On My Mind

Unverifiable

The Jewish Times and Phil Jacobs revealed low
journalistic integrity and reliability with their
publication of the article concerning Rabbi Moshe
Eisemann. From the opening sentence until the very
end, there was almost nothing more than unverifiable,
unsubstantiated and ergo non-credible allegations.

While having no factual knowledge of the
communications between Rabbi Hopfer and Rabbi
Eisemann, the Jewish Times publishes an anonymous
source saying “he thinks” Rabbi Eisemann admitted some
of the abuses. Of what credibility is a statement if
the source is not sure his information is accurate?

The Jewish Times writes that Rabbi Hopfer allegedly
was chosen by Ner Israel, Rabbi Eisemann was allegedly
told to work through issues with a therapist, and
Rabbi Eisemann was allegedly retired through Rabbi
Hopfer’s recommendations. It is all just alleged!

And I am supposed to believe that the alleged
therapist broke ethical and legal confidentiality and
shared his beliefs about a client with some anonymous
source and then I should trust this alleged unethical
therapist’s assessment?

The Jewish Times writes “One source said: ‘You have
Rabbi Eisemann denying all of this. You have Ner
Israel’s legal statement. You have Rabbi Hopfer’s
judgment call. Also, Rabbi Hopfer found Eisemann’s
accuser credible. Put it all together this is what you
have.’” Well, what exactly do you have? Nothing but
speculation.

And the accusations from Mr. Simms –– they are
complete supposition and subjective non-factual
statements. Just because he thinks Rabbi Eisemann was
looking somewhere does not make that true. He
‘believes’ Rabbi Eisemann touched him twice
inappropriately. What does that mean?

That the Jewish Times would print one individual’s
literally dubious and unverifiable accusations at the
expense of someone’s reputation is nothing short of
irresponsible and reckless.

A few months ago Mr. Jacobs solicited information on
the UOJ blog concerning Rabbi Eisemann. He personally
confirmed this to me in a phone call. I was shocked to
see a supposedly respectable journalist publicly name
someone as an alleged molester and then go fishing
publicly for information when someone’s name and
reputation were at stake without any facts to back him
up.

Instead he has chosen to print rumors at the cost of
someone’s reputation. Such behavior would be wrong
even if the alleged perpetrator was your average
citizen, let alone a beloved Rebbi of thousands.

Mr. Jacobs writes “His [Rabbi Hopfer’s] response could
have cleared up much of the speculation.” Mr. Jacobs
should blame himself for helping the speculation
continue with almost no facts at his disposal.

Zev Friedman
Calgary, Canada

Witness For The Defense

With a heavy heart, I read your recent story on Rav
Moshe Eisenmann (“When Whispers Get Louder,” Aug. 31).
It upset me greatly because having had him as my
teacher for over 10 years, and knowing him well over
50 years, I know beyond any doubt that your
accusations are false (and maybe malicious!).

I first met Rav Moshe when I was a 12-year-old in the
Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia in 1957. His wife
hadn’t joined him in America yet, so he lived in our
dormitory for one year. At no time was there even a
trace of wrong behavior or even a rumor, for word
would have spread like wildfire among us boys. For two
years he was my Rebbe and unlike most Rebbeim, he
counseled the boys individually on the “sins of the
night” and how harshly the Torah views them. Why did
he do this? Because he cared. For the same reason, he
trekked to Russia countless times in his later years
to encourage the Jews there to regain their Judaism. I
and many of his loyal students ask ourselves why these
terrible events have now befallen this good man –– and
the answer is clear. It is because he cares about
people more than most, and that always makes one
vulnerable to the destructive needs of people with an
agenda.

There is nothing wrong in demanding moral integrity in
our teachers and seeking safe environments for our
children, but your prurient approach to journalism
would make Sen. McCarthy proud.

Rabbi Harvey Gornish
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Posted by: Troy | October 11, 2007 at 08:46 PM

I have sources that Phil does not have. All say the same thing – Rabbi Eisemann is a child molester.

If NI had done the correct thing and called the police, you’d have a trial and you’d have much public evidence.

Instead, NI covered it up.

Tell your friend Rabbi Eisemann that one day, perhaps one day soon, the police will be at his door. You can tell the same thing to those rabbis who covered for him.

Posted by: Shmarya | October 11, 2007 at 08:56 PM

Loud Whisper

Regarding last week’s “When Whispers Get Louder,” I have been a close student of Rav Moshe Eisemann’s since I was 19 years old. I’ve traveled with him and had countless private sessions with him.

Before meeting Rav Eisemann, I attended a yeshiva in Israel where the Rosh HaYeshiva was later convicted of sexual abuse with numerous students. When word got out concerning those illicit activities, I was not surprised. What sounds like awhisper to one standing far away may indeed be a scream to one with proximity. My proximity to this Rosh HaYeshiva gave me clear audio reception to his wrongdoings.

With Rav Eisemann I find a similar predicament. In your article I found nothing that surprised me. Informing the community that no complaints or charges have ever been filed against the Rabbi, that no Din Torah had ever been called, that a therapist saw no signs of “terrible abuse,” that Rav Heinemann — who as your article mentions cares deeply about condemning child molesters — still regards Rav Eisemann with the highest of esteem. All this reinforce the whispers I have heard for 25 years concerning Rav Eisemann: He is as beyond reproach as is humanly possible.

I am, however, greatly despondent that in pursuit of a worthy cause (protecting children from any kind of abuse), we have become abusers ourselves. From bloggers to respected newspapers, abuse of power seems to be running rampant. When the likes of Rav Eisemann are rounded up and burned at the stake you know you are not in Baltimore anymore.

Stan Lebovic
Salem, Mass.

Don’t Judge

Last week’s article on Rabbi Eisemann seems to collect innuendo and present it as evidence.

For a 71-year-old teacher to retire is hardly incriminating. For a retired teacher to move off campus also is nothing out of the ordinary. As far as I am aware rubbing backs does not constitute a form of sexual abuse. Even kissing covers quite a wide range and depends on the context.

When I was mashgiach ruchani in Montefiore College [London], most of the North African students used to kiss me goodbye at the end of the school year. Does any of this involve abuse? At many frum weddings the men line up to kiss the groom and wish him Mazel Tov. Is this a form of abuse?

One former Philadelphia pupil says that Rabbi Eisemann stared at the pupil’s crotch. If this were a general habit I don’t suppose Rabbi Eisemann would have been such a success in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Russia and Germany. The same applies to the suggestion that he had a poor style of teaching and was overly authoritarian. I knew Rabbi Eisemann while he was in Philadelphia — he was a popular speaker with Orthodox university students. I knew Rabbi Eisemann in Baltimore, both inside Ner Israel and also his shiurim for Johns Hopkins and Goucher students in Yavneh, the Orthodox Students Association. He was a brilliant and inspiring speaker. His ArtScroll books are brilliant.

There are Jewish principles of judging a person in his merit and accepting that a person who has been known to do the right thing is unlikely to suddenly change — chazaka of kashruth. We should not rush into judgment.

Joe Feld
London, England

I think that Rabbi E. owes Phil Jacobs an apology for lying to him. In the article Rabbi E. says he is still teaching but then calls back to say he’s been retired for a year.  ?????  Why did he lie?  All of the accusers of Phil also need to apologize to him for giving child molesters the benefit of the doubt, and protection from lashon harah, but Phil gets maligned and attacked for simply doing the community service of keeping parents aware and children safe.  Olam Hafuchos.  it’s a time of V’nahapoch hu.  Will are community ever turn the tables and start protecting children in stead of molesters? 

By the way, the only reason no victims have come forward is because after seeing the way the community treated Phil, they don’t want to be re-victimized.  They were attacked by Eiseman, and neglected and denied by the yeshivah and the community for years.  Then they get the run around from Rabbi Hopfer.  Do they need to go through that again?  Don’t people see that it is impossible for anyone to stop child molesters if the whistleblowers just get attacked?

That’s why the whole idea of telling your children to tell you when someone starts up with them, is useless.  The child knows that the parents will go to the rabbis who will cover up, the molester will continue to go free to molest others, ESPECIALLY if it is a rabbi (one of them), and especially if he is a member of an organization which is considered more holy and sacred in our community than any individual child. The child knows that his cries will go unheard.  He fears that there will be backlash against him/her and maybe against his family.  He knows that it is only up to him/her to protect him/herself, as was stated publicly by Rabbi Hopfer.  So why should he risk all this?  That is why victims of Rabbi E. don’t come forward.  I know one personally who asked a shayla if he should talk to Phil Jacobs in order for people to hear the truth about Rabbi E.  He was told that while there is a big Mitzvah to expose a roydef because of Lo Saamod Al Dam Reyecha, however, since in our twisted community it is the victim who is considered the roydef, he should not talk to Phil because “Chayecha Kodmim”, meaning that it would be suicide to do so, and that is neither required nor allowed, even to save others’ lives. 

Please, give Phil a break.  Not only does he mean well, but he is a hero who is the only person in Baltimore to really try to protect the children.  I don’t know how he does it alone.  Hashem has been good to us to give us someone so courageous.

Did you do even the slightest checking before you publicly accuse Phil jacobs of doing something terrible?  Did you:
1)  Ask Rabbi E. if he ever molested anyone.  My guess is that he might not lie to a private individual with the integrity to ask him the truth. For sure if you told him you know of one of his victims, he would say he is sorry.

2) Did you ask Rabbi Hopfer if it is safe for you to allow your teenage son to sleep over in Rabbi E’s. house? 

3) Did you ask Reb Sheftel or Reb Berrel the same question?

If you didn’t than you have a big Chutzpah talking out of your you know what.  If you did, or if you do ask these simple questions and get ANY answers yay or nay, please, please post them here, so the rest of us can know what our rabbis are saying on this subject.  Maybe then some of the victims might even be willing to come forward.  Who knows?

Phil Jacobs: You ran an article on RE’s alleged abuse back in August based on total hearsay and zero evidence. It was such an unprofessional article by any standard and it evoked a major backlash of letters against you which you at least had the guts to print. You were hoping that more ‘victims’ would come out of the wood work. NONE HAVE.
You owe RE a major apology which you should print in your magazine.

You are the perfect example of someone who had good intentions but without Torah guidance, you have gone way off to the extreme and because of misplaced zealousness you have done major wrongs to people, one of whom is RE.

“Rabbis who get it?”  Which rabbis are you talking about? Reform and Conservative?  It appears as if part of the Orthodox Smicha test nowadays is proving that you understand the need to coverup all cases of molestation in the community.  This is one of the most important duties of the contemporary Orthodox rabbinate. 

Your distinction, Ima, of those rabbis who “get it” and those who don’t, is like trying to differentiate between those Lubavitchers who still think the Rebbe is Mashiach, and those who don’t, or L’havdil, those Muslims who believe in terrorism and those who don’t.  It’s just a matter of degree in terms of how far some rabbis will go to cover up.  But they ALL believe in it in principle.

Phil, Obviously, a community-wide approach does not work.  A suggestion: you, an adult survivor, and others you respect on this issue reach out to the rabbis in our community who truly “get it”. Suggest to them that, as a matter of pikuach nefesh, they organize a series of “classes” or meetings that rotate among their shuls over a period of weeks.  Each meeting should have a panel of specialists who SHOULD be there: an experienced mental health/abuse professional, a civil authority who investigates cases, a survivor and a rabbi. It is the moral and spiritual obligation and responsibility of these rabbis WHO KNOW BETTER to ensure that information that will truly protect the lives and souls of our trusting, vulnerable little kids.  Our children assume we are protecting them—b/c it is our G-d-given duty and privilege to do so.  Phil, please give the rabbis-who-get-it the courage to “go it alone”, even if their prestigious rabbinic colleagues do not approve.

Phil, I applaud you, keep doing, keep listening, keep speaking. I am the victim of sexual abuse, abuse hidden by the sister of the abuser - my mother. my mother who did her own physical and emotional abusing and neglecting, who as a ‘trained’ mental health professional has managed to shield herself from viewing her own “educated” actions as enabling further abuse (could she honestly think my sibling and I were the only children he abused?).

Of course, all this sounds quite familiar to me regarding these rabbis and *their* rabbis.
Its painful enough to hear of rabbonim both sheltering and condemning abusers. If i cant see justice in my own situation, I see it, in the very least, in the lack of silence you have contributed to.

I don’t live in baltimore, but am interested in the issue of sexual abuse in the jewish community.  In New York, among the community of survivors and of therapists, Baltimore has one of the worst reputations of any community in America when it comes to protecting Jewish Children.  There seems to be an unwritten law there that the safety and security of molesters and the institutions are more important than victims of sexual abuse.  One rabbi on the vaad tried convincing me recently that things have gotten better, but based on the whole thrust of the “educational evening” it appears that its business as usual, and the rabbis are just paying more lip service to victims to try to do damage control.  They are reacting to community scandal instead of being proactive for the safety of children.

The Catholic Church comparison is obvious. There was a South Park cartoon in which the priests met at the Vatican to figure out what to do about all the acusations against priests.  Everyone was in an uproar and trying to figure out more advanced ways to cover it up better.  One little priest kept asking “Why don’t we get the priests to stop molesting?”  Everyone laughed at him as if he was thinking backwards.

An evening about protecting the children from molestation?  How about getting the rabbis to stop molesting and covering up for molesters?  How about even joining Phil Jacobs in identifying and publicizing who the molesters are, so parents and kids will have a fighting chance? 

Please, rabbis.  Stop laughing at this idea.  We are Jews, not Catholics!  And parents remember, Rabbi Hopfer is not the Pope!

My question for the rabbis is this:

If as a parent I tell my child to let me know if someone molests them, and then my child tells me, WHAT do I tell my child when I go to the rabbis and they cover it up? 

How does it protect my child to have them tell me what happened, if I’m told to report to rabbis, and the rabbis cover it up as they have been doing all along?

Phil I was at the meeting on Wednesday, and as a survivor of sexual abuse, and as a survivor of dealing with the incompetence of the “Rabbis” of Baltimore, I left the meeting so enraged. You took the words out of my mouth, and I appreciate that.

Rabbi Hopfer after the “Rabbis” of the community “dealt” with my case a few years back, he invited me to his office and cried to me saying that he never understood the pain I went through. When he was speaking and telling parents not to panic, I was FURIOUS. Parents be panicked, this is a fucking epidemic here in our community! I tried to stare him in the eye, but he would not look at me.

Everyday for me is a struggle, I hear of this young boy or this young girl who are in a world of self destructive pain and hurt because some mother fucker has a problem with playing with children. Oh but he’s a yid, so we cant report him—or yes we will seek counseling for him—or he denied doing anything—thats some responses that I heard—to all of you who wonder.

BE Aware of whats going on here. Enough sugarcoating when so many children’s souls are brutally murdered everyday

And Phil, as far as all the hard work and awareness you have brought forth—Keep Up The Good Work!!!