Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Levin (RACL) wears many black hats. He is the head of the Telz-Chicago Yeshiva. He is a member of the Moetzes (Council of Torah Sages of Agudath Israel of America) and of the Vaad Roshei Yeshiva (Committe of Yeshiva Heads) of Torah Umesorah (TU).
It was the TU hat that almost had him deposed yesterday morning under oath/affirmation about his defense of Rabbi (sic) Yisroel Bodkins, a yeshiva teacher in Miami. In 2013 he wrote a letter that got him entangled in a lawsuit.
Rabbi (sic) Yisroel Bodkins referred to in the letter was fired by Yeshiva Elementary School because he was accused of molesting several boys.
Yisroel Bodkins
Unfortunately, the victims were discouraged from reporting the abuse to the police and the public was not warned about the danger he posed. RACL was trying to leverage the yeshiva’s failings by converting their silence into a chezkas kashrus (presumption of innocence). RACL was trying to get the Yeshiva to further weaken their limited action of firing him by getting them to say Bodkins was not a molester.
The blog about which RACL was complaining is Ad-Kan: Enough is Enough (AK), which maintains a Wall of Shame where it posts the names of sexual predators. On 10/20/13 Ad-Kan posted (original link & backed up link on Internet archive):
WARNING! Rabbi Yisroel Bodkins allegedly molests young boys in Miami
RABBI YISROEL BODKINS was recently fired from an elementary Yeshiva in Miami Beach after word got out that three individuals reported to police that they were sexually abused by him. Bodkins… is still working with young Jewish boys from a public school in Miami…Yisroel Bodkins is allegedly a DANGER to children and he should be kept away from young boys at ALL times! The community in North Miami Beach where Bodkins lives should come together and demand that Bodkins not be allowed to attend any shul or public place where there are children present. If you know of any child who has been victimized by Bodkins please call the police. You can contact adkaneditor@gmail.com and we will do as much as we can to help you.
Normally, culprits like Bodkins ignore the blogs or accuse them of lying and being untrustworthy because they are anonymous. This works pretty well for Haredi molesters. The Internet is in any event considered untrustworthy and approved Haredi media hardly ever cover sex abuse and never mention the names of molesters. It is exactly that silence that leads bloggers like me, AK, and many others to fill the gap and report these stories.
Bodkins, a schmendrik with hardly a penny to his name, filed a lawsuit against AK accusing AK of libeling him. This sort of lawsuit probably costs a pretty penny and in his case was going to be hard to win. This is not the kind of case lawyers take unless they are paid up front. Bodkins managed to get the backing for his lawsuit. Somebody figured they could intimidate AK into removing him and many other alleged offenders from the Wall of Shame.
But this attempt at intimidating AK ran into some problems. Ad-Kan is not wealthy but AK lucked out and got pro-bono legal representation. AK’s defense was that AK didn’t libel him because AK was telling the truth. AK established the case by getting court approved subpoenas to depose various individuals who could establish the argument. RACL was scheduled to be deposed yesterday morning. For the last few weeks the pressure on AK mounted and all sorts of intermediaries were contacted to get AK to back down. The intermediaries included major askanim and rabbis. AK held firm. They did other things to mess with AK’s life. AK held firm. They also offered AK various kinds of help. AK held firm.
The night before the scheduled deposition, at 11:55 p.m., the Florida court was notified that Bodkins was withdrawing the lawsuit. It seems Rabbi Levin had something he did not want to talk about. If he actually believed his letter was the truth, he would have been willing to show up in court.
It turns out that in the end, Bodkins was not acting on his own behalf. When push came to shove, Bodkin’s claims of innocence were not that important. The most important thing was protecting R. Levin’s reputation and not exposing his role in a cover-up.
I will have more to say about this case when I have had more time to digest the documents. In the meantime, I just want to say, don’t pay too much attention to Rabbi Levin’s declaration that the seminaries controlled by Meisels are now safe. I am not sure he would be willing to back up his claim if threatened with a legal deposition.
UPDATE 9/2/14 –
Following Rabbi Levin’s letter to Principal Jankowski on October 25, 2013, Jankowski fell in line and joined in on a proclamation (kol koreh) with other rabbis denying that Bodkins was a child molester. It was clearly the result of Levin’s “persuasion.”
Bodkins, as was stated earlier, withdrew his suit before Torah Umesorah depositions scheduled for August 28, 2014. The withdrawal was effected electronically on the August 27 at 11:55 p.m. . In explaining his withdrawal, Bodkins’ submission stated:
We are now confronted with the other side issuing subpoenas to leading scholars and heads of institutions in Chicago, Illinois, New Jersey and New York. None of whom know me personally, or can testify as to any of the points at issue in this lawsuit for libel and slander. But all are being annoyed and burdened.
That is a funny thing to say. Rabbi Levin wrote a letter defending the innocence of Bodkins and even got Jankowski to change his position. But Bodkins was telling the truth. There was nothing he and others could say under threat of perjury that could save him in this lawsuit.
Bodkins was also right that they were “all being annoyed and burdened.” It is burdensome and annoying to have to admit you cannot justify the letter you sent defending Bodkins, especially when a trial would have revealed evidence exonerating Ad-Kan and destroying the reputation of Bodkins. ‘Tis a terrible thing to sue someone for libel when truth is a defense.
The claim that he could not afford the lawsuit was hokum. If the scholars and heads of institutions (e.g., Torah Umesorah) supported his fundraising, he would have had his legal expenses paid. Moreover, it will cost him to withdraw his suit. Ad-Kan (AK) can now sue Bodkins for libeling AK by claiming AK made false accusations on the blog. At that point, AK can again proceed to depose all the relevant parties or get Bodkins to settle with money provided by his backers. I suspect that if AK does sue, Bodkins will settle at the last moment before the depositions hit too close to home.
This was a great victory for outing abusers by blogging. Of course it would be much better if we were unnecessary and the orthodox community just reported sex offenders to the criminal justice system as soon as they are detected instead of putting more kids at risk of abuse. Hopefully, this victory will help move us closer to the day when they do the right thing on their own.
FRUM FOLLIES by Yerachmiel Lopin 
Yasher Koach. YL. Bullseye! Nice timing, “etui tov” is an understatement. You gotta love this stuff, except that souls and lives are in the balance.
Yerachmiel, I see what you’re trying to do. Please don’t. Whatever happened in Miami (and I frankly don’t know). Has absolutely NOTHING to do with Meisels. Nothing.
Please don’t try to conflate the two issues and insinuate that R’ Levin ignores abuse. By serving with the Special Beis Din, R’ Levin is quite concerned and definitely wants to help.
Whatever happened that caused a chilukei de’os between R’ Levin and R’ Fuerst has nothing to do with this Miami case.
Falum in unum, falum in omnibus
Hey, watch your language! There might be children reading this blog!
Omnis gallia in partes tres divisa est. HOWEVER, we are down to only ONE legitimate B’D. so forget the other two.
Daniel, I remember you from the Skokie dorm. You’re a nice guy. I remember the pipe and the cardigans. But I have to disagree. R’ Levin is very much on the side of the victims.
Triangle,
You cannot (and MUST not) have one rule for most abuse-enablers, and a more lenient rule for a particular enabler whom you favour.
If you do, you are as bad as all the enablers that you have so correctly criticized in your comments on this blog recently (you are then yourself enabling a cover up).
YL’s post appears to show that R’ Levin has clearly been engaged in covering up abuse in the Miami case, and trying to protect the abuser in the case mentioned.
Unless you know that R’ Levin acted in good faith in that case (which may or may not be the case), you cannot (and MUST not) say that R’ Levin is a general good guy and we can excuse his seemingly atrocious behavior in that case.
If you do that, you are no better than all the enablers you are correctly and importantly deriding.
Please take a deep breath.
If R’ Levin did wrong in the Miami case, then his enabling must be exposed and condemned.
If he did not do wrong, please say so.
Triangle, please explain your position.
Great job, keep up the good work
Triangle hit it on the head!
Also by calling YB a “cretin” you exposed yourself to a lawsuit,
Walk carefully my friend
Bob, please, explain your position. Your warning is out of place. What is your stance, re Rabbanim who only once have strayed from the true path? My lights get triggered online, when anyone writes, “walk carefully my friend’. that person is usually not a friend. and his/her warning is “an opening to a vast pervasive threat, from a “not friendly friend” . Yours might be the exceptions. And in that case, “BOB” please explicate further your kavanah. Thank you., All the best….
I think Bob is wrong. But I assume he fears criticism of Rabbi Levin will discredit the Special Beis Din. I think it won’t but I would be surprised if the remaining members will ever willingly work with him again. He just tried to sabotage them when they finally moved from private solutions of varying effectiveness to issuing public warnings.
There is a distinction between fighting a just war, and fighting a war justly,
I think it won’t but I would be surprised if the remaining members will ever willingly work with him again.
2.Frankly, having followed AK while she was “active” I feel that she is a victim who has sufferred greatly but who does not present herself as being very stable, and her postings endanger the cause of those of us who fight to protect victims and those who protect their molesters.
feel free not to post, the message is more for you than anyone else.
Agree with Triangle and Bob here. You’ve been on the mark with everything else brother Lopin. This is a bad move.
Meir,
You cannot (and MUST not) have one rule for most abuse-enablers, and a more lenient rule for a particular enabler whom you favour.
If you do, you are as bad as all the enablers that you have so correctly criticized in your comments on this blog recently (you are then yourself enabling a cover up).
YL’s post appears to show that R’ Levin has clearly been engaged in covering up abuse in the Miami case, and trying to protect the abuser in the case mentioned.
Unless you know that R’ Levin acted in good faith in that case (which may or may not be the case), you cannot (and MUST not) say that R’ Levin is a general good guy and we can excuse his seemingly atrocious behavior in that case.
If you do that, you are no better than all the enablers you are correctly and importantly deriding.
Please take a deep breath.
If R’ Levin did wrong in the Miami case, then his enabling must be exposed and condemned.
If he did not do wrong, please say so.
Meir, please explain your position.
“For the last few weeks the pressure on her mounted and all sorts of intermediaries were contacted to get her to back down.”
Why? Who are these people that are so desperate to hide abuse in the Frum world that are willing to pour thousands upon thousands of dollars into suing someone who posts info on a molester, and then trying to pressure the blogger who is defending themselves to back down? Who are these rabbis and “askanim” that pour tens of thousands of dollars that should be used for real tzedakah, into defending perverts and paying communal money towards their defense and towards taking down anyone that wants to warn the public?
This is the sickest thing.
In the name of what do they do this? What is wrong with them? What is their motivation for doing this? And why is this going on so much on such a large scale?
If it all boils down to protecting the “institution” at the expense of a few children, then this “Torah institution” not only shouldn’t be protected – but it should be destroyed as this is the complete opposite of what the Torah stands for! They are trampling on Torah if this is what they do, and their institution should absolutely not be teaching Torah!!
Seriously? it is never possible to know from an online chat site, even if the posters use their real names, what is going on in their brain cells. Just as an example, a previously stable reliable menschlach torahdik individual might have incipient Alzheimer’s. I am not saying that this is the case. I am not even postulating that this is the case. i am just throwing it out there, that man is limited in understanding the “apparent” shiga’on of his fellow man. Nothing is ever as it seems, sometimes…..
This is in response to your “what is wrong with them?” nosaf l’kach, many who are far more familiar with the actors on this stage, have claimed that some of them are mysogenists. IF that were true, what could be exacerbating it?
OK, now, it is time to leave the realm of speculation, for there is rational “speculation” and there is random wild swinging the bat speculation. Men’s hormones do get messed up, though, at a certain age, way more than the distaff side has ever imagined…. Stay the course, seriously, seriously?. There are not a plethora of rational people on this site, we need every one we can get. Shabbat Shalom lach..
Thank you Chashdan. Shavuah Tov Lecha/Lach.
We need the names and actions of the asknim and rabbanim that tryed stopping AK so they stop there shenanigans
Indeed, and all the more so the names of those who pressured victims not to testify in the criminal case, which in most places is obstruction of justice.
It was a good cop/bad cop routine. Rabbi Ronnie Greenwald played the good cop offering to help get the pressures to go away but pleading to withdraw the deposition. He often plays that role in the guise of investigating and stopping abuse. Identifying the bad cop would expose personal information about Ad Kan so I am not free to say it., alas. If I ever get permission from Ad Kan, I certainly will broadcast that name.
“Bodkins, a schmendrik with hardly a penny to his name”
Normally I agree with you Yerachmiel, but to equate poverty with moral deficiency is a terribly egregious mistake of materialistic cultural arrogance. Many extraordinarily righteous people throughout Jewish history have been very poor. If Bodkins is guilty of what he is being accused of, that is enough to shame him as a shemdrick and much worse, as a rasha — as well as to exclude him from our community. His financial situation is irrelevant.
To ‘something stinks in the IBD’,
I really sorry, but you have completely missed YL’s important thrust.
As Bodkins hardly had a penny to his name (as stated by YL), Bodkins could not lead the legal defamation action by himself – this had to be orchestrated by others with significant funds to supply.
Further, because Bodkins (as stated by YL) is not sophisticated, he could not be understood to have launched the lawsuit by himself without others orchestrating it.
I am surprised you completely missed this understanding – it is clear on a simple reading.
Something stinks,
It is an incorrect interpretation that YL is equating “poverty with moral deficiency”. He did not state that. Please parse his English statement. The writer (YL) is describing various attributes of Bodkins. Dan l’kaf zechut, YL did not make that association, and it is egregious to assume that he meant that. So while your comment reads as a very moralistic one, you have made a huge quantum leap assumption re the writer’s kavanah. I think you owe Yerachmiel an apology, frankly.
And at the same time, your font size that you commented with may possibly, hypothetically, be a reflection of your self-righteousness….. OR NOT.
I removed the HTML tags that enlarged the font. We all get to use the same size font. All CAPS or oversized fonts are violations of netiquette because they are a form of shouting.
After rereading the post, I accept that I misunderstood YL’s intention in terming Bodkins “a shmendrick”. I now see what YL was getting at, but still am uncomfortable with poverty being even indirectly associated with being a “shmendrick”, even if it was not YL’s intention to imply moral deficiency. For misunderstanding the intention, I apologize to YL.
By the way, YL, I have no idea why my comment initially appeared in a larger font. On my screen, the font appeared to be regular size.
No problem. I am sure you will figure it out. You had html tags for header level 2 “h2”. U Ppobably formatted your paragraphs that way in whichever editor you were using.
You need to know the players.
Levine is one of the Rosh Yeshivas on the Torah Umesorah Board of Directors, as well as being on the Moetzes of Agudas Yisroel. He signed on to their public policy in which they were two of the only religious groups (together with their fellow protectors of child sexual predators at the Catholic Church) which opposed the Child Victims Act, otherwise known as the Markey Bill. This is a proposed piece of legislation in NY State that is supported by virtually every single child advocacy group in the country, As explained in the book, “Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect its Children”, by Law Professor Marci Hamilton, it would extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting and suing molesters, and hold institutions that knowingly and intentionally protect, harbor and enable the child abuse accountable by allowing law suits without any SOLs.
In their pronouncement, the Gedolim explicitly stated that it was the “financial integrity” of their mosdos (read: family businesses) that would be placed at risk, that trumped the important effort to protect vulnerable children. They proclaimed that the mosdos are the “lifeblood of the Jewish people.”
To understand the moral depravity of this position one would do well to read the following op ed published after the Gedolim rejected Markey showing support for another law referred to by child advocates as the “hide the predator” bill.
http://www.vosizneias.com/30531/2009/04/23/new-york-op-ed-agudath-israel-and-the-markey-bill-financial-bankruptcy-vs-moral-bankruptcy/
The long list of molesters that have been exposed despite the Gedolim’s best efforts to hide them can be seen on Adkan’s wall of shame, as well as by perusing this blog, FailedMessiah, UOJ, etc. And these are the minority of the vast number of cases known to the Rabbis, most of whom have been successfully concealed until this very day, allowing the abusers to continue their crimes.
As far as covering up for individual molesters, Levine has a long history of hiding their identities even when institutions’ finances are not at stake, just as a matter of principal. In the case of Tzvi Wainhaus, the molester was moved from school to school under Levine’s instructions until finally being arrested.
In fact, while courageously standing up for the truth in the Meisels case, the entire so-called sex abuse Beis Din has covered up cases of abuse in the community for many many years. They had a policy of placing “shomrim” in shuls who knew the identity of molesters and would “monitor” them. Parents were never made aware of who exactly was being monitored.
Which begs the question of why is Meisels different? Perhaps there are baal habatim who own nursing homes in Chicago who are advocating for the victims. Hopefully, this is a sign of change in the Rabbinate. There was a change noted when Shmuel Fuerst called the police on Reuvain Bogoff.
Change is one thing, but Tshuva another. Read the following and especially the comment section to see some of what Chicago’s rabbanim need to own up to and apologize for in order to begin the Tshuva process.
.
http://jewishsurvivors.blogspot.com/2007/05/happenings-in-chicago-does-vaad-really.html
So it would fit Levine’s publicly expressed and deeply held belief and his decades long pattern of behavior for him to attempt to protect the seminaries and their finances even at the sacrifice of the safety of Jewish girls from being raped or attending schools that stand silently as they know the girls are being raped.
If you’re listing all Chicago SA cases, don’t forget this one:
https://web.archive.org/web/20010924234612/http://projecttruth.org/
1) the boy went OTD, from what I heard
2) I was never able to confirm the veracity of this story
3) Rabbi Fuerst appears to be on the alleged molester’s side; not the alleged victim’s side
Correction. Levine is the “Yoshev Rosh” of the Vaad Roshei Yeshiva of Torah Umesorah. The cream of the crop. The chief cover upper. The Gadol of all Gedolim.
Question: Why do they put up signs “Tzadik Ba La’ir” when important rabbis visit?
Answer: Megan’s Law
LOL. But to be fair most are not abusers, but many are involved in cover ups. The signs for many should read, “Tzedek lo ba la’ir.”
BTW, the name is spelled Levin but pronounced Levine with a long e.
Thanks and blessings to “AK” and whoever helped her to resist intimidation. The rationale for pressuring victims to not testify in secular court is presumably that such offenses should be dealt with within the community. To then turn around and use the victims’ silence to claim a “chezkas kashrus” for the perpetrator so that he will continue to be trusted is worthy of the Annual Rabbinic Chutzpah Prize, Middas S’dom Division.
You would be surprised at the number of contestants for the prize.
I probably would be. It is your sad task and duty to deliver such surprises to naive people like me, but somebody has to do it.
That’s exactly what is happening in the Meisels case too: since the CBD only mentionned “unwanted contact of sexual nature”, they whitewashers are out, like Daniel Eidensohn stating there was no rape, like others who doubt the claim alltogether or like those who say he wanted just do comfort a girl and she misunderstood his gesture…
I actually respected your post til I saw who you chose as sources for your information.
As an aside, I checked the list of things on the blog that you linked, while I am with you in saying that things were poorly handled back then, and thankfully are much better now, 2 -3 of the things on that “list” are actually misinformation. Unfortunately, credibility factor drops when facts aren’t straight.
Ad hominem attacks are not a substitute for an argument. I stand by all of the cases I cited. If you take exception, please be specific.
I was directing my comment to the poster named “if you are going to talk about frum sex abuse”. Sometimes my answers get moved down too far to relate to the original post, and I have also noticed you sometimes reformat (I did not number my points above) and at least twice you inserted a post of your own above mine using similar language to mine to make it appear as if I was responding to a different post. At first I assumed it coincidence but it is too many coincidences. Perhaps others have had such modifications to their points as well?
If you submit multi item arguments in a mish mash, you are making hard for others to respond. Numbering, added by me, does nothing at all to alter your content. It merely makes it easier for everyone involved to more easily discern what is being responded to. If this offends you, number stuff yourself as a gesture of respect to readers.
I do not otherwise alter content submitted except to delete some profanities.
I do not manipulate the order of appearance of items. It is strictly determined by the software.
Sometimes when a comment is under moderation, you may not realize that there are also other comments awaiting moderation that came in before you which you cannot see until I approve them.
I urge you to include the name of the commenter you are responding to in your first line, to eliminate the problem.
The Bodkins accusation was a total fabrication by some sick minds. The Courts were very clear that Rabbi Bodkins is a “credible” witness and the accuser is a “non-credible” witness.
I am challenging the kid and his father the accuser to a lie-detector examination. He will fail with flying colors.
Rabbi ronald Greenwald stepped off the committee after he realized that they messed up Rabbi Bodins with false accusations.
Rabbi Levin does not have to sit through a deposition with these sickly individuals?
Torah Umesorah should be ashamed of themselves for not backing Rabbi Bodkins.
Rabbi Levin, like any other person, has to obey a court subpoena and give evidence at a deposition, and can’t choose not to do so based on what he thinks of the party who subpoenaed him — unless, as it appears, he is in control of the plaintiff, Bodkins, and can make him pull the plug on his lawsuit.
There were multiple complainants. Yes, I heard Ronnie Greenwald was the go-between fixer but I also hear that he was in touch with multiple victims or their families and he accepts the fact that Bodkins molested kids. Ronnie, I was told, brokered a private deal where Bodkins signed a statement he would never be a teacher in a school again, but he left a loophole for him to be a tutor.
BTW, are you saying that Rabbi Levin and Torah Umesorah pressured a mechanech to sign such a statement without proof? Are you saying that Rabbi Levin was willing to leave Bodkins in the lurch just so he wouldn’t have to be deposed?
“Ronnie, I was told, brokered a private deal where Bodkins signed a statement he would never be a teacher in a school again, but he left a loophole for him to be a tutor.”
What’s up with all the secret rabbinically administrated backroom deals? What ever happened to turning this over to the police and letting the experts do their investigations and let the secular court bring the perp to justice? What ever happened to reporting to police when there is “raglayim l’davar”? How did this fall back into the hands of rabbis who make secret backroom deals?
Back on November 24, 2009, Ronnie Greenwald offered the most bizarrely stringent understanding of R Elyashiv’s ruling allowing reporting sex crimes to the police.
He wrote a comment on Frum Follies as follows:
Dear Yerachmiel,
I am not prepared to respond to all of your questions but I believe that they are very important and significant. However, I also believe that in your last paragraph there is an incorrect interpretation of Rav Elyashiv’s psak. The way that I understand this statement – it sounds like when one makes an accusation – even though you are in doubt you may report it as that is considered yesh raglayim l’davar. I met with Rav Elyashiv prior to his written psak and he absolutely did not say that when one child makes an accusation and you are in doubt you may go to the police because that is raglayim l’davar – only that if you do in fact have raglayim l’davar (more than one child’s accusation) – that works to remove the doubt — and only then may you go to the police. In addition, Rav Elyashiv says clearly that prominent Rabbonim should be consulted as well to determine if a case has raglayim.
Best regards,
Ronnie Greenwald
So when Ronnie gets involved, he insists he does not support reporting to the police until there are two witnesses that HE BELEIVES.
I have asked around and no one else understands that to be the position of R. Elyashiv, nor did he ever talk about two wittnesses in his psak.
This is insane – these rabbanim misrepresenting facts in order to cover for their cronies. And we the people are insane for following these rabbanim and trusting them blindly.
So when there is chazer (pig) being carved up by a butcher and packaged as kosher, you don’t allow a person who witnessed it to report it to a Beis Din FOR INVESTIGATION? The only way a Beis Din is allowed to be informed in order to INVESTIGATE is if there are more than one witnesses to the chazer being butchered for the kosher consumer? No, I didn’t think so.
Sexual abuse kills. The sexual abuser has a Din Rodeif. Not so for chazer or neveilah, eating chometz on Pesach or being mechalel Shabbos. And yet we twist ourselves into pretzels making geder upon geder in order to be protected in matters of the kashrus of food and the keeping of Shabbos. But when it comes to investigating a possible rodef – a KILLER of children – rabbanim make all sorts of excuses, proving time and time again that all they are doing is covering for each other, while keeping everything secret, and saying “trust us, we’re handling it.” And we, the dumb sheep, just follow, while they sacrifice the lives of our children for the protection of their buddies.
To Seriously?
I posted a comment (with typos) on YL’s fabulous site late last night (thus the typos) about the rediculous speech of Rabbi Perlow at a recent Torah Umesorah convention. I hinted to a case I’m unfortunately very familiar with – where many “rabbi’s” covered up an abusing perp. They covered this abuser not BC they believed him, but rather BC they’re heartless fools and are ignorant to the minutiae of the American law. So they protected a sicko; writing a “Kol Koreh” (public proclamation) signed by 18 rabbi’s. These 18 “tzaddikim” or “RODFIM” never bothered to investigate the case and some didn’t know the victimS. These “tzaddikim”/ RODFIM never asked mechilah of the brave victim and family who was pegged as the only victim, to this day, as I write this. The RODFIM caused MAJOR harm and damage to the victim and the family.
They signed the “Kol Koreh” (public proclamation) as if they were signing their names on a credit card receipt. They protected Bodkins NOT BC they cared for him or knew him (!) but rather they signed a destructive document in order to PROTECT the general institution called “chinuch”. The destructive Kol Koreh was posted all over the Internet – on different websites. The tzaddikim were very proud of themselves when this public proclamation found its way onto FB, purposely and painfully right before Shabbos. They were WRONG when they thought the Kol Koreh would boast their (foolish) bravery, and fake protection of a sicko. Both the backwards public proclamation of RACL and that of the Kol Koreh, actually TURNED ON THEM.
How and what happen? As the “rabbi’s” were patting themselves on the back with the release of the Kol Koreh – ANOTHER VICTIM CAME FORWARD. This victim is older than the 3 victims (who reported to the police) and is OTD BC no one believed him years ago. is The Kol Koreh WAS THE FINAL STRAW (as he was following Adkan’s post and Yerachmiels posts) that made the 4th victim come out and ask “NOW DO YOU BELIEVE ME?” You see, he and other classmates were young and touched inappropriately by Bodkins (during davening…) in a DIFFERENT school and YEARS EARLIER. The fourth victim also saw and heard other inappropriate touching (and sounds) by the perp to his classmates and to another boy on a camping trip, something that the perp enjoys organizing and leading with innocent boys. So, a proclamation of innocence actually turned around on them. It didn’t stop them though; Yudel, amongst other ways were “very generous” platforms allowing them to post their lies, forging letters and names.
All FOUR victims went to Rabbi Greenwald, a”h. Rabbi Greenwald heard the 1st victim and stood by him – believing him. The fact that #2, #3 and then #4 victim came forward only strengthened his resolve to protect the victim. Rabbi Greenwald, a”h, negotiated world known cases (as YL spoke of re: Sharansky). Till he passed away he was receiving and accepting phone calls about this case (and many others I’m sure). NOT ONCE did Bodkins call Ronnie to defend himself. Ronnie told one of Bodkins’ supporters to have Bodkins call him – yet Bodkins never did.
All of the above was some factual information in order to state that I agree 100% with your ENTIRE comment above.
In particular, this sentence (and more!) has always been what I hold to be true. You wrote: “…so when a chazer being carved up by a butcher and labeled kosher….the only way a Bais din is allowed to be informed in order INVESTIGATE is if there is more than one witness to the chazer being butchered for the kosher consumer? I don’t think so…sexual abuse kills. The sexual abuser has a din rodeif…”
In this case 4 victims weren’t believed and 1 brave victim was maligned in the limelight. The other victims saw what victim #1 was going through and they reported to the police and then Ronnie, and then they backed away. We can’t blame them – we can’t. Finally, I would add to your statement that “the sexual abuser has a Din Rodeif”, the “cover-up rabbanim” are RODFIM in all of these cover up cases. They are the scared and ignorant RODFIM who scared and silenced the other victims and will have to answer to the Beis Din B’shamayim when the video tape of their SHAME is revealed to them.
Torah Umesorah is great for producing teaching material and support products for Rabbeyim & Teachers.
Anything more serious then that is over their head, and they should stay away from it. They’re becoming really good at making fools of themselves.
The other compaitents told Ronnie Greenwald that it was all a fabrication that the other kid & his father wanted them to come with this made up stories.
yudel – you are so silly! If a rabbi is accused, it has to be true, and if the others said it was fabrication then they must have been threatened.
I used to think we were worrying about facts, truth and defending survivors. The handling of the Meisels case online has taught me that I was very naive.
Even Yudel Shain like his loi yutzlach brother Yerucham ended up backing away from the case when they realized there was something wrong with the molester Bodkins.
Yeruchems so called “new miami yeshiva” just happened to never happen.
Yudels self centered blog removed all the garbage about the molester Bodkins.
Sad world we live in. Everyone claims to have been there, and to be 100% sure it did not happen.
They forget that Roni G did an investigation. They also forget that 4 kids came forward. They also seem not to READ the documents from the police. Just simply read them. The police found the kids CREDIBLE. The judge threw it out because the kid got notified to show up in PA Erev Shabbos, and had to be there right after Shabbos.
This is another simple case of the abused being revictimized again and again.
All details of case to be posted shortly.
Every single detail. All depositions, all letters, all communications.
The world will judge for themselves, instead of saying “innocent nice guy”
“The judge threw it out because the kid got notified to show up in PA Erev Shabbos, and had to be there right after Shabbos.”
That makes no sense. A judge can understand that someone of Orthodox Jewish faith cannot travel on their Sabbath and postpone for a time when the kid CAN be there.
I have substantially updated the post with additional documents including portions of the statement by Bodkins in withdrawing the lawsuit. He states,
“We are now confronted with the other side issuing subpoenas to leading scholars and heads of institutions in Chicago, Illinois, New Jersey and New York. None of whom know me personally, or can testify as to any of the points at issue in this lawsuit for libel and slander. But all are being annoyed and burdened.”
See the update for my additional analysis and for a copy of the kol koreh defending Bodkins signed by Principal Jankowski shortly after he got the letter from Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Levin.
I’m looking forward to more clarification. It appears that the only issue was whether Bodkins was accused of molesting boys in Miami, as blogger AK had alleged. What would Chicago RY R’ Levin have known about this? Was AK claiming he was involved in pressuring the accusers to recant, or what?
Regarding Bodkins’ assertion that “leading scholars and heads of institutions” were “being annoyed and burdened” with subpoenas even though they supposedly didn’t know him personally or could testify as to any of the points in issue, readers should know that in Florida, as elsewhere, there is a procedure known as a “protective order” to prevent the abuse of deposition subpoenas to harass witnesses or parties. A Google search located Fla.R.Civ.P. 1.280(c):
“Upon motion by a party or by the person from whom discovery is sought, and for good cause shown, the court in which the action is pending may make any order to protect a party or person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense that justice requires, including one or more of the following: (1) that the discovery not be had; (2) that the discovery may be had only on specified terms and conditions, including a designation of the time or place; (3) that the discovery may be had only by a method of discovery other than that selected by the party seeking discovery; (4) that certain matters not be inquired into, or that the scope of the discovery be limited to certain matters ….”
If Bodkins or R’ Levin believed that deposing R’ Levin was not reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence, the standard under Rule 1.280(b)(1), (which is broader than having actual personal knowledge), or imposed an undue burden on him, either of them could have sought a protective order and demanded that AK justify the subpoena. If the judge agreed, AK could have been required to pay their attorney’s fees and expenses in bringing the motion under Fla.R.Civ.P. 1.380(a)(4). So the excuse that Bodkins dropped the suit to prevent AK from harassing good rabbis who knew nothing is unpersuasive.
YL,
This is in response to your comment earlier today, Sept. 2, at 11:12 AM. (no reply “button”). re R. Elyashiv and Ronnie G
Frankly, I am baffled that Rabbinic molesters of today are so self-centered, inconsiderate, totally lacking in integrity, that they do not worry to always have on hand, two adult male witnesses. ( Re: R. Elyashiv and Ronnie G). how completely non cooperative and chasrei consideration—- not to neatly provide “raglyaim l’davar”. Once one could have expected an honorable molester to provide edim. How ethics and integrity have deteriorated in today’s world. A busha, cherpa and shonda.
Ronnie did not mean two external witnesses to an act. He meant two different victims. He does not believe in zero tolerance or “one strike and you’re out.”
Oh, sorry for the misunderstanding, your comment mentioned “two witnesses”. , precisely “two witnesses that he beleives (sic)”. Not sure who or who stated what. But what’s the difference when we are talking about murdering souls, a few more or less, ma zeh chashuv. (what is so impt.).
Yerachmiel – can you address the claim in the Rabbinic letter supporting Bodkins’ innocence that the case was thrown out and the judge called the accusations “not credible”? I know nothing about the case, but that aspect of the letter sounds convincing.
The allegations in Miami involved at least three boys he molested in Miami. He also worked in Camp Dora Golding in Pennsylvania, a camp with a 30 year history of covering up crimes. A crime was reported there allegedly committed by Bodkins a good number of years earlier. All parties involved complained about the incompetence of the investigation. They ultimately dismissed those charges. But it is worth noting that the authorities in the same jurisdiction also did a poor job investigating Dora Golding abuse charges this last summer when the allegations were reporter within a few days of the episode and there was additional evidence.
Have the protocols for handling CSA @ Camp Dora Golding changed or is it business as usual? I can’t imagine that this camp can maintain a chezkas kashrus for the coming camping season. Why would anyone want to send their kids there knowing what we all know now?
How old approx, is Bodkins today? I’m just trying to place the original alleged crime in a chronological period?
anyone?
as someone who read the kol koree and one who watched online as the enablers in Miami the rabbis who signed the kol koreh
then mr sakowitz and issack jaroslowitz who publicly stated that bodkins was innocent and publicized a case that hadn’t been filed and the opening of a school that bodkins would head that never opened . then after filing the case these people raised money from unsuspecting people in the community to help the case. will they be refunding this money . Did they raise money under false pretenses knowing that they would never go to trial . go fund me must be contacted as they may have unwittingly assisted in a fraud . all the money needs to be returned .
I was ready to believe bodkins innocence at one point . now I wouldn’t let him near my families pets
I agree with most everything you said, but with a qualifier. They actually thought the lawsuit would succeed in getting AdKan to remove the post. They did not count on AdKan’s grit or the good fortune of getting free legal representation. Which only makes it worse. Had they succeeded, Bodkins would have gotten back into teaching.
I believe that if they had succeeded there still would have been enough activists within the community to have sued torah umesorah for the release of the letter that bodkins signed agreeing never to teach again
there is also no doubt that aguda had their fingerprints in the beginning of this case and only after it was proven that the florida rep for aguda was giving rabbi greenwald and rabbi Levine false information was the letter signed by bodkins agreeing never to teach again
I believe the Miami community owes a huge thanks to rabbi Zweig for standing up to torah umesorah and adkan and the other people in nmb who stood up to the rabbis for the sake of truth
If Bodkins signed a document that he would never teach again, like Dovid Weinberger did, then without knowing anything else about the case, I would conclude he is guilty as charged. Otherwise why else would he sign such a document?
The “document the he would never teach again” was never made public, and clearly a lot of rabbanim want to protect Bodkins, so it would be surprising if the document were to be publicized. As long as the document is kept hidden, it can be denied. Like all child sexual abuse in the Catholic church, I mean, the Orthodox world.
Another reason the case was dropped. Ronnie would surely have been subpoenaed along with his signed agreement with Bodkins.
This way they can always deny its existence. The victims have been so retraumatized by the community’s horrible bullying and Bodkin’s suing them, that I doubt they would even publish their copy of the agreement, if they have one.
sorry it didn’t read well I meant to say that rabbi zwieg adkan and the activists who didn’t allow the rabbis to cover up bodkins sick acts deserve a lot of credit
I am so glad that this drama is over I only pray that in the future Torah Umesora does the right thing and properly investigates any issues related to sex abuse in the proper fashion with a full investigation…… may god bless all the advocates and the Miami community that brought the bodkins case to the communities attention
Don’t count on Torah Umesorah doing better in the future. I have not seen a hint of change over there.
the drama is not over
this sick puppy bodkins is tutoring at yeshiva toras emes
and hosting shabbatons
how is this allowed which rabbis allow this behavior
Produce documentary or photographic evidence and I will gladly post it.
Truth in Florida:
Asking which rabbis are allowing Bodkins to be in contact with children, your question is the wrong question to ask. ALL rabbis are allowing it. The question is which Rabbi would NOT allow it? Even Rabbi Zweig who refused to sign the kol koreh is allowing it with his silence.
The proof that the rabbis got Bodkins to drop the case is in the pudding, just as Yerachmiel correctly deduced. Had Ronnie’s investigation found evidence that Bodkins was innocent, Levine would certainly have jumped at the opportunity to testify for Bodkins and against Adkan. Rabbis go all out to defend and protect the alleged perpetrator even when they know the accused is a true molester (Mondrowitz, Yudy Kolko, Yossie Kolko, Moshe Eisemann, Aaron Tendler, Stefan Colmer, Tzvi Wainhaus, Gershon Kranczer, Nechemya Weberman, George Finkelstein, Macy Gordon, Boruch Lanner, Yaacov Yagen, etc. see Adkan’s wall of shame for all of the rest) Why in the world would these Rabbis shy away and let one of their own, who they actually claim they believe is an innocent man, be branded a child molester for life? Levin, the Yoshev Rosh was so excited to defend Bodkins, that he publicized knowing he is innocent BEFORE doing any investigation or speaking to any of the alleged victims. Although they promised one victim’s family that Bodkins was on their secret so-called “sex offender registry” as an alleged molester, they sent Adkan an email saying he was “proven innocent”, was not on the registry, and Adkan should stop spreading slander.
The viscious and criminal bullying tactics used to put pressure on Adkan was never meant to get them to drop the lawsuit, especially since they were the ones being sued. The pressure, intimidation and threats all along were from rabbis who wanted Adkan to drop THEIR SUBPOENAS. They wanted Adkan to be sued and not have a right to defend itself. When Adkan dared to refuse to give in to the bullying rabbis and go along with their cover up, they realized that they would no longer be able to have everything they wanted and convinced Bodkins to capitulate.
It does not take much (such as a well deserved criminal prosecution) to make the cowardly Galachim (Rabbis) run and hide. Any amount of accountability or transparency demanded of them, will make them back down. Just like the Kotler brothers convincing Yossie Kolko to plead guilty at the last minute to spare the very same rabbis who covered up for him, having to testify under oath that they had a confession and a psychologist’s report with evidence of his guilt, but failed to report despite being legally mandated to do so. .
As far as evidence that they know Bodkins is unsafe, anybody who chooses to actually examine the facts need look no further than Bodkins’ present state of unemployment. One of the only services that Torah Umesorah still provides to the community is the placement of Rebbeim in schools. They are the biggest and most recognized clearinghouse, vetting, recommending and matching Rabbis with schools looking to hire.
So if the recommendations and public statements of Torah Umesorah are sincere and honest, then why is Bodkins still unemployed? Surely there must be one school they could find that would follow Daas Torah, rather than an anonymous blogger who makes up stories and, in the words of the 18 rabbis supported by Rabbi Levine, is “committing the grievous aveira of motzi shem ra and causing irreparable damage to a respected mechanech as well as posing a threat to the entire chinuch community.” If they feel that the Bodkins’ allegations pose such a terrible threat, then why not give him his day in court and support him all the way? To defend the Torah against anonymous blogs?
The rabbis don’t really care about Torah or chinuch. They don’t even care about Bodkins. They only want to protect their own personal interests. They want to protect their institutions from lawsuits by making sure that Bodkins, who they know is a danger, is never hired by a school. But they also want to protect their image of infallibility by publicly lying and saying he is safe. They ALSO want to protect this strategy by avoiding any public questioning (either in court, or by YL or any media) to have to justify their irresponsible and corrupt behavior.
In fact, the only ones they show no interest in protecting are the innocent children they are abandoning.
This approach creates a situation which can only be described as Kafkaesqe. What we find is that Bodkins’ is publicly vindicated, and praised by the Gedolim, and has a public recommendation signed by 18 Rabbis in Miami, who laud him as basically our generation’s answer to Moshe Rabeynu. At the same time, while the lawsuit claims that Adkan was the source of his losing employment, in fact, he was fired from his Rebbe job well before Adkan exposed him, and he has never been able to secure another position in spite of the backing of the Rabbinic establishment.
In the end, Ronnie Greenwald, “Kdarko Bkodesh”, sold out the victims and the children of the community by choosing not to publicize his findings. He has been the “fixer” for the rabbis for decades. He did a good investigation, but then he had to follow Daas Torah, where his bread is buttered. So he agreed to a “compromise” with the “Gedolim.” Their decision was that although Bodkins is banned for life (or at least until the scandal dies down) from a teaching position, he will continue to be allowed to tutor kids so long as it is in a public place, where he can be “monitored.”
Consequently, Bodkins is still running programs for Jewish children in public schools, and parents have no way of knowing that they should not to hire him for private Bar Mitzva lessons, or allow him to get close to their family and groom their children.
The agreement for him to tutor only in public has no teeth and no possible way of monitoring or enforcing it. It relies solely on the “honor system.” They are trusting Bodkins who they know to have a problem controlling himself to keep his word not to molest anyone. If he was smart, Bodkins would have continued the lawsuit and called the rabbis’ bluff. He should have known that the only thing they have on him is the threat of exposing him, but they are at least as interested as he is in keeping it quiet.
Frighteningly, he could still use this knowledge to feel safe like all molesters in the frum community, to go back “to work”, secure in the fact that the rabbis are sure to always cover for them.
And if not for Adkan and Yerachmiel, parents would not have a fighting chance.
“The viscious and criminal bullying tactics used to put pressure on Adkan was never meant to get them to drop the lawsuit, especially since they were the ones being sued. The pressure, intimidation and threats all along were from rabbis who wanted Adkan to drop THEIR SUBPOENAS. They wanted Adkan to be sued and not have a right to defend itself. When Adkan dared to refuse to give in to the bullying rabbis and go along with their cover up, they realized that they would no longer be able to have everything they wanted and convinced Bodkins to capitulate.”
This makes sense now. Thank you for the very informative post.
Thanks for the clarifications – this is now all making more sense.
This is so incredibly sickening. The cover ups are so clearly cases of friends and associates covering up for each other. Rabbanim are banding together to cover for each other at the expense of the hamon am. Mi k’amcha Yisroel. Sickening, truly sickening.
YL: Would you elaborate on the Bodkin story? It sounds like:
A few questions:
When did Ronnie Greenwald come into the story? Was Bodkin’s commitment to never again teach before or after Miami? Most importantly, why the certainty that the PA authorities got it wrong?
The PA investigations primarily stalled within the child welfare division which investigated poorly. The relevant documents are private and not available to the public. I am aware of an evaluation by a respected impartial legal expert who found the investigations were inexcusably shoddy, and thus the failure to follow-up, inexcusable. But at some point this all becomes moot because it is all but impossible to reopen the case.
Note- bulk of the allegations came from students who knew Bodkins in Miami and were known to others in Miami. Bodkins’ game was claiming he was exonerated of the only charge was in PA. But he and his defenders always knew about three other allegations. Those victims were intimidated out of pursuing or sticking to charges with the criminal justice system. This is classic harotzachta vigam yorashta. You intimidate the victims. Then you have the chutzpah to claim you are being slandered.
See Brandeis’s narrative re Greenwald.
The following is ALL a big guess. But here’s my guess as to a possibility of why the PA case would be mishandled. Camp Dora Golding is probably a huge tax contributing member of the town/jurisdiction. If the camp owners would have made a phone call to a few people in the police department of the town, or few members of the local government, who know where their bread is buttered, would the town police not have a vested interest in doing exceptionally shoddy work, thereby botching up the case and protecting their biggest local taxpayer and possibly one of the businesses that employs the most town members and supports the most local businesses? Again, this is just a guess, as I have no actual information about the case nor any information regarding the tax records, or police and local government officials.
Note that in the recent case of Chisdai Ben-Porat who was recently convicted of molesting at Camp Dora Golding protective services, according to the camp and the victim, was notified but did not come out to investigate. Is it easy to see why they would be even more reluctant when it involved a case that was years old rather than just happened a few days earlier.
See camp response to lawsuit, item #22. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1160583-campdoradefanswer.html
Wow – the complaint in the Ben Porat law suit is an insteresting read, and assuming it is mostly true, unfortunately not shocking.(https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1154032/camp-dora-gold-monsey-boy.txt)
Are these rabbonim still in the mindset of “no penetration = no abuse”? How else can they justify these coverups to themselves? They don’t need me to give them acharonish torah on “issur mazik” to explain why they ought not stand by in the face of serious harm.
I know – unnecesary preaching to the choir.
Rabbi greenwald came into the picture after a few community activists/terrorists started to claim coverup by the rabbis and one victim whose name was made public started to be harrassed
once the rabbis (without investigating) all signed a kol korah announcing the openning of a boys yeshiva to be headed by bodkins became public the outside groups and advocates started to research this . then the rabbis asked Rabbi Ronni who suppossedly has a relationship with the advocates to get involved. What he brokered was a letter that is in existance that bodkins may not teach ever which bodkins signed and that rabbi greenwald would say he is not a moilester but needs additional supervision and monitoring . Bodkins rabbi from far rockaway would not agree to any settlement if he wasnt allowed to tutor . However bodkins under advise from his great legal team of issac jaraslowitz decided to sue all the blogs and families for defamation and raise thousands of dollars from bodkins freinds . Once it became clear that the letter that bodkins signed would be made public and Rabbi Levine was going to have to admit on the stand that he was made aware of other victims, bodkins legal strategy of intimidating the bloggers and victims fell apart. He even trained for a lie dedector testt that only asked him questions he approved and ran around miami proclaiming his innocence even though no one from the victims or the bloggers was present (can you say guilty of all )
the hero in this story is rabbi zwieg for getting bodkins away from students and standing up to tora umesorah and aguda and the other rabbis who tried to bully a community at the expense of children .
much thanks must be given to all the rabbis webberman and benzinger who had the courage to not sign a letter for bodkins
Onee wonders who got the money that was raised will it be refunded
” Bodkins rabbi from far rockaway would not agree to any settlement if he wasnt allowed to tutor.”
Who is this rabbi from far rockaway?
Is Bodkins still located in South Florida? Or has he moved to fresh new operating territory?
If you read the depositions of the Rabbis who were deposed from Miami they denied any knowledge of Bodkins innocence, yet signed the document.
What is even crazier is some of the Rabbis deposed under oath stated that they NEVER signed the Kol Koreh. Did Bodkins or his cronies forge the Rabbies signatures?
it gets even better
rabbis singer and a rabbi from Miami beach freidman both stated they didn’t sign but would only answer they didn’t sign if asked and not make a public declaration because it would embarrass the kovod of rabonnim
these same rabbis who were told by rabbis matz from aguda rabbi Wexler from Hebrew academy rabbi yachnes from nmb that bodkins is innocent and they forgot the words of the gemora to investigate . they couldnot care less about children. aguda has a long history of protecting perverts kolko ,bodkins and many others ..
much more to come soon
“[N]ot make a public declaration because it would embarrass the kovod of rabonnim.” Anshei Sedom award, indeed. When “kavod ha-rabbonim” trumps truth, justice and protecting Jewish children, there ain’t no “kavod” to uphold.
There were no other alleged victims, they admitted they were coerced to concoct the story, it’s a lie and a sham.
I challenge the victim and his father to pass a qualified lie-detector test.
Yudels,
So you are saying there were other alleged victims but claim they were coerced to concoct a story. Yudels, get real. Considering all the stigma of abuse in the frum world it is much more likely that they were coerced to withdraw their story.
Sham?
He was fired from his job , why?
He cannot get another one, why?
Ronnie Greenwald got him to sign a shtar never to teach again, why?
He dropped the lawsuit, why?
Levin and Torah Umesorah would not answer question under oath, why?
Ronnie heard from at least 5 victims, why?
AMSWER: The, only sham here, Yisroel, is that you are forcing the hand of Adkan and Yerachmiel to produce more documents including communications from your lawyer Jaraslowitz, who was working pro bono, showing how desperate you were to settle allowing Adkan to keep you on the wall “settle” before Rabbis Shain, Ryback, & Najowitz were deposed.
The rest of the Torah, Mesorah Gedolim, Feldman, Feinstien, Shechter, Perlow, and Kotler, were all up on deck, as well as Shlomo Gottesman, once Najowitz admitted under oath that no decisions were ever made by him or anyone else about their so-called registry of alleged and proven sex offenders without consultation with their Daas Torah and legal counsel. Even had these criminals who never met a pedophile they didn’t like could have cowardly wormed there way out of being deposed, Kamenetsky certainly couldn’t because he was heavily involved in your particular case. He is the one who told Janowski that if only one victim comes forward, he should rehire you without any investigation.
Yisroel, haven’t you learned to cut your losses? Had you simply ignored Adkan instead of mounting a Facebook campaign and bringing a frivolous lawsuit against Adkan, to “clear your name” all the Tabbis would still be backing you to the hilt, and you probably could have gotten a job in Chinuch. You forced them to abandon you by getting them subpoenaed. You also got more victims to come forward with bringing the allegations into social media. Even the letter you wrote asking for your job back, that you all but publicized mentioned all three allegations, revealing the lie that Janowski and Torah Umesorah are saying that you were fired only for “insubordination. The fact that you were not willing or able to refrain from instructions you were personally given not to take boys out alone for pizza, should be enough right there for parents to exercise extreme caution with you. And even this firing belies the letter of the rabbis that made you sound like “teacher of the year.
Even now with all the stupid moves you made out of a guilty conscience, your kids will do fine shidduchim and you will be able to get teaching jobs in non-Torah Umesorah schools, or continue your program for public school kids and build a thriving tutoring business with the kids of the wealthy but naive parents who readily believe your claim of innocence.
As I wrote before, the vast majority of parents will believe in Daas Torah , who are still covering for you rather than taking heed of anonymous blogs.
You may probably won’t get the kids or grand kids of the rabbis who know you are not safe, and would not trust you, but lucky for you, the Torah “Giants” all the “Morons” (Harav HaGaon______ do not give a damn about the safety of other children.
That is why za Levin, the Yoshev Rosh, head honcho of TU sent Wainjaus , whom he knew was a serial molester to teach in the modern Orthodox Torah Umesrah day school in Chicago.
So, you are safe and secure until the day, when these Rabbis are all prosecuted (just like the administrators of Penn State were) for aiding and abetting child predators.
That day cannot come soon enough for the Innocent Jewish children who are being sent like sheep to the slaughter by sheep-like parents who love their rabbis and institutions more than their own children.
“Justice Brandeis” is spot on for many of the details. I cannot vouch for all of them but they all sound plausible and I am sure about some of them. And no, I will not engage in divulging details. People are still being intimidated and this inhibits my ability to say things that might harm some of the victims of Bodkins and some of the supporters of the victims.
Justice B.
I agree with everything you say. The fact that Bodkins will most likely be back teaching in one capacity or another (he already is as we speak) bespeaks the level of hypocrisy and lies that the Gedolim feed us and that most parents gobble up.
AdKan has begun to post the depos. You can see the first one at http://www.adkanenough.com/updates.
Justice B. I agree with everything you say regarding Bodkins. It is the sad truth that Bodkins will most likely be back to one form of teaching or another (he already is tutoring as we speak) regardless of allegations or what the powers that be know or do not know. Bottom line is, the safety of Jewish children has been put into the hands of bloggers like Yerachmiel , myself and all the people who try to get their voice heard through commenting on these blogs. In the end it is up to parents and the general population to protect our children- it is clear that the Rabbis are not only incompetent in this area but uninterested and unwilling to even try.
It is truly unfair that we have to do the job that our leaders are meant to be doing…… But this is the unfortunate truth and the fight for justice and child safety must go on. AdKan – http://www.adkanenough.com/updates) has begun to post the Miami Rabbi depositions that were taken before the law suit was dropped.
Was it not Justice Brandeis who said: “Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman”
bodkins is tutoring in toras emes chofetz chiam
one need only call up the office ask for rabbi niaman luban or palgon and they will tell you he is tutoring and can tutor
as for shabbattons bodkins claims he asked rabbi greenwald for permission
as for saying jaraslowitz is doing this pro bono is incorrect they had 15 k dedicated and raised under support bodkins fund
brandies youe only missing a few details but you are spot on about bodkins
he became a grandfatjher this week sholom zochor candies for all the boys and hes volunteering for metzitza b peh
The reason he is working as a tutor in Toras Emes, it’s because people don’t really know who their Rabbi in shul really is. He parades with the title, but those who work closely know the truth.
Toras Emes has the “safety Kid” program, however when push comes to shove they shut their ears, pretend to listen and take action.
Wake up we live in an Olam Hasheker, where you can’t give anyone “chesras kashrus”. Being involved in a similar case, all the community did was cover up. There are people like M.R. and Mr.L. and Y.K. who have clout with authorities and are a pieces of dirt themselves, they will and do help cover up.
I feel bad to say this, but one day sadly it will be one of these rabbi’s sons who will go off because his arrogant father dismissed his abuse and suffering and pretended it didn’t happen. The truth will prevail and the cover uppers will be the lighters and stand byers to feel and to keep the fire burning in Gehenom.
I know of a number of cases of the children of rabbis going OTD who attribute it to the way their parents responded when they told them about abuse.
Yisroel Bodkins has a new gig, kiruv with the Torah Outreach Program (TOP) http://www.torahoutreachprogram.com/