Thursday 27 December 2012

Leading Rabbi Calls For Investigation Into YU Child Sex Abuse Coverup Allegations

 Rabbinic Cover-Up? You bet it is

Yeshiva University President, Richard Joel sent an email to the school’s supporters saying:

 “…I welcome the opportunity to personally and confidentially discuss any issues with anyone who may have suffered harm.”

 Sorry, President Joel.  You are not the address to which concerned students should go. When I attended Yeshiva University I was taught the phrase nogea badavar, which roughly means “conflict of interest.” 
The responsible thing is to hire an independent firm to review the school’s record, past and present. 

Senior administrators of the University have told me that the school has hired an attorney to lead an investigation. But such an investigation will be of limited value if it is not truly independent. The Jewish community needs Yeshiva University to answer these questions. There is too much at stake.

Writing in The Jewish Week, Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld of the National Synagogue in Washington DC calls for an independent investigation into the Yeshiva Univesity High School child sexual abuse coverup:

    I went to MTA from 1988 to 1992, and during that time Rabbi Finkelstein was first assistant principal and was then promoted to principal. I never felt any abuse from Rabbi Finkelstein, thankfully, but then again I stayed far away from him. Even at that time, I remember hearing students say that all was not kosher with his behavior. Although I don’t know enough to say that these accusations are accurate, I can say that I was not surprised to read them in the Forward.

    
We know that [Yeshiva University acted inappropriately then with regard to allegations of child sexual abuse].

    
The question is whether the university is acting appropriately today.

    
An independent investigation is needed to study the culture that allowed this behavior to go unchecked, unreported, and unchallenged for decades.…

    On December 13, Yeshiva University President, Richard Joel sent an email to the school’s supporters saying:

 “At this institution we continually review and strengthen policies….  Anyone who may have suffered harm is invited to contact us in confidence….  I welcome the opportunity to personally and confidentially discuss any issues with anyone who may have suffered harm. I can be reached at president@yu.edu or (212) 960-5300.”

    

Sorry, President Joel.  You are not the address to which concerned students should go. When I attended Yeshiva University (for High School, College, Graduate School, and Rabbinical School) I was taught the phrase nogea badavar, which roughly means “conflict of interest.”

    
The responsible thing is to hire an independent firm to review the school’s record, past and present. 

Senior administrators of the University have told me that the school has hired an attorney to lead an investigation. But such an investigation will be of limited value if it is not truly independent.

    
The Jewish community needs Yeshiva University to answer these questions. There is too much at stake.

http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2012/12/leading-mo-rabbi-calls-for-independent-investigation-into-yu-child-sex-abuse-coverup-allegations-456.html

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