IntenseDebate - jewsav70

9 years ago @ Jewish Daily Forward - American Jews Are Angr... · 0 replies · +1 points

Excellently put. You are absolutely right.

9 years ago @ Jewish Daily Forward - No, We Didn\'t \'Let\'... · 0 replies · +1 points

Exactly.
Or any other Rabbi wrongdoing that is excused because he was, for example, "so good with the elderly and the sick" so it's ok if he abused his power in other ways.

9 years ago @ Jewish Daily Forward - No, We Didn\'t \'Let\'... · 0 replies · +5 points

Regardless of whether people knew anything or suspected anything, the truth is that speaking out about authority figures - particularly Rabbis - in a Jewish community is the quickest way to get oneself shunned and blacklisted.

Maybe there was absolutely no way anyone could have seen this coming and maybe there were early signs and red flags that were ignored or brushed aside. Either way, those in positions of power are generally not receptive to complaints against Rabbis.

9 years ago @ Jewish Daily Forward - How Could We Have Trus... · 0 replies · +10 points

Yeah, but sometimes people would rather ignore warning signs and live in denial than face the possibility that someone they trust is not who they appear to be.

9 years ago @ Jewish Daily Forward - Rabbi Barry Freundel W... · 1 reply · +2 points

Rabbi, I agree with your plea to leave out attacks on Freundel's wife and children. But excusing bad behavior by pointing to other Rabbis with bad behavior is, in fact, a way of defending his actions. It doesn't matter that "Rabbis of all denominations have been known to commit crimes," because by that logic any crime can be excused. Anything can be justified by claiming one is a human being and not perfect. That is all irrelevant.

And there is a big different between "not being perfect" and committing a crime.

9 years ago @ Jewish Daily Forward - TKTKT Jane Rabbi Post ... · 0 replies · 0 points

Actually, I can think of quite a few who have inspired me to question my faith in Jewish institutions.

9 years ago @ Jewish Daily Forward - TKTKT Jane Rabbi Post ... · 1 reply · 0 points

Agreed.
I can think of a whole lot of "uninspiring Rabbis" who are also unethical and unlawful.

9 years ago @ Jewish Daily Forward - Savannah Congregation ... · 0 replies · -1 points

The only serious mistake this Board made was to keep him as long as they did.

It's pretty insulting to imply that a Board made a serious mistake on the most important decision they needed to make. And if the Board made THAT serious of a mistake, well - shame on the synagogue and the congregants for allowing such a Board to represent them.

9 years ago @ Jewish Daily Forward - Savannah Congregation ... · 0 replies · -1 points

No synagogue board would recommend NOT renewing based on the perception that it was "one mistake." Either they (rightly) saw the incident for what it was - an unacceptable and possibly harmful terrorizing of children - or they had other reasons to believe that he was not the right fit for the synagogue.

I would have to think that any congregation that votes against its own board is digging its own grave. Sounds like they are under the Rabbi's spell to such a degree that they can't see the reality nor the future of this synagogue.

9 years ago @ Jewish Daily Forward - Savannah Congregation ... · 1 reply · -1 points

I'm going to guess and say that, if you look at behaviors that are consistent with voyeurs and pedophiles, one of the biggest red flags is a violation of boundaries. Voyeurs violate privacy boundaries. Pedophiles violate children's boundaries. While it doesn't automatically make this Rabbi a pedophile, that's the comparison I think he was going for, as he most certainly violated these children's boundaries.

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