On My Mind

“You sound as if you are one of the folks who support one or more of the offenders on The Awareness Center’s site.

I guess for you ignorance is bliss.  To bad the rest of the world doesn’t agree with you. “

If we’re going to make baseless accusations about the authors of the comments on this blog, then I get to make one: You are Vicki Polin trolling as “Baruch”.
I don’t know the vast majority of the people on the Awareness Center’s site. Those that I know, I don’t know that I support. I do, however, support Phil, and it’s ridiculous to try and support your arguments with personal attacks on a person you don’t even know.

In any event, you said “Show me one case on The Awareness Center’s site where “the allegations have been disproven”!
Okay.
http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/Garfield_Ellen.html
There you go. She was acquitted. Funny how the site says she was, yet still lists her, isn’t it?

Furthermore, besides the general confusing layout of the actual website,there are other bizarre inclusions, e.g. it is ridiculous to have “Sabbatai Zevi” listed as “accused of cult type practices and sexual offenses”. I mean, certainly he was a considerable threat - over three hundred years ago. It’s a good thing Jacob Frank’s offshoot movement was included on the site as well, especially since the website says he died in 1791.

Vicki Polin, the head of the Awareness Center appeared on national television, on Oprah, telling the world that Jewish families in Chicago, including her own, were involved in devil worship and child sacrifice. You can see the video clip of this appearance online. Just google vicki polin oprah. She’s also known as a pathological liar (as evident from the former) among her peers.

Degrees don’t make people experts, and personal tragedy is a reason to sympathize with someone, not believe everything they say - especially with a record like hers.

Spend some time reading the Awareness Center site and the JewishSurvivors blog and you’ll get a good feeling for the type of person you’re dealing with. Trustworthy is not the word that comes to mind…

Ariel,

Show me one case on The Awareness Center’s site where “the allegations have been disproven”!

Vicki Polin is a licensed mental health professional with years of experience working in the sexual abuse field.  Polin has also come out publicly many times stating that she is an incest survivor. 

Are you making the statement that because she was abused as a child you should be skeptical about the facts on the organizations web page?

You sound as if you are one of the folks who support one or more of the offenders on The Awareness Center’s site.

I guess for you ignorance is bliss.  To bad the rest of the world doesn’t agree with you.

Baruch - That is probably because The Awareness Center continues to push allegations that in many cases, are either long disproven, or have no clear basis.
Many people are also skeptical of the person who runs it.

A Community Member - “I can’t daven the way they taught us…no longer can trust their heter on food or life in general”.
That is a huge jump to take, just because of what you may assume about the actions of some Rabbonim in the community. First, not all the Rabbonim are that way. Second, davening in general is part of the general tradition of Jews across the world - it is NOT specific to the Baltimore community. If you meant that you can no longer daven in a minyan - well then find those Rabbis that don’t fall into your “bad list” and daven there. Disappointment in the actions of some Rabbis here should have no effect on one’s personal religious practices and obligations. Third, in regards to food and “life in general” (whatever that may be. Issues of pikuach nefesh?) - those are topics divorced from that of sexual abuse. Unless you have clear, valid proof that these Rabbis are somehow involved in a scheme to pretend things are kosher when they are not, you should trust their kashrus. And anything involved with pikuach nefesh - certainly!

Phil,
Since your article came out on Mr. Eisemann I no longer can walk into a shul.  I knew there was much more behind the story then what you were able to publish. 

I can no longer refer to Eisemann as rav or rabbi.  I’ve removed his semicha.  I am slowly doing that with all our so called rav’s in our community.  Until they put doing something about sexual abuse as high priority I can’t daven in the way they taught us.

I also no longer can trust their hetter on food or life in general.

It’s strange that you continuously promote the shofar coalition, yet never mention The Awareness Center?  Can I ask you why?

Is the Jewish Times listening to the rabbonim of Baltimore and taking part in the shunning of this fine organization?

You’ve already told every Rabbi in the community that no one needs them, that they don’t deserved to be called Rabbis if they disagree with how the Jewish Times reports these stories, and that if they suggest anything critical to you that you’ll just ignore them.  Should we believe you that you have any concern for our leadership?