On My Mind

Consider all the people who are showing tremendous support for Rabbi Eisemann. The yeshiva has not broken ties with him. They allow him to live on campus. Rav Aaron Feldman wrote a haskama on Rav Eisemann’s latest sefer. Rabbi Heinemann and Rabbi Hopfer still invite him to sit on the Mizrach when he comes to shul. Either the self-righteous superzealots are right and there is a large and complicated conspiracy or, what is logical and intellectually honest, Rabbi Eisemann is not an abuser. I ask you, dear objective reader, would all these people and rabbis put their own reputations and careers on the line, would Ner Yisrael risk such a scandal of harboring an abuser, especially in today’s world? Not a chance. Even if you think that Ner Yisrael has no concerns for what the Torah says (also illogical) about harboring abusers, you’ll have to admit that for their own selfish concerns, they would not want to be associated with an abuse scandal and of harboring an abuser.

The blogs have grossly and unjustly fabricated the abuse charges.

I have first hand knowledge of the Rav Eisemann case, and HE IS NOT A SEXUAL ABUSER. I have even spoken to Rabbi Hopfer about it. Even if all the allegations are true, there is no abuse or any legal issue here. This is why after all the fishing, Phil Jacobs has not found anyone who has come forward. The case could not be sent to the police. The vast vast majority of the allegations are not true. The yeshiva only asked him to leave the staff because of potential public perception of some small inappropriate behavior he may have done 30 years ago, which was deemed inappropriate for him to continue as part of the staff. I repeat, he is not an abuser, there is no fear that he ‘would strike again’, which is why he is still living on campus, and to lump him with the real abusers is so horrificly unfair. The man has done so so much good in his life and to have people say things about him which are patently false is a crime. He may have made a big mistake with something inappropriate many years ago, but haven’t we all done similar things perhaps once, except that his was discovered. The fact that he is imperfect should not have cost him his career but depressingly, it has.

It is so sad that people can say whatever they want and make up things on a blog with no accountability.

Just because we are zealous about abuse cases as we should be, does not mean people are now guilty until proven innocent.

From The Awareness Center’s site:

After Rabbi Alan Horwitz’s 1983 conviction for child molestation he was placed on probation. Arrangements were made for him to live on the Ohr Somayach campus in Monsey, NY. Horowitz was treated by Dr. Joseph F. Chambers MD (Maryland) and Dr. Yitzhak Twersky (Monsey, NY).

This is on The Awareness Center’s web page on rabbi Horowitz.  He got his start molesting kids in Maryland back in the 1980’s. 

http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/horowitz_alan.html

“Alan Horowitz, 39, a Maryland psychiatrist licensed to practice in North Carolina, surrendered his N.C. license in July after pleading guilty in Maryland to ``an unlawful and unnatural, perverted sexual practice with a 12- year-old male.”

Horowitz is now 60.

CALL TO ACTION:
Calling for the “Defrocking” of Rabbi Alan J. Horowitz - Convicted Sex Offender

The Awareness Center, Inc. is demanding that the Orthodox Union (OU), the Rabbinic Council of America (RCA) and Agudath Israel of America make a public statements denouncing the actions and behavior of Rabbi Alan J. Horowitz. By not doing so is condoning this serial child molesters criminal behavior.

The Awareness Center, Inc. is also demanding that rabbis around the world find a way to remove Alan Horowitz’s rabbinical ordination and that of other known sexual predators (who are ordained rabbis).

At this time we are unaware how Rabbi Horowitz received his rabbinic ordination, yet it is known that it was from an orthodox source. The only way to revoke an ordination is for the rabbi who granted the title to revoke it. In some circles they see ordination as a degree that can never be taken away. According to Jewish tradition once an individual becomes a rabbi, halachicly he/she can ordain another individual.

In the past both the RCA (Rabbinical Council of America), Orthodox Union and Agudath Israel of America have stated that there is nothing they could do regarding Rabbi Horowitz since was he not a member of their organization.

Rabbi Horowitz is a convicted sex offender. Be aware that it takes a village to raise a sex offender and to enable them to continue molesting children or raping adults. Rabbi Horowitz is everyone’s responsibility, including all rabbinical organizations, rabbis and Jewish communities.

It is time for all of us to stop passing the buck. Do the right thing, publicly denounce this man and remove his rabbinic ordination!

Contact Information:
Rabbinical Council of America (RCA)
Rabbi Marc Dratch - Chairman of the RCA’s Task Force on Rabbinic Improprieties
Phone: 203-858-9691
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Rabbi Basil Herring, Executive Vice President
Phone: 212-807-7888 x 5
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
_____________________________

Orthodox Union
Rabbi Hershy (Tzvi) Weinreb
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
_____________________________
Agudath Israel of America
Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, Executive Vice President
Rabbi Avi Shafran,
(212) 797-9000
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Photo of Rabbi Avi Shafranhttp://www.thejewishweek.com/upload/Dra.gifThe image “http://www.ou.org/oupr/2003/rherring.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.http://www.thejewishweek.com/upload/1WEINREB.gif
Avi Shafran /Mark Dratch /Basil Herring/Hershy Weinreb
_____________________________
Background Information

Rabbi Alan J. Horowitz, MD, is a convicted sex offender, an ordained Orthodox rabbi and an adolescent psychiatrist. He is married with one child and seven step-children.

Allegations of child abuse have followed Horowitz for decades. In Maryland, he was convicted in 1983 of performing an unnatural sexual act on the 12-year-old boy who was his patient. Allegedly, Horwitz has assaulted a string of children from California to Israel to New York in the past twenty years. Alan J. Horowitz is a rabbi, magna cum laude, M.D., Ph.D., a graduate of Duke University, and a writer for NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association) publications.

In 1990 and 1991, Horowitz was charged with sexually abusing two boys under the age of 11, a boy less than 14 years old and a girl under the age of 17. On July 27, 1992, Horowitz pled guilty to sodomizing a nine-year-old psychiatric patient as part of a plea agreement. The charge was but one of the 41 pending sex-related charges involving multiple children that had been pending against him. Horowitz was sentenced to ten to twenty years in prison.

Rabbi Horowitz was released on conditional parole November 1, 2004 from Oneida Prison, NY. According to the New York Sex Offender Registry he was Designation: Sexually Violent Offender and Predicate Sex Offender level three sex offender). It is listed that his victims ranged in age from age 8 to 14.

On May 22, 2007 Rabbi Alan Horowitz was caught in India leaving a trail of new child victims. Horwoitz was in violation of his parole since June, 2006. He will be extradited back to the US.

Yosef,

Yes, you might be Vicki, and whether or not Vicki actually writes Jewish Survivor she dictates its contents. She used it to act like a predator towards an innocent rabbi yet again.

Everyone should read http://www.vickipeeki.com/

Can you explain how you saw people enter an apartment without being in the hallway?

Bill,
Can you let us all know which blog you are talking about and also which rabbi is being accused?  From reading this blog you have said that I was Ms. Polin, that Ms. Polin is Jewish Survivor.  I’ve also read on a blog that Jewish Survivor is Eisgrau’s daughter.

In the past it’s been said that Ms. Polin was blogger, Jewish Whistleblower (jewishwhistleblower.blogspot.com).  I’ve also heard that jewish Whistleblower was blogger Steven I. Weiss and also OUJ (theunorthodoxjew.blogspot.com).

Should we be asking who you are?

Yosef,

You probably *are* Polin, since no one else considers her professional, and no one else has seen what you “watched.” It’s impossible to see people enter his apartment unless you are on his hallway, since there are several people in his building.

Professional? Recently she attacked a rabbi, again, on her blog. He’s done nothing new, there’s no new info, his profile (“written” by the infamous porno maven Luke Ford) is a year old. So why did she attack him again now?

Only one reason… because that rabbi’s friend and defender, who knows the rabbi’s whole profile is a lie, told the truth about her recently. He repeated it in another forum and that’s why she renewed her predatory pursuit of that innocent rabbi.

http://usajewish.blogspot.com/2007/02/vicki-and-devil.html

Bill,
I’ve watched Ner Israel students entering the rav Eisemann’s apartment.  He’s still tutoring them.  Most have no idea of his past offenses.  Remember that the community frowns about talking about sexual abuse.  The administration at Ner Yisroel are doing their best to keep it a secret.  All these young men know who enter his apartment is that rav Eisemann suddenly retired. 

If Eisemann or anyone else living on the Ner Yisroel campus should molest another child, I would believe that yeshiva would be seen as liable.  I wonder if they realize how much money they could loose in a civil suit?

I also have to tell you that I am amazed at how much power you give to Vicki Polin and The Awareness Center.  Are you really that intimidated by the good work they do that you would mention them on this blog? 

Can I ask you what your educational background and experience is in working with survivors and also offenders?  I’m asking because I think your attacks are unfounded and are meant to harass the only organization out there that is solely dedicated to addressing sexual abuse in our community.

I have always found both Vicki and The Awareness Center to be extremely helpful and professional.

David, have you ever been on Yeshiva Lane? It is all private apartments. While it is part of the sprawling yeshiva campus it is on the opposite side from the dorms. This would accomplish nothing besides embarrass him and his wife. Have you any evidence of him inviting students to his home for one on one chats?

You are taking the side of a deranged woman, Vicki Polin of the “Awareness” Center aka Jewish Survivors. She is a predator of rabbis. If you truly believe in innocence until proven guilty, you do not throw someone out of his home without proof.

First of all, it’s not his “home”, it’s the NIRC campus.  Second of all, from my understanding from speaking to people in the community, the accusations are coming from real people, not only anonymous bloggers.  He did the right thing by retiring last year, but he needs to move off campus.  I’m not convinced of his guilt but I’ve heard of too many cases that have been ignored or shrugged off where the accused molests again.  I’m sure he has his side of the story and he’s entitled to be judged as innocent until proven guilty.  However, proper precautions must be taken and by moving off campus, it is not an admission of guilt.

David, how can you possibly demand that a rabbi leave his home because of anonymous accusations made on a blog?

What the BJT has not yet acknowledged is that many rabbis in Baltimore have also spoken about the incredible damage done by false accusations, and how everything must be investigated with care.

You do not take a person away from his decades-long career and put him out in the street because an anonymous blogger says he molested someone 40 years ago. It simply makes it too easy to destroy someone’s life.

Did everyone see the trailer for the film “Narrow Bridge” that should be out this summer?  It’s about clergy sexual abuse from an orthodox perspective.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2858431796056068698&hl=en

just wait until the whole story comes out

Steve, I would like to believe that he is innocent and that he will be exonerated.  We should hope and pray for such an outcome since we do not need any more chillul hashem.  However, JS is correct in asking that he be moved from the campus in the interim.

Most of the accusations are lunacy.

You can’t even name one!!!  And if you still think that the accusations against RME are lunacy, just wait until the whole story comes out.  Then we’ll see who the real lunatics are.

I read the letter. They made sure to make a point of false accusations too. Any idea what they were referring to? They’ll tell you if you ask them.

When a lunatic points fingers at people and tells you they’re murderers you do the responsible thing and you look into it. They did. Most of the accusations are lunacy. Maybe the lunatics got lucky with some. But they’re lunatics - don’t believe them. Look into it.

There are two plagues right now - abusers, and false accusers. I’m not sure which one is the greater plague. Let’s be responsible and try our best to deal with both.

If you do REAL research you¡¯ll find out the facts.

I don’t know what kind of research you’ve done or who you’ve spoken to, but to me the letter signed by the rabbis of Baltimore says it all.  If you trust rabbis like you say, then take them for their word that they made huge mistakes regarding child sexual abuse.  Let’s cut out the denials and start dealing with this plague head on.  The RCA recently adopted a policy that will give yeshiva children the same protection against molesters that public school children enjoy.  At least it’s a start.  Do you think any of these rabbis would be dealing with this issue if it weren’t for the lunatic bloggers.  Do you think they “fell for it hook line and sinker” like you say, or perhaps they finally did their research?  Don’t you trust the rabbis, Joe?

Bold Print doesn’t make it more factual, but it expresses my pain. You’re falling for these lunatics hook, line, and sinker. All I’m saying is to speak to people you respect, people you know; not some nobody hiding behind a website. I recognize the “facts” that you’re stating as directly drawn from these blogs.

Online it’s my word against yours. If you do REAL research you’ll find out the facts. For what it’s worth, I’ve done real research and my trust of these Rabbis is as strong now as it was before any of these fairytales surfaced. Go find out the facts if you’re really interested.

Joe, nebich, you are in complete denial.  Writing in bold print does not make what you’re saying any more factual.  The rabbis that you are referring to admitted their mistakes of the past.  I am referring to the letter put out by the Baltimore rabbis which I’m sure you’ve read. They admitted that their policies of the past of sweeping claims of abuse under the carpet were terrible mistakes.  It was the “lunatic bloggers” that exposed these molesters and brought the issue to the forefront.  See the cases of YTT, YOB, Ger, etc. which have been brought to light only because of these so-called lunatics. Because of these lunatics, these yeshivas have become a lot safer.  I admit that these facts are hard to swallow and one tends to try to discredit the messengers in these cases.  Regarding the case at hand, a very well respected rabbi has ruled that this alleged perpetrator should not be in chinuch.  He has been removed from his position, but he still remains a danger by being allowed residence on campus.  My question to you is, at this point, would you allow your son or grandson to be alone with this man?  It’s easy to say not to listen to all the people that Phil Jacobs is interviewing, or all the people that are e-mailing the bloggers with their stories.  It’s easy to come up with a conspiracy theory or to call all these people “lunatics”.  I too would like to believe that all of our rabbis are righteous and infallible.  However, the events of the past year and their mea culpa proves that is not the case and that we must face reality.

Do you really want me to name the names of the lunatics behind these stories? I won’t - I’m nicer than that.

If you want to know the facts, speak to people you trust who are in the know. Before the lunatics came along, those people you trusted were often the Rabbis and leaders of your community. The truth is, they still are - don’t let the lunatics warp your previous values. Speak to the people you always trusted and ask them what the truth is.

The day that rabbi Moshe Heinemann cares more about the children in Baltimore then he does about his own image—will be the day we have a chance of ending child sexual abuse in the Baltimore Jewish community!—Jewish Survivor

CALL TO ACTION:
If you or anyone you know was sexually abused by rabbi Yisroel Shapiro please make a report to Child Protective Services of Maryland. Remember there is no statute of limitations on sex crimes against children in the State of Maryland.

Shapiro currently works for a kosher butcher shop and prays in a local synagogue. It is well known in the Baltimore community that he had allegedly sexually abused boys receiving Hebrew lessons from him. No police report was filed. Instead the Vaad of Baltimore handled the case on their own. A decision was made that he could no longer teach children, yet no one monitors his behavior, nor is he undergoing sex offender treatment by a trained mental health professional.

If your abuse occurred within the city limits of Baltimore call:

  TEL (410) 361-2235 (24 hours)
  FAX (443) 423-7003 or 7002
  FAX after 3:30-hours(443) 423-5950

If your abuse occurred within Baltimore County call:

  TEL (410) 853-3000 (24 hours) (Option 1)
  FAX (410) 853-3698

Joe, why don’t you contact Phil and tell him that the story is all a fabrication by a crazed lunatic.  I think that would make for a more interesting article.

Regardless if the accusers and accusations are real, the man is innocent until proven guilty.  However, I feel that the JS post was appropriate in that he should be removed from the campus until all this is sorted out.  The safety of the students comes before anything else, even a man’s reputation.

What’s this, another conspiracy theorist?  There are accusations spanning four decades, from Philly to Baltimore, by people from all walks of life.  Phil Jacobs said that “during the investigation of the late Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro, the name coming up perhaps “second” in the conversations was more often than not that of Rabbi Moshe Eisemann”.  And you want us to believe that all these people are part of a vast left-wing conspiracy.  Joe, you’ve been seeing too many Oliver Stone movies.

“Fabricated”?

I suggest that you have a talk with Rabbi Hopfer regarding Eisemann.  The survivors have been coming out of the woodworks on this case.  Like I said, stay tuned.

Barry,

Don’t fall for this Revenge of the Crazies. They fabricated the story and if Phil is irresponsible enough to publish this fairytale that is a sad state of affairs, indeed.

“This case is a delusional invention of a chemically imbalanced individual”

Think again, Joe.  There are several survivors of this molester and Phil will be doing an expose on him very soon.  Stay tuned.

JS,

Keep you spam off of here. Just because the Jewish Times doesn’t moderate their blog comments doesn’t give you a right to spew your propaganda here and try to get it associated with the Jewish Times.

This case is a delusional invention of a chemically imbalanced individual. While my heart goes out for that person’s mental well-being, their testimony should not be paraded around as truth. Murdering reputations is not a form of therapy.

CALL TO ACTION:
http://jewishsurvivors.blogspot.com/2007/05/what-will-it-take-for-ner-israel-to.html

What will it take for Ner Israel to care more about the children on it’s campus then they do about their “image” and that of Rabbi Moshe Eisemann?

The Apartment buildings on the campus of Ner Israel are bursting with children. Alleged child molester, rabbi Moshe Eisemann currently lives in one of these apartments.

The administration at Ner Israel had no problems “retiring” rabbi Moshe Eisemann after the decree was made by rabbi Yaakov Hopfer, yet they fell short by allowing Eisemann to remain on the Ner Israel Campus.

Besides having a rabbnical college, Ner Israel also offers a boarding school for high school aged boys. This is exactly the type of children that alleged sex offender Eisemann likes to prey upon.

When the original accusations were brought to the attention of the administration of Ner Israel, no hot-report was made.

When you have several adult survivors coming forward regarding a teacher on your campus, most normal people would suspect a child could be in danger.

I believe since Ner Israel operates a high school and the accusations made were against one of their teachers, they should be obligated to make a report. The law states if you suspect a child is at risk of harm one must report to child protective services, especially when the accusations are my about a school employee.

A reliable source told me that Rabbi Eisemann is still tutoring students in his home. Some of the students are minors (teenage boys). If Rabbi Eisemann should molest another child, could there be some liablity issues on the part of Ner Israel?

CALL TO ACTION:
Everyone call child protection services in Baltimore county and make a hot-line report regarding rabbi Moshe Eisemann!

  Reporting Child Abuse in the State of Maryland
  Baltimore County
  TEL (410) 853-3000 (24 hours) (Option 1)
  FAX (410) 853-3698

  Baltimore City
  TEL (410) 361-2235 (24 hours)
  FAX (443) 423-7003 or 7002
  FAX after 3:30-hours(443) 423-5950