GUEST POST: Rabbi Baruch Lanner – An Eyewitness Account of Manipulation, Violence and Abuse in the Name of Kiruv

Rabbi Baruch Lanner is due to be paroled this week.

Yochanan Lavie, a frequent FailedMessiah.com commenter, tells the story of his teenage encounters with rabbinic child abuser Rabbi Baruch Lanner.

These encounters include Lanner kneeing boys in the groin and Lanner sobbing about his own abusive childhood.

Read it all, after the jump:

My Encounters With Rabbi Baruch Lanner
By Yochanan Lavie

After my family moved around the corner to an Orthodox synagogue, I was attracted to, and envious of, Sabbath observance. Reform Judaism seemed pallid and churchy to me. The Hertz Chumash used back then in our Reform synagogue was a subversive text. It spoke to me; that one could believe in the Torah as divine revelation and not be a knuckle-dragger. My study of Jewish history and lore also convinced me that Orthodox Judaism was more authentic. An article in The Village Voice by Carol Getzoff called “Tripping Out on Torah,” about ex-hippies becoming Lubavitchers made being frum seem cutting edge and cool. Also, corny as it seems now, Fiddler on the Roof was inspirational to me. So I stepped in to the Orthodox shul around the corner, not knowing what reception I would get, and started my spiritual journey. A year later, I convinced my open-minded parents to send me to Frisch, a Modern Orthodox yeshiva high school.

In short, I became a BT without knowing that the letters NCSY could be strung together in any meaningful way. I was fully Orthodox both ideologically and in praxis in high school. I didn't "convert" through NCSY. I joined NCSY in high school, because I thought it would be inspirational, and help me meet people. I was immediately drawn to Baruch Lanner. He was fat, dumpy, talked like a duck, and dressed in bargain store chic before it was fashionable. Despite that, he was mesmerizing.

Lanner was indeed charismatic. He could leave a room full of kids spellbound, by his intense emotional appeals. Although obviously very intelligent, he preferred to go for the emotional jugular. For example, he talked about his father, who was a Holocaust survivor. I remember one speech (I think in was a Shabbaton in Asbury Park or Seaside Heights- one of those moribund former resort towns). Here is a close paraphrase:

One day my father asked me, “Baruch, what word can you make with the letters of the word moshiach?” I didn’t know, so he hit me. So he asked me again. I didn’t know, so he hit me. Finally, I said “yismach,” pleasure. And that’s the answer he wanted.

In another speech, he was crying about how he used to hate his father, who would lock him in a closet so he could be good. (I couldn’t make this up).

His typical Shabbaton havdalah service would involve dim lighting, a slow, emotionally evocative tune such as “Ani Ma’amim,” a sob story about the Holocaust, a Baal Teshuvah who was having a hard time, or some such thing. It would start off low key and pensive, and then be built up into a screaming, fire-and-brimstone guilt trip. Sometimes Lanner’s partner in crime, Nate Siegel, would be the one haranguing the audience. Nate and Baruch screamed into so many microphones I am surprised they never blew an amp.

Suddenly, after the service, “Boom, boom, boom,” went the drums, and “Yibeneh” would play. The lights would go on and “spontaneous” ruach dancing would ensue in a fast frenzy. From slow, introspective, and mystical, to an emotional crescendo and then a fervid release of energy. For hormone soaked teenagers, this was quite effective; this, despite the fact that Lanner never deviated from this formula. Dear reader, it worked on me.

What about recalcitrant Shabbaton goers who were not into it? I remember one Winter Regional Shabbaton when the harangue went on for about two hours. (I was getting disillusioned and cynical at the time, so I kept track- even though part of me was still buying it). Advisors stood with their arms folded at the doors. If a kid wanted to sit down, or go to the bathroom, he was physically prevented. A visitor from the Southern Region of NCSY, who I knew from the Israel tour, was appalled by this. In his region, he said, it was friendlier and low-key. This is an extreme example, but not far off from the strict micromanagement Baruch encouraged his advisors to enforce at all Shabbatonim.

At school, and in NCSY, Lanner played favorites. Years later, as an adult educator, I know how inappropriate such behavior can be. At one Shabbaton, he announced at a kumzitz that so-and-so was “the best kid in the region-“his exact words. Then, he had that youth read aloud a personal letter he wrote to his advisor about wanting to keep every Shabbat. When the guy finished, Lanner said: “This is the best kid in the region!” Later in the year, at another Shabbaton, he announced: “Remember that guy I said was the best kid in the region? Well, drugs became a little more important in his life than torah!” He brought no proof to substantiate this claim.

It's Lanner’s charisma that makes him dangerous. He encouraged a cult of personality, both in NCSY and at the school. He always had an adoring entourage. At the school, they would joking sing: "Lanner, Lanner, keil rachum v'chanan," to the tune of slichot. Maybe it's not avodah zarah 'cause it's clearly a joke, but it was creepy. So was the big grin he would have on his face when they sang it. (This is not secondhand. I actually heard & saw this!) He would almost always be accompanied down the corridors by his loyalists whom outsiders derisively called “Lannerians.” Any other kid, who wanted to join the inner circle, but wasn’t hand picked, was tolerated but ignored. (Yes, haters, I was one of them- circling like a lonely moth around a flame).

That brings me to the story of my friend Danny Winters. Danny was, and still is, a model BT. He would walk two miles to an Orthodox shul, rather than daven at a nearby Conservative one. He kept kosher using his own dishes, because his parents were ambivalent about him becoming religious (although they did send him to Frisch, at his request). He was, and is, one of my best friends. Danny became active in the NCSY chapter of the shul he trekked to. One day, when Danny, Lanner, and I all had a free period, (and the entourage was not around) he told Lanner he was interested in running for president of his chapter.  This is what went down:

Lanner: I don’t think you should become president of your chapter. In fact, I will do everything in my power to make sure you are NOT elected.

Danny: Why?

Lanner: Well, you’re not popular enough with the kids, and with the parents. Also, you don’t have money, or the ability to raise money. This chapter needs a lot of money in order to be successful.

That was the point I left NCSY.

But backtracking before that point, there is the salacious part: He did inappropriate things with boys, as well as girls. With girls he made inappropriate comments about breast size, etc. (I didn't personally witness it, but I know the accusers and they are of good character). I did witness him kneeing guys in the balls for minor religious infractions (like not wearing talit katan if they "knew better"). He dismissed that as "horseplay" in the OU report.

An example of his “horseplay” was inflicted on another friend, Bobby Wiseman. Bobby, like many teenagers, had conflicted feelings about religion. He was raised in an observant Conservative family, but was always sent to Modern Orthodox yeshivot. He was pretty much orthoprax, but Conservative in ideology, and angry at God. (His father was tragically murdered in a mugging a few years before I met him.) The way he rebelled against God was by making minor, sarcastic comments, and not taking the mitzvah of tzitzit seriously. (Despite that, as I said, he still was pretty much observant.) It was school policy for boys to wear a tallit katan, so Bobby found the smallest one he could find- a toddler’s training pair. It was actually funny- more like a necklace. But he became active in NCSY and had a religious awakening, and decided to deepen his observance.

Like Danny, Bobby would walk miles to the nearest Orthodox shul; forsaking the Conservative one he grew up in. He decided to get a real tallit katan, but didn’t own one yet. He was afraid his “necklace” was too small to be a garment, and would therefore constitute carrying if worn on Shabbat. He asked a teacher in Frisch, a chareidi rabbi who is very knowledgeable in halacha, who agreed it is better to be safe than sorry. Don’t wear it on Shabbat, he advised. Bobby was not safe from Lanner’s knee, however.

At the Fair Lawn Shabbaton, Lanner asked Bobby if he was wearing tzitzis. Bobby answered truthfully, no. Before he could utter a further explanation, an advisor pinned Bobby from behind while Lanner kneed him in the testicles. Bobby doubled over in pain. When I asked him if he was okay, he said he is leaving NCSY, and Orthodoxy, and returning to Conservative Judaism. I couldn’t think of anything to say to convince him otherwise.

As for Modern Orthodoxy, Lanner seemed a subversive element, to me. He had an articulate Chasid (I think it was Meyer Schiller, but I could be wrong) debate unprepared kids about Zionism. Lanner said, “You’ll see there’s just as much kedushah on the right- and perhaps a little bit more” than Modern Orthodoxy.  Of course, the intelligent, articulate adult made mincemeat out of the naive, emotional Shabbaton-goers. (This was in Washington Heights- for some reason part of NJ Etz Chaim region). He encouraged boys to wear black hats, such as Geoffrey and Peter Brown, and girls not to wear pants (this despite the fact that he was a disciple of Rav Yosef Soloveitchik who permitted female-tailored pants for women; modestly, of course). He encouraged kids to learn at Chareidi oriented Baal Teshuvah yeshivot, whether the kids were BT or FFB. It is people like him, who look over their right shoulder, that have caused the charedization of mainstream Orthodoxy. Not a crime, to be sure, but not what a then-Modern Orthodox institution (the OU) should encourage, in my opinion.

As to his actual crimes, I did not know the extent back then, but I tried to warn people that he was a loose cannon. They didn't listen- citing loshon hara, making excuses for him, talking about the good he did, etc. Sometimes, adults would literally cover their ears and say “I don’t want to hear this!” An FFB friend said “Didn’t Baruch make you frum?” when in fact, this friend knew my history and conveniently forgot it.

I told a school consular about all this. She was horrified but knew she was powerless to do anything, due to Lanner's standing in the school. She said he ran NCSY like a cult. Other adults thought I was emotional, was exaggerating, etc. I wasn't the only one; Danny and Bobby and others tried to tell their stories. Until the sexual stuff came out, we were not believed. I was trying to be Paul Revere. But I was treated more like Cassandra.

Some would still justify Lanner, saying he saved souls. True, but many kids, both FFB and BT were turned off to Orthodoxy by him as well. One FFB said “Lanner is an asshole. He only thinks you’re any good if you made yourself frum.” Another commented on a BT kid who was courted by Lanner and abandoned when Lanner lost interest in him. I don't know what the ratio is of saved ones to turned-off ones, but I suspect it's at least a wash. I know it put a lot of doubts in my mind; doubts I have not gotten over 30 years later...

Note: Some of the names have been changed to protect privacy, but all incidents are true, to the best of my recollection.

Comments

[yona loriner]

its amazing how ppl can make up stories like that.. yochanan why dont u write a noval??

[Archie Bunker]

Yochanan,

Did Rabbi Yudin or anyone else of authority witness Lanner's bizarre behavior such as not letting kids go to the bathroom?

[proudjew]

why are you posting this now and bringing up old issues? Mr. Lanner has served his time, but really, theres no need to retell all the same stories weve heard over and over again.

[Sarah]

Does proudjew want to stop retelling all the other stories from our history that we repeat year after year? Did Lanner serve enough time for his horrible crimes? Is covering up for the Lanners (and there are many more out there!) in our community doing anyone a service?

[proudjew]

Our history? I think this was an issue of a few people, its not like mr. Lanner was rehired by ncsy so everyone needs to be reminded of what he did. Rather we must hope that he has been rehabilitated, and as JEWS give him that chance to do teshuva.

[proudjew]

Our history? I think this was an issue of a few people, its not like mr. Lanner was rehired by ncsy so everyone needs to be reminded of what he did. Rather we must hope that he has been rehabilitated, and as JEWS give him that chance to do teshuva.

[maven]

I was there in those days; many of us can confirm that everything in this account is true, and more. I gave an example of his "teaching" in the previous Lanner thread.
But much worse than this occured, in the smaller circles, particularly to the girls, which ultimately led to the jail sentence.
And as for proudjew's comment, this went on for many years, and not only was he rehired despite all these accusation, but made principal of a major school. And readers need to recognize that we are talking about events of the mid seventies, so its not like swift justice prevailed.
Yochanan: Geoff Brown? We really were in NCSY at the same time. But I think it wasn't Lanner alone that pushed him in that direction, some of that happened on the NCSY Israel tour. Can't "blame" Lanner for everything. What Lanner taught religiously is not really the issue (remember that the national boss was Pinchas Stolper), but rather the sexual harrassment and manipulation that was hidden beneath it.

[rabbidw]

I was never in NCSY, I was an FFB. What shocks me more than the abuse, which had become known, was the cultic tactics that he used. I am modern orthodox and I think the worst thing one can do in kiruv is to lie. If you do not think that God can be defended with the truth, there is something truly twisted about your beliefs. Forget abuse. If Ncsy is operating as a cult, through indocrination, rather than through teaching, they ought to be shut down. There is nothing wrong with an emotional approach to Judaism, I loved Shlomo Carlebach, but Judaism is not EST or Scientology and should not be used to brainwash children.

[Schmorgel (Borgel)]

"yona loriner" wrote:
"its amazing how ppl can make up stories like that.. yochanan why dont u write a noval??"

What's even more amazing is that people like Yona Loriner, who was probably not even born when these events occurred, refuse to believe that it might be true and that he is unaware that the attitude of blindly and reflexively defending miscreants like Lanner is what turns people away from frumkeit possibly as much as, if not more than, the actual misdeeds commited by Lanner and others like him.

[Nachum]

By the time I got involved in NCSY, in the much different New York Region (people should realize that the New Jersey Region, which also included Rockland, was- I don't know what the story is now- somewhat unique in a number of different ways, and there were a dozen other regions that did things much differently), Lanner had been "promoted" to a National Office position, partly to keep him away from kids. He still ran an Israel program, boys only, had some influence, especially in New Jersey and National programs, and had moved on to run the Syrian Hillel school in Deal.

It was something of common knowledge, of the sort that "everyone" knows without anything to, say, go to the police with, that he was an abuser, that even Rav Soloveitchik had told him to stay away from kids. (Advice he ignored even as he trumpeted his relationship with the Rav at every turn.) I guess when "everyone" knows something, you assume that something is being done. I guess it wasn't. It was a fact that the director of the New York Region, and I think some others, refused to let Lanner come and address their kids.

I had my own run-ins with him a few times and got to see the manipulative side of his personality, purely on a personal level, no abuse but just being screwed over. From then on, I would stand to the side at his speeches at any National events and loudly badmouth him as he spoke. The kids couldn't (or didn't want to) believe me, but it sure tasted sweet when he was busted a year or two later. But yes, I have to admit his charisma. He's the only Jewish speaker I've known who comes close to a real barn-burning Baptist preacher. Some kids from my region could be reduced to tears listening not to any "emotional" stuff but just his reasoning about halakhic observance, so powerful was his delivery and message.

As to the charedi stuff, that's weird, but I don't doubt it may be true. Ah well.

[Lubab No More]

proudjew,

> why are you posting this now and bringing up old issues?

Clearly you didn't read the first sentence of the post. See below.

"Rabbi Baruch Lanner is due to be paroled this week."

In college, on Yom HaShoah, we would read the names of the dead in the campus union. We would repeatedly have people come over and say things like "Can't you Jews let anything go?" Lanner's crimes are not on the same level as what the Nazis did but your comment reminds me of those people on campus.

[proudjew]

If you read my post there was an important ideal in there. TESHUVA and FORGIVENESS! The NAZIS will never be forgiven, Mr. Lanner will be if he shows that he is a changed man.

[maven]

proudjew:
Teshuva- the Rambam defines teshuva as requiring being in the same type of situation and the same situation. Hopefully, the authorities won't allow that to happen, so teshuva is not really an option for him.

Forgiveness- as Lubab pointed out, people say that to us Jews all the time. But someone has to ask for forgiveness (in halacha one needs to ask for mechila), and someone has to offer this forgiveness , particularly the victims. Many of us (and as a public figure, there were many, starting from the family he betrayed, good people) had many years of our life (perhaps all the subsequent ones) altered by drek like him, Sobol, Gafni, etc, and I'm not sure many of us are in a forgiving mode. And why should we be? Have you heard any apologies from him? At least Gafni issued an apology (from hiding). Lanner, Sobol, Mondrowitz, etc, never.

[proudjew]

Maven- My forgiveness comment was in response to comparing Mr. Lanner (who Did accomplish a lot of great things and is a fellow jew) to the nazis. The fact is forgiveness is possible for him.
In response to your Rambam comment, that is true, however every day that Mr. Lanner walks past children on the street, he is facing that same challenge, so i dont think teshuva is impossible for him. Thoughts?

[Mordecai]

Yochanan:

This was a very interesting story. Thanks for posting it. I believe that there are a few lessons from all of this.

(1) Personality Cult Issue: The beauty of Judaism (though I am hardly frum) is that we stand before G-D almight naked and put no man above or equal to G-D. We despise Dagon and Idols and Icons and the like. Yet we Jews are sometimes susceptible to these failed messiahs, false prophets, charlatans (even as they may be well meaning). Dare I say the Rebbe was such a charlatan. Treat a man like a King and he will accept such treatment.

(2) "Jews Don't" Issue: The goy is a pedophile but not a Jew. The goy is a criminal but not a Jew. The goy does but Jews don't. This is all bullcrap.

[Yochanan Lavie]

As they say in Israel: "HaMaven Yavin" (hat tip to the Maven).

Yona: I would actually like to write a novel someday, but not about NCSY. Frankly, my imagination isn't good enough to make this stuff up (and I wish it was!).

ProudJew: I do not rejoice in Lanner's downfall, as I said in response to Shmarya's original post. It is a tragedy for all involved. But I feel the most sympathy for Lanner's victims and Lanner's family- something that is lacking on the part of many Lanner apologists. He has not apologized, so I see no evidence of teshuvah, but Hashem is the judge, not me. I can forgive Lanner, and hope he gets on with his life, but he must never be around youngsters again. The recidivism rate for things like this is astronomical.

Rabbi DW: Not all of NCSY was run like a cult. As I said in my post, a friend (whom I met on the NCSY Israel tour) from Southern Region was appalled by the Shabbaton he attended in NJ. It was totally different from how they did things in the "Negev" region.

Archie: Rabbi Yudin is a decent man, but he is a long-standing personal friend of Lanner. He just couldn't see past that. Others were warned, but tried to ignore it. And the Winter Regional that was most cult-like was an extreme example. Usually they let you go to the bathroom, but they always used emotional manipulation, and they did enforce participation in reluctant Shabbaton-goers.

I have tried to relate the events as completely as possible. I rehashed them so that Lanner is never let loose amongst youngsters (children, teens, and young adults) again. And that if warning signs occur in the future about some other leader, the rabbinic authorities won't play ostrich again.

[Yochanan Lavie]

As they say in Israel: "HaMaven Yavin" (hat tip to the Maven).

Yona: I would actually like to write a novel someday, but not about NCSY. Frankly, my imagination isn't good enough to make this stuff up (and I wish it was!).

ProudJew: I do not rejoice in Lanner's downfall, as I said in response to Shmarya's original post. It is a tragedy for all involved. But I feel the most sympathy for Lanner's victims and Lanner's family- something that is lacking on the part of many Lanner apologists. He has not apologized, so I see no evidence of teshuvah, but Hashem is the judge, not me. I can forgive Lanner, and hope he gets on with his life, but he must never be around youngsters again. The recidivism rate for things like this is astronomical.

Rabbi DW: Not all of NCSY was run like a cult. As I said in my post, a friend (whom I met on the NCSY Israel tour) from Southern Region was appalled by the Shabbaton he attended in NJ. It was totally different from how they did things in the "Negev" region.

Archie: Rabbi Yudin is a decent man, but he is a long-standing personal friend of Lanner. He just couldn't see past that. Others were warned, but tried to ignore it. And the Winter Regional that was most cult-like was an extreme example. Usually they let you go to the bathroom, but they always used emotional manipulation, and they did enforce participation in reluctant Shabbaton-goers.

I have tried to relate the events as completely as possible. I rehashed them so that Lanner is never let loose amongst youngsters (children, teens, and young adults) again. And that if warning signs occur in the future about some other leader, the rabbinic authorities won't play ostrich again.

[JewishCynic]

Proudjew,
You can forgive Lanner in your heart. You cannot declare him forgiven by his victims or by G-d. And as to whether Lanner performed teshuva is something only Lanner and G-d can determine. (The statements I read from Lanner sounded more like "I'm sorry I got caught").

I also find the statement "look how much good he did" to be in inapplicable. Does someone who commits a brutal crime but gives $1million to charity less of a threat than someone who did the crime without the charity? More likely the charity giver will get away with more crime because the recipients of the charity will cover for him (smart gangsters like the Mafia and Hezbollah do good deeds in their community for that reason.)
We do know that Lanner has abused children and has the charisma and smarts to get away with it for 25yrs.
If Lanner contacts you will you give him your credit card, loan him your car and let him take your teenage female family member on a trip?
Forgive, perhaps. Forget -NO!

As I stated on the previous thread:
This year Lanner has hit up supporters for money.
He is a master manipulator - BE CAREFUL!

[Sephardiman]

I was an NCSY adviser in the Chicago Region in the 1980's and many of Lanner's tactics were used in our region. Frankly, I was never comfortable with it.

[Fran]

As a long running NCSYer and Advisor who has never had anything to do with Lanner, SHOCKING as it may seem...THANK YOU for posting these stories. It is things like this i can look at and say "this is how NOT to make someone frum" He is disgusting and a criminal, and NO ONE in my region ever acted even close to this. He is what is wrong with judaism but more than anything else you must realize, despite the coverup and everything, he represents orthodox judaism just as much as "those priests" represent christianity. He is a criminal and DID NOT follow halacha, no question.

[Shmarya]

True – as long as you realize the men and women who cover up Lanner's abuse for 20 years, men and women leading the OU and MO Judaism, are, for better or worse, Judaism.

They may all be criminals, all violators of Jewish law, but they are the rabbis and leaders of Judaism and unless and until they are all removed, they are Judaism.

[Fran]

And if you look at the national leadership NOT ONE of the people who was in charge when lanner was there, is still there.

[Shmarya]

That is not true. There are many current OU staffer who knew what Lanner was doing and did not stop him. The OU is riddled with these people.

Only the top 2 or 3 were forced out, and that was done very gently.

[Fran]

name 3 that you know FOR A FACT knew what was going on

[Shmarya]

I know of more than a dozen. I also know the some of the people who worked very hard to force out those two people and they know even more.

You're in a cult, Fran. I read your comments on DK's blog and elsewhere. Seek help.

I'll give you one name to process: Mtt Tropp.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Shmarya: You say "they are Judaism." They self-define themselves as Judaism, but no one has to accept that self-definition. Most Jews don't; they are either non-Ortho or unaffiliated.

In my opinion, it is a combination of tanach, tradition (including rabbinics, but not limited to) and the Am who define what Judaism is.

As I did with Lanner, pull back the curtain and discover the Wizard of Oz (Hebrew for strength) is just a frightened old man.

[Shmarya]

The point is they by their own definition represent and define Judaism. They do so, and they are criminals – and that is how they and their Judaism should be viewed.

[Fran]

wow, i think i have been pretty nice here shmarya, and you attack me? I could have come out guns blazing but i instead ENCOURAGED the author on the lanner thing. Whats the deal with the unprovoked attack? Defensive much?

[Yochanan Lavie]

Then we are in agreement. I am tired of people saying "We ARE Judaism" and both supporters and critics agreeing. (Critics saying "They are indeed Judaism, and I don't want it.") Lannerism was about idolatry of flesh and blood- like early Chirstianity, Schneersonism, Sabbateanism, Frankism, and Muhammadism (the current form of Islamo-facism that almost deifies that dude).

[Yochanan Lavie]

Fran: I thought you were supportive and I appreciate it. I am fond of Shmarya, but he can be a bit prickly at times. Don't take it personally.

[Fran]

"The point is they by their own definition represent and define Judaism. They do so, and they are criminals – and that is how they and their Judaism should be viewed"

and priests put themselves out as christianity, so those who molested the kids make all of christianity criminal? and we should view THEIR whole religion as criminal? COME ON

[Fran]

Lanner was a dark time for NCSY, like the middle ages for christianity or now for Islam. If we dont talk about it, it will be repeated. We MUST remember, but also its NOT what NCSY is or what it represents. Its a mistake and NOT the actual essence of NCSY

[Shmarya]

Fran –

Like I said, I've read your stuff.

and priests put themselves out as christianity, so those who molested the kids make all of christianity criminal? and we should view THEIR whole religion as criminal? COME ON

What I wrote is clear. Referring to the LEADERS and RABBIS who COVERED FOR LANNER I wrote:

The point is they by their own definition represent and define Judaism. They do so, and they are criminals – and that is how they and their Judaism should be viewed.

The holds true for the Church, which is why so many Catholics forced change and are still forcing change.

[Fran]

ANd most of them are gone, much like with the Church.

[Shmarya]

Not true.

[Fran]

u listed one.

[Shmarya]

And there are more than a dozen others.

[one who remembers]

m tropp no longer works for ncsy

[JewishCynic]

Shmarya, Fran has a point - back up your claim!
I don't know any names but I'll back you up with this citation from Dr Mendy Ganchrow's autobiography:

"from the very day the first Jewish Week story broke, I had a strong feeling that at the end of the process the OU top professionals who had supervised Lanner and allowed him to remain in a high position at NCSY with access to young people would themselves have to go if the Union was to rebuild its credibility." He [Ganchrow] also mentions several times that not one lay leader was forced to step down from the OU as a result of the scandal.

[Shmarya]

And only two people were forced out, and those gently.

Lanner himself was never fired. He resigned after being convicted, I think.

[JewishCynic]

Lanner resigned (was told to resign?) right after the article appeared in The Jewish Week. This was before charges were filed.
This is not a matter of punishing the guilty (that's a seperate matter). One could argue that they were duped by Lanner's personality. The reason there must be consequences is to prevent a reoccurance - to establish an "institutional memory" that those in responsible positions cannot claim ignorance or weak mindedness.

I don't agree that the Lanner case is a redefinition of Judaism. This is a case of obstinate, lazy, stupid leadership but they did not twist judaism to justify their inaction. There was no "justification" such as "there was no anal penetration" or "it's muttar to steal from the goyim".

There is also a difference between the Lanner case and the Catholic scandals. I think the church had more to cover than a priest molesting. They didn't want to expose that the priesthood is basically a gay club.
The Lanner scandal did reveal what a low priority the safety of children is on the OU's list and how woefully unprepared MO leadership is to deal with such a case.

[Shmarya]

Lanner did not resign then. I believe he took a leave until trial and forma;;y resigned only after conviction.

[maven]

Wow, this thread went way "off the derech". Remember that Lanner's reign at NCSY was in the 70s. Many of the higher ups at the UO from those days are no longer alive. So I don't see the point of all this. Matt Tropp was an NCSYer during the Lanner heyday, and as such it would be odd to point to him as "responsible", frankly he's as much as victim of that period as any one of us are. Unless you were there, its hard to understand what a hold Lanner had on people. The issue is not to blame those who were under Lanner, but rather the authorities, who took the usual defensive posture of the Orthodox world (really, of many minority groups) prioritizing their "public image" over attention to the crimes and the victims.
And if one wants to critique the whole system for these excesses (as one should) then its not NCSY that was the culprit but the belief that any means is justified for "kiruv", and this would apply to Gafni, Sobol, Siegal, and many others who hid their exploitation of innocent seekers under the aegis of "kiruv". The situation lends itself to such abuse, whether in Orthodoxy, Jewish Renewal, the Catholic Church, Maharishi (remember, the Beatles left abruptly because their guru hit on one of the girls in their group). The lesson needs to be that just because an event is for kiruv, it doesn't mean it shouldn't be supervised, or that what is going on is valid or appropriate. This is true, by the way, of "Discovery Seminars" led by Aish, and similar venues.

[Shmarya]

Lanner was active until past 2000. The "higher ups" in question are for the most part alive and still working for and leading the OU.

And if one wants to critique the whole system for these excesses (as one should) then its not NCSY that was the culprit but the belief that any means is justified for "kiruv", and this would apply to Gafni, Sobol, Siegal, and many others who hid their exploitation of innocent seekers under the aegis of "kiruv". The situation lends itself to such abuse, whether in Orthodoxy, Jewish Renewal, the Catholic Church, Maharishi (remember, the Beatles left abruptly because their guru hit on one of the girls in their group). The lesson needs to be that just because an event is for kiruv, it doesn't mean it shouldn't be supervised, or that what is going on is valid or appropriate. This is true, by the way, of "Discovery Seminars" led by Aish, and similar venues.

This is true to a point but the organizations and those who lead them are still responsible for covering up the abuse.

[maven]

"This is true to a point but the organizations and those who lead them are still responsible for covering up the abuse."
Here's a case where I'm being more demanding than you. I think the community gives these organizations more carte blanche than they deserve, and thus more oversight by the broader community is mandated because history has shown that the organizations themselves cannot be adequately trusted to protect well meaning participants from manipulation and abuse. This is true not only of Jewish organizations, of course, but there is more reticence to allow this in our community since we like to trust our Rabbis as decent people (as a group, this once was true; currently there are other market factors that draw people to this field so one can no longer make this assumption).

[JewishCynic]

The following is from the OU press release when Lanner resigned. True, it's not a big deal (thou it does indicate to me the OU knew Lanner was guilty - otherwise they would have given him a chance to refute the allegations) but it's important to be as accurate as possible so people don't say "See he was wrong here so how can you trust anything else he says".

This also applies to the Sobel case which I'd like to address - but I'm out of time this afternoon!

Publication: Israel Faxx
Date: Wednesday, June 28 2000

By IsraelWire

The American Orthodox Union has accepted the resignation of one of its leading officials, Rabbi Baruch Lanner, following a report in the Jewish Week in which it was reported that Lanner had sexually harassed and abused many persons over his career in the National Council of Synagogue Youth, over a period of over three decades.
OU President Mandell I. Ganchrow
released the following statement: "We regret and are greatly saddened by the charges contained in The Jewish Week article ("Stolen Innocence," June 24).
"Having decided, in light of the seriousness of the allegations made against him, that he can no longer continue in his position with NCSY (National Conference of Synagogue Youth), and its parent body, the Orthodox Union, Rabbi Baruch Lanner has tendered his resignation, which has been accepted, effective immediately.

[Shlepper]

OK ... A little emotional here

2 separate comments from someone who grew up a world away, but came into contact with Lanner on a Program in his "Middle Years"

Firstly, Lanner was always permitted to "break the rules" because of who he was. He was not subject to the same protocol, dress code and formality of other Rabbis working around him. This exacerbated his poor behaviour, because it was "OK for him" because of who he was.

Secondly, Lanner has often asked for the benefit of the doubt, but consistently abused this. He promised a Beit Din in 1989 to no longer work around children (as part of a 'confidential' settlement for inappropriate behaviour around some NCSY kids). He then immediately told other groups like Ohr Torah and some out of State schools that he had been vindicated by Beit Din and got himself commissions to work on school oriented programs.

Lanner has NEVER apologised to any of his victims. His only statements (perhaps under legal advice - because his legal team was continually) were to question the accuracy and reliability of testimonies made against him. Lanner was also only convicted of a "Minimal" number of charges against some high school girls. It was decided long ago that to bring up all possible charges would cause interminable pain for far too many people and to leave it as that.

Basically, Lanner has had a few years in Jail to write letters of apology, both personal and public to start his teshuvah and rehabilitation, and so far he has done nothing.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Shlepper: I am not holding my breath. He is a self-righteous dude.

[justanotherwitness]

This revisit of memories from over 3 decades ago was eye-opening. Cult tactics? By all means! Don't forget sleep-deprivation which was a major ingredient at conventions. Luckily, I usually hung out with the kids who saw through the facade and always joked how we were part of a cult. The problem was it was the only social circle we were aware of at the time that was somehow compatible - and spending Shabbat/conventions/wtv was enjoyable in our own company. So i suppose we stayed on "for the ride", probably because we were lucky enough to be non-victims.
Crazy at it seems, I had a limited amount of pity for his ordeal, although he will never be able to actually pay for all his crimes. I can identify with his victims - not excluding his wife and kids who became victims of his deeds even if only by association. They continue their lives with 2 strikes against them, just for carrying his name. And for the record, I would agree with Maven contesting Shmarya's accusing of R' Tropp. As many others who knew him since he was introduced to NCSY as a young teenager, I find it wrong to call him an accomplice - rather another victim, if anything. He was placed in a very awkward position, and I think he gave his best shot at trying to deal with it without compromising his halachic values. I can't say the same for Lanner's employers.

[The Disappointing Truth]

I was a part of the NCSY frenzy back in the 70's. In high school at least once a month we went on an Etz Chaim Region shabbaton. Baruch would get up and cry and sing and really got everyone into the "ruach". He preached, told stories and always had parents in the audience who told of their transformation from non-religious to frum. The "converted" parents, Baruch, the chapter leaders always encouraged the kids to defy their parents when it came to being frum. If your parents didn't become Baal Teshuvas you were basically encouraged to be disrespectful of them. Kibud Av Va Em only applied if your parents were frum....and didn't apply if they weren't. I remember my frum friend's mother (who was also frum), picked her up on day from an NCSY meeting. She got there early and heard the kids being told to defy their parents if they didn't want to be religious. She was appalled that this is what NCSY encouraged. It's 30 years later and I agree with my friend's mother....but it took too long for the realization to occur(my parents weren't religious). How many families were broken apart because of the "brainwashing" that went on at those shabbatons. Baruch is obviously a very sick individual and the people who protected him and twist the minds of young people should take a step back and think about the cost of their actions by justifying Baruch's actions. The end does not justify the means. Maybe more frum people will bring more donors for the OU in the future, and it doesn't matter how they get those supporters. The OU proves over and over again that is about money. They justify and allow their frum constsuents to eat traif without a twinge of guilt. Their motives are far from pure....it's money. Keeping a deviant like Baruch around (and yes, I was witness, in person, to his sexual dreams about various women in NCSY, that he would fantasize about)because he could twist young minds is bizarre.To those generous souls who think he's "served his time" and might have done "teshuva" and we should stop harping on an old subject, please put your energy into defending those who deserve it.

[Rivkah-Rachel]

Wow, thanks for posting this. I was a student at Frisch at the time that Lanner was there. And I am one of the ones that was turned off, and subsequently left, orthodox Judaism at a result of Lanner's abuse of power.

I was from a modern orthodox family, but was very conflicted about being religious. I did however come to really like those NCSY shabbatons, and I connected with all the emotional observance there (vs the dry observance I grew up with). I actually believed there was hope for me. At some point, for reasons I never understood, Lanner stopped letting me come to NCSY. (Perhaps I wasn't working out my conflict with orthodox Judaism fast enough for him.) I was crushed, and it was like my only positive experience of Judaism was severed and I lost a lot of friends/acquaintances. Wasn't NCSY supposed to be about helping kids build and nurture a positive connection with Orthodox Judaism - so why was I being abandoned? This stung terribly, for a long, long, long time and left a very bitter taste in my mouth. Needless to say I drifted away from orthodox Judaism, and then gave up all religious practice.

The descriptions about Lanner's charisma and the cult of his personality are accurate - I witnessed that while I was at Frisch. However I didn't know at the time about any of the abuse. I thought for many years that I was the only one treated badly by him. Since I am not involved with the Jewish community anymore it took a while for the news about Lanner to reach me. Now I at least know, finally, that what he did to me was not about me, that I didn't have some type of terrible failing, but that it was about his sickness. But it took all these years for me to learn that. And because of him I wanted nothing more to do with orthodox Judaism. Nice work, Lanner.

So thank you, Yochanan, for your article and helping me finally be able to reframe a painful event from my past.