Haredim, Agudath Israel and Child Sexual Abuse

UOJ writes:

FACTS:

[Rabbi] Shmuel Kaminetzky [senior leader of Agudath Israel of America and the rosh yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Philidelphia] knew that Rabbi Moshe Eiseman was a pedophile some 35 years ago when numerous boys came forward in the Yeshiva Of Philadelphia. So did [Rabbi] Elya Svei [formerlly head of Agudath Israel of America's rabbinic arm and of Torah Umesora, the national Agudah-linked day school organization]. I spoke to and communicated with many of those boys who are now in their sixties. There is irrefutable evidence that Eiseman was sent to Ner Israel in Baltimore because Kaminetzky and Svei were afraid their business, aka yeshiva, would be tarnished.

Kaminetzky sat smiling on the Agudah dais Fress Convention nodding approvingly of [Rabbi] Mattisyahu Salomon's "under the rug-dignity-daas Torah-beat the shit out of the Bloggers" speech!

So now Eiseman is in Baltimore doing his thing, Kaminetzky's son in-law Tzvi Berkowitz, a rebbe in Ner Israel is told by more than a few boys some 20 years ago that Eiseman molested them. His response; "don't tell anyone, the yeshiva could get hurt." Any rational person would safely assume that Berkowitz discussed this with Kaminetzky. Nothing! Eiseman remains, and is promoted to a mashgiach ruchni of sorts, now he has access to the ENTIRE high school.

I called Shmuel Kaminetzky about a year ago under a pseudonym of the son of one of his benefactors. I asked him squarely; my son is in Torah Temimah, should I be concerned that Kolko has interaction with my son.

His response and I paraphrase; "The Jews have the ability to do teshuva even in cases of this nature; unless there were very recent credible accusations against Kolko, WE MUST ASSUME HE DID TESHUVA!"

I then asked him would he permit his grandchild to be in the privacy of Kolko's office; he asked for my phone number and would not answer the question. I hung up!

Debbie Fox in L.A. has Shmuel Kaminetzky reviewing the video presentation for viewing by children. What are Kaminetzky's qualifications?

DID HE DO TESHUVA? DID HE APOLOGIZE TO ALL OF THE VICTIMS OF MOSHE EISEMAN THAT HE WAS AWARE OF? DID HE TELL HIS SON IN-LAW TZVI BERKOWITZ TO APOLOGIZE TO THE VICTIMS OF MOSHE EISEMAN?

Nothing much has really changed, other than spinning it differently!

RABBIS THAT ARE NOT PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED IN SEXUAL ABUSE ISSUES HAVE NO RIGHT TO GO ANYWHERE NEAR THIS ISSUE!…

[Rabbis] Dovid and Reuvain Feinstein were aware 20 years ago that a young child in their family was molested by Kolko. Their excuse, they did not want to go up against Margulies. These two are the "best" of what we have as rabbis today.…

I must note that I have no personal knowledge relating to Rabbi Eiseman or the case in the Feinstein family.

Comments

[ira kaufman]

if you see a talmid chachom make an avaira you can be sure when you see him later he's made tshuva.yeah he's made a tshuva why it's permissible.happy purim.hopefully will clean our house some day.

[H.G.]

Dear Awareness Center I was a student of Rav Moshe Eiseman in 1957 at the Yeshiva of Philadelphia and knew him quite well. We even dormed together as his wife was overseas for much of that year and he slept in the Yeshiva dorm on the third floor( the boys were on the second floor).Rabbi H. and his family lived on the first floor.

While it is true that he was “guilty” of inquiring about some of our more intimate sins—which he as a Rebbi may have felt his duty to correct, but there was NEVER any instance of abuse or crossing any sexual line in all the years of my stay.I was a very cute child of twelve and quite vulnerable.If he was the disturbed man you make him out to be, he would have surely tried something with me as we were often alone in class or at the dorm.From 1965 until 1971 I had the z’chus to study with him as a private chavrusa in sefer Yechezkel which was published later. Once again he never acted inappropriately in any way although I was now twenty-four.

So you see why I don’t believe the accusations you have raised against this rabbi .Please advise the editor of Failed Messiah of my convictions. I have told the truth because I too believe that the seal of Hashem is EMES

Sincerely H.G. now living in Brooklyn