By Vicki Polin
The Awareness Center - May 28, 2003
Failure
to protect the vulnerable is a violation of the following verse: Thou
shalt notstand idly by the blood of your neighbor (Lev. 19:16) --
"Whoever desecrates the name of Heaven in private will ultimately be
punished in public, whether the desecration was committed
unintentionally or intentionally." Any conspiracy to conceal information
about sex crimes will ultimately be made public, creating an even
greater hillul Hashem. -- Despite historic debates and arguments, the
consensus of contemporary Jewish religious authorities is that such
reporting is religiously mandatory. (Rabbi Mark Dratch).
 |
| Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro |
May
28, 2003 -- The Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) maintains that
reporting acts or suspicions of child abuse is not mesirah and commits
itself and its members to reporting acts or suspicions of child abuse as
required by civil law. Unfortunately the rabbis of Baltimore have never
adopted these policies.
One of the many traditions in the
orthodox community of Baltimore is not to report sex crimes to law
enforcement or Child Protective Services (CPS). The reason was for fear
that doing so would start another pogrom (persecution of the Jewish
people).
Instead the custom has been for rabbis to handle things
quietly and discreetly. It's also not uncommon for signs to be posted by
concerned community members warning others of the dangers the alleged
sex offender poses to children.
This is exactly what happened a
few years ago. Allegations were made that a teacher by the name of Rabbi
Yisroel Shapiro had molested children. The pious rabbis of Baltimore
decided they could handle the "situation" on their own. A decision was
reached. The rabbis at the bet din of Baltimore (Jewish religious court)
believed Yisroel was guilty. The agreement was that Yisroel Shapiro
would have a career where he no longer had contact with children.
Yisroel Shapiro went from being a teacher at one of Balitmore's private
Jewish schools to becoming a butcher.
Israel Shapiro is married
and had children living in his home. Child Protection Services (CPS) was
never notified, nor was a police report made, making it virtually
impossible for there to be an official investigation, possible arrest
and or trial. Without the proper law enforcement officials being notified, it makes it impossible for Yisroel Shapiro ever being listed on the national sex offender registry.
As
a reaction, a small group of concerned citizens created flyer's and
posted signs in the community in hopes of preventing another child from
being molested, yet not much has happened since then.
One of the
issues that we all need to be aware of is the fact that Yisroel
Shapiro's father was a prominent orthodox rabbi in Baltimore. Besides
being a synagogue rabbi, his father was the principal of a the Talmudic
Academy of Baltimore. His father was connected to may other prominent
orthodox rabbis in Baltimore and worldwide. Recently one of Baltimore's
deep dark secrets was made public. Yisroel Shapiro's father, also had a
problem with his "urges". Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro had been allegedly
molesting boys for over fifty years. One survivor stated he was sure
that Ephraim Shapiro molested hundreds if not thousands of bar mitzvah
age boys.
The way the ultra-orthodox rabbis of Baltimore operate
is very similar to the way the Catholic church deals with allegations of
clergy sexual abuse. It appears the rabbis do what they can to silence
the victims. It also seems as if they rabbis are more concerned with
protecting their own personal images and assets, then they are in
keeping the Jewish children of Baltimore safe.
Can you imagine the PR nightmare the rabbis of Baltimore were faced with? How would they do damage control?
Many
survivors of Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro have stated that they were sure the
rabbis of Baltimore were very aware of that he was an "alleged" child
molester. A few years ago the rabbis were faced with the fact that the
son of this prominent rabbi, was also allegedly molesting children.
Instead of doing the right thing and notifing the police and child
protective services, they chose to handle the matter on their own.
Keep
in mind that Yisroel Shapiro's brothers also hold very prominent
positions in Baltimore and around the country. The tradition has always
been to protect family members of sex offenders over protecting family
members of sexually abused children. As a community we need to
understand that family members of both offenders and those who have been
sexually violated need support. They are not responsible for the
actions of the offender, except if they willingly cover up these crimes
-- which could lead to more children being abused. The problem is that
all parties involved need counseling. Sex offenders need to be held
accountable for their crimes and can receive treatment in prison and
often will need residential treatment after they are released. Survivors
of sex crimes need both rape victim advocacy and counseling.
It's
unknown at this time if the children who were allegedly victimized by
Yisroel Shapiro ever received rape crisis counseling. It is also unknown
if Yisroel Shapiro ever received sex offender treatment by a qualified
mental health provider.
There is no statute of limitations on
crimes against children. It's not to late to file a police report and
have him investigation. If you or someone you know was victimized by
Yisroel Shapiro please contact your local rape crisis center. They are
there to protect your rights and can help you make a police report. Rape
crisis center's offer free rape counseling and legal advocacy.
If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected in the state of Maryland, you should call: (800) 332-6347
___________________________________________________________________________________
Flyer Regarding Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro
October 24, 2004
The following flyer was posted in the Jewish community
in Baltimore as a way to warn community members of the allegations made against
Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro.
 |
Convicted Sex Offender - Yisroel Shapiro
|
_________________________________________________________________________________
RE: Case of Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro (AKA: Israel Shapiro)
By Vicki Polin - April 10, 2007
Anthony Olemgbe
Baltimore Department of Human Services
Adult Family and Children's Services
1900 Howard Street, Baltimore, MD
Tel: 443-423-7350 Fax: 410-235-1851
Cell: 443-921-6888
RE: Case of Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro (AKA: Israel Shapiro)
Dear Mr. Olemgbe,
At the end of this letter is a list of names of rabbis and other individuals who have been deterring members of
the orthodox Jewish community of Baltimore from going to law enforcement or child protective services when
there are allegations of child abuse and neglect.
What has been happening instead is that these individuals have conducted their own investigations and have
determined they could better handle such cases. These are rabbis and other community leaders who carry a
great deal of clout in the Baltimore Jewish community. Basically if an individual goes against decisions or
decrees, an individual and or family members will not be allowed to attend the Jewish day schools and or
family members will not be allowed pray in the local synagogues. Other sanctions have also been implemented
depending on the case. We have also had cases in which survivors and family members have been chased out of
town.
I want to give you some back ground information on Yisroel (Israel) Shapiro and several others related case
since the same individuals keep deterring victims and family members from reporting alleged sex crimes.
Yisroel Shapiro’s father was Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro. He was known to have molested children for over a
fifty- year time period. Ephraim Shapiro passed away in 1989.
I’ve been in contact with several of Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro’s survivors. They have told me that they believe
there are hundreds of men who were molested by Ephraim Shapiro, when they were around the 12 -14 years
old. The oldest survivor I know is currently 65. The youngest survivors are now in their late 30’s, early 40’s.
The first allegations made against Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro (that I know of) was about 4 -5 years ago. The rabbis
investigated and determined he had a problem with his “urges” and gave him a position in which he would not
have contact with kids. He is currently working as a butcher. Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro’s brother is the principal
of Bais Yaakov High School for girls. His brother is a very powerful man in the Baltimore Jewish community.
His other brothers live in other states and are also principals of school and also carry a great deal of clout.
I’ve been told that the rabbis who conducted the investigation on Shapiro included Rabbi Moshe Heinemann
and Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer.
Two weeks ago there was a meeting at Bais Yaakov High school in which two of Ephraim Shapiro’s past
survivors and two of Yisroel Shapiro’s brother’s met. Phil Jacobs, senior editor of the Baltimore Jewish Times was the individual who organized the meeting. I was told that at the meeting the two brothers disclosed the
information that their brother Yisroel was guilty of molesting children and that was the reason he was
currently employed as a butcher. Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro goes to synagogue three times a day to pray in a
minyan (at least 10 men being present to say special prayers). During a minyan it is not uncommon for boys who
are at least 13-years-old to be present. It is unknown if Yisroel Shapiro is monitored when he’s around these
children. I’ve also been told by a reliable sources that Yisroel Shapiro never received sex-offender treatment.
I’ve attached a flyer that went around a few years ago on Yisroel Shapiro. This is the way various
individuals in the orthodox Jewish community attempted to warn parents about Yisroel Shapiro.
Background Information
When Rabbi Matis Weinberg was a teenager he began molesting boys at Ner Israel High School and
Rabbinical College. One of Matis’s first victims was one of his younger brothers. His brother also has had
allegations made against him, yet the allegations were made by adult women outside of Maryland.
Matis is the son of Rabbi Yaakov and Chana Weinberg. The Weinberg’s ran Ner Israel High School and
Rabbinical College for many years. Matis’s grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov Yitchok Ruderman was one of the
founders of the school. The yeshiva (school) is currently ran by Beryl Weisbord, who is Matis Weinberg’s
brother-in-law and other very close family friends (see list below).
Rabbi Matis Weinberg started molesting boys as a teenager. I’ve been told he headed a gang of teens who would
molest younger children at the school. Matis no longer lives in the community, yet his parents have a long
history deterred survivors of sexual abuse/assault from making police reports. Matis raped boys in Canada,
Baltimore, California and Israel. No police report was ever made on him. You can read about this case at: CLICK HERE
Aviva (Weinberg) Weisbord, Phd is one of Matis Weinberg’s siblings. She is married to Rabbi Beryl Weisbord.
Rabbi Weisbord is the dean of students at Ner Israel. Aviva Weisbord is involved with Jewish Family
Services of Baltimore. In the past allegations have been made against her in breach confidentiality by several
different survivors stating when they told her of their abuse she immediately told the rabbis, verses making a
hotline report. One of those making this claim is one of the survivors of Rabbi Eliezer Eisgrau.
Eisgrau is the
current principal of an elementary school for boys call “The Torah Institute”. You can learn more about the
allegations against rabbi Eisgrau: CLICK HERE
Rabbi Eisgrau has been protected by Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, president of the Star K (organization that
assures food is kosher) and Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer (head of the Jewish religious court of Baltimore) for many
years. One of Rabbi Eisgrau’s alleged victims was his own daughter. Rabbi Eisgrau has many children and I
believe some are still under the age of 18 who are living in his home. Ten years ago a report was made on him,
yet the police detective was stonewalled by the rabbis and community members.
Another case you should be aware of is the case of Rabbi Moshe Eisemann. Rabbi Eisemann has been allegedly
molesting children for over forty years. Until recently he held a teaching position at Ner Israel High School.
He still lives on the school campus. Rabbi Eisemann is related to Rabbi Eisgrau through marriage. The only
reason Rabbi Eisemann recently retired was because of political pressure from some of his past victims who went
The Awareness Center is the Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault (JCASA)
www.theawarensscenter.org
to the administration at Ner Israel and then pled their case to Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer. Rabbi Hopfer made the
decree to “Get him out of there”, after hearing the evidence Rabbi EIsemann’s past victims provided. You can
read about this case: CLICK HERE
I also provided testimony at a senate hearing several weeks ago regarding this case. I’ve attached that
testimony for your connivence. Please feel free to contact me if you need more information. I can be reached at:
443-857-5560.
Sincerely,
Vicki Polin, MA, ATR, LCPC
Executive Director
_________________________________________________________________________________
Alleged Molester Investigated
Here
By Phil Jacobs, Executive Editor
Baltimore Jewish Times - July 13, 2007
Yisroel Shapiro is the target of a State's Attorney's
Office investigation.This article is part of a continuing series on sexual
molestation in the Jewish community. The names of the alleged victims have
been changed.
Two alleged victims of sexual molestation by Yisroel
Shapiro of Olympia Avenue in Baltimore City filed a complaint June 8 with
the Baltimore City Police Department's Sex Offense Unit. The complaint triggered
an investigation by the State's Attorney's Office.
The Baltimore Jewish Times did not gain final confirmation
of the timeline of the investigation until this week.
Mr. Shapiro, a former bar mitzvah lessons teacher,
is being investigated for allegations of sexual molestation of minors. The
Jewish Times has read a copy of the filed papers.
Man holding his face ashamed
On June 11, the two alleged victims said they were
informed by the city's State's Attorney's Office that an investigation was
going forward. A staff person in the State's Attorney's Office familiar with
the case confirmed the investigation but was not authorized to release
details.
Yisroel Shapiro is the son of the late Rabbi Ephraim F. Shapiro. According to a Jewish Times investigation during the past year,
Rabbi Shapiro allegedly molested at least several dozen young boys and girls
–– perhaps in hundreds of incidents –– while serving
as principal and dormitory counselor at the Talmudical Academy and spiritual
leader of the former Agudas Achim Synagogue from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Rabbi Shapiro died in 1989.
Local attorney Isaac Klein, responding to a Jewish
Times interview request on behalf of Yisroel Shapiro via telephone, said
June 21 that although he is not Mr. Shapiro's legal counselor, "I explained
to him I could see no benefit for him to talk to you on-the-record or
off-the-record. Don't call him back. He doesn't want to talk to you." Another
intermediary several weeks ago was informed that representatives of the Jewish
Times would meet with Mr. Shapiro and share the contents of this article,
in the presence of people he chose to bring. There was no response to that
request.
Last April, two of Mr. Shapiro's brothers held a meeting
with this reporter and two alleged victims of Rabbi Shapiro ––
part of a three-hour conversation prior to the publication of the original
Jewish Times article on Rabbi Shapiro. In that encounter, the brothers
acknowledged that they had one brother who was removed from bar mitzvah teaching
lessons because there were some "questions."
"He was taken away from teaching children," said one
of the brothers. "He sought and was given help. Was that not enough? Would
it have been better if [they] had taken him out and shot him?"
In the Baltimore City Police Department complaint,
one of the alleged victims, Gary, stated, "[Yisroel Shapiro] would shuckle
[rock back and forth in prayer], holding me against himself and leining [chanting
Torah] out loud while he was feeling me up and touching me."
At another point, Gary reported, "I could feel his
erection under me. I would try to get off of his lap, but he'd hold me very
tightly. ... I must have been doing something wrong. I thought it was my
fault. It was very confusing for me as a child. I just wanted to learn."
Harold, another alleged victim, said that by his second
or third bar mitzvah lesson, Mr. Shapiro was putting his hand on his shoulder.
By the fourth lesson, Mr. Shapiro allegedly forced Harold to sit on his lap
and would inappropriately touch Harold's genitals.
When Harold alerted his mother about what was going
on, she sat in on a handful of lessons at which nothing happened other than
teaching. She felt the issue had settled down and stopped joining her son
at the lessons; the molestation allegedly started again.
How did it impact Harold? "I stopped being frum [observant]
for quite a while until I got married," he said. "I try to be a trusting
person, but in the back of my mind I'm really not."
When he sees Mr. Shapiro in the community, Harold said
he "gets a nasty feeling in my stomach."
He added, "My relationship with God changed for a while.
It's stronger now than it was then. I'm Jewish, that's the best way I can
describe it. I believe in God."
David, another alleged victim, said his mother believed
her son so much that she and her husband approached Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz
of Darchei Tzedek, the shul Mr. Shapiro attended. David remembers that his
parents were told by Rabbi Horowitz that he would look into the matter. (Rabbi
Horowitz declined to discuss this matter with the Jewish Times.) David was
allegedly molested at age 7 by Rabbi Shapiro and then at age 12 1/2 by his
bar mitzvah teacher, Yisroel Shapiro.
Meanwhile, David's parents warned other parents of
bar mitzvah-age boys about Mr. Shapiro, and he was removed from teaching
around this time.
"I don't remember anything in terms of him sexually
touching me," said Jon, another ex-student of Mr. Shapiro. "But it did impact
me that here was this man, who was supposedly teaching me bar mitzvah lessons,
[and] instead doing body slams on me [while watching wrestling videos].
"It's freaky," he said. "I didn't like going to
him."
Jon added that because he sometimes had difficulty
focusing while they were learning Torah, Mr. Shapiro would allegedly squeeze
his inner thigh to get him to pay attention.
"What I noticed was his wife was never around ó
never," he said. "We so many times ended up going into his bedroom. To this
day, I don't like to talk to him. I won't even look at him eye-to-eye when
I see him."
Paul, who co-filed the police report, went to see Mr.
Shapiro for bar mitzvah lessons as a 12-year-old Talmudical Academy student.
Mr. Shapiro, he said, would pick him up, place him on his lap, and rub his
back and legs.
"I remember coming home from my first lesson," recalled
Paul. "My brother, who also had bar mitzvah lessons from him, said, ëDid
he put you on his lap like he did with the rest of us?'"
To this day, Paul, now an accomplished area developer
and a regular at an Orthodox shul, cannot lein Torah. He attributes it directly
to the countless times he was subjected to the back and leg rubs of his
teacher.
Like others interviewed for this article, Paul kept
the physical contact a secret. But then years passed, and a chance encounter
brought him face to face with Mr. Shapiro while in line at the Colonial Village
Dunkin Donuts.
He said he reintroduced himself to Mr. Shapiro. He
told him he was older now ó 18 ó and could stand up for himself.
"I told him that I know what you did to me as a child," said Paul.
Paul added that Mr. Shapiro, caught by surprise, denied
any intention of molestation.
Seven years ago, Mr. Shapiro and one of his alleged
victims would meet. A tape recording was made of the meeting. The Jewish
Times was on hand for a replaying of the tape recently. Had he consented
to an interview, Mr. Shapiro would have been asked if he had knowledge of
the tape recording. Also, since Mr. Shapiro refuses to talk to the Jewish
Times, it is not known if one of the recorded voices is actually his.
"He told me he was teaching for 10 years prior to me,
and that he put most of his students on his lap," said a victim's voice on
the recording. "He claimed he didn't think he was doing anything wrong."
On the tape, Mr. Shapiro allegedly hinted that he had
been abused as "a young child" himself, and that he had recently received
1 1/2 years of therapy. "He thought he was OK," the victim said.
At one point on the tape, the former student said,
"A friend even told me that you laid him down and unzipped his pants."
Mr. Shapiro allegedly responded on tape, "That's not
true. I'm not that stupid. I would touch students' legs. Sometimes I would
do that, but it was not in a sense that I planned it out. As I sit here now,
I can tell you I was not fully aware that I was doing something wrong."
The alleged victim then bluntly asked, "You've molested
so many children, what makes you think they won't molest their own children?
How many kids in this community did you molest?"
Mr. Shapiro allegedly responded, "Maybe more than
one."
At another point, Mr. Shapiro allegedly said on the
tape, "It's not like I'm a serial killer where I kept records. It wasn't
done to do any harm. I'm not that way."
In a recent interview, the victim added, "Nothing really
came from the meeting other than him confessing or admitting to putting hundreds
of children on his lap. ... So he still walks the streets and lives in my
community.
"He has since stopped teaching, but so what?"
Still, the victim said that, if anything, he has worked
hard to move on with his life, even though the painful memories remain
fresh.
"I'm not mad anymore," he said. "I don't know if I'm
hurting anymore. Every survivor at some point has to move on with their lives."
n
What Happens To Those Molested?
 |
| Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro |
Barbara Gradet, executive director of Jewish Family
Services, has seen more than anyone would care to see on the subject of sexual
molestation and children.
When it comes to the issue of what frequency do children
who are abused go on to become abusers, she said there is a range of
research.
Sexual abuse with girls happens more frequently in
the family than out of the family. While with boys, it's more frequent outside
of the family.
"Any of the data that is out there you have to look
at with a grain of salt," said Ms. Gradet. "This is all so under-reported.
But we've found that anywhere from one-third of sexual offenders have been
abused themselves. But I've also seen studies that show 10-12 percent of
abuse victims become abusers."
She said she thinks the smaller number is likely more
accurate.
Also, the numbers of abuse victims who become abusers
shoot up when other factors in a person's upbringing are included.
"When researchers study people who were sexual offenders
and then learn that they were abused, they then try to find out other factors
like family violence, neglect, parental neglect, emotional issues," Mrs.
Gradet said. "And when these factors are learned, the likelihood that an
abused individual becomes an abuser goes up significantly."
Ms. Gradet described the numbers she has seen as
"staggering."
In fact, she has seen studies that report one in six
boys experience some sort of sexual abuse. For girls, that number is one
in three or four. The average age of an abuse victim, she said, is nine.
Sometimes, she said, the victims do not even know they
are being abused as they are not aware of inappropriate touch
boundaries.
"It's all dreadful," she said. "This is a public health
issue, a mental health issue, a prevention issue. Usually, it's a trusted
adult or adolescent. It's that trust factor."
_________________________________________________________________________________
Yisroel Shapiro
Arrested
By Phil Jacobs
Baltimore Jewish Times - December 5, 2007
Yisroel Shapiro has been arrested and charged with
two counts of sexual offense in the third degree, sexual offense in the fourth
degree and battery.
An arrest warrant was carried out by Baltimore City
Police Department detectives at the request of the City State's Attorney's
office.
"Mr. Shapiro has been arrested and charged," said Tammy
Griffin-Lawman of the City's State's Attorney's office.
Mr. Shapiro, the son of the late Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro,
himself the center of a Jewish Times investigation of alleged sexual molestation,
is a resident of Olympia Avenue in Baltimore City.
An original complaint was filed with the City State's
Attorney's office alleging Mr. Shapiro, currently an employee of a local
kosher butcher shop, of past molestations. In the Baltimore City Police
Department complaint, one of the alleged victims, stated: "Yisroel Shapiro
would shuckle or rock back and forth holding me against himself and leaning
(chanting Torah) out loud while he was feeling me up and touching me."
At another point, the victim reported, "I could feel
his erection under me. I would try to get off of his lap, but he'd hold me
very tightly. I must have been doing something wrong. I thought it was my
fault. It was very confusing for me as a child. I just wanted to learn."
"I'm ecstatic," said one of his victims, who asked
to remain anonymous at this time. "Last night ( Tuesday) I had to pick out
his photo in a photo line up. They wrote up the warrant and went and picked
him up."
Mr. Shapiro will face a bail review, according to Ms.
Griffin-Lawman, and the case will then make its way through district or circuit
court.
Mr. Shapiro had hinted to one of his victims that he
had been abused as a "young child" himself, and that he had received
therapy.
In terms of his alleged crimes, Mr. Shapiro said to
the victim, "I can tell you I was not fully aware that I was doing something
wrong."
_________________________________________________________________________________
City bar mitzvah teacher charged with sex offenses - Incidents
involving two boys allegedly occurred more than a decade
ago
By Melissa Harris
Baltimore Sun - December 18, 2007
A former bar mitzvah lessons teacher in Baltimore's
Orthodox Jewish community has been charged with sex offenses against two
boys that are alleged to have occurred more than a decade ago, according
to the city state's attorney's office.
The boys were learning to chant passages from the Torah
at Israel Shapiro's home on Olympia Avenue on separate occasions in September
1988 and June 1994 when the offenses are said to have occurred, according
to court documents.
Shapiro was charged Dec. 4 with felony child abuse,
second-degree assault and a fourth-degree sex offense in both cases. The
boys, who are related, came forward in June, according to Baltimore police
spokesman Sterling Clifford.
Prosecutors handling the case were not in their office
Tuesday, and the men making the accusations did not return phone calls
Tuesday.
Accusations against Shapiro were known in the Orthodox
community as early as 2004, when alleged victims began circulating a flier
with Shapiro's name and picture, according to
Vicki
Polin of the Awareness Center
Inc., which is an advocate on behalf of Jewish victims of sexual abuse
in Baltimore.
Polin has posted a copy of the flier on the center's
Web site.
According to court documents, Shapiro put the boys,
then age 12 and 13, on his lap while they practiced chanting the Torah. One
of the victims reported that Shapiro would touch him inappropriately over
his clothing, and the other said he was held on Shapiro's lap against his
will and touched inappropriately.
Shapiro, 57, works in a kosher butcher shop, according
to the Jewish Times, which reported extensively on the allegations
in June.
A phone message left Tuesday at Shapiro's house was
not returned.
Arthur
C. Abramson, director of the Baltimore
Jewish Council, said that the organization recently became aware of the
allegations but had not been involved in the matter or Shapiro's removal
from teaching.
"The Orthodox community -- that end of the Orthodox
community -- tends to be very insular," Abramson said. "Information can circulate
very rapidly within the framework of the Orthodox community, and it doesn't
necessarily get out into more general circles unless reported by The Sun
or the Jewish Times."
In April, amid discussions in the Orthodox community
about the allegations, Vaad HaRabbonim of Baltimore, the city's Council of
Orthodox rabbis, released a letter on
"Abuse in Our
Community."
"We feel it essential to discuss this matter directly
with you, as the greatest allies of the abuser are ignorance and silence,"
according to the letter, which was signed by nearly two dozen rabbis.
Shapiro is out on a combined $175,000 bail in the two
cases.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Accused
Of Molesting Bar Mitzvah Students
by Adam May
CBS News (Baltimore) - December 19, 2007
PIKESVILLE, Md. (WJZ) — At a kosher deli off
Reisterstown Road in a Pikesville stripmall, Eyewitness News found Rabbi
Yisroel Shapiro, a butcher who jumped out from behind his desk and hid from
our cameras when we tried to ask him about new criminal charges that he sexually
abused two young boys during Bar Mitzvah lessons.
Shapiro never came out, but a coworker did. The man
later yelled at Eyewitness News after we walked out the door that the allegations
against Shapiro were "fabricated."
City prosecutors say "Over the past several months,
police and prosecutors have conducted an extensive investigation that led
to the charges."
The alleged abuse took place at Shapiro's home off
Olympia Street in 1988 and 1994. Some neighbors caught wind of the allegations
a few years back and posted flyers.
One victim tells police he was forced to chant passages
from the Torah as he was inappropriately touched.
"The problem is that we don't know if there's more
victims. We know a few but not how many there have actually been," said
Vicki
Polin.
Polin heads
a support group for victims of rabbi abuse. She's concerned that some
leaders in the Orthodox community keep abusers quiet.
"They're told they shouldn't report it to secular
authorities because it could start another holocaust. Unfortunately, it starts
another type of holocaust where an accuser has access to hundreds of children
and each time they perfect their skills," she said.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Former bar mitzvah teacher charged in abuse
By Melissa Harris
Baltimore Sun - December 19, 2007
 |
| Rabbi Israel Shapiro - Convicted Sex Offender |
Dec. 19--A former bar mitzvah lessons teacher in Baltimore's Orthodox Jewish community has been charged with sex
offenses against two boys that are alleged to have occurred more than a
decade ago, according to the city state's attorney's office.
The boys were learning to chant passages from the Torah at Israel Shapiro's
home on Olympia Avenue on separate occasions in September 1988 and June
1994 when the offenses are said to have occurred, according to court
documents.
Shapiro was charged Dec. 4 with felony child abuse, second-degree assault and a fourth-degree sex
offense in both cases. The boys, who are related, came forward in June,
according to Baltimore police spokesman Sterling Clifford.
Prosecutors handling the case were not in their office yesterday, and
the men making the accusations did not return phone calls yesterday.
Accusations against Shapiro were known in the Orthodox community as
early as 2004, when alleged victims began circulating a flier with
Shapiro's name and picture, according to Vicki Polin of the Awareness
Center Inc., which is an advocate on behalf of Jewish victims of sexual
abuse in Baltimore.
Polin has posted a copy of the flier on the center's Web site.
According to court documents, Shapiro put the boys, then age 12 and 13,
on his lap while they practiced chanting the Torah. One of the victims
reported that Shapiro would touch him inappropriately over his clothing,
and the other said he was held on Shapiro's lap against his will and
touched inappropriately.
Shapiro, 57, works in a
kosher butcher shop, according to the Jewish Times, which reported
extensively on the allegations in June.
A phone message left yesterday at Shapiro's house was not returned.
Arthur C. Abramson, director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, said that
the organization recently became aware of the allegations but had not
been involved in the matter or Shapiro's removal from teaching.
"The Orthodox community -- that end of the Orthodox community -- tends
to be very insular," Abramson said. "Information can circulate very
rapidly within the framework of the Orthodox community, and it doesn't
necessarily get out into more general circles unless reported by The Sun
or the Jewish Times."
In April, amid discussions
in the Orthodox community about the allegations, Vaad HaRabbonim of
Baltimore, the city's Council of Orthodox rabbis, released a letter on
"Abuse in Our Community."
"We feel it essential
to discuss this matter directly with you, as the greatest allies of the
abuser are ignorance and silence," according to the letter, which was
signed by nearly two dozen rabbis.
Shapiro is out on a combined $175,000 bail in the two cases.
_________________________________________________________________________________
CALL TO ACTION: Case of Rabbi
Yisroel Shapiro
Demanding Transparency and
Accountability from our Religious Leaders!
December 28, 2007
 |
| Outside of Congregation Darchi Tzedek |
It's a well known fact
in the orthodox community of Baltimore that Yisroel Shapiro daven's (prays)
at Congregation Darchi Tzedek synagogue, located on Seven Mile Lane. This
is a synagogue in which children can be seen running in and out of. One would
think that Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz's first concern would be to make sure the
children of his shul were protected and to start asking if any children might
have already been molested so that he could assist in them getting help.
To this day Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz has never issued public statement warning
his congregants of the fact that Shapiro was arrested and charged with child
molestation. Unless a parent read The Awareness Center's web page, has been
reading blogs or another parent told them, they are unaware that there is
an alleged sexual predator amongst them.
The Awareness Center is asking that everyone contact
Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz and the Baltimore Vaad HaRabbonim Rabbinical and ask
them to:
- Make public the plan they established to notify parents
in the community of the potential dangers of their children being left alone
with Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro.
- We are also asking that this statement include the
safety plan created when Yisroel Shapiro is davening at Darchi Tzedek or
any synagogue. They also need to make public the safety plan they established
for Wasserman's and Lemberger," the retail business in which Shapiro is employed
and also for any other public location Shapiro may enter.
Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer - President
Vaad Harabbonim of Baltimore
410-358-3450
Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz
Congregation Darchei Tzedek
410-653-1688
410-486-0445 (Rabbi Horowitz)
7307 7 Mile Lane
Pikesville, MD 21208
Members of the Vaad HaRabbonim
7. Rabbi Dovid Haber, KAYTT and
Star-K
8. Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, Agudath Israel of Baltimore
and
Star-K
9. Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer, Sheiris Yisroel
11. Rabbi Nesanel Kostelitz, Machzikei Torah Congregation
and the Community Kollel
18. Rabbi Simcha Shafran,
Adath
Yeshurun and the Bais Din of Baltimore
_________________________________________________________________________________
CALL FOR ACTION: Phil Jacob
Going Soft on the case of Rabbi Israel 'Yisroel'
Shapiro
The Awareness Center - January 18, 2008
The Awareness is thankful to Phil Jacobs, executive
editor and the Baltimore Jewish Times for continuing to write about sex crimes
in the Baltimore community. The problem is that Phil Jacobs keeps referring
to Rabbi Israel (Yisroel) Shapiro as "Mr." instead of using his ordained
title of "Rabbi". This is a case of clergy sexual abuse and should be referred
to as such. By not doing so takes away some of the influence and status he
had over the children he molested.
Rabbi Israel (Yisroel) Shaprio is the son of the late
Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro and the brother of two other ordained rabbis. One of
his brothers is living in Maryland and the other residing in Massachusetts,
both are Rosh yeshiva's (deans) of two different Jewish day schools. His
family has a great deal of influence and clout in the orthodox community
of Baltimore, which includes connections with the administration at Ner Israel
Rabbinical College (and high school), Rabbi Moshe Heinemann and Rabbi Yaakov
Hopfer.
Some time ago The Awareness Center put out a CALL FOR
ACTION on this case, which you can download at:
http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/ShapiroYisroel_CallToAction.pdf.
It's odd
that Phil Jacobs never mentioned any of the following demands in his
article:
The Awareness Center is asking that everyone contact
Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz and the Baltimore Vaad HaRabbonim and ask them to:
-
Make public the plan they established to notify parents
in the community of the potential dangers of their children being left alone
with Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro.
- We are also asking that this statement include the
safety plan created when Yisroel Shapiro is davening (praying) at Darchi
Tzedek or any synagogue.
-
They also need to make public the safety plan they
established for Wasserman's and Lemberger," the retail business in which
Shapiro is employed and also for any other public location Shapiro may
enter.
 |
| Wasserman & Leberger - Employer of Yisroel Shapiro |
Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer - President
Vaad Harabbonim of Baltimore
410-358-3450
Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz
Congregation Darchei Tzedek
410-653-1688
410-486-0445 (Rabbi Horowitz)
Considering the fact that Phil Jacobs is the executive
editor of the Baltimore Jewish Times, I'm sure he has influence in how long
or short a story is in his paper.
Please call and or write to Phil Jacobs
and ask him why he's going soft on this story.
Phil Jacobs, Executive Editor
pjacobs@jewishtimes.com
Phone: 410-752-3504
Fax: 443-451-6025
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yisroel Shapiro Pleads `Not
Guilty'
Israel Shapiro Gets April 1 trial
date for multiple molestation charges.
By Phil Jacobs
Baltimore Jewish Times - January 18, 2008
http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/local_news/yisroel_shapiro_pleads_not_guilty/
"Not guilty."
This was the plea entered into court record by Israel
Shapiro before Judge John Miller Tuesday morning in Baltimore City Circuit
Court.
Mr. Shapiro made his plea in response to charges of
three counts of child sexual abuse, three counts of third degree sexual offense,
three counts of fourth degree sex offenses and six counts of second degree
assault. The charges were brought to court by the State's Attorney's Sex
Offense Unit.
Unless a plea deal is made, Mr. Shapiro will appear
in court for an April 1 trial.
The allegations made by plaintiffs dated back to 1987-88
and 1993-94.
Mr. Shapiro, a former bar mitzvah teacher, currently
works in a local butcher shop.
An Orthodox Jew, he appeared in court wearing a gray
suit and gray blue tie, but without wearing any sort of kippah or head covering.
He kept his hands on his knees before rising to face the judge.
That omission of a kippah or yarmulke was noted by
the plaintiff.
"When I saw him walk in without his yarmulke on, I
thought, `What a hypocrite.' He didn't take his yarmulke off when he was
molesting me. But before a judge in a court room, he doesn't have it on,"
said one of two plaintiffs.
Mr. Shapiro was represented before Judge Miller by
local attorney Isaac Klein.
Mr. Shapiro was arrested and charged in early December.
He is the son of the late Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro, himself the center of a
BALTIMORE JEWISH TIMES investigation of a alleged sexual molestation.
Before ascending the steps to the fourth floor courtroom
in the Clarence Mitchell Courthouse, one of the plaintiffs in the case, visibly
emotional, said, "I'm feeling sick."
When asked what he wanted to come from the charges,
his answer was simple: "I want him to go to jail," he said.
In the courtroom, the plaintiff, who was just a young
teen when the allegations took place, held hands tightly with his wife.
In the charging documents, the plaintiffs wrote that
"Israel Shapiro would shuckle [or rock back and forth] holding me against
himself and leining [chanting Torah] out loud while he was feeling me up
and touching me."
At another point, the victim reported "I could feel
his erection under me. I would try to get off his lap, but he'd hold me very
tightly. I must have been doing something wrong. I thought it was my fault.
It was very confusing me as a child. I just wanted to learn."
On Tuesday morning, there was no doubting the serious
nature of the situation. Upon entering the courthouse, visitors had to look
at an electronic monitor directing them to the appropriate court room. It
was like searching for one's flight on the video departures board at the
airport. But instead of departures and arrives, the board was divided into
misdemeanors and felonies.
There on the felony side of the board was Mr. Shapiro.
And before a courtroom of people awaiting their time with Judge Miller, Mr.
Shapiro's case was the first one called. The entire not guilty plea took
only minutes.
"It's good there's a trial date," said the plaintiff.
"It's a step in the right direction."
_________________________________________________________________________________
The Awareness Center's Press Statement
For Immediate Release
March 10, 2008
Statement by Vicki Polin, Founder and Executive Director - The Awareness Center
Not Placed On Sex Offender Registry - Case of Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro
Monday, March 10, 2008 -- Judge John P. Miller of the Baltimore City Circuit Court basically gave Rabbi Israel (Yisroel) Shapiro a slap on the hand after entering an Alford plea on crimnal sexual abuse charges.
Shapiro was sentenced to perform 300 hours of community service and to pay $10,800 in restitution to those he criminally sexually abused. In addition, he was ordered by the court to keep away from anyone under the age of 18. The judge also ordered Shapiro to undergo sex offender screening and treatment.
After calling both the Baltimore City Court House and the Baltimore CIty States Attorneys Office, The Awareness Center was able to confirm that Israel (Yisroel) Shapiro will NOT be place on the Maryland Sex Offender Registry. The reason is because Maryland is not in compliance with the federal sex offender registry mandate.
An Alford plea allows a defendant to assert his or her innocence, yet admits that sufficient evidence exists with which the prosecution could probably convince a judge or jury to find the defendant guilty.
It has been confirmed that Yisroel Shapiro is an ordained orthodox rabbi, yet the title has been downplayed in the news media and the community. Shapiro comes from a rabbinic family, in which his father (the late Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro) and his two brothers are also rabbis.
The allegations made by the survivors dated back to 1987-88 and 1993-94. If any of the survivors of Yisroel Shapiro are under the age of 25, they are still eligible to file a civil suit against their offender and also against those who helped to cover up the crime.
According to Maryland law they do not place convicted sex offenders on the state sex offender registry retroactively. If a survivor came forward prior to 1995-96 and the convicted offender was under supervision in 2001, then the offender would be on the registry. Because the survivors in this case waited until recently to come forward, the case would be considered retroactive. This is a law that needs to be changed and put in compliance with the federal mandate.
If you are a Jewish survivor of a sex crime (incest, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, clergy sexual abuse, professional sexual misconduct) please contact The Awareness Center .
For more information on this law or if you would like to communicate with Judge John P. Miller:
Baltimore City States Attorney Office
Tammi Griffin-Lawman
Mitchell Courthouse, Room 310
410-396-5040
Judge John P. Miller
Baltimore City Circuit Court
410-396-5066
_________________________________________________________________________________
Maryland: A Sex Offender
Friendly state?
The Awareness Center's Press
Statement
For Immediate Release
March 10, 2008
Statement by Vicki Polin, Founder and Executive Director
- The Awareness Center
Not Placed On Sex Offender Registry - Case
of Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro
Monday, March 10, 2008 -- Judge John P. Miller of the
Baltimore City Circuit Court basically gave Rabbi Israel (Yisroel) Shapiro
a slap on the hand after entering an Alford plea on crimnal sexual abuse
charges.
Shapiro was sentenced to perform 300 hours of community
service and to pay $10,800 in restitution to those he criminally sexually
abused. In addition, he was ordered by the court to keep away from anyone
under the age of 18. The judge also ordered Shapiro to undergo sex offender
screening and treatment.
After calling both the Baltimore City Court House and
the Baltimore CIty States Attorneys Office, The Awareness Center was able
to confirm that Israel (Yisroel) Shapiro will NOT be place on the Maryland
Sex Offender Registry. The reason is because Maryland is not in compliance
with the federal sex offender registry mandate.
An Alford plea allows a defendant to assert his or
her innocence, yet admits that sufficient evidence exists with which the
prosecution could probably convince a judge or jury to find the defendant
guilty.
It has been confirmed that Yisroel Shapiro is an ordained
orthodox rabbi, yet the title has been downplayed in the news media and the
community. Shapiro comes from a rabbinic family, in which his father (the
late Rabbi
Ephraim Shapiro) and his two brothers are also rabbis.
The allegations made by the survivors dated back to
1987-88 and 1993-94. If any of the survivors of Yisroel Shapiro are under
the age of 25, they are still eligible to file a civil suit against their
offender and also against those who helped to cover up the crime.
According to Maryland law they do not place convicted
sex offenders on the state sex offender registry retroactively. If a survivor
came forward prior to 1995-96 and the convicted offender was under supervision
in 2001, then the offender would be on the registry. Because the survivors
in this case waited until recently to come forward, the case would be considered
retroactive. This is a law that needs to be changed and put in compliance
with the federal mandate.
If you are a Jewish survivor of a sex crime (incest,
child sexual abuse, sexual assault, clergy sexual abuse, professional sexual
misconduct) please contact The Awareness Center at 443-857-5560.
For more information on this law or if you would
like to communicate with Judge John P. Miller:
Baltimore City States Attorney Office
Tammi Griffin-Lawman
Mitchell Courthouse, Room 310
410-396-5040
Judge John P. Miller
Baltimore City Circuit Court
410-396-5066
_________________________________________________________________________________
The Awareness Center, Inc. Press Statement
(Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault)
For Immediate Release
March 10, 2008
Statement by Vicki Polin, Founder and Executive Director of The Awareness Center, Inc.
Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro Not Placed On Sex Offender Registry - Monday,
March 10, 2008 -- Judge John P. Miller of the Baltimore City Circuit
Court basically gave Rabbi Israel (Yisroel) Shapiro a slap on the hand
after entering an Alford plea on crimnal sexual abuse charges.
Shapiro
was sentenced to perform 300 hours of community service and to pay
$10,800 in restitution to those he criminally sexually abused. In
addition, he was ordered by the court to keep away from anyone under the
age of 18.
After calling both the Baltimore City Court House and
the Baltimore City States Attorneys Office, The Awareness Center was
able to confirm that Israel (Yisroel) Shapiro will NOT
be place on the Maryland Sex Offender Registry. The reason is because
Maryland is not in compliance with the federal sex offender registry
mandate.
An Alford plea allows a defendant to assert his or her
innocence, yet admits that sufficient evidence exists with which the
prosecution could probably convince a judge or jury to find the
defendant guilty.
It has been confirmed that Yisroel Shapiro is
an ordained orthodox rabbi, yet the title has been downplayed in the
news media and the community. Shapiro comes from a rabbinic family, in
which his father (the late Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro) and his two brothers are also rabbis.
The allegations made by the survivors dated back to 1987-88 and 1993-94. If any of the survivors of Yisroel Shapiro
are under the age of 25, they are still eligible to file a civil suit
against their offender and also against those who helped to cover up the
crime.
According to Maryland law they do not place convicted sex
offenders on the state sex offender registry retroactively. If a
survivor came forward prior to 1995-96 and the convicted offender was
under supervision in 2001, then the offender would be on the registry.
Because the survivors in this case waited until recently to come
forward, the case would be considered retroactive. This is a law that
needs to be changed and put in compliance with the federal mandate.
If
you are a Jewish survivor of a sex crime (incest, child sexual abuse,
sexual assault, clergy sexual abuse, professional sexual misconduct)
please contact The Awareness Center.
For more information on this law or if you would like to communicate with Judge John P. Miller:
Baltimore City States Attorney Office
Tammi Griffin-Lawman
Mitchell Courthouse, Room 310
410-396-5040
Judge John P. Miller
Baltimore City Circuit Court
410-396-5066
_________________________________________________________________________________
Shapiro Found
Guilty
By Phil Jacobs
Baltimore Jewish Times - March 10, 2008
Former bar mitzvah lessons teacher Israel Shapiro was
found guilty of child sexual molestation and given five years probation last
Monday morning, March 10, in an Alford plea entered before Judge John P.
Miller in Baltimore City Circuit Court.
With an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit to
a crime and asserts innocence but admits that sufficient evidence exists
with which the prosecution could probably convince a judge or jury to find
the defendant guilty.
Emotions ran high in the packed courtroom as Mr. Shapiro,
a resident of Olympia Avenue in Upper Park Heights who currently works in
a butcher shop, was also sentenced to performing 300 hours of community service
and paying $10,800 in restitution to his victims. In addition, he was ordered
by the court to keep away from anyone under the age of 18.
The charges were brought to the court by the State's
Attorney's Sex Offense Unit. The allegations made by the plaintiffs dated
back to 1987-88 and 1993-94.
Mr. Shapiro was arrested and charged in early December.
He is the son of the late Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro, who was the center of a
BALTIMORE JEWISH TIMES investigation of a alleged sexual molestation.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Teacher of bar mitzvah lessons pleads guilty to
sex offense
He faces suspended prison time, probation on
child abuse charges, prosecutors say
By a Sun reporter
Baltimore Sun - March 11, 2008
A former bar mitzvah lessons teacher active in Baltimore's
Orthodox Jewish community pleaded guilty yesterday to sexual child abuse
and a third-degree sex offense after having been accused of abusing two boys
more than a decade ago, according to city prosecutors.
Baltimore Circuit Court Judge John P. Miller sentenced
Israel Shapiro to a suspended five-year prison term and five years of probation.
The judge ordered Shapiro to stay away from the victims, to have no unsupervised
contact with anyone under the age of 18, pay $10,800 in restitution to one
of the boys and perform 300 hours of community service.
The judge also ordered Shapiro to undergo sex offender
screening and treatment, but he will not have to register as a sex offender
with the state because the registry was not in existence when the crimes
occurred.
Police have said in charging documents that the abuse
occurred on separate occasions in September 1988 and June 1994, when the
boys were 12 and 13 years old. Police said the boys were learning to chant
passages from the Torah at Shapiro's home on Olympia Avenue.
Accusations against Shapiro were known throughout
Baltimore's Orthodox community for years when the victims circulated fliers
with his name and picture. One of the posters was posted on the Web site
of the Awareness Center Inc., an advocacy group on behalf of Jewish victims
of sexual abuse in Baltimore.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Local
Advocates upset over
rabbi's plea deal
By Luke Broadwater
The Examiner - March 12, 2008
BALTIMORE - A group of Jewish advocates against sexual
assault is angry over a plea deal for a Baltimore City rabbi who pleaded
guilty to abusing young boys but avoided jail time.
"I'm very upset about it," said Vicki Polin of the
Awareness Center in the city.
"He should go to jail. I'm also very upset that he
won't be on the sex offender registry."
Israel Shapiro, 57, pleaded guilty Monday to one count
of sexual abuse of a child and one count of third-degree sex offense before
Baltimore City Circuit Judge John Miller and was sentenced to five years
of probation.
He must stay away from his victims and have no unsupervised
contact with children, under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors
said.
Shapiro also was ordered to pay $10,800 in restitution
to one of the victims, undergo sex offender screening and treatment.
He is also prohibited from using a computer to contact
children.
Shapiro was not required to register as a sex offender
because the incidents occurred before the sex offender registry was
created.
Lawmakers in Annapolis are working on a bill that would
make the registry retroactive.
Baltimore City State's Attorney Patricia Jessamy said
in an interview Monday she was hoping to get the law changed to make Maryland
residents aware of the those living in their neighborhoods who committed
sexual offenses prior to the creation of the registry.
A statement of probable cause is not in Shapiro's court
file because Shapiro was charged by a grand jury indictment.
But Polin said the abuse dates back to 1988 and involves
12- and 13-year-old boys whom Shapiro taught.
The Awareness Center posted a photo of Shapiro on its
Web site to make the Jewish community in the Baltimore region aware of the
allegations against Shapiro, she said.
But Polin said she worries that without Shapiro registering
as a sex offender, there won't be enough scrutiny on him.
"This guy goes into a synagogue where there's tons
of little kids, and no one is monitoring him," Polin said.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Probation given in abuse case
By Richard Irwin
Baltimore Sun - March 12, 2008
A former teacher of bar mitzvah lessons who was active in
Baltimore's Orthodox Jewish community has been sentenced to a suspended
five-year prison term and five years of probation after having been
accused of abusing two boys more than a decade ago, according to city
prosecutors.
Israel Shapiro agreed to an Alford plea, and the judge entered a finding of guilt to child sexual abuse and a third-degree sex
offense. Under an Alford plea, a defendant denies guilt but concedes
that prosecutors have enough evidence against him for a conviction.
Baltimore Circuit Judge John P. Miller ordered Shapiro to stay away
from the victims, to have no unsupervised contact with children under
the age of 18, to pay $10,800 in restitution to one of the boys and to
perform 300 hours of community service.
At a hearing Monday, Miller also ordered Shapiro to undergo sex offender screening and treatment, but he will not have to register as a sex offender because the registry did not exist when the incidents occurred.
Police have said in charging documents that the abuse occurred on
separate occasions in September 1988 and June 1994, when the boys were
12 and 13 years old. Police said the boys were learning to chant
passages from the Torah at Shapiro's home on Olympia Avenue.
Accusations against Shapiro were known throughout Baltimore's Orthodox
community for years when the victims circulated fliers with his name and
picture. One of the posters was put on the Web site of the Awareness
Center Inc., an advocacy group on behalf of Jewish victims of sexual
abuse in Baltimore.
_________________________________________________________________________________
