Case of Benjamin Levin

Case of Benjamin Levin

(AKA: Ben Levin)

Professor, University of Toronto - Toronto, Canada

Canada Research Chair in Leadership and Educational Change - Toronto, Canada

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) -  Toronto, Canada
Former deputy minister of education for the Ontario government  - Ontario, Canada

Harvard University - Boston, MA

Benjamin Levin has been charged with making and distributing child pornography, counseling to commit an indictable offence and an arrangement to commit a sexual offence against a child under the age of 16. All the offenses are alleged to have taken place in Ontario.

If you or anyone you know have more information about Benjamin Levin, please contact the Toronto London Police Department.

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Table of Contents:

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.

2013

1. Toronto professor facing child pornography charges was target of probes in Ontario, New Zealand (07/08/2013)
2. Child porn charges for Toronto prof, ex-adviser to Ont. premier  (07/08/2013)
3. Former Wynne adviser Ben Levin faces new child-porn charges  (07/10/2013)

Also see: 

1. Policies For inclusion on The Awareness Center's Sex Offender's Registry
2. Listing Alleged and Convicted Sex Offenders

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Toronto professor facing child pornography charges was target of probes in Ontario, New Zealand

By Vidya Kauri and Adrian Morrow

The Globe and Mail - July 8, 2013

A highly accomplished University of Toronto professor and former deputy minister charged with crimes relating to child pornography had been the subject of three separate police investigations in Ontario and New Zealand.

Benjamin Levin, 61, had come on the radar of the Toronto Police Service as a suspect some time around the middle of 2012, said Detective Constable Janelle Blackadar of the sex-crimes unit. Last month, law-enforcement officials in New Zealand contacted the Toronto police regarding Mr. Levin.  A database search by Det. Constable Blackadar led her to the realization that Ontario’s London Police Service was also investigating him. London and New Zealand law enforcement agencies had been investigating him since late last year.

The tenured professor, who was named to Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s transition government after Dalton McGuinty stepped down, was arrested just before 6 a.m. Monday at his north Toronto home. Toronto police have charged him with making and distributing child pornography, counselling to commit an indictable offence and an arrangement to commit a sexual offence against a child under the age of 16. All the offences are alleged to have taken place in Ontario.

In court Monday afternoon, the Crown said that more charges could be laid. The court gave the Crown two more days to complete its investigation. Mr. Levin has been remanded into custody until his bail hearing on July 10.

Mr. Levin’s lawyer, Gerald Chan, said that his client is doing “fine” and “anxious to vigorously” defend the charges against him when the case goes to trial.

“What we’re going to argue to the court is that this is not someone for whom bail should be denied,” Mr. Chan said. “He’s in no danger of leaving the jurisdiction, he is in no danger of committing an offence.”

Aside from his professorial role at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), Mr. Levin is also the Canada Research Chair in Leadership and Educational Change.

A native of Winnipeg, the Harvard-educated Mr. Levin initially worked for the Manitoba government, rising to become the top public servant in both the ministries of Advanced Education and Education, Training and Youth. The Ontario government recruited Mr. Levin after an international search to serve as deputy minister of education during a key period when Mr. McGuinty was pumping money into the education system and pushing an ambitious agenda meant to raise Ontario students’ academic performance and increase graduation rates. Government sources credited Mr. Levin with successfully implementing these policies, improving literacy and numeracy rates and raising test scores.

He has won top awards for his work in education including the Lieutenant Governors’ Medal for Service to Public Administration in Manitoba in 2004 and the Outstanding Educator of the Year award from the Phi Delta Kappan Toronto chapter in 2010. Phi Delta Kappan describes itself as an international association of professionals interested in public education. Mr. Levin’s leadership helped the province raise test scores and slash drop-out rates, a government source said.

People who worked with Mr. Levin during his time in government described him as popular within the civil service and an easy person to get along with.

“Ben Levin is nationally recognized as a leader in education policy, with a significant record of achievement in Ontario and Manitoba. These charges will be a massive shock to his colleagues across the country,” said Tony Dean, who was the head of Ontario’s public service when Mr. Levin worked there.

Mr. Levin maintained his ties to the government after leaving its employ to work for OISE and joined Ms. Wynne’s transition team this year. The team acted as an advisory body to Ms. Wynne before she was sworn in and during the first few weeks of her administration. The team, including Mr. Levin, would meet regularly with Ms. Wynne, and she would solicit its advice on high-level policy and strategy matters, government sources said.

The University of Toronto, the Premier’s office and the Education Minister’s office all refused to comment on Mr. Levin’s arrest. Liz Sandals, Ontario’s Education Minister, issued a statement to say that Mr. Levin’s work with the ministry has been suspended as a result of the charges against him. Mr. Levin had recently been contracted to work on research projects with the ministry. He also made appearances as a guest speaker.

“I am aware of the very serious allegations brought forward against Dr. Ben Levin,” Ms. Sandals said in an e-mail. “Dr. Levin’s only recent involvement with the Ministry has been on contract research projects and guest speaking roles through his capacity as a professor at OISE, work that has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Mr. Levin also advised the New Zealand Ministry of Education on “education strategy issues” as outlined on his CV, but a spokesperson for the ministry said he does not have a current contract with it. Toronto police said they are not aware if he actually travelled to New Zealand.

Det. Constable Blackadar said the investigation is continuing. There are no other suspects at this time, she said, but that could change after police examine a computer and electronic storage devices that were retrieved from Mr. Levin`s home.

Mr. Levin is a married father and grandfather.

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Child porn charges for Toronto prof, ex-adviser to Ont. premier 

Benjamin Levin, 61, arrested after probe involving New Zealand investigators

CBC News - July 8, 2013

A University of Toronto professor who advised Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne's transition team is facing five child porn-related charges, including making and distributing child pornography, after an investigation involving New Zealand police.

Investigators with the Toronto Police Service's sex crimes unit arrested Benjamin Levin, 61, at his home near Lawrence Avenue West and Avenue Road on Monday morning.

He is charged with two counts of distributing child pornography, one count of making child pornography and another count of counselling to commit an indictable offence. He is also charged with agreeing to, or arranging, a sexual offence against a child under 16.

A spokesperson in the premier's office told CBC News that Levin's work with the Transition Advisory Team, which helped Wynne move from being an MPP to premier, was completed in early June.

Levin was also a former deputy minister of education under the Ontario Liberals led by former premier Dalton McGuinty, serving in that post from 2004-09.

Allegedly visited child exploitation forums

The lead detective on the case, Det.-Const. Janelle Blackadar, told CBC's Steven D'Souza that investigators had been trailing Levin's actions for about a year, and were contacted during that time by New Zealand authorities.

Levin was alleged to have frequented online forums where people discussed child exploitation.

The charge of making child pornography was related to material Levin had written, according to police.

Levin's resume, which is posted online, states that he has been employed at the University of Toronto's teacher's college, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, since April 2007. He is also the Canada Research Chair in leadership and educational change.

The Nova Scotia Education Department hired Levin to review its school system in 2010. The Levin Report was released in 2011.

Prior to joining U of T, Levin was the deputy minister of education for the Ontario government between late 2004 and March 2007.

In a statement, Education Minister Liz Sandals said she was aware of the "serious allegations" against Levin.

"Dr. Levin's only recent involvement with the ministry has been on contract research projects and guest speaking roles through his capacity as a professor at OISE, work that has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation," she said.

Sandals added that the government will not be commenting on the charges, as they are the subject of an ongoing police investigation and are still to be dealt with in court.

Several trips to New Zealand

From 1999 to 2002, he was the deputy minister for the Manitoba government's department of education. He's also worked as a professor in the faculty of education at the University of Manitoba.

Toronto police said they executed a search warrant at Levin's residence this morning but did not release information on any items that may have been seized as part of the ongoing investigation.

Toronto police also thanked the London Police Service and the Censorship and Electronic Messaging Compliance Unit Department of Internal Affairs in New Zealand for their help.

Levin has been invited by school districts around the world and in Canada in recent years to deliver keynote addresses on sustainable education, policy and education leadership. Several of those trips have been to New Zealand. In 2010, for instance, he conducted a seminar at the University of Auckland on how to improve schools.

Levin has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on July 10.

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Former Wynne adviser Ben Levin faces new child-porn charges 

By Michelle Mandel

Toronto Sun - July 10, 2013

Dr. Benjamin Levin is now free on bail, but facing child exploitation charges, he can never be truly free again.

A renowned educator who lectured around the world, had the ear of several high ranking Liberals, a prestigious research chair, even a brother who is ambassador to Cuba; how easily a distinguished life can implode, 61 years of a good name instantly besmirched, with the laying of seven charges that include allegations by Toronto Police that he authored graphic child porn and counselled someone online on how to commit a sexual assault on a child.

Dressed in a blue sports shirt and black pants, the married father of three daughters looked relieved when Justice Fergus ODonnell released him Wednesday on $100,000 bail posted by his two sureties, brother Martin Levin, the former books editor at the Globe and Mail, and Richard Levin, the registrar at the University of Toronto.

A third brother, Matthew, is posted in Cuba where he is Canada’s ambassador.

The Winnipeg native seemed overwhelmed at times, burying his face in his hands, as he listened to his two brothers being questioned as potential sureties during the lengthy bail hearing, which was covered by a publication ban. In the end, the judge agreed he could be released to live under the watchful guardianship of his elder brother, Martin, but he can return home with his wife’s consent once she returns to the city. Outside the court, noted defence lawyer Clayton Ruby said Levin’s wife is currently out of town on a canoe trip.

What a shock awaits the poor woman.

Almost equal to the shock that must have reverberated through academic and Liberal circles after news of his arrest early Monday morning at his home near Lawrence Ave. and Avenue Rd. Levin, currently a tenured professor at U of T’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, was a former deputy minister of education in the Dalton McGuinty government and a former member of Premier Kathleen Wynne’s transition team. In a recent CP24 video from Toronto’s Pride parade, he is seen with Wynne, current federal Liberal golden boy Justin Trudeau and former interim leader Bob Rae.

How quickly will they all scurry? There is little more toxic than these kind of allegations.

“I was shocked to hear about these charges through the news on Monday,” Wynne said in a statement late Wednesday. “Insidious crimes like these are absolutely terrifying. The safety and well-being of our children has always been my absolute priority and at no time did I have any suspicion of criminal behaviour. I am confident that the police and judicial system will address these serious allegations.”

Following an international online probe that police said was sparked by undercover child exploitation investigators in New Zealand, Levin initially faced face charges at his first court appearance on Monday: two counts of distributing child pornography and one count each of making child pornography, counselling to commit an indictable offence and agreeing to or arranging for a sexual offence against a child under 16.

Two new charges of possessing and accessing child porn were added at the start of his North York bail hearing Wednesday. In a press release listing the new counts, Toronto Police also said “there may be more victims” and urged people to come forward with any information.

After spending two embarrassing nights behind bars, Levin was released under a long list of conditions: he’s not allowed to access the Internet except at his U of T office through the monitored university server. He is not to use social media or any video or phone messaging. He can’t knowingly be in the presence or communicate with anyone under 16 or be near pools or schools.

Levin has to surrender his travel documents and can only leave the province to visit his elderly father in Winnipeg.

Ruby said his client has made an enormous contribution to the province’s education system and he intends to “work very hard” to prove Levin’s innocence. He returns to court Aug. 8.

A trial is probably at least 18 months away, but even if Levin is eventually acquitted, the damage is already done. The linking of an educator to the alleged abuse of children? There could be no more resounding death knell for a once illustrious career.

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FAIR USE NOTICE 

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

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

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

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

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Honoring Diana Russell - Founder of the Anti-Rape Movement

Someone You Should Know
Honoring Diana Russell

Case of Dr. Rabbi Nathan David Rabinowich

Case of Dr. Rabbi Nathan David Rabinowich
(AKA: Rabbi Nosson Dovid Rabinowich)

CEO, Jewish Heritage Tours - (Midwood) Brooklyn, NY
Dean, Ahavath Torah Institute - Brooklyn, NY
(Kew Garden) Queens, NY
 

Caught sending child pornography to an undercover police officer. Rabbi Rabinowich runs a tour company and a synagogue from his home.

Considering the fact that Rabbi Nosson Rabinowich travels the world for a living and he was attempting to meet up with a teenage girl he met on the internet for sex, there is a strong possibility that this was not his first time.  If you or anyone you know might have been sexually abused by this alleged sexual predator please contact your local rape crisis center for help.  You can also call: Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453).

According to an article published by Totally Jewish Travel back in 2010, "Ha'Rav Dr. Nosson Dovid Rabinowich, who is universally recognized not only as a wonderful Talmid Chacham, but also as a leading historian, with a specialty in the Geonic and Medieval Periods."

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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: 

1988

1.  Rabbi Nosson Dovid Rabinowich accused of plagiarism (1988)
   

 2009

1. New Exciting Jewish Heritage Tour; Now,for the second year! (2009)
   

 2012

1. Back from Jewish Heritage Tour to Italy (07/22/2012)
    

2013

1. Bio:  Dr. Rabbi Nathan David Rabinowich (02/14/2013)
2. Rabbi arrested in ‘To Catch a Predator’-style bust (02/14/2013)
3. Rabbi busted after setting up Queens date for sex with a '14-year-old girl' online (02/14/2013)
4. Rabbi Arrested After Trying to Lure Teenage Girl (02/15/2013)

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Rabbi Nosson Dovid Rabinowich accused of plagiarism

In 1988, Rabbi Nosson Dovid Rabinowich published a book titled Talmudic Terminology. However, as was noted in brief by Dr. Marc Shapiro, this was plagiarized from Moses Mielziner's Introduction to the Talmud, first published in 1894. This omission, however, has been corrected in Rabinowich's reprints of his Talmudic Terminology where the title now reads that Rabinowich's work is "adapted" from Mielziner's.

would appear to be the end of the matter it is not. Dr. Shapiro has investigated this issue further and has sent the following:

After I published my book on Saul Lieberman and the Orthodox a number of people pointed out to me that Nosson Rabinowich's plagiarism of Mielziner is more extensive than what I point out. I didn't know what they were referring to since I had the first edition of his book M. Mielziner's Talmudic Terminology, published in 1988 (in my kuntres there is a typo, as it says 1998). Or so I thought. I succeeded in locating another copy by interlibrary loan, and lo and behold, the title page does not say M. Mielziners Talmudic Terminology adapted by N. Rabinowich but it identifies him as the author. What's even more fascinating is that the other edition has haskamot of Rabbis Ovadiah Yosef and Aharon Feldman. Obviously when the scandal broke, Rabinowich quickly produced a new title page and took out the haskamot (and also added a note on p. xv and made a slightchange in note 2 on. p. xv (replacing "some" with "most".) It is obvious why the haskamot were taken out, since they praise Rabinowich for producing a book which he didn't write. In fact, Rabinowich is responsible for something very interesting. We find here the first example in history where gedolim put a haskamah on a work written by a Reform rabbi! Unknowingly Rabbis Yosef and Feldman gave a haskamah to Mielziner. You can be sure this is not something that makes them happy.

Additionally, in an effort to keep the two "editions" the same, Rabinowich did not alter the pagination, this is so, even though he removed the haskamot. Consequently, the "new" edition is missing those pages. I have provided both title pages as well as Rabbis Yosef's and Feldman's haskamot (as one can no longer get them).

Additionally, in an effort to keep the two "editions" the same, Rabinowich did not alter the pagination, this is so, even though he removed the haskamot. Consequently, the "new" edition is missing those pages. I have provided both title pages as well as Rabbis Yosef's and Feldman's haskamot (as one can no longer get them).

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New Exciting Jewish Heritage Tour; Now,for the second year!

Totally Jewish Travel - 2009
 
FASCINATING FRANCE : August 8- August 17 (2010)
Jewish Heritage Tours is proud to announce a new and exciting tour: Paris, South of France and Monaco. For years, Jewish Heritage Tours has been the U.S. leader in glatt kosher tours to Western Europe and due to popular demand this new destination has now been added. The primary objectives of this tour are: to appreciate the natural beauty of Provence,=2 0to learn about our fascinating heritage in Provence and the Languedoc regions during the period of the Rishonim, to visit the gravesite areas of the revered Rashi and his family including his saintly grandsons: Rashbam, Rivam and Rabbeinu Tam and to discover Paris, one of the world's most fascinating cities. A very thorough overview of France's turbulent Jewish history and an in-depth appreciation of its various rabbis & leaders will be offered by a serious scholar, Ha'Rav Dr. Nosson Dovid Rabinowich, who is universally recognized not only as a wonderful Talmid Chacham, but also as a leading historian, with a specialty in the Geonic and Medieval Periods.

In addition, the tour offers other highlights such as: the Palace of Versailles, residence of the Sun King, Louis XIV and the famous French-style gardens, Normandy: the American Cemetery, Caen Peace Memorial, the wonderful D-Day museum and Omaha Beach, Avignon , the location of the majestic Palace of the Popes who welcomed and protected the Jews of Provence and Languedoc after they were expelled in the 14th century (hence, "the Pope's Jews") and, of course, the fascinating cities of Marseilles, Cannes, Nice and Monaco, the second smallest independent state in the world. It might be small -- only ¾ square mile, but it has some awesome buildings, gardens and, of course, world-famous casinos.

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Back from Jewish Heritage Tour to Italy

By C Teitch

Fodor's Travel Talk Forum - July 22, 2012

Looking for a Jewish tour of Italy, we booked "Jewish Heritage Tours" headed by Rabbi Nosson Dovid Rabinowich. 

Overview of the tour: The tour director, Rabbi Dr. Nosson Dovid Rabinowich, showed a complete disregard for the well-being and welfare of those on the tour. Food and water were insufficient and he made no effort to ensure that our group of 32 travelers was present and accounted for. Indeed, he had no qualms about abandoning members of the group.

He was abusive and insulting and consistently lied (for example, he specifically told a member of the group that he would accompany the group to the airport for the trip home but in fact, without warning, walked away from the bus as we pulled away, leaving the group to fend for itself at the airport without any direction or instructions and with no time to spare to make our flight). Finally, despite his claims of being a scholar with a doctorate in medieval Jewish history, his lack of knowledge, and failure to adequately educate the group was readily apparent. 

Specific examples: Three incidents stand out as examples of his intentional disregard for the welfare of those traveling on this tour. 

1) Upon arrival in Rome at 7:30 in the morning on a very hot July morning, despite promising breakfast, no food or water were provided. When asked for water the tour director said he would provide it later, despite the fact that he himself was carrying a bottle of water. When I told him that one of the members of the group was showing signs of dehydration and was looking ill, he gave me his half empty bottle and told me to give it to her. His lack of concern was shocking.

2) A member of the group had prior conversations with Rabinowich about special dietary needs as she had celiac disease and other food issues. He repeatedly assured her that her needs would be taken care of. On arrival however, there was no accommodation made for her and he told her that food was her own responsibility, and that she should go home if she was not satisfied. There were several meals when this traveler had nothing to eat. 

3) While there were many other incidents that demonstrated his complete disregard for members of the group, on incident stands out. When in Siena, he told the group to meet him at a designated location from which we would depart for the bus and leave for Florence. Members of the group were waiting as instructed but he never arrived. Instead he was at a different location and, without trying to inform everyone that he was leaving, started walking to the bus, leaving members of the group in the bathroom. 

Once on the bus, he instructed the driver to pull away, despite the fact that four members of the group were still at the restroom. When he was told to wait, he said that those missing were to blame and that they were now on their own. When he was told that it was his fault as he did not meet the group at the designated spot and that he cannot abandon members of the group, he stood up, walked down the aisle of the bus, and proceeded to scream at members of the group saying that they were nothing but trouble and that they should leave the group and go home. He was completely irrational and out of control and it appeared that he might strike the person who spoke up. From that point on members of the group were afraid to speak for fear of being left behind or verbally abused.

As for the tour itself, while we did see Italy, many of the things promised on the itinerary were not provided (e.g., appropriate food and some promised sites). Simply stated, he lied about many things, did the bare minimum, and did not follow through on all that he had promised.

If you want to take a Jewish Heritage trip to Italy, do NOT go with this group. You are better off booking some of the many Jewish day trips readily available once you are in Italy. 

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 Bio:  Dr. Rabbi Nathan David Rabinowich
Jewish Heritage Tours - February 14, 2013

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Rabbi arrested in ‘To Catch a Predator’-style bust

PIX - February 14, 2013

Rabbi Nathan David Rabinowich and a criminal defense attorney hurriedly walked out of the Queens County courthouse Thursday.  Police say the 59-year-old Brooklyn based rabbi thought he was sending sexually explicit instant messages to a 14-year old girl in December and then again over the last two weeks.

It turns out that girl was really an undercover NYPD vice detective.

Investigators say Rabbi Rabinowich used two AOL screen names…”NYC-NORMAL100″ and “NORMALGENTNYC”.

He was arrested last night when he left his Brooklyn home and showed up in Queens to meet with the would be 14-year old.

Rabinowich is faces attempted rape, and two other luring related charges. If convicted, the rabbi faces up to four years in prison. He’s due back in court on march 7th.

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Rabbi busted after setting up Queens date for sex with a '14-year-old girl' online 

By Kerry Burke , Joe Stepansky AND Daniel Beekman 

New York Daily News - February 14, 2013

Nathan David Rabinowich, 59, was charged Wednesday when he showed up to have sex with who he thought was a girl he had been communicating with for months. He was released Thursday night after making bail following attempted rape charges.

A Brooklyn rabbi and travel guide exchanged sexually explicit online messages with an undercover cop he thought was a 14-year-old girl, then set up a date with her in Queens, prosecutors charged Thursday.

Nathan David Rabinowich, 59, was arrested Wednesday night when he showed up for the pervy rendezvous, police said. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted of attempted rape and other counts.

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Rabbi Arrested After Trying to Lure Teenage Girl

New York Times - February 15, 2013

A rabbi has been arrested after sending sexually explicit messages online to a person he thought was a 14-year-old girl and arranging to meet her in Queens for sex, the district attorney’s office said on Thursday. Instead, a New York police detective had impersonated the girl, the authorities said. 

The rabbi, Nathan David Rabinowich, 59, of Brooklyn, was arrested Wednesday. He was charged with four sexual offenses, including attempted rape, the Queens district attorney’s office said in a statement. 

“It is disturbing that a man who is supposed to be held in high esteem by the community in which he lives would allegedly try to lure a child to meet him for sex,” the district attorney, Richard A. Brown, said. 

Rabbi Rabinowich runs a tour company and a synagogue from his home in the Midwood section, according to the statement. He exchanged online messages, some sexually graphic, with the detective in December and this month, the statement said. 

The rabbi was arraigned Thursday evening, and bail was set at $50,000, a spokeswoman for Mr. Brown’s office said. 

He is scheduled to appear in court again on March 7. 

A lawyer for Rabbi Rabinowich did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment late Thursday night. 

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FAIR USE NOTICE

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

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

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

____________________________________________________________________________________

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

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Case of David Ettlinger

Case of David Ettlinger

THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

Camp Counselor, JCC Grossman Camp - Newton, MA

Instructor, Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center - Newton, MA
Teacher, Underwood Elementary School - Newton, MA

Brighton, MA

David Ettlinger was a second grade elementary school teacher who was convicted on child pornography charges.  He was also charged with assaulting a girl he babysat.  He was sentenced to 45-years in a Federal Prison. He will now be returned to Massachusetts to face the charges of allegedly molesting a child he babysat for.

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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:

• WARNING: The New Sexual Predator

2012

1. Newton 2nd Grade Teacher Arrested For Child Pornography (01/17/2012)
2. Newton Teacher Facing Child Porn Charges Resigns  (02/02/2012)
3. Mother: Babysitter Accused Of Sex Abuse Seemed Perfect (02/08/2012)
4. Former Newton Teacher Charged With Sexually Assaulting Girl (02/08/2012)
5. DA: Newton Teacher Charged With Child Porn Took Secret Photos Of Students (02/27/2012)
6. Ex-Newton Teacher Facing New Sexual Assault Charges (02/28/2012)
7. Prosecutors: Ex-Newton Teacher Fondled, Recorded Sleeping Kids (03/01/2012)

2013

1. Former Newton teacher Ettlinger gets 45 years for child porn (01/08/2013)
2. Former Newton Teacher Sentenced 45 Years For Child Porn (01/08/2013)
3. Massachusetts teacher sentenced in fed child porn case  (01/08/2013)
4. Ex-teacher gets 45-year sentence in child porn case (01/09/2013)
5. Newton teacher in porn ring sentenced to 45 years (01/09/2013)
6. Newton Superintendent Fleishman: new law will make schools safer  (01/14/2013)

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Newton 2nd Grade Teacher Arrested For Child Pornography
CBS NEWS (Boston) - January 17, 2012

NEWTON (CBS) – A second grade teacher in Newton was arrested Tuesday on child pornography charges.

Thirty-four-year-old David Ettlinger was arrested at his home in Brighton.

Police say they found hundreds of illegal images on his computer drives.  They also say they discovered multiple pairs of young girls’ underwear, which Ettlinger allegedly took from bathrooms, pools, and changing rooms.

Police tracked him down being following internet activity. He logged into the online forum for child pornography called “Dreamboard” more than 20 times in 2010.

He is also expected to face charges of posing a child in the state of nudity after police seized an illegal video that he allegedly acknowledged making.

Ettlinger admitted he was the man in the video. He also told police that while the victim is not one of students, she is someone who trusted him.

“He identified the girl as somebody that he babysat for, the daughter of a family friend,” said David Deakin, the Assistant District Attorney in court.

Ettlinger was arraigned Tuesday afternoon and held on $10,000 bail. Prosecutors had asked for bail to be set at $250,000.

Ettlinger is a teacher at the Underwood Elementary School and he has taught in the Newton school system for 12 years.

He has been put on paid administrative leave.  A letter was sent home to parents informing them of the charges and explaining the school has convened a crisis team to deal with the situation.

The Superintendent of Newton Public Schools David Fleishman told reporters hours after Ettlinger’s arrest that the popular teacher just passed a routine background check in 2010. Now he says his focus is on comforting the teachers and students of the school, “It’s so sad and upsetting on so many levels and our concern is the Underwood community and supporting them.”

Newton Mayor Setti Warren issued a statement addressing the allegations.

“Our first priority is ensuring the safety of every child. If these allegations prove to be true, the suspect detained should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The type of behavior that is alleged has absolutely no place in our community,” said the mayor’s statement.

Ettlinger is facing two state charges of possession of child pornography. On the local level he is facing assault and battery on a child under 14 and posing a child in the state of nudity, stemming from the video found by police. On top of that he is also facing federal charges out of Louisiana for participating in a child exploitation enterprise. 

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Newton Teacher Facing Child Porn Charges Resigns 
Associated Press - February 2, 2012

NEWTON (AP) — The Newton elementary school teacher facing child pornography charges has resigned before the school district had a chance to fire him.

The superintendent says 34-year-old David Ettlinger submitted his letter of resignation on Tuesday, the day before a disciplinary hearing was scheduled to be held.

Ettlinger, who lives in Boston, had been on paid leave since his arrest last month.

Ettlinger is accused of recording a sexual assault on a family friend under the age of 14.

State police also allege he had images of child pornography on his home computer.

Ettlinger was a second-grade teacher at the city’s Underwood Elementary School for 11 years. He has pleaded not guilty.

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Mother: Babysitter Accused Of Sex Abuse Seemed Perfect 

CBS News (Boston) - February 8, 2012 

NEWTON (CBS) – A former teacher already accused of sexually abusing a child is now in trouble as a babysitter. Prosecutors say David Ettlinger took pictures and video of a young girl he was watching.

They say one video shows him assaulting the girl. Ettlinger just resigned as a Newton teacher.

WBZ-TV’s Kate Merill spoke with a mother who had arranged for him to babysit her kids in just a few days.

“We felt lucky that we found somebody like that,” says Isabel Stover. “That he was a babysitter he was a teacher we felt like he’d be great with the kids.”

Isabel Stover admits when she hired David Ettlinger to babysit last October, everything seemed perfect.

Not only was he a local teacher in town, but her 8-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son approved.

“They liked him,” says Stover. “They asked ‘when can we have that guy back again?’”

In fact, the Stovers had him booked to sit next week on Valentine’s Day.

“I still think when I see his face he was really friendly looking, he had a nice smile,” says Stover. “We just connected on many levels.”

But now Ettlinger is behind bars, facing charges of child porn and assault on a child.

New charges just filed in Middlesex County allege Ettlinger photographed and sexually assaulted a young girl he was babysitting.

The charges are deeply disturbing to the Newton mom who found him on the popular babysitting match site “Sittercity”.

And while she doesn’t blame the site, the entire ordeal has taught her a tough lesson.

“I don’t think I could have done anything differently,” she says. “The only thing different is educate my kids.”

Sittercity released a statement saying they pulled his profile and contacted all parents who reached out to Ettlinger.

Ettlinger is being held on $50,000 cash bail. 

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Former Newton Teacher Charged With Sexually Assaulting Girl  
CBS News (Boston) - February 8, 2012 

WOBURN (CBS/AP) — A former Newton elementary school teacher already charged with indecent assault and disseminating child pornography is now also accused of assaulting a girl he babysat.

Thirty-four-year-old David Ettlinger was indicted Wednesday on charges that include five counts of aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14.

Prosecutors say the girl was not one of Ettlinger’s students.

Ettlinger was targeted by federal investigators in Louisiana for allegedly participating in a global child pornography network.

Last month, he pleaded not guilty in two cases in Suffolk County, including charges of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and posing a child in a state of nudity.

Ettlinger resigned from his job as a second grade teacher last week.

He was arraigned on the new charges Wednesday and ordered held on $50,000 bail.

His attorney, Tanis Yannetti, did not take questions from reporters afterwards, but she did read a brief statement.

“Obviously, it’s disappointing to hear about these new allegations.  However, my client has the full support of his family and we are now in the beginning stages of investigating the case.  And once again, we ask you to respect the privacy of my client (and) his family as they continue to deal with the process.”

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DA: Newton Teacher Charged With Child Porn Took Secret Photos Of Students
CBS News (Boston) - February 27, 2012 

NEWTON (CBS) – A Newton teacher charged with child pornography is now accused of taking secret photos of kids in the classroom.

Investigators say students had no idea David Ettlinger was taking their picture.

WBZ-TV’s Kate Merrill was told the photos of his young students are creepy and upsetting. Many are of their body parts from low angles inside the school and even out on the playground.

She didn’t want to be identified, but a Newton mother says what happened at her daughter’s school is not OK.

“Totally traumatized, you would not wish this event on any parent,” said the mother.

The children involved in the child porn cases are not students at the Underwood School in Newton where Ettlinger taught second grade, but police have now found images of his students in his private collection.

Parents tell WBZ they had to identify their children in photos snapped secretly by Ettlinger in the classroom and on the playground.

“There were pictures taken at the school, and of course we found that very disturbing,” says the mother. “A number of people were called in to identify the pictures.”

Sources say the pictures were taken without the kids’ knowledge and they are of various body parts.

One mother tells WBZ it looked as if a hidden camera snapped it from under the desk or the jungle gym.

District Attorney Gerry Leone confirms the pictures saying, they found, “Pictures that appeared to have been taken by the defendant of students at the school where the defendant worked.”

The D.A. stresses the pictures are not pornographic and that the kids are fully clothed and he could not face criminal charges for them. At this point no student was assaulted.

Parents hope the new developments help to keep Ettlinger behind bars longer and many are working to make sure he faces the stiffest penalties possible.

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Ex-Newton Teacher Facing New Sexual Assault Charges
CBS NEWS (Boston) - February 28, 2012

NEWTON (CBS) – A grand jury returned a six-count indictment Tuesday against a former Newton teacher charged with child pornography possession.

David Ettlinger is now charged with sexually assaulting two children and recording the abuse. He was already facing child porn charges.

On Monday, WBZ-TV broke the news that Ettlinger was accused of taking secret photos of kids in his classroom for several years.

“I think it’s terribly troubling and disturbing, and I think the parents of those children must be terribly upset,” said Kristin Ardlie, a parent.

Prosecutors say Ettlinger snapped many photos of students in his class without their knowledge. The kids are fully clothed, but the pictures focus on various body parts taken at low angles.

“We’re so disturbed to hear this news. For parents to send their kids to school, they don’t expect that pictures would be taken. It would be highly inappropriate,” said Newton school superintendent David Fleishman.

Last month, Ettlinger was arrested on child porn charges. The victims in those cases were not students at Underwood.

Monday’s accusations, however, include many photos of students in his class over the past several years, according to the school’s superintendent.

“The fact that students didn’t know, that’s what is most upsetting, that these pictures were taken and they didn’t know. Obviously whatever we can do to prevent this from happening, but this was somebody who did this in a very calculated way,” said Fleishman.

The district attorney’s office says the new photos are not pornographic. Because the kids were fully clothed, new criminal charges may not be filed.

The school, meanwhile, continues to provide counseling and support to students. 

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Prosecutors: Ex-Newton Teacher Fondled, Recorded Sleeping Kids
AP/CBS NEWS (Boston) - March 1, 2012

NEWTON (CBS/AP) – A former Newton elementary school teacher accused of sexually assaulting two children and filming the abuse has been ordered held on $100,000 bail.

David Ettlinger pleaded not guilty Thursday in Suffolk Superior Court two counts each of aggravated assault and battery on a child under 14, posing a child in a state of nudity, and secretly photographing a nude or semi-nude person.

Prosecutors said Ettlinger undressed and fondled the victims, identified as two girls both under the age of 14, as they slept in 2009. Authorities say he video recorded both assaults.

Ettlinger has pleaded not guilty to Middlesex County charges that he assaulted a child he baby sat.
The former Underwood Elementary School teacher is not accused of assaulting any of his students. His lawyer did not comment.

On Monday, WBZ-TV broke the news that Ettlinger was accused of taking secret photos of kids in his classroom for several years.

Prosecutors said Ettlinger snapped many photos of students in his class without their knowledge over several years. The kids were fully clothed, but the pictures focused on various body parts taken at low angles.

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Former Newton teacher Ettlinger gets 45 years for child porn 

By Trevor Jones

Wicked Local Newton - January 8, 2013

Newton —A former Newton elementary school teacher, who was also reportedly a counselor at JCC Grossman Camp and an instructor at the Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center, has been sentenced to 45 in federal prison for his involvement in an online child pornography forum whose members promoted sexual assault of children under 12 and used various techniques to evade law enforcement detection, according to prosecutors.

David Ettlinger, 35, of Brighton, was sentenced in a Louisiana federal court on Tuesday. He pleaded guilty in August 2012 to the charge of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise in connection with his membership in the Dreamboard Child Exploitation bulletin board.

Ettlinger was also sentenced to lifetime supervision following the end of his prison term, according to authorities.

Ettlinger still faces a slew of charges in Massachusetts, including several counts of sexual assault of a child under 14.

"Children should not be victims," U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley said in a statement. "This sentence sends a strong message to people who abuse children that they will pay a heavy price for their actions."

Ettlinger was arrested at his Brighton home in January 2012 and charged with possession of child pornography. He was teaching second grade at Underwood Elementary School at the time of his arrest, and he was first hired to work in the Newton Public Schools at Peirce Elementary School in 2000. He resigned shortly after his arrest.

After Ettlinger’s arrest, prosecutors said they found child pornography and a video of him sexually assaulting a girl under 14.

Further investigation uncovered other videos of Ettlinger allegedly assaulting young girls, some of whom he was babysitting. None of the victims were his students, though prosecutors did discover he had taken inappropriate photos of students at school without them knowing.

“The sexual abuse of an innocent child by a teacher is one of the most heartbreaking violations of trust imaginable,” said  Special Agent Raymond Parmer. “Investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators of these horrendous crimes is one of our highest priorities and today’s sentencing ensures this predator will never again have the opportunity to harm another child.”

Ettlinger’s arrest was the result an investigation that began in 2009 that targeted 72 individuals and 500 other participants from around the world believed to be part of the private, members-only online bulletin board.

Members traded a massive library of graphic images, authorities said, and the creation of new images was encouraged. Users accessed the board through proxy servers and materials were often encrypted. Members used aliases, or screen names, and Ettlinger went by “Eel,” according to federal prosecutors.

Evidence obtained during the investigation of Dreamboard revealed that at least 38 children across the world had been sexually abused at the hands of members of the group.

Representatives for the Middlesex and Suffolk district attorney offices said there is no timetable for when his trials in Massachusetts will begin, as prosecutors have been awaiting the conclusion of the federal case before proceeding with their own.

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Former Newton Teacher Sentenced 45 Years For Child Porn
CBS News (Boston) - January 8, 2013

BOSTON (CBS) – A former Newton elementary school teacher accused of sexually assaulting children and trading child pornography online has been sentenced to 45 years in prison.

Last August, David Ettlinger pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. Evidence showed that he had been an active member of Dreamboard, an online child pornography bulletin board, since 2009.

Ettlinger also took secret photos of students at Underwood Elementary School in Newton, where he was a second grade teacher.

In addition to his prison term, Ettlinger was sentenced to lifetime supervised release.

 

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Ex-teacher gets 45-year sentence in child porn case
By Joe Dwinell
Boston Herald - January 9, 2013

A disgraced former Newton elementary school teacher was sentenced to 45 years in jail yesterday for being a “VIP” on a now-defunct child porn website — and he still faces more charges here in the Bay State.

David Ettlinger, 35, dubbed a “serial predator” by local authorities, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise this summer. A federal judge in Louisiana sentenced him to more than four decades in jail and added once he’s released he must undergo lifetime “supervised release.”

Ettlinger was among dozens of people arrested in January as part of a federal probe into the child pornography file-sharing site “Dreamboard,” where he attained VIP status for his activity, prosecutors said.

“David Ettlinger will spend 45 years in prison for his role in a horrific international conspiracy to sexually exploit young children,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer in Louisiana.

Breuer added some of the sick content depicted on Dreamboard showed “extreme sexual abuse of children” — and it was shared worldwide.

Suffolk prosecutors are also pursuing allegations that Ettlinger recorded himself fondling and undressing two young girls. He also faces five counts of sexually assaulting an underage girl in Middlesex County.

Prosecutors said they also found a stash of creepy but legal pictures snapped of school kids at “inappropriate” angles on Ettlinger’s computer.

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Newton teacher in porn ring sentenced to 45 years

By Deirdre Fernandes

Boston Globe - January 9, 2013

A Louisiana federal judge sentenced former Newton elementary school teacher David Ettlinger to 45 years in prison Tuesday for his role in an online child pornography ring.

The sentencing allows Ettlinger to be returned to Massachusetts to face charges that he ­assaulted three girls from the Boston area and ­recorded the ­encounters.

Ettlinger, 35, appeared for his sentencing in a Shreveport courtroom with his parents present, nearly one year after his arrest shocked Newton residents and school officials. Ettlinger grew up in Newton and taught in the city’s schools for 12 years. He was a popular second-grade teacher at ­Underwood Elementary School at the time of his arrest last January.

Ettlinger, who pleaded guilty to one federal count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, will also be under supervision for the rest of his life after he has served his prison term, federal prosecutors said.

“The sexual abuse of an ­innocent child by a teacher is one of the most heartbreaking violations of trust imaginable,” Raymond Parmer, a special agent in charge of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New Orleans, said in a press release. The agency led the inves­tigation into Dreamboard, the online child pornography site that Ettlinger frequented.

Ettlinger appeared before US District Judge S. Maurice Hicks for a hearing that lasted about an hour.
“Today’s sentencing ensures this predator will never again have the opportunity to harm another child,” Parmer said in a statement.

Ettlinger said he was genuinely sorry, said Jennifer ­Culotta, his attorney. 

Ettlinger requested treatment in prison, she said.

“My client wants help and wants treatment,” Culotta said. “I hope, and my client hopes, that any of the victims in the case begin to heal.”

According to federal court documents, Ettlinger made more than 100 posts on Dreamboard between June 2009 and August 2010 and often visited a section for video of children ­under 13. His frequent participation earned him VIP status on Dreamboard, a site that federal investigators describe as a worldwide network that promoted the sexual abuse of young children.

Ettlinger is among more than 40 people who have been sentenced to prison for their role in Dreamboard.

The end of the federal case means that state authorities can bring Ettlinger back to Massachusetts.
Here he faces multiple charges, among them, indecent assault of a child and posing a child in a state of nudity.

In addition to his teaching job, Ettlinger also advertised his services as a baby sitter. At least one of the three girls he is alleged to have assaulted was a child he was hired to baby-sit.

None of the three girls ­involved in the state cases were his students. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk district attorney’s office, said court officials have not scheduled a date for Ettlinger’s local court appearance. Wark would not comment on whether Ettlinger is likely to also plead guilty in state court.

“That’s a decision he’ll make,” Wark said.

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Newton Superintendent Fleishman: new law will make schools safer 
By Chloe Gotsis
Wicked Local - January 14, 2013

Newton’s School Superintendent is calling the passage of a law that will allow school districts access to the national criminal databases a positive move toward making the city’s public schools safer.

Gov. Deval Patrick signed “an act relative to background checks” or H4307 Jan. 11, making the Bay State the last state in the nation to require teachers, bus drivers, special education professionals and day care providers to undergo fingerprinted federal background checks and to allow school systems access to the federal database. A group of city employees put together last spring to study Newton’s hiring processes after the an arrest of a Newton teacher on child pornography charges advocated for the passage of the law.

“We certainly think it’s positive,” Fleishman said Monday. “Whatever we can do to ensure our schools are safe and we secure ,we are certainly supportive of that.”

Police arrested David Ettlinger, a second grade teacher at the Underwood Elementary School and charged him possession of child pornography in January 2012. He was later charged with a host of other child pornography related charge--including indecent assault of a child under 14 and posing a child in a state of nudity. He was sentenced in a Louisiana federal court last week to serve 45 years in federal prison for his involvement in an online child pornography forum promoting sexual assault of children under 12.

Ettlinger’s arrest caused many Newton parents to call for tougher hiring processes in the city. However, access to the federal databases provided by the law wouldn’t have flagged Ettlinger’s application since he had no prior criminal record.

Both the city and the Newton Public Schools conduct Criminal Offender Record Information or CORI checks on all new hires and current employees, volunteers, interns, seasonal employees and subcontractors. CORI reports track a person’s criminal history in the state even if their charges were dismissed or had a finding of not guilty. Prior to the passage of H4307, school districts and day care facilities had no way of checking whether a person committed a crime in another state.

“Certainly, just having the CORI checks was limiting,” Fleishman told the TAB.

Fleishman said the law that closes a loophole in criminal background checks “recognizes the realities of the world” and he is grateful the Legislature approved it and the governor signed it.

Under the law, all newly hired teachers, school employees, bus drivers, subcontractors, early education professionals must undergo fingerprinted state and national background checks prior to the start of the 2013-2014 school year. Current school employees have until the start of the 2016-2017 school year to undergo fingerprinted state and national background checks.

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