On My Mind

To Mark :

My dad is going to go straight to Shamayim because he is the most courageous person out there. You sir are the one going straight to hell for covering up such horrible acts. You should be ashamed of yourself.

PHIL, I REALLY THINK YOU THINK YOU ARE PROTECTING PPLE FROM ABUSERS. BUT YOU HAVE LOST YOUR WAY IMMENSELY AND HAVE BECOME A TRUE ABUSER YOURSELF, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PERSONAL VENDETTA AGAINST RAV EISEMANN FOR THIS: (QUOTED FROM YOUR BLOG ENTRY ON) 
“I chair a once-a-year shul function. I am directed each year by my rabbi to call an individual of his choosing. That individual receives an $800-$1,000 honoraria from the Pearlstone Foundation through the Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. The scholar-in-residence comes to shul, usually speaks on a Friday night and a Shabbat afternoon.
Years ago when this program was in its infancy I invited a respected yeshiva rabbi to be our speaker.
When he got up to speak, instead of first addressing the issue of the day, he went off on a tangent, attacking me by name and my rabbi by name. Why? Because on the Associated’s Pearlstone brochure publicizing the various scholar-in-residence programs, his name was listed along side a noted lesbian feminist, who was performing at a nearby synagogue.
The rabbi absolutely attacked us, insisting that had known he would be on the same list as the woman, he never would have accepted the gig at our shul.”

PHIL, YOU ARE SO BIASED AGAINST RAV EISEMANN BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, WHEN HE HAD A VERY GOOD POINT. BUT EVEN IF IT UPSET YOU, IT DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE KILLING YOU HAVE DONE. SEE BELOW FOR THE EXPOSURE OF HOW LOW YOU HAVE SUNK-LETTERS PRINTED IN YOUR MAGAZINE.

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.

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

Our community is no safer now that Phil has attempted to strip it of its leaders by printing his tabloid-ian rumor report about Rabbi Eisemann, calling Rabbi Heinemann a quote-unquote Rabbi, and confessing that he listens to his Rabbis’ advice and then does what he pleases. Of course his blog about ignoring our Rabbis and speaking straight to G-d is of no help either..

Hopefully our community is strong enough to ignore the advice of Uncle Phil.

Phil, It must be very painful to be vilified and condemned by some in our community—especially when you are probably privvy to more information than you can publish in order to protect victims’ confidentiality, to avoid nuisance suits, etc.  Please be uplifted by the knowledge that you have already and continue to make the Jewish community safer for our most treasured and vulnerable members—our children. TA would not have publicized, and proudly!, the adoption of a new conduct policy if you had not shined a light on child sexual abuse—and I bet it is a stronger policy particularly due to the JT’s articles. Kol hakavod to you—you should feel heartened knowing that TA’s boys are safer b/c of your work and willingness to take the hits.  I fear you may give up or turn away from pursuing stories in the future because you feel isolated or burned out.  Let us know what we can do to support your efforts and we will! May you go from strength to strength in 5768—our children need your continued compassion and leadership.

Phil Jacobs-I really think that you mean well-that you think you are some crusader here-But that’s the sad thing-you can’t see that what you have done to Rav Eisemann is outright evil. There is absolutely no benefit that will come from your publishing it. You think by doing it, more ‘victims’ will come? But even if we believe every word of your ‘sources’, Rav Eisemann NEVER abused anyone. At worst, he rubbed someone on the back, etc.- I find it funny that your ‘star witness’, this guy in Phoenix, produced nothing for you. I find it sad that you could take his allegations of staring at crotches seriously-as if anyone, and for sure not a high school boy, really knows where someone is staring and what they are thinking about. And as if there’s a crime in teaching boys that the Torah says not to masturbate? And then you print that he thinks Rav Eisemann maybe touched him in the rear. Give me a break-what sloppy, unprofessional and decadent journalism.
Phil, you fished and dug and you came up with nothing on Rav Eisemann-no real abuse victims or stories, just exaggerations, and you still had the chutzpah and guile to publish that Rav Eisemann is an abuser, lumping him with real abusers. Look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself what anyone gained by what you did, besides your ego.

One thing is clear, Phil. You have a lot to atone for this Yom Kippur. I hope you do teshuva and ask Rav Eisemann, and Rav Hopfer for forgiveness, and print a major retraction.

Well thats straight from a child molester. Who can possibly conceive
and construct such writings! Brush it off, it only goes to show the
good work you are doing! Keep it up!! I wish you a Shana Tova. And by
the way here is my rebuttal:

I wanted to take this opportunity before Yom Kippur to wish you…
A year filled with continued happiness and success.
May you have more honorary dinners like last night.
May you have MUCH nachas and joy from your family.
May you continue to face off with these rat bastards.
May you continue your great work.
May you be strong in doing so.
May you realize that the truth always comes out anyways.
May you one day understand and recognize what you have done for me
therapeutically.
And furthermore, May you realize the great positive effects that your
writings have created, because here is the effects that I personally
know about:
Yosef Meystel can no longer hide in his “religious” ways anymore
either, the Av Bet Din of Chicago called me because of my story in
your paper. Thats only some of the effects that I can personally say I
know your bravery and courage has reached out to many people.
May you have a Ktiva Vchatima Tova, and I wish you all the best.

I just realized I spelled the word “hero” with an “e” attached to the end of the word. Wow, I guess I should call Dan Quale for spelling lessons.

I read this blog a few times per week and it sometimes makes me cry. Phil Jacobs is a heroe, and it is a shame that those who seek to do something as noble as protect children from predators, is sometimes villified by the community he genuinely loves and seeks to protect.

It is common knowledge that the Orthodox-Jewish community represents only a tiny portion of the world’s total population. In turn, when one chooses to adhere to the tenets of an Orthodox lifestyle, this person has effectivelyly announced to the world that he or she is willing to make highly unpopular choices for the sake of what he or she believes to be just and true.

Especially around Yom Kippur, we should strive for nothing more than to simply remember why we are here- to make the world a better, safer, place. A place where our relationship with justice is reicporacted: Justice can only be served when we as a community determine to serve justice.

I’m very much aware of the hatred that there is in our community for anyone who rocks the boat.  This is especially true when it comes to those who harass those who are speaking out against sexual abuse. 

What we are forgetting is that what that the harassment to the victim advocates is nothing compared to what those who have been sexually abused had to face. 

Can you imagine if you or one of your children was just sexually abused and you tried to tell someone in Baltimore? 

Can you imagine what it must be like to go to your revered rabbi and for him to tell you to keep quiet?

Can you imagine what it is like to go to Jewish Family Services and find out that the therapists there really have no training in working with survivors.  They have no experience working with the justice system.  The worst part of this is that the rabbi who told you to keep quiet have a good working relationship with this agency.  Is there really such a thing as confidentiality at JFS?

It scares me that Aviva Weisbord and also a few of the Tendlers can have access to confidential records.

“If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time-a tremendous whack.”

“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”

  - Winston Churchill

He said it better than I could…..
-Blaine

You will burn in hell forever and ever for attacking our rabbis and treating them with so much disrespect.

I just read a very sick entry from someone who signed off as, “Collateral Damage”.  The more people take this misguided point of view on protecting molestors, the more they will prey on innocent children.  It’s amazing how stupid smart people can be when they avert their gaze from reality, and from other people’s obvious pain, pain for a lifetime after being molested.