By Daniella Pelled
Jewish Chronical (England) - January 12, 2006
http://thejc.com/
A convicted sex offender has been barred from saying Kaddish for his mother at Newcastle's United Hebrew Congregation.
Jonathan Warrents, 61, served half of a 12-month prison term in 2000 for
gross indecency with an 11-year-old boy. He also told the JC that he
had a previous sex offence conviction dating back 25 years.
Divorced with three sons with whom he has no contact, Mr Warrents said
that after his mother's death, he had hoped to recite Kaddish at the
shul's morning minyan. "I feel I've served the sentence. I'm on
the [sex offenders'] register, but it's about going forward."
UHC president Victor Gallant said the synagogue had banned Mr Warrents "because we don't want him to feel he's welcome within the
community. We still believe that was the appropriate action."
Unlike the Church of England, which has extensive guidelines on dealing
with both victims and offenders, the United Synagogue lacks any formal
protocol.
Borehamwood and Elstree's Rabbi Alan Plancey said he would allow an
offender into the synagogue in the morning when only adults would be
present.
Mill Hill's Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet argued that "ultimately, a human
being has the right to integrate back into society. And a Jew has the
right to fulfill his Jewish obligations."
The Awareness Center closed. We operated from April 30, 1999 - April 30, 2014. This site is being provided for educational & historical purposes. We were the international Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault (JCASA); and were dedicated to ending sexual violence in Jewish communities globally. We did our best to operate as the make a wish foundation for Jewish survivors of sex crimes. In the past we offered a clearinghouse of information, resources, support and advocacy.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Synagogue bars sex offender from saying Kaddish
Labels:
convicted sex offender,
Great Britian,
Jonathan Warrents,
Kaddish,
Newcastle,
United Hebrew Congregation,
Yitzchak Schochet
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