There are no “henchmen” out there getting in my way to investigate individuals or institutions.
I am not under anybody’s “thumb” to prevent the writing of stories on certain rabbis in town who are under suspicion of past sexual molestation.
So for those bloggers who feel that the have “inside” information as to the progress of any one investigation in progress. You don’t. All you are doing is creating hysteria and panic.
I ask you to let the truth set us free on these issues. It will be the truth that brings any further information to the forefront.
Rest assured, I am working on collecting the truth.
But it is of no help to me if you take license with what I am doing and spread it as if it were gospel.
Bloggers, if you want to know what is going on with a particular investigation, simply pick up the phone and call me. I will be happy to share with you what I may.
I’m not being secretive, nor am I taking my time out of any kind of fear.
Please, the recent track record should say to you more than ever, that this delicate issue is being handled correctly.
My time table might not fit your’s. But the timetable of truth is all that matters to me. That and the timetable of protecting future generations from sexual molestation.
Don’t ruin this with any suggestions that there have been threats towards me. There have been absolutely none.
Don’t take off on this with false information. Not one rabbi has tried to hurt me any way at all.
Be patient.
The stories will come.
And they will be accurate and done at the correct time.

I want to write that I feel a particular sadness, a deep loss by the passing of Dina Blaustein.
She was my wife’s tap dance teacher, drumming instructor, a pleasant staffer of the Northwest Citizens Patrol, but she was just so much more.
There were so many instances of chesed that Dina did behind the scenes that perhaps only HaShem was aware of. I always feel that when someone as great as Dina is taken from us, it is because HaShem must have some extremely important task for her neshama for the good of the Jewish people.
Whenever she called me, she’d say, “Dina B here.” She’d call my home and always ask to speak to my “beautiful wife.”
I cannot possibly in this writing capture the depth of this special lady, who gave and gave and gave some more.
The beautiful thing about a blog is that I don’t have to do all the “talking.” Please, add comments about your feelings about Dina.
I just smiled every time I’d see her, be it at the market, the neighborhood or anywhere else. What a terrific loss.
May her memory be a motivation for all of us to improve in our lives connected to Torah, chesed and to one another.

My office telephone has become like a molestation hotline.
There’s the woman molested at a bar mitzvah at age 14 by the rabbi who officiated at the bar mitzvah. He wanted to show her his Judaica in his office.
That woman is now married to a Christian and has disconnected from Judaism.
Thank you rabbi.
There’s the young man who is so disgustingly bitter at his Jewish “leaders” because they wouldn’t protect him from his molester only 10 years ago. He complains that he can still taste the rabbi’s breath in his mouth.
Thank you rabbis.
There’s the area teacher, who himself was molested and offers the names of nine of his friends who were also molested by their Hebrew school teacher.
What I get now are calls like these. No, not every day, but almost every day.
What I get are criticisms also. Comments such as the molester you wrote about hasn’t touched anyone in 15 years, why write anything?
My answer is “how do you know?”
My second answer is that besides moral justice this is also about legal justice. If we knew of a person who used a gun to shoot people fifteen years ago, but then put the gun down forever and even went to therapy for his actions, should not this person still be brought to justice for the pain he caused?
I think so.
Getting back to the woman who was molested at age 14. She is pretty certain she wasn’t the only one molested by this particular pulpit rabbi.
I think she’s probably correct.
We’ll find out.

So, please.
It’s the Three Weeks.
I know you’re going to fast. I know you wouldn’t set foot in a movie, or listen to any music on the radio.
Perhaps you won’t launder your clothes or take a trip anywhere for fun.
But it’s the Three Weeks. And why should any of these weeks be any different than the other weeks of the year?
I mean you still might hit or emotionally abuse your wife. But it’s okay as long as you don’t bathe “for pleasure.”
You’ll sit on the floor and painfully fast during Tisha B’Av. But you’ll become so proficient at loshon hora that it becomes normal.
You know where I’m going with this.
It’s all a show. It’s spiritual costume jewelry.
That is, unless you really mean it this time.
You will join that 12-Step group for your substance abuse.
You will take your spouse to counseling for real this time, and work out whatever it is holding back your marriage.
And you will tell your children how really, really proud you are of them, and how much you love them.
Anybody can say words. Anyone can work can wring their hands in righteousness.
But not everyone can be “authentic” with HaShem, with the people they love, and with themselves.
Until that authenticity happens to even all of you “scholars” out there,  you might as well keep the bricks and mortar in storage somewhere.
This is about personal growth and the guts to break oneself down, and rebuild oneself.
Start there, the Temple will come later.

My husband & I have eaten at the Sunday brunch a few times with my husband’s large family. We were treated well, the food was good & plentyful. We are very satisfied with this restaurant.