Rabbi Aharon Feldman
The Daas Torah blog has posted another letter by Rabbi Aharon Feldman. He appeared before the Israeli Beis Din (IBD) which is saying the seminaries operated by Elimelech Meisels are now completely safe for students and other schools are forbidden to compete for students registered to start there in the fall.
According the Daas Torah blog of Rabbi Eidensohn, the letter is posted with the consent of Rabbi Feldman. The important revelations include:
- According to the Av Beis Din (chief judge- Rabbi Shafran) Meisels had already confessed and the IBD was not revisiting that finding or claiming any jurisdiction on that question.
- R. Feldman was appointed by the IBD to represent the financial claims of victims of Meisels against him and other culpable seminary staff for abuse or complicity in the abuse. However Feldman concedes that there were two victims who expressly rejected him as an agent but he suggests the court has the power to appoint him to represent other victims. However he provides not an iota of proof that he was chosen by any victim or there was any halachic rationale for him to be appointed as an apitropos (legal guardian/agent) for competent adults whose interests were either represented by others or by the Chicago rabbinical court. If the apitropos appointment is invalid, there was no plaintiff, and the entire proceeding was meaningless.
I have come to suspect that Rabbi Malinowitz manipulated Feldman into believing they could be legally constituted to try charges of monetary damages, while at the same time resolving other issues, cleaning house and saving the seminaries. Thus he misled Feldman and the other dayanim into believing that R. Zev Cohen of Chicago authorized R. Feldman to represent financial claims. The IBD, especially Malinowitz, make very much of the fact that Chicago did not provide them with the evidence of collateral staff enabling. But they ignore the fact that nobody ever went to that court to adjudicate that issue. The court could not find evidence of guilt by other staff with no witnesses and they are using a court with no plaintiff to justify finding the other seminary staff innocent.
This is perfectly logical and utterly absurd. Feldman denies the court set out to whitewash Meisels. He may be right. But they did set out to whitewash the other staff. By legal contrivances and a court with no plaintiff, they rationalized such a finding. At the end of the day, Malinowitz who Feldman and Zev Cohen are all but calling a liar, engineered a meaningless endorsement of the seminaries.
Meanwhile the IBD, realizing that it is operating on shaky grounds and is exposed as halachicly vacuous is trying hard to get Chicago to cooperate with them. If I were the Chicago Beis Din I would sooner invest with Bernie Madoff or place a bet on the Chicago Cubs.
FRUM FOLLIES by Yerachmiel Lopin 
Wow, as the world turns,(older people know where that comes from), a few questions, why is eidonson behind the ibd, or am I mistaken in that? Also, who leaked the first letter to eidensohn and what was the purpose. Last, how does this last letter make the chillul Hashem any less?
Truly, I am also puzzled by the same things and I have no good answer except his view that the seminaries are important to save and that the IBD ca be trusted to correctly clean them out and overhaul them.
Very well explained.
Two comments. First, this is an inexcusable slander against the much-maligned Chicago Cubs. It is possible that the Cubs could have a winning season, something now impossible for Bernie Madoff. As a Chicagoan, I will reluctantly excuse the inexcusable. I leave to you whether you have an obligation to go to Wrigley Field before YK and ask mechilah from Cubs fans. 🙂
Second, while I understand why you believe R’ Malinowitz has a poor record with respect to dealing with sexual abuse, why did you nevertheless not apportion equal or greater blame to Rav Shafran, the Av Beit Din? Do you really believe R’ Malinowitz pulled the wool over his colleagues’ eyes? With that minor caveat, I agree with Shprintzy that this makes sense. And thanks for “[t]his is perfectly logical and utterly absurd.” That’s a “keeper.”
Kevin, you are right. I owe a profound apology to the Cubs. Till I can make it to town, perhaps even for the world series with the Cubs, I beg all my Chicago readers who are are Cub fans for their forgiveness for hurting their feelings. I will not make that joke again until my humorous urges overtake me. I will do my very best not to have that happen today.
.
I think you are misunderstanding the letter. Rabbi Feldman never claimed that he was representing anyone, or that he was not representing those two victims. A careful reading will show you that the IBD wanted to begin proceedings with regard to determining compensation issues, but needed a tove’a on the books in order to do so. Since the actual claimants are A: in America, and B: not necessarily willing to appear in public, Rabbi Feldman was appointed as a “Pro forma” (his words, “for the sake of form, for those unversed in Latin or Dictionary.com) claimant to stand in for them. This is a purely technical requirement that there be someone on the claimant side, not an actual representation. He even notes that he was not required to remain there during the proceedings, only to initiate the claim. The issue of the two victims he was not “representing” is that a pro forma representative states that he is “representing” only those who would wish him to do so, to the exclusion of anyone who wishes to pursue their own claims. This is similar to the idea of individual claimants opting out of a class action lawsuit; not that he had ever heard of these two particular victims.
What there really was (at least according to the letter of Rabbi Feldman) was a proceeding in which all sides took for granted Meisels’ guilt, and were trying to determine how much liability should be assessed to Meisels himself and how much to other staff members. If you want to argue that they did a lousy job in assessing the guilt or lack thereof of the other staff, that may very well be, but please correct your misunderstanding of what Rabbi Feldman wrote in his letter.
By your logic, if the Coors beer truck hits you and sends you to the hospital, Coors can handpick the Beer barrel manufactures arbitration court in CO. If you scream, “I don’t want that court.” They say “too bad; we appointed attorney Artie FaildMan to represent you.” Moreover, we have ruled that the truck was kosher, it never injured and you. We ruled this way because you never showed up in court in a wheel chair with Doctor’s letters and witnesses to the accident.”
This is absolutely absurd. A court cannot rule on the claims of victims who never filed a claim with that court.
The Israel Beis Din’s logic is astounding. An experienced dayan with many decades of experience told me he has never heard such a thing. I all his learning of choshen mishpat he never encountered such a thing. Either this is the greatest brilliant chidush since Karo wrote Choshen Mishpat or it is utter and fraudulent nonsense.
If people accept the IBD logic in this case, no sane Jew will trust battei din which can steal away their plaintiff rights by appointing an apitropos (guardian/agent) who in this case even admitted in a previous letter that he had never spoken to the victims, never been chosen by them, and went to court to say, “Here i am and you have a plaintiff” and then left.”
I am sputtering with rage at a beis din that could do this or others who try to justify it.
I have no idea what you mean by “my logic.” I don’t have any logic here at all, I am just trying to convey accurately what the letter from Rabbi Feldman says. I am still not sure whether you are disagreeing with my interpretation of the letter, or disagreeing with the legitimacy of the Beis Din acting in this way.
Additionally, I am sure you are familiar with the concept of a class action lawsuit (one of which has been filed in this case, by the way). To use your example, if many people were damaged by defective Coors beer cans, a suit is filed in one court on behalf of all the victims whether they like it or not, and they must actively opt out in order to file their own suit. Here, it is even less, as Rabbi Feldman was not appointed as pro forma representation for anyone who would later say that they are not interested.
I am also not sure why you are sputtering with rage either. From what I understand, the Beis Din takes Meisels’ guilt for granted, and wants to award some level of compensation to his victims (perhaps from the proceeds of the sale of the seminaries). Instead of forcing each victim to come to Israel to state their claims, they appointed a pro forma representative. Although one may think that there are better ways of going about doing things, this does seem to be a reasonable approach in the circumstances.
A lawyer cannot file on behalf of a class without at least one plaintiff signing on. with no plaintiffs signed on the case gets tossed by judges at the starting gate because the plaintiff attorney has no standing.
The next couple of weeks are critical – are girls dropping out of Meisels seminaries? What is doing with the refunds?
Enquiring minds want to know.
what we are doing is waiting and sweating. checking into other places that would consider our daughters. changing college credits from touro and htc to mji, excelsior and others.and wishing there was a competent bais din somewhere
Excelsior may drop accreditation once they appreciate why Touro and HTC dropped accreditation.
A lawsuit was filed to secure refunds. I will post on it in the next few hours.
A lawsuit was filed to secure refunds. I will post on it in the next few hours.
I just read the courthouse news posting. I surmised all along that the sexual contact was actual rape with proof (photos/hospital reports/etc). In order for the CBD to take the step of stripping EM of his rabbinic honorific i knew crimes were committed. Not “hugs” but crimes.
Where is the court house news?
http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/08/06/70149.htm
It’s about time, and not a moment too soon.
Thanks, this document clears up a lot. I’m still scratching my head ,wondering what the ibd wants from cbd. I’ve seen the letters posted, but I don’t understand, do they want them to hide what they think is dangerous for the girls?
In short, IBD wants to protect the ongoing business of the seminaries and promise to later clean everything up. Bizarrely they say they are a hundred percent great though meisels was an offender, we got him out. Oh, and about the enablers, yeah the place is 100% good, but trust us to root out the problems. All of the reams of Hebrew is just verbiage to say this and to claim jurisdiction when they have no basis.
Obviously, this will hit the main media shortly. Cannot imagine this is not going to be headline news. I hope the IBD is proud – had they stood firm with Chicago the seminaries would have closed, the girls would be admitted to other Sems end of story. Now – with a class action lawsuit, the chillul hashem will just pile up.
All this is just ridiculous. We are still waiting and have no good answer for our daughter. I think that the worst part is the IBD taking the parents CHOICE out of what to do. Parents should NEVER lose the ability to choose for their daughters well being. Yes, we could keep her at home, but that means losing 8000 dollars plus airfare. We have called and emailed numerous other seminaries begging them to take our daughter who is a straight a student and a good girl. All refused, stating that they are not taking any girls from those seminaries – with no other explanation or inquiry into the girl at all – just a flat NO. Either the IBD intended that no other schools should accept these children or the other seminaries are misinterpreting the IBD statement. Even after explaining to the other seminaries that the IBD simply stated that they are not allowed to solicit girls, they still refuse. Either way,the parents are left with no good viable choices. Our daughter either loses out on a year in Israel, we lose a lot of money, or we send to a place that may not be safe physically or spiritually at this point. The IBD should send out clear instructions to the other seminaries!!!!. I am so frustrated. I have never questioned Daas Torah – UP UNTILL NOW – really leaves me questioning a lot of things!!!
Various people commenting seem to fail to appreciate that Dayan Gartner of the IBD is a named party and is being accused of conspiracy and fraud in this matter.
There are two other unnamed “co-conspirators,” evidently the other dayanim of the IBD. Why they were called “co-conspirators” but left unnamed I have no idea.
The text of the suit states that when parents asked for refunds, Yarmish directed them to Gartner and vice versa and there are grounds to believe that Gartner controls some of the bank accounts. They allege that part of the conspiracy was evading refunds by concealing who controlled the bank accounts from which they could be drawn.
Yes, R’ Gartner was the person they dealt with, but why accuse the other dayanim of being “co-conspirators” (i.e., not innocent) but leave them unnamed? Also odd is the lack of any mention of the IBD as such. Of course, it isn’t essential to the plaintiffs’ claims, but when the CBD recognized Rabbis Shafran, Gartner and Malinowitz as a legitimate Beit Din, it’s odd the complaint doesn’t mention it.
I suppose that “no other school should sollicit girls from those seminaries” is code for “no girl who wanted to attend those seminaries will be taken by any other school”… And what you testify proves it…
I dont understand your comment. Please explain. Are you saying that all the girls who were planning to go to these seminaries are not good girls?
What she meant to say that there is a conspiracy by other seminaries not to accept the Meisels students to force them to go to to the Meisels schools.
I meant to express my outrage at this israeli beith din that seems to have instructed all seminaries not to accept students who planned to enroll at Meisel seminaries.
Meanwhile, I read the complaint of the class action and I found out that “the seminaries are safe” seems to mean “no refunds for worried parents”, which is even more outrageous in my view.
@Concerned Mother: After reading the http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/08/06/70149.htm link that Yerachmiel Lopin posted, just above, I don’t know how you can send your daughter into a dangerous place. Find out how you can join the Class Action RICO lawsuit. The 4 semitaries are, in effect, declared a sakanah nefashos by the CBD, so it’s like a “money pit”. Your daughter’s dignity, integrity, and future are certainly worth more that $8K, no?
I don’t mean to mock this at all (seriously) but this is a critical issue and what if someone from chicago wrote the following letter:
My dear son,
In response to your questions about the dispute with the Chicago Beis din, the world might be different, but the fact remains that although the perpetrator is out and has been out for weeks and weeks already and the seminaries have a completely new owner, we still have some serious reservations.
If it true, as the CBD has undisputed hard evidence, that some principals and senior staff were derelict in their duties:
a) It is horribly unfair and a rish’us to just say – as the Israeli beis din has said – that we must turn over the evidence to them. Being that we can be prosecuted under U.S. law and we have extremely serious concerns as to the sustained privacy of the victims (which if their information were to be leaked – like so much else already has – their lives would be destroyed beyond repair even more than they are right now), we simply cannot release the evidence. We apologize but we have no other choice.
b) The CBD is not favorably impressed with the heads of the seminaries – especially the lady heads. To say the seminaries are still safe is preposterous. Going into the future, they may yet become safe. However, no one can know what will be in the future and presently we are uncertain. There are some reasons currently to think it is not safe. Even though we cannot say that anywhere “safe 100%”? Is Hadar 100% safe from their men teachers? BJJ? Greenwalds? 100%???????? Aiyn davar kazeh, still other institutions have a chezkas kashrus whereas these seminaries do not.
I remind you that Rav Gedalya Schwartz is one of the WORLD’s TOP dayanim, and has dealt with similar matters over the years, extensively. Besides being experienced he is incorruptible, and no one’s fool. All the dayanim feel the same way as he does about the seminaries’ safety. However there is someone here trying to keep the seminaries open – and, as they wrote in their letter to Rav Feldman (the BD letter)—such an action is unheard of!!!!!!
Even though it is unclear if the seminaries are now safe, the CBD is trying to rectify the situation by giving hora’os and hadrachos in the coming 2 weeks to all seminary heads. They MAY be making MAJOR changes in some of the seminaries. OF COURSE the CBD is doing a broad range of research and talking to professionals–that is what they have been doing for 10 days now, when not responding to silly, false, terribly horrid accusations. Contrary to vicious allegations, the CBD is relying on these professionals and instituting their recommendations.
What needs to done to help the situation? Someone needs to convince (insert whoever you want here) to stop acting like troublemakers. They need to remove themselves from the matter as they had planned to. They need to stop still hoping that the seminaries will remain open and that X, Y, and Z will not tragically lose their parnossa, meager as it is already – this is terrible but safeguarding our holy temimisdik bnos and future immaos b’yisroel is more important. We must not allow our ahava be mikalkel es hashura. Let professionals deal with this, not Rabbis with an agenda.
Despite the blogs innuendo, R Feldman is a gem of a person. He is a Rosh Yeshiva. He is ehrlich. He is a massive talmid chacham who has no dog in this fight and hasn’t a dishonest bone in his entire body. He is clearly a mechanech which is not readily acknowledged. He will do whatever the CBD tells him.
Pious mutterings (bebakashas selichah) are not worth much. Regarding your question why Chicago didn’t sign the shtar – it was because they weren’t baalei devarim and were only appointing the IBD to figure out monetary damages and/or rehabilitate the seminaries-something we feel has not been handled adequately. It’s that simple. They told the IBD to take care of those matters. Only the actual baalei devarim signed. The IBD put a hold on the money, forbade Meisles from ever entering or having any more shaychoos. He subsequently sold the seminaries, but even so the CBD is not fully convinced that the seminaries are safe. There ARE REASONS to think that they are not. The IBD had the koneh sign on, putting himself fully under the jurisdiction of the IBD for everything they do and so hopefully this may yet be resolved.
What more can a the CBD do?
They said from the day of the 2 e-mails—they will continue doing what their responsibility is, and HaShem will take care of all the silliness (or He will decide not to). They have an acharayus to save the lives of sexually abused girls –the shtar is mechayev the IBD as well. Rav Schwartz, Fuerst, and Cohen were very emphatic about this point–and believe me, they don’t “need” this case. They are now doing what they always said they would now do –להוסיף שמירה על שמירה
Thank you for this very thoughtful, detailed, and informed presentation. I am not able to say I can confirm all you wrote. But I am not aware of anything you wrote definitely being wrong. I am more skeptical about IBD’s intentions and rabbi Feldmans actual performance. Still I appreciate your comment.
YL- Just to clarify, nothing I wrote should be construed as fact. I am no better informed than anyone else who has been following this story. My only point was that r eidensohn posted a letter someone wrote in strong support of the IBD (but with no proof) and I wanted to show that by taking the EXACT same letter and changing a few key words you can make an equally compelling and convincing argument for the EXACT opposite conclusion and therefore it didn’t really add anything to the discussion except yet another personal opinion not trying to understand the other side.
Concerned mother,
yes, while I can see the IBD side to some degree as I stated before, they are totally wrong and inconsiderate to say the least to declare it safe so that the 4 seminaries do not have to return money and then not allow the other seminaries who follow “daas torah” to take them in. Basically, though they said that the other schools can not solicit the other seminaries took it as code for “DO NOT TAKE ANY GIRLS FROM THESE SEMINARIES.”
So we have a big problem. IBD is worried about the 4 seminaries, but does not give a darn for the hard working parents and their money. They are not CHas Al Momonum shel yisroel.
As to your daas torah, it is unfortunate to hear. It has happened to many. Rabbi Feldman was concerned that Chicago should rescind its letter because people are losing respect for chachomim. Unfortunately, he has it wrong. The reason people are losing respect is not because Chicago issued their letter. quite the opposite – people are losing their respect because of misplaced priorities as just discussed by the rabbonim who care for the institutions more than the average yid.
YL-I wrote this last comment on r eidensohns blog. I don’t think he’ll allow it but feel free to use it as a post if you want
(removed) et al v. Meisels et al
Plaintiff: (7 removed) and Binas Bais Yaakov Seminary
Defendant: Elimelech Meisels, Rachel Slanger, Peninim of America, Inc., Peninim Seminary, Chedvas Bais Yaakov Seminary, Keser Chaya Seminary, Yaakov Yarmish and Tzvi Gartner
Case Number: 1:2014cv05937
Filed: August 4, 2014
Court: Illinois Northern District Court
Office: Chicago Office
County: Cook
Presiding Judge: Sara L. Ellis
Nature of Suit: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations
Cause of Action: 18:1964
Jury Demanded By: Plaintiff
JW,
About GArdener, that is very surprising and a new fact. If true, obviously it is a major development….but even according to Lopin he has a sterling reputation….why would he collude with Meisels/Yarmish?????
Just because it says it in a lawsuit does not mean it is true…let’s not forget that
אלו דברים שאין להם שיעור*
חמרות לה”ר ורכילות ותירוצים בעד מוסדותיהם ופרנסתם נגד הנזוקין
אלו דברים שאוכלים פירותיהם בעוה”ז ועונשם קימת לעוה”ב
אלו דברים שאין להם שיעור*
חמרות לה”ר ורכילות ותירוצים בעד מוסדותיהם ופרנסתם נגד הנזוקין
אלו דברים שאוכלים פירותיהם בעוה”ז ועונשם קימת לעוה”ב
Is binas one of Meisel’s schools? How are they plaintiffs?
All four entities owned by Meisels/Yarmish are part of one corporate entity named peninim. Parents of kids in enrolled in any of these schools allege that they were defrauded when they registered and paid deposits.
I can not imagine it not being a מקח טעות even if you want to say that now everything is ok, but after all, that’s not what the parents signed up for, for many reasons, number one having the principal being investigated as what happened. How can any bd not force the schools to give back the money? Does the ibd feel the seminaries have the right to keep the money?
Stop trolling or i will ban you from commenting. Last warning. Yerachmiel Lopin PS To be reinstated, please acknowledge and reply to my private email to you before Shabbat, E.S.T.
“Binas Bais Yaakov Seminary” is named as a defendant, not a plaintiff. I saw that “BBYS” was named as a defendant in the “Justitia” website account of the case, but that has to be an error. I have seen a pre-filing (i.e., w/o filing stamp) copy of the complaint with the case number 14-cv-5937 in which “BBBYS” is named as a defendant. What is odd is that this case does not show up on the district court’s website under “recently filed cases” http://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/RecentlyFiledCase.aspx .
It would not have been given a case number had it not been filed, so this is puzzling.
Sorry, should be “JUSTIA” website http://dockets.justia.com/docket/illinois/ilndce/1:2014cv05937/298999
Commenter “Just a Civilian” posted a link to the docket on another thread: http://ia902307.us.archive.org/29/items/gov.uscourts.ilnd.298999/gov.uscourts.ilnd.298999.docket.html
Case: 1:14-cv-05937 Document #: 1 Filed: 08/04/14 Page 1 of 28 PageID #:1
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
(Removed), (Removed), (Removed), )
(Removed), (Removed), (Removed), )
and (Removed), on behalf of )
themselves and other similarly situated ) Case No. 14-cv-5937
class members, )
)
Plaintiffs, ) Judge:
)
-against- )
)
Elimelech Meisels, Rachel Slanger, Peninim of )
America, Inc., Peninim Seminary, Binas Bais )
Yaakov Seminary, Chedvas Bais Yaakov )
Seminary, Keser Chaya Seminary, Yaakov )
Yarmish, Tzvi Gartner, and as yet Unknown )
Co-conspirators, )
)
Defendants )
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
Plaintiffs (Removed), (Removed), (Removed), (Removed), (Removed),
(Removed), and (Removed), on behalf of themselves and others
similarly situated, for their Class Action Complaint against Elimelech Meisels, Rachel
Slanger, Peninim of America Inc., Peninim Seminary, a/k/a P’ninim Seminary, Binas
Bais Yaakov Seminary, Chedvas Bais Yaakov Seminary, Keser Chaya Seminary, Yaakov
Yarmish, and Tzvi Gartner (“Defendants”) allege as follows:
INTRODUCTION
1. From approximately 2004 until the present date, Defendant Elimelech
Meisels engaged in a fraudulent and unlawful scheme to induce Orthodox Jewish
parents from across the United States to send their daughters to various seminaries in
1
Failed Messiah Just posted the story. It’s a short hop and skip till the NY Tabloids start reporting.
Can you please explain how one of the seminaries is a plaintiff?
The case has been filed and documents are available on PACER. ecf.ilnd.uscourts.gov
Case: 1:14-cv-05937 Document #: 1 Filed: 08/04/14 Page 2 of 28 PageID #:2
Israel that he controlled under the guise of educational and spiritual development. In
truth, Defendant Meisels’ true aim was to fraudulently and unlawfully take thousands
of dollars from each of these parents and to induce these girls, by telephone, mail, wire
and other means, to travel thousands of miles outside the United States and away from
their parents for the purpose of sexually assaulting these vulnerable young girls.
2. The above scheme involves four (4) schools with campuses in Jerusalem,
Israel, over the course of about ten (10) years. The scheme involves a still undetermined
number of victims and its cover up continues to this day through the actions and
omissions of the Defendants as described below.
PARTIES
3. Plaintiffs (removed), (removed), (removed), and (removed)
are citizens of the United States and residents of Illinois, living within the Northern
District of Illinois. They are victims of the unlawful and fraudulent acts described
herein because the defendants defrauded them by inducing them to pay thousands of
dollars in tuition deposits on behalf of their young daughters for a seminary that was
merely a front for Defendant Meisels’ unlawful conduct. Plaintiffs (removed) and (removed)
bring this lawsuit on behalf of themselves and other similarly situated parent-plaintiffs.
4. Plaintiffs (removed), (removed), and (removed) are citizens of the United States and residents of New Jersey. They are victims of the unlawful and fraudulent acts described herein because the defendants defrauded them by inducing him to pay thousands of dollars in tuition deposits on behalf of their teenage daughters for a seminary that was merely a front for Defendant Meisels’
2
While I agree that any parent desiring a refund should be given one, it seems a bit overstated to claim that the seminaries were “merely a front for Defendant Meisels’ unlawful conduct.” I mean, these are schools that have graduated hundreds of students over the past ten years or so, most of whom were satisfied with the education they received.Maybe this is just lawyer-speak, but if they expect to win a case based on that claim, I wouldn’t give it to them in a million years.
The question is whether parents got what they were promised. If GM advertises a car as safe and only ten percent are death traps, you are entitled to refund, even if you didn’t die yet in the car. the parents were promised a safe seminary which implies safe staff and other staff who will step in when things go wrong. They were promised something which Meisels promoted on recruiting tours when he knew it was not true.
Yes, but if someone were to claim that GM is not interested in selling cars, but that all of their car sales are “merely a front in their plan to kill Americans,” they would be laughed out of court. These schools were not a mere front for anything, they were schools. Meisels used his position in the schools to did what he did, but the schools were not a “front.” Once again, I think that any parent who in good faith desires to send their child elsewhere should be given a full refund and the freedom to do so, but the phrasing of the legal filing is ridiculous.
I agree that Meisels did not recruit or admit every girl to sexually exploit her. But from reports I have gotten, that is exactly what he did for some girls, especially the very beautiful ones. Sometimes he would chase them with scholarship offers if the girl chose another school, even if the family did not need the scholarship. With these girls, he wouldn’t interview them; he would just spend all his time flattering them. The recruitment truly was the first step in his filthy plans.
Let’s try a better analogy such as a home security installation service operated by a group of thieves. When a customer comes in they sometimes give the standard legitimate service. But if they spot a customer who has loads of beautiful expensive jewelry they treat her like a robbery prospect. If they have to, they knock down their price. Then they use their inside knowledge of the security system and their access to break in and steal. If this happened regularly, they could be accused of conducting a conspiracy which started at the sales stage.
So then I guess the question would be how prevalent the practice was, which I have no idea of the answer. Additionally, I don’t think Meisels was involved in the selecting of girls for all four seminaries. For example, I am pretty sure he had nothing to do with selecting girls for Kesser Chaya.
Please let your readers know that I am not a troll.