Last week in Judge Miller’s courtroom, suspects were herded in and out for various crimes, including attempted murder to drug possession with the intent to distribute.
The one constant sound in the room was the jingling of the chains connecting the leg irons while the accused made their way into the courtroom escorted by armed prison guards.
One of the only members of the fraternity of the accused not wearing handcuffs or shackles was Yisroel Shapiro.
Tall, bearded, wearing a yarmulke and a suit, he stood out. He could have been a court employee, an attorney or just another spectator.
Here was a man who was about to be given a guilty sentence for two counts of molestation. While the majority of the other suspects in the room left with their “jewelry” locked on their wrists and ankles, Mr. Shapiro, after hearing the sentence and hearing the emotional words of his accusers sauntered out into the courtroom hallway.
He was free to go.
He will not spend a second in jail.
He will not be listed on a sex offenders registry.
Shapiro got a good deal. Again, my oft-remembered words of Ephraim Shapiro survivor Murray Levin, “it’s all reward and no risk” came to mind.
Until we get the law to change. Until we can get our legislators and our Jewish organizations such as the Jewish Council to understand Monday’s true failure of justice, Yisroel Shapiro goes unshackled.
The survivors of sexual molestation in the state of Maryland, are very much handcuffed.
The template for justice must be changed to unlock those cuffs, so that survivors are free to live their lives. Until someone in the organized Jewish community or the political community gets “brave” I worry that I’ll never see it happen.
I “hear” the sounds of chains dragging across the floor. Only it’s the innocent who wear those chains, not guilty felons such as Yisroel Shapiro or his ilk.
There’s something very wrong about that.

“Cardinal” - Yeah right. Another baloney comment left by UOJ. For someone who’s not even Jewish he sure knows how to use the Yeshivishe (“as you say”...) terms correctly.

UOJ - you’re the type of person where there’s no way to win. We’ve all met your ilk. Even if I tell you that the Rabbis say Rabbi Eisemann is innocent and I could send my teenager to his house for an overnight you’ll blast the Rabbis for being murderous Mafiosos.  If I show you how the Rabbis protected this child, that spouse, this daughter, you’ll say I work for the Rabbis and I’m under their spell. You’re a debater with a not so secret agenda: Reject anything associated with Orthodox leadership and use child abuse as the excuse. Anyone who takes a moment to look at your site, and the currently comatose Awareness Center site will draw that conclusion. In due time you’ll implode just as the Awareness Center is. Once you hooligans are out of the way our communities can deal with these issues responsibly. G-d knows why obnoxious bloggers like yourself were the messengers for this recent awareness, but like the Egyptians - you may have carried out G-d’s will but you blew it. Beheading Rabbis with your lies and obscenities is not what G-d had in mind. I shudder to contemplate your fate.

“we cover up like the Catholic Church.”  Don’t be so humble.  We could learn from you guys.  You do a much better job.  If we would have asked your advice on how to cover up for priest-on-boy molestation, maybe we would not be in this mess, with over a billion dollars lost from abuse lawsuits. 

I particularly enjoy your response to those who seek to expose you through the media.  Whether it is through the internet blogging, in which you publicly try to expose the identity of the blogger who writes truths that should never come out, or if it is someone like this Heretic Phil Jacobs, who you villify in every nasty way possible, to the point where his own daughter must write in his defense.  You must show people like Phil, who the real power is!  It is the traditional Jewish way, no?  Obey the rabbis, or DIE!  Let’s face it, if the rabbis don’t keep this kind of control, then who knows what will be next?  Maybe the people will stop supporting them financially.  Could you imagine the horror and tragedy?  The rabbis would be forced to actually go out and work for a living, instead of being paid to just protect society by protecting themselves?  It is worth hundreds and thousands of Jewish Children being molested (not that I personally see that as paying a price at all) for the goal of rabbinic power and financial stability.  If stopping the abuse would mean even one less dollar for the yeshivah, or one less salary for a rabbi, then so be it, it is the will of G-d.  Besides, where in the Torah does it say that child abuse is wrong?  I heard one rabbi say that if there is no penetration then its perfectly okay. So why would Phil Jacobs have to tell people about Rabbi Shapiro, Rabbi Eiseman, or Yisroel Shapiro?

So, Yasher Koach, as you say, Kol Hakavod.  Keep up the good work.  NEVER admit to being fallible.  The pope hasn’t and look where its got him!  NEVER surrender power to the people or to the “outside authorities”.  Keep brainwashing your faithful that you are the ULTIMATE AUTHORITY.  They must fear you more than they fear the “goyishe” police.  They must willingly sacrifice their children’s mtional, physical, psychological and spiritual safety for the holy mission of keeping the rabbis in power, I think you call it…“Daas Torah”. 

One question:  What do you do if and when the people start to see through the whole charade?  I mean, cover-ups are almost always exposed in the end? What do you do?  What would Jesus have done?  I guess you cover up the cover up, right? Maybe we should all become Muslims.  At least THEY admit to destroying their children.  Evil but honest.  Some food for thought.

Signed,
Edward Cardinal Egan
Past leader of the Archdiocese of Massachussets

“I wouldn’t bring the matter to the police and be subject to public scrutiny”.  Of course not.  In our community you are not allowed to go to the police, whether your story is true or not.  Makes no difference, its messirah on another jew.  Although the rabbis have promised that when there is a molester/roydef they will help report it to the police, I challenge you to name one case in Baltimore where they have done so.  They cover up more than the Catholic Church.  Our community is much more concerned with covering for molesters and rabbis, then it is about protecting its children.  That was clearly evident at the evening about “How to teach your kid to protect himself from rabbis who molest, because we sure as hell aren’t going to.” 
You’re right, Matt.  I encourage whoever was molested by Rabbi Eiseman not to go to the police.  Not because your story might not be believed by the police, but because it might be.  Then you will have to deal with the wrath of the rabbis, and that just might be a worse fate then being molested.

Here’s R’ Blau testimony -

“The rabbi, who has counseled many sexually molested Jewish men and women, explained that he had ongoing contact with an individual who reported that Rabbi Eisemann had behaved inappropriately with him and others. He was loyal to the yeshiva, but was troubled by the lack of response to the allegations.”

My comment: The fact that there is at least one person out there who wants to accuse R’ Eisemann is nothing new; at least one person out there started the rumors and had it posted on UOJ’s site to begin with! All this tells me is that the person not only sent a text fabrication to UOJ, but the same person (likely) took the extra step of calling R’ Blau with a verbal fabrication. If I was out to accuse R’ Eisemann I would also call in a verbal testimony to bolster my case. I wouldn’t bring the matter to the police and be subject to public scrutiny though - my lies might be discovered. No one has been willing to put a face behind this and this rumor lives on as an anonymous email and an anonymous phonecall - that’s it. The only fact in this entire case is that at least one person doesn’t like Rabbi Eisemann (which is actually news to me because I don’t see why one wouldn’t like Rabbi Eisemann…).

The support comes, as always, from all of the friends and neighbors who were not molested by him.  It’s always like that on the news. “He was such a nice man, I can’t believe he would do that.” 

Why not ask the Rabbis in town if they think he’s innocent?  They know the truth.  Why did Rabbi Blau speak on the record for the Phil Jacobs article sounding very much like he had spoken to victims personally?  And why did the yeshivah basically say “no comment.”  If he is innocent, why did they not back him up in the article?  Why not say there is no truth to these allegations.  And of course, there is the little matter of Eiseman first saying to the paper that he is still theaching and only after speaking to the yeshivas lawyers, he came back and said he retired.  Come on people, how naive can you be????

It’s so simple.  Ask Rabbi Hopfer, or Reb Shmuel Kaminetsky for that matter, if it is okay for you to let your teenage son sleep over at Eiseman’s house.  If he says yes, please post it right here.  We would all like to know.

Unless R’ Eisemann is innocent, which all the support he has seems to indicate. Of course you’ll twist that fact into some sort of conspiracy. I think you’ve seen too many movies…

At least Shapiro got a slap on the hand and has to go to therapy.  Eiseman is still flying high and fancy free.  Like a kid in a candy shop, no therapy, no probation, no acknowledgement, no firing, complete access to his “candy”.  That’s a lot worse than the Shapiro situation, I think.

Judge John P. Miller of the Baltimore City Circuit Court basically gave Israel (Yisroel) Shapiro’s a slap on the hand after entering an Alford plea on criminal sexual abuse charges.  Besides being a former bar-mitzvah teacher, Yisroel Shapiro is an ordained orthodox rabbi. This is a fact that appears to have been downplayed in the media and the community.

Yisroel Shapiro was sentenced to perform 300 hours of community service and to pay $10,800 in restitution to those he criminally sexually abused. This is a far cry from the 1.2 million dollars that survivors in California were awarded.  The message sent out by Judge Miller is that the pain and suffering of those who were victimized in Maryland does not have as much value as those who were sexually violated in California.

The court also ordered that is to keep away from anyone under the age of 18, must also undergo sex offender screening and treatment and is also prohibited from using a computer to contact children.

The problem is that our community continues to fail to protecting our children.  On February 20th, the Vaad (Jewish Religious Court) put together a program in which David Mandel of Ohel (mental health agency in NYC), basically told the audience not to report sex crimes to law enforcement, yet instead to report crimes to our rabbonim.

Due to the archaic laws in Maryland, and that this state is not in compliance with the federal mandate, Yisroel Shapiro will not be placed on the sex offender registry at this time.  Considering this, we need to be asking who’s going to notify the parents in Shapiro’s neighborhood that he is a danger to their children?

The scary part about all of this is the fact that Yisroel Shapiro is employed at a kosher butcher shop One in which children can be seen going in and out of with their parents.  Shapiro also lives on a street in which many children also reside.  He also prays three times a day in a minyon in which children are present.  Who’s going to be monitoring his activities to insure he is not alone with children?

It is a known fact that Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro davens (prays) at Congregation Darchei Tzedek.  For many months The Awareness Center has been demanding that Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz make public a safety plan to insure the safety of the children in his shul. To this date this has not occurred.  The goal is prevent anymore children from being harmed.  The Awareness Center’s goal is to offer hope, healing and a voice to all Jewish survivors of sex crimes.

Why did his victims agree to this plea bargain?  Or did they have a choice?  What was their thinking?  And what pressure did the community put on the D.A. to let him go so he can molest again?

There is in Maryland a book of “suggested” panalties for felonies. ( I’m sorry I forgot what it is called) This book is not the law, however it is the guidance by which all the judges rule by. For the highest felony Shapiro was charged with the law could have put him away for 15 years. This sentencing guide ( this might be it’s name) allows for probation up to 2 years imprisonment.
Technically the victims do not have a choice when it comes to the plea bargain or wheather the state even presses charges. However, The Assistant State’s Attorney, Tammy Griffin-Lawman along with outside counsel did a great job in keeping the victims informed, educated and cared for during this period. Considering that most sexual abuse cases are never reported and of those that are, most are not prosecuted, and of those that are most are not convicted because the legal system in Maryland is NOT in favor of the victims, the results in this case are a reason to celebrate a small victory for survivors. Shapiro did not get what he deserved, however he is being held accountable for his actions by our legal system (not by the rabbi’s of the community)and that’s more that we can say for other molesters within our community. I personally feel a great joy everytime I think about Judge Miller saying the words “Guilty, Guilty”!
The laws must be changed. That takes effort and committment. Those of us who are survivors or know survivors or have a passion for justice, can become involved and try to make a positive difference.

I would encourage every other survivor of Israel Shapiro to file a report against him with Detective Merryman at 410-396-2076.
One last thing for the other survivors out there… you are not alone and there are a wealth of resources available for us to tap into for our recovery and counsel, legally and emotionally. Maybe Phil would be kind enough to put them together and publish a list?

The donors to the Associated?  The Orthodox parents will only be influenced, unfortunately, when you get the non-Orthodox donors to Orthodox institutions to speak up about abuse.  The orthodox parents don’t seem to care about the issue for their kids safety.  But if their tuition rates go up because Reform and Conservative Jews stop giving money for scholoarships, maybe it will bring attention to the issue and even Orthodox parents will start to demand from their rabbis and schools some reforms to protect their children.  This will have a long term positive influence, because of the inter-generational nature of abuse, in which children who are molested grow up with a higher likelihood of molesting themselves. This is why we have seen such a high number of Orthodox molesters.  Because when ignored and covered up, it grows like mold.  When will the Orthodox parents wake up, Ima, when????

Phil, you mention that “our Jewish organizations like the Jewish Council’ need to understand.  Do you mean the Assoc’d and the Baltmr Jewish Council? I don’t remember seeing any mention of the BJC’s role, positive or negative, in any previous context. Could you elaborate?  Can Assoc’d donors be advocating somewhere in that system on child sexual abuse issues that would have an impact on Orthodox parents?

As in the case of the former Gov of NY, and I’ve personally seen it time and time again, people that SCREAM about a particular issue are the ones most likely to be guilty of a similar issue.  I think that if all of the exceedingly vocal ones would honestly examine their own lives, they’d find much to work on.

That being said, one writer asked what else could be done.  The answer in my mind is to become more active in schools, youth groups and the community.  Where there are people in a position to make policy and changes, they will be better able to help prevent further abuse.  If you keep asking, why the Rabbis/Schools/Judges/Orthodox (Insert your own group to blame) aren’t doing more, you shift the responsibility from yourself. 

Everyone has the responsibility to be involved in future prevention.  The true molesters will pay a high price in the heavenly court for what they have done in the past.

Yisroel Shapiro was sentence to pay $10,800 in restitution to those he criminally sexually abused is really a slap on the hand to all survivors of sexual abuse.

The amount is a far cry from the 1.2 million dollars that survivors in California were awarded.  The message sent out by Judge Miller is that the pain and suffering of those who were victimized in Maryland does not have as much value as those who were sexually violated in California.

Why did his victims agree to this plea bargain?  Or did they have a choice?  What was their thinking?  And what pressure did the community put on the D.A. to let him go so he can molest again?

What can the community do to see that this kind of travesty of justice does not occur again?  Can you propose some SPECIFIC steps we can do?  Bill O’Reilly always talks about stiffer sentences for molesters.  Is that what you’re suggesting?  Or did it have more to do with the multitude of victims who are still to afraid of stigma and worse in our community to speak out in these cases?
What exactly can we do?