Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Case of Nachman Borenstein

Case of Nachman Borenstein

Teacher's Aide, Talmud Torah - Jerusalem, Israel


 
Convicted of molesting five children.
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Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if the resources meet their own personal needs.

Table of Contents:  
 
2005
  1. J'lem man sentenced to 15 years for sexual abuse (12/27/2005)
  2. Teacher's aide jailed for sexual abuse (12/28/2005)
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J'lem man sentenced to 15 years for sexual abuse
By ETGAR LEFKOVITS
Jerusalem Post - December 27, 2005


An Israeli man who sexually molested five children, including four brothers, at a Jerusalem Talmud Torah where he taught was sentenced to fifteen years in prison Tuesday by the Jerusalem District Court.

Nachman Borenstein, who served as a teacher's aide at the religious school where the attacks took place, was convicted in the same court earlier this year.

In an unusual move, the court rejected a plea bargain agreement the sexual molester had reached with the state attorney's office whereby he would only have served nine years in jail, handing down the stiffer sentence in its stead.

The sexual predator was also ordered to pay the children NIS 120,000 each in compensation.
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Teacher's aide jailed for sexual abuse 
By Etgar Lefkovits 
Jerusalem Post - December 28, 2005

A man who sexually molested five children, including four brothers, at a Jerusalem Talmud Torah where he taught, was sentenced to 15 years in prison Tuesday by the Jerusalem District Court.  

Nachman Borenstein, who served as a teacher's aide at the religious school where the attacks took place, was convicted in the same court earlier this year. In an unusual move, the court rejected a plea bargain agreement the sexual molester had reached with the state attorney's office whereby he would only have served nine years in prison, handing down the stiffer sentence in its stead. The sexual predator was also ordered to pay the children NIS 120,000 each in monetary compensation.


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FAIR USE NOTICE

Some of the information on The Awareness Center's web pages may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.

We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml . If you wish to use copyrighted material from this update for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

_____________________________________________________________________________________


 "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead


_____________________________________________________________________________________


Saturday, December 24, 2005

Mandated Reporting - Rabbi Benzion Y. Wosner


Harav Hagaon Rabbi Benzion Y. Wosner Shlit"a
Rosh Beis Din Shevet Halevi
Monsey - Beit Shemesh
Click here for the entire "Responsa" in Hebrew
December 24, 2005
 
Please note: These are excerpts only from a lengthy and very thorough T'shuvah. This translation has been authorized by Harav Hagaon Rav Wosner, Shlit"a, but has not been translated by him. This is only a summary, not at all a complete translation. One must actually read and study the original Teshuvah in its original Hebrew to get a true understanding and appreciation of this psak (Halachic ruling). All Rabbis in Monsey retain a copy of the original Teshuvah and it is thus available for anyone to study.
 
Please note: While Rabbi Wosner is a Gaon in his own right, and one of the leading Halachic Authorities for the Monsey Kehilla Mikvah, he is also the son of the venerable Gaon, and world renowned Posek, the author of the multi-volume responsa, Shevet Halevi of Bnei-Brak. (The great Chazon Ish Z"l is known to have recommended the Shevet Halevi as the leading authority in Bnei-Brak 50 years ago.)
 
The reason this vital information was not presented publicly until now* is that the Rabbanim attempted to give Tendler many chances, with the latest attempts during the Yomim Noraim, to resign as Rav and Dayan before releasing both the t'shuvah and kol-korah proclamation and if needed other very compromising information. Their patient attempts went on completely deaf ears that included his father and brother. The time to declare the Torah view has come. No more chances.
 
A Short Translation Summary:
Introduction:
This is in regard to an issue whereas numerous Rabbanim in our town (Monsey) have requested that I rule Halachicly, how to deal with a certain Rabbi, who deals with divorces, marriages and kashruth issues.
 
Unfortunately, there have been rumors about him for years that he has deliberately violated many Torah prohibitions, particularly involving immoral relations with women. To be sure that this was in fact truthful, I summoned and interviewed many men and women who reside in both New Hempstead and who reside outside of New Hempstead, and found all of this to be unfortunately true!
 
The women testified on his total disregard of Torah prohibitions. For example, he would meet women one on one, on the pretense that he wants to teach them Halachos and counsel them on the ways of life. Once he wins their confidence, he would, for example, forget to bring his book and ask the woman he was seeing if they could learn together using her book, thereby giving him the opportunity to move physically closer to her where they would eventually touch. He would ultimately hug the woman and subsequently perform other immoral acts that I have great difficulty putting to print!
In addition, he has brazenly dealt in difficult Halachic marriage situations, annulling countless marriages (Hashem, protect us).
 
When asked by a group of Rabbis at a meeting, how he could take upon himself these halachic rulings, he answered that his grandfather Harav Moshe Feinstein Z"l also ruled this way! However, after having inquired from Harav Feinstein's own children and students, we found that this was a total fabrication!

 
Now, the inquiry before us is:
What do we answer members of our community and our neighbors, who ask whether to continue under his leadership and teachings, or to leave him?
 
In addition, this inquiry notes the fact that this Rabbi was a member for many years of a Rabbinic organization, (RCA) and after doing their own investigation decided to oust him from their organization!
 
This Rabbi has summoned this same Rabbinic organization (RCA) to a (Rabbanut) Beit Din in Israel claiming that they terminated his membership in their organization under the violation of Halacha-Torah law.
 
For example, he claims that the Shulchan Aruch writes that one cannot remove a "Chazzan" from his position based on a rumor, unless there are actual kosher witnesses.
 
From his side he likewise claims:
a) there are only women witnesses and he claims women are not kosher witnesses
b) that these witnesses testified without him being present
c) the witnesses are biased
d) the rumors were spread by his enemies!
 
ANSWER:
This case has absolutely no resemblance to the case discussed in the Shulchan Aruch. The Shulchan Aruch talks about a Congregation that wants to remove a Chazzan from his employment in a synagogue, based on a rumor.
 
In our case this Rabbi was not employed by the organization (RCA), he was a member like other member Rabbis. We could not find one instance in Halacha that an organization cannot remove one of their members. In addition, every organization can set and change its own rules as they see fit! -- ( )
Every organization has a right to set rules that their members should not profane HASHEM'S great Name, certainly not to violate outright Halachic prohibitions E
 
Therefore, since this rumor has been ongoing and the Rabbis of the organization are ashamed and embarrassed of his actions, they not only have a right to oust him from their organization but they have a Torah obligation to do so!
 
With this action, the Rabbis of this organization are sanctifying HASHEM'S Name!
It is vital to know that, accordingly, his own Congregation has an equal obligation!
(a) In regard to his claim that only women testified:
 
As far as Halacha is concerned (see actual T'shuvah for elaboration), in a case where a Rabbi has a rumor that doesn't stop ... (this rumor has been ongoing for multiple years) we do not need any witnesses to remove him.
 
In our case we actually do have witnesses ... men... who have testified that they actually saw this Rabbi meet women one on one (flagrantly violating the prohibition of Yichud). There are, however, also women witnesses! The victims themselves who came to him for counseling to pour their broken hearts to him!
 
The Ramah in Choshen Mishpat (Siman 35, 14) rules that in a case where only women congregate or in a case (like ours) where only women could possibly testify, (since he meets women one on one behind closed doors) they can and should certainly testify. (Terumas Hadeshen Siman 353 and Agudah Perek 10, Yochasin)
 
This is also the ruling of the Mahrik, Radvaz, and the Mahr"i of Minz. Even those "Poskim" that would normally not rely on women witnesses, they would certainly agree that in our case ... where there is ample evidence that this Rabbi violated Torah precepts, then even children or women can certainly be kosher as witnesses, as the Chasam Sofer pointed out in his sefer (Orach Chaim T'shuvah 11)
 
(b) His claim that the witnesses testified without him being there:
There are many Responsa in regard to having witnesses testify, without the defendant being present. The Ramah has already ruled (Choshen Mishpat) that testimony taken without the defendant present is halachicly correct, especially in a case where the defendant has a history of intimidating witnesses (This Rabbi called and threatened many women who testified at the RCA hearing).
 
In addition, since we are dealing with a person who intimidates, curses and harasses anyone that dare oppose him including respected Rabbis...one may testify without the defendant being present.
The Ramah adds that in such a case (as ours) where we know that the defendant will certainly intimidate the witnesses, the Gaonim (Sages who lived during the years 900 C.E.) long ago established a Halachic rule that one may testify without the defendant being present!
 
c) He claims the Witnesses are biased: This claim is not true since:
  1. some of the witnesses were actually men who had no previous associations with him
  2. some of the women witnesses who testified, testified not what he actually did with them, but they testified what he did with other women who confided in them (and additionally brought them evidence of this). And even if his claim was actually true, the absurd claim of his ... that these women were biased, it would be irrelevant as far as Halacha is concerned.
According to Halacha, these women would still be believed.
(Please see sources).
 
Rumors that have not stopped (Kalay D'lo Pasak V'Sanu shomaneha):
In a case such as ours where rumors about this individual have been ongoing for years, the Ramah has already ruled () that in a case such as this, even if one individual of his congregation protests his behavior, this would be sufficient reason to remove this Rabbi from his position ... based on a rumor only! See also the Chasam Sofer (ibid)
 
Even in the case where the Rabbi claims that he is like a Chazzan, where the Shulchan Aruch says that based on one rumor one cannot be removed from his position, in this case even the Shulchan Aruch would agree that he should be removed since there are many people in his Congregation that have protested his despicable behavior (witness how many people left his shul).
 
The Aruch Hashulchan (Yoreh Dayah 119) writes a rule for all to know, that the Halacha requires his removal even if the rumor never reached a Beis Din
 
The Bais Yosef in the name of the R"ash and Rabbeinu Yeruchum rule this way even if the rumor stopped !!
 
One may surmise from the Rambam's ruling (source) that even in a case where we do not have clear kosher witnesses, but where we have some basis of fact, and a rumor that doesn't stop that he has violated immoral prohibitions, one has an obligation to humiliate him in public! All of this without any witnesses testifying!
 
The Rambam therefore states regarding a person like this: (Sanhedrin chapter 24):
"The Congregation should taunt the one that is transgressing the Torah prohibition of arayos--immoral relations and, in addition, whoever hears about his evil behavior must embarrass him even in front of his own children" (See Rambam source above).
 
d) Claim ... that his "enemies" have spread the rumors:
 
All people who have claims against them, always argue that the witnesses are enemies and hate them ... we actually see this on a daily basis with people who go to court!
 
With this reasoning there would never ever be any court cases whatsoever!
 
Having said this, the definition of "enemies" is clearly defined by the Talmud (Yevamos 25a) and several other commentaries (e.g. HaHaishiv Moshe 60, Rambam Sanhedrin chapter 23, Otzer HaPairushim 11:33, etc...) and these sources talk about real enemies not people who had some disagreements between each other.
 
We can therefore reason that his claim that "enemies" spreading rumors about him are not only false, but absurd!
 
Ruling:
All Rabbis Have a Clear Obligation to Publicly Ostracize Him:
Rashi in Tractate Megillah 25b states that if there are rumors that one is an Adulterer, one may embarrass him!
 
Rabbis that are quiet and do not chastise this individual cause HASHEM'S Name to be profaned.
 
It is therefore an obligation on our town's Rabbinic leaders to do whatever is in their power to ostracize him and separate him from his congregation. This Halacha is brought down by the Rif and this is the Halacha (Yoreh Dayah 334:42)!
 
No prohibition on speaking Lashan Harah (evil gossip):
The Chofetz Chayim (klal 7:65) rules emphatically that if an individual is a known rasha, for just an example, he is known to have had immoral relations (and is involved in Yichud repeatedly, etc.), one is allowed to listen and speak about this individual!
 
Prohibited from being a Dayan (Rabbinical Judge):
The Bais Yosef (Choshen Mishpat 34 in the name of the R"osh) rules that one who has been accused of illicit relationships including one who is m'yachaid (meets women alone on a one on one basis) ... is prohibited from ever being witness, and anyone who cannot be a witness can never be a Judge! (Ramah 25, Niddah 49b, Tur Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat Siman 7:69)...
 
Therefore it stands to reason that one who cannot be a witness or a Judge ... must immediately be stopped from officiating at weddings and divorces! See Responsa Rabbi Moses Feinstein Z"l (Yoreh Dayah Siman 1)!

 
Final Halachic Ruling Summary:
Numerous Rabbis sat together and heard audio tapes, where this "Rabbi" attempts to seduce married (and unmarried) women (Hashem, please protect us). On one particular tape one can clearly hear a married woman begging the "Rabbi" to leave her alone.
 
Accordingly, the RCA had every right to oust this Rabbi from their organization, and his own Congregation has the same obligation!
 
This Rabbi can no longer officiate at divorces, weddings, batei dinim, etc...
No one is obligated to give him any respect such as standing up for him, etc.
He can no longer be a Rav or Rabbi or Dayan amongst the Jewish People!
One should never allow their wives or daughters to go to his classes or to go to him at all including counseling... and all his rulings are null and void!
This ruling obligates all of us according to Halacha as per the ruling of his own grandfather Alah V'shalom, Z"l in his Sefer Igros Moshe ... (ibid).
By doing so we will fulfill the verse in our Holy Torah...

 
"Destroy Evil Amongst Us."
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Translation of a joint Rabbinic Kol Korah
"Denial & Clarification" letter issued by 7 Leading Monsey Rabbonim
against R' Mordecai Tendler
of New Hempstead, New York
Denial (of his claims) and Clarification!
We have gathered together to inform the public that since it has been publicly announced, written and printed that we investigated R' Mordecai Tendler and that we were convinced of the truth of his statements. We are hereby forced to publicize that this is an outright Lie!
 
In addition, we want to publicize our opinion that after thoroughly investigating the matter in his presence and after a thorough examination of the issues, it is our opinion that one must not seek any advice in any area of zia mely, and certainly not in any Halachic matters pertaining to Divorce, Marriage or Conversions!
On this matter we are affixing our signatures on this the 20th day of the month of Iyar* in the year 5765. Here, in Monsey, New York
  • Rabbi Moshe Green - Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivah D'Monsey
  • Rabbi Yisroel Hager - Son of the Grand Rabbi of Vishnitz
  • Rabbi Chaim Halberstam - Rav, K'hal Yoel Moshe, Satmar, Monsey
  • Rabbi Chaim Shraga Feival Shnaybalgl - Rav, K'hal Avreichim, Monsey
  • Rabbi Chaim Leibish Halevi Rottenberg - Rav, K'hal Netzach Yisroel,Monsey
  • Rabbi Sharaga Feivel Halevi Zimmerman - Rav, K'hal Bney Ashkenaz, Monsey
  • Rabbi Mordechai Ohrbach - Rav, K'hal Forshay, Monsey


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Thursday, December 22, 2005

Case of Lior Dekel

Case of Lior Dekel
Or Yehuda, Israel
Tel Aviv, Israel

NOTE:  There are several people with the name Lior Dekel. The one on this page was born around 1977 and resides in Israel.

May, 2002, 
Lior Dekel was convicted of raping a 16-year-old girl and was sentenced to nine years in prison. He was also ordered to pay her NIS 15,000 in compensation.

After filing an appeal, defense attorneys provided tapes and transcripts of a meeting between a private detective and the plaintiff. The tapes convinced prosecutor Hadas Shapir to instruct the police to investigate the girl. At the conclusion of the police probe, the prosecutor believed the girl's original story conflicted with police findings. Nonetheless, the girl stuck to the story that Dekel had raped her.

In 2005, charge Lior Dekel was arrested on charges of raping a 12-year-old girl .

In 2006, three members of Dekel's family were arrested after police learned that Dekel's  family members admitted they had threatened the girl not to file a complaint.

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Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if the resources meet their own personal needs.


Table of Contents: 

2002
  1. May 2002, Lior Dekel was convicted of raping a 16-year-old girl and was sentenced to nine years in prison. He was also ordered to pay her NIS 15,000 in compensation.


2005
  1. Convicted rapist to go free as state admits reasonable doubt   (12/22/2005)

2006

  1. Prosecutors intend to charge Lior Dekel with rape (02/23/2006)
  2. Police to charge 29-year-old Or Yehuda man with rape (02/23/2006)

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Convicted rapist to go free as state admits reasonable doubt
By Zvi Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
Haaretz - December 22, 2005

In an unusual step, prosecutors Wednesday recommended that a man already convicted of rape be acquitted due to reasonable doubt. The Tel Aviv Prosecutor's Office informed the Tel Aviv District Court of the decision with the man having served two years of his sentence.

In May 2002, Lior Dekel was convicted of raping a 16-year-old girl and was sentenced to nine years in prison. He was also ordered to pay her NIS 15,000 in compensation.

After filing an appeal, defense attorneys provided tapes and transcripts of a meeting between a private detective and the plaintiff. The tapes convinced prosecutor Hadas Shapir to instruct the police to investigate the girl. At the conclusion of the police probe, the prosecutor believed the girl's original story conflicted with police findings. Nonetheless, the girl stuck to the story that Dekel had raped her.

The prosecutor and defense attorneys came to court on Wednesday having agreed to acquit Dekel due to reasonable doubt. The prosecution yesterday stressed that there had not been factual agreement between the sides, as distinguished from legal agreement.

The plaintiff has recently been represented by the Noga Center for Victims of Crime. Attorney Dana Pogetz, who heads the center, sharply criticized the prosecution on Wednesday, arguing that the plaintiff should have been recalled to the witness stand and given the opportunity to convince the court that Dekel had indeed raped her.

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Prosecutors intend to charge Lior Dekel with rape
By Yigal Grayeff 
Jerusalem Post - Feb. 23, 2006

Prosecutors intend to charge Lior Dekel on Sunday with the rape of a 12-year-old girl and request that he be denied bail, police said Thursday.

Dekel's remand has also been extended for four days. On Tuesday, three members of his family were arrested for obstruction of justice, but have already been conditionally released.

At the end of last year, prosecutors withdrew a previous rape conviction against Dekel after doubts were raised about the honesty of the alleged victim.

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Police to charge 29-year-old Or Yehuda man with Rape
By Assaf Carmel
Haaretz - February 23, 2006

Police decided Thursday to try Lior Dekel for the rape of a 12-year-old, extending his remand until Sunday at which point he will be formally indicted.

Dekel, 29, of Or Yehuda, was arrested last Friday after the girl told her school counselor of the rape. In the past, a court acquitted Dekel of rape charges against a 16-year-old girl due to lack of evidence.

Three of Dekel's family members, including his mother, were arrested on Wednesday after police discovered they had tried to contact the girl and interfere with judicial procedures.

Suspicions of the interference on the part of the family rose after the girl decided to suddenly withdraw her complaint filed against Dekel.

After brief interrogation, Dekel's family members admitted they had threatened the girl not to file a complaint.

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FAIR USE NOTICE
Some of the information on The Awareness Center's web pages may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.

We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml . If you wish to use copyrighted material from this update for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

_______________________________________________________________________________

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." –– Margaret Mead

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Monday, December 19, 2005

Study shows complex link between abuse and eating disorders

by Craig Chamberlain, Education Editor
 University of Illinois - December 19, 2005

 
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Women who were victims of childhood sexual abuse have long been assumed to be at a higher risk for eating disorders. The results of research, however, have been mixed, with some studies showing a link and others none.
 
A recently published study of college-age women shows there is a connection between the two, though not a direct one. Childhood sexual abuse is not a significant risk factor on its own, but it is when combined with psychological distress (depression or anxiety) and a condition of emotional disconnection known as alexithymia, say study authors Anita Hund and Dorothy Espelage, both with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
 
"Those factors appear to play an important role not only in how eating disorders get started, but more importantly in how they keep going," according to Hund, a doctoral student in educational psychology at Illinois and the lead author of the study, published in the October issue of the Journal of Counseling Psychology.
 
"What sends one woman over the line, and not her classmate (with a similar background), probably has a lot to do with how they experience emotions," Hund said. If those factors can be addressed through counseling, it holds promise for reducing a woman's risk for developing a disorder, she said.
The study's results validate a lot of what many counselors and clinicians already believe or suspect, according to Espelage, a professor of educational psychology at Illinois and co-author of the study. The results also have consequences for the treatment of eating disorders and related behaviors on college campuses, she said.
 
Many women on campuses engage in disordered eating behaviors, from severe restriction or dieting, to binging and purging, Espelage said.
 
Among those are women who come to campus with no history of such behaviors, "but begin to feel dissatisfied with their bodies in a very competitive environment and engage in disordered eating for the first time," she said.
 
But many campuses devote few resources to counseling women engaged in those behaviors, she said. And there is a movement toward sending those with fully developed eating disorders to off-campus treatment centers, in part because the treatment is so expensive.
 
"I think this research lends support to the idea that we can do something in college counseling centers and have a tremendous effect," she said.
 
Previous research on the association between childhood sexual abuse and eating disorders had produced inconsistent and confusing results because it did not take multiple factors into account, Hund said. "In reality, the association between a history of childhood sexual abuse and disordered eating behaviors is very complex," she said.
 
The researchers believe their study is the first on this topic to take those multiple factors into account, using a research technique called structural equation modeling.
 
Using results from previous research, including work by Espelage and Suzanne Mazzeo, now a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, the researchers developed a hypothetical model or map of associations between various factors. The factors in the model included childhood sexual abuse, general psychological distress, alexithymia, restrictive eating behaviors and attitudes, body dissatisfaction, and bulimic eating behaviors (such as binging and purging).
 
Alexithymia (uh-lex-uh-THIGH-me-uh) is defined as a condition in which a person is unable to recognize or describe his or her own emotions. Hund described it as "a disconnect between emotions and the rest of you."
 
Their data was gathered through a written survey administered to 608 undergraduate and graduate women at a large Midwestern university, producing 589 usable responses.
 
What the researchers found when they sorted out the data was that it fit their hypothetical model of how the various factors were associated and how they affected the level of risk for an eating disorder, Hund said.
 
"These study results fit into the idea that eating disordered behaviors actually have a purpose," she said. "Somebody who's abused is of course going to have some issues around dealing with emotions, and this is their solution to functioning."
 
Therefore, it may be important for counselors and clinicians not to move too quickly to take away those behaviors, except when immediately life-threatening, and to deal with the woman's "underlying emotional structure," Hund said.

 

Monday, December 12, 2005

New Rule For Priests Avoids Facing Problem

New Rule For Priests Avoids Facing Problem
By William Butte
South Florida Sun - December 12, 2005


Is the Catholic Church ready to endure a persistent pedophilia problem?
That seems the obvious question to ask in light of the Vatican's new, long-anticipated "instruction," which bans men who "practice homosexuality or present profoundly deeply-rooted homosexual tendencies or support the so-called `gay culture' " from seminaries and religious orders. The new policy allows for men whose "homosexual tendencies must be overcome at least three years," as well as accepting current gay clergy.
But what the directive fails to address are men who have a deeply rooted sexual fixation toward children.
When the church's child abuse scandal erupted in 2002, the hierarchy initially dismissed the young abuse victims as unrepentant liars. But as the scope of the scandal quickly grew, and the church's own complicity in covering it up was exposed, the episcopate, seeking a new victim to blame, embraced an old stereotype and pointed its collective finger at the church's multitude of gay priests.
And when a study of the scandal commissioned by the U.S. Bishops Conference showed about 80 percent of the abused victims were adolescent boys 11 to 17 years old, the episcopate and other conservative Catholics felt vindicated in their finger-pointing.
But the study doesn't answer one vital question: Were the clergymen who abused adolescent boys gay men?
To the sexually unsophisticated this is a ridiculous question, since men who have sex with boys obviously must be homosexual. However, Roland Summit, a psychiatrist at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center specializing in child sexual abuse since 1975, says the habitual molester of adolescent boys is rarely attracted to adult males, and the vast majority of men who molest boys identify themselves as heterosexual and (aside from Roman Catholic clergy) are in adult heterosexual relationships.
Why would heterosexual men sexually abuse adolescent boys? As with men who rape women, pedophilia usually has less to do with sexual attraction than relieving feelings of personal inadequacy by dominating a victim. And from the 1960s through 1980s, when the majority of the abuse accusations occurred, priests had more access to boys than girls with the traditional use of altar boys for Mass and sex-segregated Catholic schools.
It's also reasonable to think that there have been numerous younger religious Catholic men who, realizing their sexual attraction to children, tried to avoid it by turning to the celibacy of the priesthood in an effort to seek spiritual redemption. The new Vatican policy won't change these attempts at atonement.
But if the pope truly believes gay priests endanger children, why didn't he ban already ordained gay clergy? Could it be Benedict realizes with their prevalence the church couldn't function without them, and has hypocritically put the church's needs above Catholic children's safety?
Or maybe he's less concerned with priests molesting children than with "the increasing numbers of homosexual men being ordained changing the culture of the priesthood," as the Rev. Anthony Figueiredo, who has assisted the pope, put it.
The new instruction acknowledges men desiring the priesthood are "responding to the call of God," though the policy asserts the church's supremacy over God's calling by noting "there is no right to receive ordination" as well as asserting the church's power "to discern the qualification" of future seminary candidates to see if they are "in possession of the requisite qualities."
As one priest has pointed out, a document that tells God who God can and can't choose commits the sin of pride.
But one question remains: Does God call gay men to the priesthood? That would seem to be the case. Despite Scripture claiming homosexuality comes from rejecting God, an estimated 25 to 50 percent of priests are gay men who have embraced God. And despite Scripture's claims to the contrary, while interviewing gay priests for his landmark book, The Changing Face of the Priesthood, the Rev. Donald Cozzens discovered many men who only realized their homosexuality after their ordination.
The Vatican's new homophobic policy also besmirches the memory of the Rev. Mychal Judge, the beloved New York City Fire Department chaplain recognized as the first victim of 9-11. Though he lived a celibate life, he was an openly gay man who prayed with AIDS patients and was a member of Dignity, the gay Catholic organization.
Today there is a budding grass-roots effort to have "Father Mike" canonized for sainthood, after three families, who either prayed to him or with him saw their seriously ill children seemingly miraculously recover.
Perhaps we should all pray to Father Mike to keep all Catholic children out of harm's way.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Case of Omer Yaish

Case of Omer Yaish

 Mea Shearim, Jerusalem, Israel

Suspected of sexually molesting at least seven haredi children, aged nine to 15, in the neighborhood between 2001 - 2005.

If you have more information about this case, please forward it to The Awareness Center. We are also looking for a photograph of Omer Yaish.

There are several people who go by the name of Omer Yaish. The individual discussed on this page is from Jerusalem, Israel.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if the resources meet their own personal needs.

Table of Contents:

2005
  1. Mea Shearim man indicted for sex abuse  (12/01/2005)
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Mea Shearim man indicted for sex abuse
By Etgar Lefkovits
Jerusalem Post - December 1, 2005

A 20-year-old Israeli resident of Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighborhood was indicted Thursday in the Jerusalem District Court on sexual abuse charges, police said.

Omer Yaish is suspected of sexually molesting at least seven haredi children, aged nine to 15, in the neighborhood over the last three and a half years.

The suspected child molester told police investigators that he would lure the children into his home by telling them that he was a doctor and could evaluate their medical and social condition by checking their sexual organ, Jerusalem police spokeswoman Sigal Toledo said.

Meanwhile, in a separate sexual molestation case, a 15-year-old Jerusalem Arab teen was under arrest Thursday for allegedly sexually abusing, together with a second suspect, two 8-year-old children in the institution they are living in on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

The suspect, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was remanded in custody for four days Thursday by the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court.

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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." –– Margaret Mead
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Case of The Unnamed Kidnapping Chazen (Cantor)

Ostrowce, Poland and Toronto, Canada

An unnamed Chazen was accused of kidnapping young boys from Europe and bringing them to Toronto, Canada.

Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if the resources meet their own personal needs.
Table of Contents:  
  1. Jewish Music Companion: Historical Overview, Personalities, Annoatated Folksongs (2002)
  2. Story of Joseph Shlisky



Jewish Music Companion:  Historical Overview, Personalities, Annotated Folksongs
by Velvel Pasternak


Story of Joseph Shlisky
1894 - 1955
By Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler
http://www.chazzanut.com/articles/shlisky.html

Kidnapped as a young child, 'discovered' while working in a factory, feted as one of America's top line Cantors, and stricken down at the age of 40. Truly the stuff of a great novel, and if the recorded history is to be believed, Joseph Shlisky had one of the most theatrical lives of all the Chazanim recorded here so far.

Born in Ostrowce, Poland, like so many young Jewish boys who could sing, Joseph Shlisky joined the local Shul choir as a small child. At the age of seven he was virtually kidnapped by the Chazan, who told his parents that he was taking him on a tour to London, but actually went to Toronto instead.

After escaping from the clutches of this unscrupulous Chazan, he eventually found a home with one of his uncles, who had emigrated to Toronto.

Shlisky never thought about a musical career until, one day, whilst working in one of the factories of T. Eaton. Co, he was heard singing by Lady Eaton. She was so impressed by his voice that she sponsored his training at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto.

When he gave his first public performance in New York City in 1919, the critics were very enthusiastic about him.

In 1920 Joseph heard that the Slonimer Synagogue was looking for a Chazan for the Yamim Noraim and he went to the President's leather factory to audition! Needless to say, he got the position and remained at that Shul for a further two years.

For the rest of his singing career, he held posts at various leading new York Synagogues, giving numerous concerts, appearing on radio and making recordings.

He brought his parents over to live with him in the USA.

Shlisky was signed up to appear with the San Carlo Opera Company but, like so many other outstanding Chazanim, eventually declined because it would have entailed him breaking Shabbat and Yom Tov.
It is said that, owing to his own experiences as a child, he was always very helpful towards Chazanim who were recently arrived in the country, and would often appear at charity and benefit concerts for them.

Sadly, when he was at the very peak of his career, after Pesach 1934, he suffered a paralytic stroke, and never sang again.

Shlisky did not record a great number of pieces but fortunately, we do have a fair representation of his art.

He had a very high tenor voice, with a most extraordinary flexibility. He was able to change from the highest, most beautiful falsetto, into full voice, with consummate ease and he used this facility most effectively in many of his pieces.

Shlisky's style, and the timbre of his voice, were very distinctive. He truly was one of the 'greats' of the Golden Age of Chazanim.



FAIR USE NOTICE
Some of the information on The Awareness Center's web pages may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.

We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml . If you wish to use copyrighted material from this update for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.