Case of Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro
(AKA: Yisroel I. Shapiro, Israel Shapiro,
Joseph Shapiro)
Baltimore, MD
Arrested after allegations were made of child sexual abuse. Shapiro is the son of the deceased alleged serial sexual predator - Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro. Yisroel Shapiro was born in 1950.
- October, 2004 -- A flyer was posted in the Jewish community in Baltimore as a way to warn community members of the allegations made against Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro.
- July, 13, 2007 -- Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro became the target of a State's Attorney's Office investigation, when a few adult survivors filed a police report alleging that they were sexually victimized as children.
- December 5, 2007 -- According to Tammy Griffin-Lawman of the Baltimore City, State's Attorneys office, Yisroel Shapiro was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual offense in the third degree, sexual offense in the fourth degree and battery.
- March 10, 2008 -- Found guilty of child sexual molestation and given five years probation. Due to the current laws in Maryland Yisroel Shapiro will NOT be on the sex offender registry. At this time the state of Maryland does not comply with the Federal mandate.
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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:
2003
2003
Background History (03/28/2003)
2004
- Flyer Regarding Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro (10/24/2004)
2007
- RE: Case of Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro (AKA: Israel Shapiro) (04/10/2007)
- Alleged Molester Investigated Here (07/13/2007)
- Yisroel Shapiro Arrested (12/05/2007)
- City bar mitzvah teacher charged with sex offenses - Incidents involving two boys allegedly occurred more than a decade ago (12/18/2007)
- Accused Of Molesting Bar Mitzvah Students (12/19/2007)
- Former bar mitzvah teacher charged in abuse (12/19/2007)
- CALL TO ACTION: Case of Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro - Demanding Transparency and Accountability from our Religious Leaders! (12/28/2007)
2008
- CALL FOR ACTION: Phil Jacob Going Soft on the case of Rabbi Israel 'Yisroel' Shapiro (01/18/2008)
- Yisroel Shapiro Pleads `Not Guilty' (01/18/2008)
-
The Awareness Center, Inc. Press Statement:
Not Placed On Sex Offender Registry - Case of Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro (03/10/2008) - Maryland: A Sex Offender Friendly state? (03/10/2008)
- Shapiro Found Guilty (03/10/2008)
- Teacher of bar mitzvah lessons pleads guilty to sex offense (03/11/2008)
- Advocates upset over rabbi's plea deal (03/12/2008)
- Probation given in abuse case (03/12/2008)
2010
- Over attorney's protests, Baltimore defends secrecy in wrongful arrest settlement (12/23/2010)
- Baltimore officials insist lawsuit secrecy not their idea (12/24/2010)
- No longer 'Standing Silent' (03/20/2012)
2013
- Maryland Sex Offender Registry (01/07/2013)
- Maryland Sex Offender Registry (08/29/2013)
Also see:
- Case of Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro
-
Case of Rabbi Matis Weinberg
-
Case of Rabbi Moshe Eisemann
-
Case of Rabbi Eliezer Eisgrau
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Background History
By Vicki Polin
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
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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)
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.
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.
You can learn more Yisroel Shapiro at: CLICK HEREThe web site on Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro: CLICK HERE
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
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 |
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.
_________________________________________________________________________________
by Adam May
CBS News (Baltimore) - December 19, 2007
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
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.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Former bar mitzvah teacher charged in abuse
By Melissa Harris
Baltimore Sun - December 19, 2007
 |
| Rabbi Israel Shapiro - Convicted Sex Offender |
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 |
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
1. Rabbi Elan Adler,
Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Hebrew
Congregation
2. Rabbi Reuben Arieh,
Ohr
HaMizrach Congregation
3. Rabbi Menachem Goldberger,
Congregation Tiferes Yisroel
4. Rabbi Emanuel Goldfeiz,
Congregation Beit Yaakov
5. Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb, Cong.
Shmorei Emunah
6. Rabbi Moshe Hauer,
Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion
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
10. Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan,
Chabad Lubavitch of
Baltimore
11. Rabbi Nesanel Kostelitz, Machzikei Torah Congregation
and the Community Kollel
12. Rabbi Chaim Landau,
Ner
Tamid
13. Rabbi Elchonon Lisbon,
Bais Lubavitch - Chabad of
Park Heights
14. Rabbi Sheftel Neuberger,
Ner
Israel Rabbinical College and High School
15. Rabbi Gavriel Newman,
Beth Jacob Congregation
16. Rabbi Shlomo Salfer,
Winands Road
Synagogue Center
17. Rabbi Jonathan Seidemann,
Kehilath B'nai
Torah
18. Rabbi Simcha Shafran,
Adath
Yeshurun and the Bais Din of Baltimore
19. Rabbi Mordechai Shuchatowitz,
Agudath Israel
of Greenspring and Av Beis Din of Baltimore
20. Rabbi Shmuel Silber,
Suburban Orthodox
21. Rabbi Amrom Taub,
Arugas Habosem
Congregation
22. Rabbi Y. Zvi Weiss,
Bais Haknesses of
Baltimore
23. Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg,
Beth
Tfiloh
_________________________________________________________________________________
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 _________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
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
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Over attorney's protests, Baltimore defends secrecy in wrongful arrest settlement
By Julie Scharper, Justin Fenton
Baltimore Sun - December 23, 2010
Yakov Y. Shapiro, a musician and teacher, filed suit against the city after he was jailed for 40 hours on child abuse allegations because of a police clerical error. Officers issued a warrant for the Germantown man although they had been seeking a Baltimore man named Yisroel Shapiro, who is three years younger and 9 inches taller.
On Wednesday, city officials disputed the attorney's claims and said they acted in an effort to protect Yakov Shapiro. The details of the settlement were first reported by The Daily Record after a months-long investigation.
"My information, and I have no reason to doubt it, was that [the confidentiality agreement] was in there at the insistence of the plaintiff or the plaintiff's lawyer," said City Solicitor George Nilson. "My understanding was that he was relieved that there was not further publicity around the lawsuit when it was published."
"If the only purpose is to protect the city from embarrassment, that's not in my judgment a sufficient reason" to not disclose the name," said Nilson. "That was not the purpose here."
But Steven D. Kupferberg, an attorney for Yakov Shapiro, said he was surprised to spot the confidentiality clause in the written agreement because city officials had not discussed it in the meeting in which they hammered out the settlement deal.
"I wrote back to [Assistant City Solicitor Neal M. Janey Jr.] and said that wasn't part of our discussion and we would rather not enter into that type of agreement," Kupferberg said. "He said we had to go with his wording or the case wouldn't settle."
In March, when the city's spending board -- which includes Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Comptroller Joan M. Pratt and City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young -- approved the settlement, a mayoral spokesman told The Baltimore Sun that the plaintiff "demanded confidentiality as part of the settlement agreement."
"We've attempted to provide as much transparency as possible within the confines" of the agreement, Ryan O'Doherty, a spokesman for Rawlings-Blake, said at the time.
O'Doherty did not answer questions Wednesday about whether city officials misrepresented or were misinformed about the details of the settlement, saying in a statement only that it was "undeniable" that the plaintiff's attorney had agreed to and signed the settlement.
"The entire Board of Estimates, including three independently elected officials, approved the agreement in the interest of protecting the claimant from further harm," he said. "The solicitor believes that protecting the claimant was an entirely appropriate objective and has no second thoughts."
Former U.S. Attorney for Maryland and former state Attorney General Stephen H. Sachs said he saw no justification for withholding information about such a large city expenditure.
"I don't care who asks for it. A settlement of that sort ... the public has a right to know the facts of how $200,000 is being spent and to whom and why," Sachs said. "To me, that's self-evident. It's irrelevant whether the motive was to protect the victim at his request or whether the motive was to protect a policeman who blundered.
"Those things, to me, are and ought to be irrelevant," he said. "The public has a right to know how its money is being spent. End of story."
Pratt said she agreed to keep Shapiro's name private because Nilson informed her it was a confidential settlement. She said she did not ask Nilson who had requested secrecy.
"I believed him," Pratt said. "I hope this is an isolated incident."
She said she would demand more details if asked to approve confidential settlements in the future.
Attempts to reach Young for comment were unsuccessful Wednesday.
The city and Shapiro agreed that some details of the settlement could become public after a legal challenge by The Daily Record.
According to court documents, Shapiro was arrested in November 2007 after Officer Keith Merryman, a member of the sex crimes division, searched in the state motor vehicle database for an accused sex offender named Yisroel Shapiro.
Two brothers had told police and prosecutors that Yisroel Shapiro had molested them more than a decade ago in his Baltimore home while preparing them for their bar mitzvahs, according to the documents.
In a deposition, Merryman said that Yakov Shapiro was the only person he found in the state when he searched for a "Y. Shapiro" in the database. Although Yakov Shapiro lives in Germantown, not Baltimore, a warrant was issued in his name.
The warrant listed Yisroel Shapiro's address, but also included details of Yakov Shapiro's physical description culled from his motor vehicle records. Police never went to Yisroel Shapiro's home; rather, officers knocked on Yakov Shapiro's door as he was heading out to baby-sit his granddaughter.
Through his attorney, Yakov Shapiro declined a request for an interview. But in an interview with a psychiatrist that was included in court papers, the physically slight man, then 60, described the "frightening" experience of being arrested and herded into a small cell with 25 other men, many of whom appeared to be on drugs or ill.
Yakov Shapiro's son defended his father at a bail review hearing and explained that he had still been living in the former Soviet Union, where he grew up, when the first molestation episode was alleged to have occurred. He explained that his father had never taught bar mitzvah lessons, did not speak Hebrew and had only visited Baltimore on a few occasions, according to court records.
After his son offered his home as collateral to post a $40,000 bond, Shapiro was freed. But his ordeal was far from over -- administrators and parents at the Montgomery County Jewish community center where he taught had been informed of the charges against him, according to court records.
Although police quickly realized their mistake and arrested Yisroel Shapiro, it took months to clear the incorrect warrant from law enforcement databases, Kupferberg said. His client was afraid to leave the house during that time for fear that he would be rearrested, according to court papers.
In an interview with the psychiatrist, Yakov Shapiro said he was "anxious and edgy" after the arrest and developed symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
'He finds it incredibly ironic that all the time he lived in the Soviet Union he was never arrested, but here in the United States, a place he chose for its promise of safety and freedom from harassment, he was falsely arrested, detained and slandered," psychiatrist and expert witness Susan J. Fiester wrote in a court report.
Kupferberg said his client did not ask city officials to withhold his name because he did not want "people to think he had covered something up."
Kupferberg said that after The Sun reported in March that officials were not divulging the name at the plaintiff's request, he sent an e-mail message to Janey, the assistant city solicitor, asking him to correct the information.
Nilson, Janey's supervisor, said he had not seen such an e-mail and could not confirm that it had been received.
Kupferberg raised concerns that police could repeat the error. Anthony Guglielmi, a Baltimore police spokesman, said he could not reveal whether Merryman had been reprimanded because it was part of his personnel file and therefore protected from public scrutiny.
Shapiro's arrest was a "very unfortunate mistake and a training issue," he said.
"At the end of the day, our officers try really hard and arrest about 70,000 people a year," he said. That's not an excuse, but that's why we have to do our part when it comes to training and things like that."
Yisroel Shapiro, who is also identified in court records as Israel Shapira, pleaded guilty to one count of child abuse. He was sentenced to two days in jail on a five year suspended sentence and remains on probation.
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Baltimore officials insist lawsuit secrecy not their idea
By Justin Fenton
Baltimore Sun - December 24, 2010
Dec. 24--Baltimore officials hit back Thursday at claims that they pushed for secrecy in a six-figure settlement involving a man mistakenly arrested by city police, providing a document that they say shows the man's lawyer pushed for confidentiality.
But the lawyer responded by releasing other documents that he says prove the city initiated the discussion over privacy, and that his counterproposals were made to protect his client.
In the end, each side stood firm in its contention that the other was not being truthful, but both agreed that the episode had become "regrettable."
The plaintiff, Germantown violinist Yakov Shapiro, was arrested in 2008 when police were actually seeking a bar mitzvah teacher from Baltimore named Israel Shapira, also identified in court records as Yisroel Shapiro. Despite Yakov Shapiro's protests, a judge increased his bail and he was jailed for nearly two days. He filed a claim in federal court seeking millions in damages.
Both sides agreed to a $200,000 settlement earlier this year. But the dollar amount was left off public documents when the Board of Estimates, the city's spending board, approved the agreement in March, and there was no disclosure of who was receiving the money or why. Officials said that omitting the amount was a mistake, but refused to release the name or discuss the case, saying the plaintiff had "demanded" confidentiality.
Shapiro's name came to light this week in the business publication The Daily Record, which used its own attorneys to compel the disclosure. Shapiro's attorney, Steven D. Kupferberg of Rockville, said that he had been opposed to the confidentiality language in the agreement.
City Hall officials are sensitive to charges of secrecy, with Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who took office this year after a fraud scandal toppled her predecessor, making government ethics and openness a major goal.
Baltimore officials maintain that the secrecy was not their idea, even though they acknowledge that they typically seek a "non-disparagement" clause as part of such agreements to keep details out of the media. In this case, the clause was altered to include a gag order on both city officials and the plaintiff.
Kupferberg said he always objected to the original clause but tried to work with the city after they insisted.
City officials insisted Thursday that Kupferberg first brought up the issue of confidentiality at a settlement conference, an off-the-record discussion that includes a judge.
"Our counsel heard what you would expect -- a concern about the client not having to suffer anymore, to be protected from further publicity," said City Solicitor George Nilson.
City attorneys produced a Feb. 18 letter from Kupferberg in response to their draft agreement in which he suggests replacing their "non-disparagement" clause with a section titled "confidentiality agreement." In e-mail responses, city attorneys said his changes were not possible because the agreement had to go before the Board of Estimates.
"When monies are paid on [the city's] behalf, that fact is subject to public inspection," an attorney for the Police Department, Neal M. Janey, wrote to Kupferberg. "There is nothing we can do about that."
But Nilson said they decided to make a special accommodation for Shapiro. "It was one of those things that was right and fair to the plaintiff," he said.
Kupferberg denied that he broached the topic at the settlement conference. His two associates in an interview with The Baltimore Sun also said it never came up at the conference and said they were willing to sign affidavits attesting to that.
"At no point in time was any of that ever discussed or suggested as an option until sometime after the mediation meeting, at their insistence," said David Hainline, another lawyer working on the case.
In a Feb. 9 letter to city attorneys, Kupferberg asks the city for time to review the settlement "since you have suggested a confidentiality agreement as to the amount of the settlement, which was not an issue at our mediation."
Their language, he said Thursday, meant "my client was being gagged, and nobody else." By imposing the confidentiality restrictions on the city as well, it would level the playing field, he said.
"It was never discussed that it would be secret at the Board of Estimates; that's not my bailiwick," Kupferberg said. "If they told me the name had to be released [on public spending documents], the name would be released. It was a take-it-or-leave-it proposition given to me by" the city, he said. "It's pretzel logic."
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No longer 'Standing Silent'
By Emily Wax
Washington Post - March 20, 2012
One by one the victims stood and described their alleged molesters: the Torah teacher, the rabbi, the ice cream truck driver, the man at the mikvah.
That meeting, held nearly six years ago in a small room in a synagogue in Pikesville, just outside Baltimore, went on for four hours. Seated in a circle with the other victims was Phil Jacobs, a Baltimore Jewish Times journalist. He was not there as a reporter. He was there because he, too, had experienced sexual abuse.
But after the meeting, a young man who knew Jacobs was a journalist approached and asked to be interviewed, to have his story told. That was the beginning of Jacobs's effort to document sexual abuse in Baltimore's Orthodox Jewish community, bringing the harrowing experiences shared by the 18 victims in that room out into the open.
The first of his stories, "Today, Steve is 25"was published in February 2007, 10 months after the Pikesville meeting.
That process of reporting and writing has been made into a documentary film, "Standing Silent," directed by Scott Rosenfelt and now being shown at film festivals across the country. Partially funded by a Sundance Institute grant, it details how Jacobs, an Orthodox Jew himself, has been credited with - and criticized for - uncovering a painful secret in Baltimore's Orthodox community.
"I saw a narrative character that was in great conflict between protecting his faith and his community and protecting children and humanity," says Rosenfelt, who is an established producer ("Home Alone," "Mystic Pizza") as well as a family friend of Jacobs. "To me it was bigger than an action film. Phil's journey is a classic hero's journey - it has all the makings of a great movie."
"Standing Silent" was filmed between 2007 and 2010, with a three-person crew that traveled with Jacobs through Baltimore's suburbs and to Israel, eventually recording more than 125 hours of video, much of it interviews with victims and alleged perpetrators.
The story took over Jacobs's career in a way that surprised him. Tall and lanky with a softspoken manner, Jacobs, 58, still lives in Baltimore and is still married to his high school sweetheart. The Baltimore native and University of Maryland alumnus had worked for the Jewish Times company for 30 years, and while he "never wanted to cover Bubbie and Zaidy at the Gefilte Fish Ball," he says from his new Rockville office at Washington Jewish Week, where he became editor in chief last summer, "I also didn't expect this."
"Standing Silent" depicts a community struggling to come to terms with a problem that, Jacobs says, has remained underreported for years and seems only recently to have attracted the attention of advocates and lawmakers.
There are no hard numbers to document the extent of the problem, but Elaine Witman, director of the Shofar Coalition, a nonprofit agency that provides services for victims of sexual and other abuse in the Baltimore area's Jewish community, says the center is seeing an increase in the number of Jews coming forward to report abuse. In 2010, 67 people requested help for childhood sexual abuse from the coalition. That number nearly doubled in 2011, to 132 people, said Witman, who attributes the increase to Jacobs's articles and the coalition's efforts to reduce the shame that has kept the issue quiet for so long.
Jacobs says he was haunted by the abuse he says he suffered as a child but that" it was 1967 and no one talked about things like that, and I didn't have the words to describe it."
There are also cultural reasons for silence, stemming at least in part from a Jewish law known as "mesirah," which forbids informing on a fellow Jew to secular authorities. The law is integral to a culture of self-protection rooted in centuries of anti-Semitism, according to Rabbi Yosef Blau, spiritual adviser of Yeshiva University in New York.
Reporting sexual abuse first to a rabbi is the recommended protocol of Agudath Israel of America, a national Orthodox umbrella group with an affiliated synagogue in Pikesville. The organization - whose influence in some Orthodox communities is similar to that of the Vatican among some Catholics, Blau says - issues opinions on policy matters.
Blau, whose efforts to hold the community accountable for sexual abuse are highlighted in the documentary, says the protocol endangers children. He draws a parallel with the Roman Catholic Church, where a pervasive culture of silence and denial made clergy unlikely to pass abuse accusations along to police.
"Why go to a rabbi? Are these rabbis qualified? Do you call the police if you want to find out if food is kosher?" said Blau. "The problem is the community doesn't want to bring a shame on Orthodox Judaism if these crimes get reported. But I would argue that we have an obligation to protect our children first."
The documentary's release comes as elected officials across the country are pushing for tougher reporting laws, partly in response to allegations of abuse in another tight-knit community - the football program at Penn State.
Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) has introduced a bill that would withhold federal funds from states that fail to enact laws requiring all adults to report abuse to police. Maryland state Sen. Nancy Jacobs, (R-Harford) introduced a bill recently that could make failing to report sexual abuse a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine and a year in jail. And in New York, State Assemblywoman Margaret Markey is promoting a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for sexual abuse victims, both for criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits.
Speaking out
What emerges most clearly from "Standing Silent" are the costs of failing to report abuse, told largely through the experience of the man who organized the original Pikesville meeting that Jacobs attended, Yacov Margolese.
You only need to hear Margolese's story, Jacobs explains, to understand how corrosive keeping quiet can be. These days, though, Margolese tells it more openly.
The oldest of nine children, Margolese moved to the Baltimore suburb in 1987 from Far Rockaway in Queens. He remembers as a 13-year-old wanting to increase his level of religious observance, to learn the skills required to sing the Torah like so many of his new neighbors had. So, Margolese says, his parents hired Israel Shapiro, a burly, jovial man known for having a way with children, as a Torah tutor. Margolese alleges that Shapiro soon began fondling him during the lessons. Margolese says he told a rabbi about the abuse and that the rabbi advised him to tell Shapiro he wanted to focus on his studies. He did so, but the abuse continued, he said, and after a few months, he told his parents he had learned enough.
For years afterward, Margolese says, he suffered from suicidal depression. He felt like he needed to cleanse himself, become more religious. "But as I grew up, I couldn't reconcile the hypocrisy," Margolese says.
"To me, it wasn't just sexual abuse," Margolese says in "Standing Silent." "It was spiritual abuse."
He survived, but his faith did not. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Margolese joined the Army and was posted to Baghdad. When he came home in 2004, he started a construction business with his brother. His efforts to talk about his abuse were almost always met with denial by family and community members, he says. "It's like a victim was standing in front of them covered in blood and wounds," he said. "They would say, 'Don't worry, you'll be fine.' "
It wasn't until 2007 that Margolese - galvanized by the out-of-state arrest of a former member of Baltimore's Orthodox Jewish community for child sexual abuse -reported Shapiro's actions to the police and convened the Pikesville meeting. "It was the beginning of an awakening in Baltimore," Margolese says.
After it became known that he had gone to the police, Margolese says, members of Baltimore's Orthodox community urged him to drop the matter - "Stop your crusade to destroy people and leave it," he remembers one person said. His father, Mordecai Zev Margolese, 61, said his son received anonymous death threats over the telephone.
In March 2008, Shapiro received a five-year suspended sentence after filing an Alford plea, which means the defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that the prosecution has enough evidence to convict him. Shapiro's name is now on the Maryland Sex Offender Registry. He works at a kosher butcher shop in Pikesville and declined to comment for this story.
Recently, Yacov's father watched "Standing Silent" at a Shofar Coalition screening. "When he told me about his sexual abuse, I didn't react to Yacov at all. I thought he was making mountains out of molehills," said Mordecai Zev Margolese. "The film really opened my eyes. I really cried a lot. Now, at least, he's standing up for what he believes, and I'm proud of him. It takes a lot of guts."
'A lonely voice'
After the publication of "Today, Steve is 25," Jacobs says his phone suddenly became the "hotline for victims of molestation in the Orthodox Jewish community."
He was especially shocked to receive half a dozen calls accusing Rabbi Jacob Max, the man who had officiated at his wedding, of molesting women. (In April 2009, Max, 85, was convicted of sexually molesting a 44-year-old woman. He was sentenced to one year of incarceration, which was suspended, and one year of court-ordered unsupervised probation; he died in August.)
One scene in the documentary captures Jacobs immediately before calling Rabbi Max to ask about the allegations. "I'm very nervous. I'm throw-up nervous," Jacobs says to his editor, adding, "If this was easy, I would be very worried about myself."
Criticism of Jacobs intensified when he began writing stories about three men who said they had been sexually abused by a religious figure, a deceased member of Baltimore's Orthodox Jewish community.
"The Orthodox community was thunderstruck by the suggestion that people who we entrust in such religious bastions could do this," said Rabbi Emeritus Chaim Landau, with the Ner Tamid Congregation in Pikesville. "People felt the [Jewish Times] was exposing dirty laundry."
Calls and e-mails from victims kept coming, and Jacobs felt compelled to keep investigating reports of abuse. "I didn't go looking for them," he said. "They kept coming to me."
Many people accused him of lashon hora, the Hebrew term for negative speech that harms another, and that is considered a sin. He was criticized on Web sites and received hate mail, with one blogger even writing that he hoped Jacobs's two daughters would be barren. Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, head of Star-K, a Baltimore kosher certifying agency, who also works with the Agudath Israel of Baltimore, called for a ban on the Baltimore Jewish Times, posting a letter in his synagogue that read, "It is totally inappropriate for this publication to be found in any Jewish home." Heinemann could not be reached for comment but earlier defended his letter in interviews with victims' groups, saying he felt the paper was "orthodox bashing."
"So it was 'Kill the messenger.' I know Phil's is a lonely voice at times, which makes it all the more important that it be heard," said former Baltimore Jewish Times editor Gary Rosenblatt, now editor and publisher of the New York Jewish Week.
"Standing Silent" pays tribute to that messenger - and makes sure his message continues to be heard.
"There have been a number of documentaries around sex abuse in the Catholic Church, but the thing that stands out about this is that it locates this problem in an entirely different context," said Thom Powers, artistic director at DOC NYC, a New York-based documentary festival. "And I think the filmmaker's closeness to the subject is a big part of the power of this film. What you really see is an unusual level of trust and access and a great deal of sensitivity."
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Maryland Sex Offender Registry
Jan. 7, 2013
Maryland Sex Offender Registry
August 29, 2013
FAIR USE NOTICE
Maryland Sex Offender Registry
Jan. 7, 2013
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Maryland Sex Offender Registry
August 29, 2013
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