$ money $$$ to pay for that new house on East 31st St, Gil is getting a modest cut ? He wouldn't be the first, with the suddenly silent Gary Rosenblatt placing paid ads from Marvin Schick to whitewash abuse in the Jewish Week.

They must have a "heter" from blogger-posek Rabbi Belsky.

Anonymous said...

WHere will YTT get the money to pay for the lawsuits?

Anonymous said...

They say if someone has something to say, he should pick up the phone or meet with the mashgiach in person.

Why isn't someone's heartfelt letter enough? (Did, for example, the נודע ביהודה demand phone calls when questions were sent to him? I don't think so). Why can't there be a response to the content of the letter? And can't they understand that meeting in person or over the phone about this topic can be very difficult? "They have nothing to fear"? Some people have feelings other than fear.

Anonymous said...

You can be sure the נודע ביהודה did not answer to blogs!

Anonymous said...

You can be sure the נודע ביהודה did not answer to blogs!

My comment was based on the claim that "This Open Letter was mailed directly to Rabbi Salomon with return addresses and signatures by several people", and the response that "anyone can write a letter". I really don't know if either of those accounts are true. I just have a feeling the נודע ביהודה would have shaken heaven and earth having received a letter regarding such a תקלה. But what do I know? Maybe he would have just let it slip through the fingers.

Anonymous said...

baalbatish said...
Menachem Lang confrnts his molesters.

http://news.nana.co.il/Article/?ArticleID=419794

-------------------------
Can anyone here translate the video to have ENGLISH sub-titles?
Or, transcribe the Ivrit dialogue to English?

Anonymous said...

Torah Vodaath Bachur Says:

January 8th, 2007

The following was posted approximately 11 days ago by Rabbi Yisroel Belsky Shlita on other sites. Rav Belsky mentioned during one of his shiurim last week that he felt it to be Halachicly proper to notify the public on line since so many Yiddin are blatantly violating the issur of being on the internet and not listening to the rabbonim who have clarly forbid it and instead are today reading blogs over the internet.

I, Rabbi Yisroel (Israel) Belsky, feel the olam needs to know my daas regarding Rabbi Yudi Kolko Shlita. Rabbi Yudi Kolko should never have been arrested. A child, whether he is six years or nine years of age should not be assumed to be telling the truth accurately. And even if it were true that the child was touched inappropriately, these type of things happen all the time, its not enough of a reason to label the man a pedophile and danger to society. In the early 70’s,Yudi and I were together in Camp Agudah. I heard occasionally complaints from young campers that they had been fondled by Rabbi Yudi Kolko. Always I suggested that they allow me to go public with their accusation. It was my way of testing them for the truth. Each and every time, I heard the accusing child refuse. It was then clear to me that these campers were lying. Children are known to make up stories. To this day Yudi Kolko was never found to be dangerous to any children. To the contrary, Rav Pinchas Scheinberg Shlita and Rabbi (hagaon-hatzaddik) Lipa Margulis Shlita, after carefully investigating many of the accusers, made a very clear determination that Yudi Kolko was innocent of mishkav zachar, and that the claims of inappropriate touching was nothing more than his showing of affection. That was their psak many years ago, and the olam remains obligated to accept it without any question. We therefore must give no credence to the shouting voices of Yudi’s most recent accusers. These are people seeking false publicity and to make an easy dollar off the back of a Yeshiva which in reality they should be very grateful to. I therefore, as always continue to stand behind Rabbi Yudi Kolko Shlita and give him my fullest support. I am fully certain that at the end Rabbi Kolko will be acquitted of all the false charges.”

Anonymous said...

UOJ posted the Belsky piece. I think he has lost it as who would believe that Belsky actually wrote the piece?

Anonymous said...

The comment appeared on Chaptzem a while ago. Go there to see the responses to the comment. I can't believe people took it seriously. I beg Chaim Neuhoff to interview Rabbi Belsky and get the Daas Torah. The record must be set straight.


As the accepted possek of this generation, I Rabbi Yisroel (Israel)Belsky feel the olam needs to know my daas regarding Rabbi Yidi Kolko Shlita. Rabbi Yidi Kolko should never have been arrested. A child, whether he is six years or nine years of age should not be assumed to be telling the truth accurately. And even if it were true that the child was touched inappropriately, these type of things happen all the time, its not enough of a reason to label the man a pedophile and danger to society. In the early 70's,Yidi and I were together in Camp Agudah. I heard occasionally complaints from young campers that they had been fondled by RabbiYidi Kolko. Always I suggested that they allow me to go public with their accusation. It was my way of testing them for the truth. Each and every time, I heard the accusing child refuse. It was then clear to me that these campers were lying. Children are known to make up stories. To this day Yidi Kolko was never found to be dangerous to any children. To the contrary, Rav Pinchas Scheinberg Shlita and Rabbi Lipa Margulis Shlita, after carefully investigating many of the accusers, made a very clear determination that Yidi Kolko was innocent of mishkav zachar, and that the claims of inappropriate touching was nothing more than his showing of affection. That was their psak many years ago, and the olam remains obligated to accept it without any question. We therefore must give no credence to the shouting voices of Yidi's most recent accusers. These are people seeking false publicity and to make an easy dollar off the back of a Yeshiva which in reality they should be very grateful to. I therefore, as always continue to stand behind Rabbi Yidi Kolko Shlita and give him my fullest support. I am fully certain that at the end Rabbi Kolko will be acquitted of all the false charges.

Comment Credit ---This article posted by Rabbi Yisroel Belsky : December 17, 2006 11:53 PM

Anonymous said...

UOJ seems to be going back to his old ways of putting up silly parodies as posts. You used to see stuff like fantasy sketches about Margo who he called the Molester Rebbe. The readers complained that they just wanted his posts to be factual and the Mad Magazinesque jokes should be left to the comments section. At least for a long while, he did comply.

Anonymous said...

The Frumwatch blog doesn't let you post unless you have a blogger account. Until he allows regular posts, he will continue to have zero traffic.

Anonymous said...

He pulled that one off of the Canonist site word for word. What a loser. I thought he doesn't like posting what other people write. At least that's what he told Shafran.

Anonymous said...

After I called Rabbi Belsky for days, I finally reached him. The UOJ post is exactly how Rabbi Belsky responded. He does not believe the charges against Kolko no matter how many times he gets arrested. And, he said, If Kolko goes to jail, the police would have made a terrible mistake. Call for yourselves. He has no shame!

Anonymous said...

I lost respect for Belsky after that gangster hazmanna to silence Greenwald. I later learned that Belsky is part of the corrupt Iggud Haganovim, I mean rabbonim. There were kol korays against him & his Iggud cohorts that UOJ dug up from the Badatz, Rav Ovadya Yosef, Reb Aron Schechter, Reb Feivel Cohen and Reb Shlomo Miller.

Anonymous said...

UOJ is quite gullible. First the Yossi Klein/Chaim Leib Brander e-mails, then the Catholic Priest, and now this Belsky post.

Anonymous said...

"UOJ is quite gullible"

Many rabbonim are also said to be naive when it comes to abuse issues. At least UOJ got off his tuchess and did something about it.

Moetzes of the Agudas Yisroel of America, you're fired !

Anonymous said...

This Belsky letter was first posted here on 12/14 at 5:08AM. It's the same fool that started blog about it and then posted it on Canonist where UOJ picked it up. Notice how UOJ omitted the opening sentence with the "accepted possek of this generation" remark.

Anonymous said...

by the way everyone the lawsuit is not 10 million its 20+. 10 for first cause of action, 10 for the second, and the third cause is open ended, technically a jury can side with the plaintiff for 100's of millions. And then the yeshiva will be hit by all the lawyer a court fees from teh plaintiff's side as well.

Anonymous said...

Anon at 12:19:

I noticed the sam thig as you. It is obvious that UOJ knows it is a farce and that is why he took out the ridiculous line which without it becomes slightly more believable.

UOJ: You are really looking silly!

Anonymous said...

UOJ opened up comments.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
who iz laizerowits? u mean Monderowitz?

Monday, January 8, 2007 7:27:00 AM IST

to the above misinformed.
mondrowitz is one monster and LEIZEROWITS IS ANOTHER,they have some things in common i will list but a few
1)they both took advantage of vulnerable kids under their wing.
2)both fled off to israel to escape the athority's.
3)both are gerer chassidem.
let me explain who this leizerowitz is . he was mashgiach of the gerer mesivtah on 16th av in boro park for close to 30 years, while he was supposed to help young bucherim through their tough teen years talking yiddeshkeit with them the sick pervert would take you in his locked room bearhug you then sit you onhis lap all the while he was breathing heavilly and rubbing his shmuck against your thigh.
now there are dozens of victims out there who want to see either him or the so called rabbonim of ger pay a price, for these rabbonim did nothing even after getting numorous complaints against this peice of scum as he continued to molest one young boy after another.
AND FOR THIS I CALL ON DOVID OLEWSKI TO RESIGN OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES - YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM ME SHORTLY EITHER WAY.

LEIZEROWITZ VICTIM FOREVER

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know Benny Hirsch's full hebrew name (and his mother) I am going to the Kotel later this week, and want to daven for his hatzlacha.

Anonymous said...

Can someone please tell me who is Ben or Benny Hirsch, and what does he have to do with this. His name is always being mentioned.

Anonymous said...

Can someone please tell me who is Ben or Benny Hirsch, and what does he have to do with this. His name is always being mentioned.

Sholom said...

You know what? I think we're way overdue on a shameless self-promotion around these parts.

Hi there, all you frum sheeple. Do yourselves a favor, don't click here!

Anonymous said...

Ben Hirsch is a Flatbush resident who can't stand Kolko, just like many other Flatbush residents can't stand the pompous jerk.

For a long time, the YTT mafia had him pegged as UOJ and kept smearing him in public. After a new suspect emerged that lives in Beverly Hills, they backed off somewhat, but some diehard YTT morons still claim he is working in tandem with the other guy.

Anonymous said...

The proverbial is hitting the fan.

http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2117/1/Reining-in-abuse

janitor said...

Come and speak about Hungarians and Charedi politics.

http://ungaren.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

For an important discussion on the obligations to stop abuse and to support survivors of abuse, see Rabbi Dratch's new article "Few Are Guilty, but All Are Responsible:The Obligations to Help Survivors of Abuse" at http://jsafe.org/pdfs/ResponsibiltytoAct.pdf. His last paragraph:

"There are many who remain uninvolved, not because of indifference, but because of arguments that stem from their understanding of Jewish law. The prohibition of lashon ha-ra, libel or slander, they say, prohibits talking about such matters, despite clear rulings that obligate speaking out against abuse.51 Mesirah (informing civil authorities) they say, prohibits making reports to the police, despite clear rulings that obligate them to do so.52 Hillul Hashem, they say, prohibits them from making these matters public as they cast aspersions of the Jewish community, despite the fact that the greater shame is caused by systemic cover-up.53 These principles, and others, are valid, essential principles of Jewish life and law and should be carefully observed by committed Jews. But all too often misplaced priorities and misconceived interpretations of Jewish law have trumped equally valid halakhic concerns for the safety and security of Jewish bodies and souls. This phenomenon is not new. Already in Talmudic times the rabbis warned us about pious fools who miss the forest for the trees due to their claims of religiosity and devoutness. These fools, we are told, are represented by those who would refuse to save a woman in distress for fear that they may have to look at her or touch her,54 or would allow a baby to drown in the river because they needed time to remove their tefillin before jumping in the water.55
The time for foolishness is over. All are responsible. And no, ... there are no innocent bystanders.

janitor said...

Lets talk Hungarians and present day Charedi politics (the two are completely intertwined) on my blog.

Anonymous said...

Does anybody know why the case information was taken offline?
I tried searching for 2006KN084956 or for Kolko, Joel and nothing comes up.

Anonymous said...

Word is that Kolko is cooperating with the DA and helping them go after Margulies in exchange for a deal.

Anonymous said...

My husband and many of his siblings and friends were molested in their school years by more than one teacher in their school. None of them spoke out, except to eachother. Many other atrocities occured, such as acts of brutal physical violence, but his parents were discouraged from going to authorities, as it was considered a Chillul Hashem, and they were told to accept an apology.

Years later, my husband married, but had a tumultuous relationship, and the marriage ended. Soon, he married me, and we had several children, but he was very bitter. Bitter against the religious school system, ignorant parents, ignorant members of society, and bitter against religion and society as a whole. Unfortunately, his anger and hatred resulted in the destruction of our marriage, and my children are without a father, and I am without a husband, after suffering years of verbal abuse.

It's time to speak out. Look how many families are destroyed over this? They're not secrets they take to their graves, these children grow up confused and betrayed and learn not to trust those that are expected to be close to them. hey ultimately destroy the lives of others, and dire consequences can never be reversed or repaired.

Break the silence. I begged him to expose those men, but he said it was water under the bridge.... I know it was not, he only pretended he was not bothered by it.

Stop the violence against our children. Save my sons.

Anonymous said...

Just to point out one small mistake the obviously otherwise great Tzaddik who feels he can publicly discuss issues of world wide proportion with the great Mashgiach.

CHOCHMA BAGOYIM NEVER EVER EVER APPLIES WHENT CONTRIDICTING EVEN A DROP OF THE TORAH.

Sorry!

Anonymous said...

BTW, if you go to:
http://webapps.nyc.gov:8084/CICS/fin1/find001I
and put in YTT's address, you might be surprised to see it registered as Torah Vodath.

Anonymous said...

The Awareness Center is currently looking for both locations and financial sponsors to cover the travel expenses of the film producer and other expenses to show the film Narrow Bridge across the United States, Canada and around the world.

For more information contact: Vicki Polin at 443-857-5560

Anonymous said...

RABBI HIT WITH NEW PERV RAP

By ALEX GINSBERG

September 13, 2007 -- A Brooklyn rabbi already facing trial for allegedly molesting two students was charged yesterday with fondling a third.

Rabbi Joel Kolko, an administrator and a teacher at a Midwood yeshiva, posted $25,000 additional bail a few hours before sundown signaled the start of Rosh Hashanah.

He had been free on $5,000 bail, awaiting trial on charges he touched a 6-year-old boy in one of his classes, as well as a now-31-year-old former student who confronted the rabbi about abuse he claimed occurred decades ago.

The new sex-abuse and child-endangerment charges focus on a 2005 incident in which Kolko alleged fondled the genitals of a first-grade boy.

Lawyer Jeffrey Schwartz scoffed at the new accusations, saying they were fabricated by a disgruntled former student now dragging the rabbi's name through the mud on an Internet blog, The Unorthodox Jew, and trying to recruit new victims to bring cases.

"In 21 years of trying criminal cases, both as a prosecutor and a defense attorney, I have never seen a case so weak," Schwartz told the judge, adding that his client had taken and passed two polygraph tests and been cleared by a rabbinical court.

"It's an orchestrated hit."

Anonymous said...

The abuse of children, women and/or seniors is abuse of the most helpless among us. Once innocense is stolen, the spirit is killed. . .a form of murder. These are the most grievous of crimes and are of the greatest magnitude. Legal punishment should be nothing less than castration and/or execution. Those who harbor such animals deserve identical punishment.

Anonymous said...

Re: Aaron Twerski, where are you now?
Maybe now that the water has cooled down, other semi-brave Rabbonim will join the cause and institute a solid policy to insure this never happens again, or spearhead an investigation to ascertain the cause(s) of such an unfortunately common sexual perversity amongst Yeshivaleit. I'm sorry. First I'm bashing, then I'm dreaming. I'll try to be more serious minded.

Unfortunately, the older, unversally respected, Rabbonim do not understand the issue, and continue to "sweep [it] under the carpet" as R' Matisyahu Solomon so (ironically) acurately put it. Because of this, younger Roshei Yeshivos know that any effort they publically make will be immediately shot down by the majority of movers and shakers who only listen to the older Roshei Yeshivos (as well as by those Roshei Yeshivos themselves, of course). They therefore cannot speak up , or spearhead anything by themselves. The only direction to go on, as far as I can see, is a concerted effort by active (50 and under) Torah U'Mesorah Rabbonim (I dont know of any other organizations so distinctly suited for this) , Yeshivah Ketanah and Mesivtah Rebbeim and principals, Askanim, together with Jewish and non-jewish experts and psychologists and, of course, financial backers to form a ground-up program to educate all school staff about recognizing predatorial behavior; and concrete guidelines for dealing with these people.
Maybe then we can go to sleep with a clear conscience and not have to fear the Din in the Next World which will Hashem Yeracheim call us to task for the thousands of precious souls we have corrupted over the course of 80+ years organized chinuch in America. I do not think R' Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz is having Hana'ah from the community's inaction on behalf of our children.

mortonable said...

I need help. Does anyone know where I could post jeiwsh blog where I could post a piece on a very prominent member of the Jewish community who has been involved in the theft of very valuable jewish artworks (this man has also ignored a summons from a beth din and has been issued a seruv.

I've tried to use the jewish whistleblower site, but somehow I am not allowed to post on it.


Rather than leaving your answer as a comment here, please email me at confidentialinformant21@yahoo.com

eli said...

i remember Rabbi salomon when I was in Gateshead but I'm not disapointed he is realy what he always used to be I mean a real caward !!

Eli

Nissim said...

Hey mensh ! tonight is the 9th Av, wake up !

We have to love one another for free and we'll have the merit to see the reconstruction of our Temple !

Love from Paris !

Anonymous said...

Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!

Anonymous said...

Don't we daven every day for the geulah?? How can a yid talk like this about another beloved yid? I'm horrified!! Whatever happened happened Lets not talk bad and hope moshiach will come real soon

Anonymous said...

It's fat too easy to just leave behind. For knowing that person and his second life I promise you that you will be surprised one day when everybody know what he realy is !!

Anonymous said...

how about sorcher????

Anonymous said...

The Masgiach's response to all this is to organize a raly against the internet. But to do something about molestation or call an asifa about it? Nah!

Anonymous said...

I am horrified by this. How can we trust our Rabanim if they will not be strong like Pinchas in decrying wrongs and evils like child abuse? Does money and power really exert that much influence in silencing the truth? IF the Torah is true, shouldn't the Rabbis be proud and strong in upholding truths, whether it costs them honor or money? Who can we rely on and who can we trust?

Why be frum I wonder, if the Rabbis do not have enough backbone to stand up and protect innocent children because it's easier to stand aside and be silent. That is not a true leader as another blogger commented.

Anonymous said...

AS hard as this may be to accept, those "leaders" who clamor for the limelight are self serving ego-maniacal pragmatists: at best. More likely they are as evil as their actions indicate.

one of eleven said...

I know that kolko and geldwerth were very close friends. Is there any evidence that geldwerth behaved inappropriately with boys in camp?

existentialfish said...

I don't know much about Yeshiva Torah Temima, and all the rest of this particular case, but do know that we have a problem, Molestation is like a communicable disease, perhaps it started with the walking wounded who came out of the holocaust, but it has worked it's way into the frum community, the abused become abusers, and the abuse has spread through out various communities and has wrecked many lives. People who are in positions of trust abuse the innocent, and then predators work with the most vulnerable population, the OTD kids, abusing them over again. People struggle with abuse all their lives, having problems developing intimacy, self esteem, drug abuse, and God Forbid, they abuse others, perpetuating this horrible cycle. The abusers are not monsters, they are members of our communities who are really sick. They need to be somehow quaranteed from the community so thier disease does not spread. Rebbes and mechanchim need to be vetted somehow, and there needs to be a consciousness that not everyone should be allowed to be in our children's lives. An abused child is a child scarred horribly, a child whose potential has been diminished if they don't get the help they need, and part of that help is to see that those figures in authority who abused them are forced to answer for thier crimes. The building is on fire and we have lost 100's of children. Sexual abuse is a horrible chillul hashem, but covering it up is worse. We somehow need to come together and vigorously eliminate this problem, as much as possible. I wish I had concrete ideas, the only thing I can say is that it is a devastating problem.

Anonymous said...

https://frumfollies.wordpress.com/2022/01/23/a-rasha-was-buried-today-in-the-satmar-cemetery/

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