Rabbi Yisroel Belsky Accused Of Smearing Divorced Mom, Claiming 'Wild Sex Life', "Descent Into Abyss Of Immorality"

As ex-husband became haredi, haredi rabbis led by OU's Belsky used dirty tricks to smear his ex-wife and wrest custody from her.

Un-Orthodox 'sex life' smear
Brad Hamilton • NY Post

A Jewish woman from Brooklyn says she's fighting a "Scarlet Letter" smear campaign -- against a prominent rabbi who's allegedly slamming her with lies about her sex life.

"He said that I have an underground, sexually promiscuous lifestyle and exposed my kids to it,"  says Asia Teper, 33, of Rabbi Yisroel Belsky, a fixture in Flatbush and member of the Orthodox Union and Yeshiva Torah Vodaas.

The campaign began about two years ago just as Teper's ex-husband, Shagra Kohn, 34, was becoming ultra-Orthodox, Teper said.

He grew a beard and sidelocks and befriended influential members of the Orthodox community, including Belsky, she said.

The rabbi pleaded for donations for Kohn in a letter in 2007 to Lifestyle, a free magazine that focuses on religious issues and is widely read in observant circles in Brooklyn.

An accompanying article, using pseudonyms for the couple, blasted Teper's "descent into the abyss of immorality."

"Because Lifestyle is a family magazine, we will spare the details of [her] moral descent. Suffice it to say that without regard for her husband or children, she embraced a lifestyle that was, and remains to this day, the very antithesis of a Bas Yisraeli [daughter of Israel] and Aishes Chayil [woman of valor]."

Teper, of Marine Park, said Belsky went to her kids' school and handed out copies of the magazine, making it clear the article was about Teper.

"The school decided I wasn't religious enough, and now they won't talk to me. It's because I was dating someone. I wear pants and shorts when I go out jogging, and I don't cover my hair."

Teper confronted Belsky.

"I went to the rabbi and said, 'I'm just trying to raise my kids.' And he said, 'Your husband is more religious than you.' "

Teper said Belsky and other rabbis have raised thousands of dollars for Kohn, even though her ex has stiffed her out of $30,000 in court-ordered child support, court records show.

Kohn owns a catering company and has filed numerous motions against Teper since she got full custody of the girls, ages 10 and 12, in 2007.

During a deposition he admitted to cheating on his 2005 income taxes, and in July he was arrested for contempt after he yanked the daughters out of an upstate summer camp and disappeared for six days.

The kids were returned unharmed. Kohn is facing charges in Fallsburg, NY.

The couple, who were both born in Israel and came to New York as teenagers, met through friends and were married in a religious ceremony in 1995 and legally in 1998.

Though they are still legally hitched, Kohn remarried in a religious ceremony to his pregnant girlfriend, records show.

Teper, an insurance-claims adjuster, got remarried on Thursday to her longtime fiancé, also in a religious service.

Belsky and Kohn did not return calls seeking comment.

[Hat Tip: Malach Hamovies.]

Comments

[Someone]

Jesus is more kosher than these pigs.

[A. Nuran]

Somewhere in NYC there has to be a lawyer with with a slit in the back of his suit for the dorsal fin. This is a wonderful opportunity for him to go into a feeding frenzy against the rabbi, Lifestyle, the OU, the rabbi's shul and a bunch of other moderately deep pockets.

If common decency will not motivate these people fear and financial ruin may.

[Nachum Lamm]

It's illegal for any rav licensed to perform marriages in New York to marry someone without a civil license. This whole thing stinks. (Also note the original three-year gap between ceremonies.)

[Sammy Finkelman]

I know that there was some kind of agreement among all Orthodix rabbis in New York around 1944 or some year like that not to perform religious marriages if there was not a civil license (in those days it must have been done mostly to let someome contract a second marriage) Was that because of a newly passed New York State law or judicial ruling. I suppose in later years many Satmar Rabbis did not get legal recognition, so they would have been the first to do that sort fod thing.

I wonder though if that was true, if this is still good law.

There is one anomaly in the article, which may indicate somebody is concealing something. There was a 3-year gap between the ceremonies. This would make it seem that they were already connected to some Chassidic groups. Perhaps the husband became less religious then decided he needed to look more religious again, and decided to put on a beard and Payos and befriend Rabbi Belsky - but even then he would have laready "belonged."

[Shmarya]

Thee is no hasidic connection here as far as I know.

The three year gap is, in part, to make the child of Kohn's second marriage appear to be legitimate.

[harold]

They both sound like losers to me. Each one getting married while still married to each other - wierd!

[Shmarya]

Each one getting married while still married to each other - wierd!

That is not what happened.

[seymour]

Though they are still legally hitched, Kohn remarried in a religious ceremony to his pregnant girlfriend, records show.

how frum is he and the woman he married it seems that he is the one fooling around unless I am missing something

[seymour]

Teper, of Marine Park, said Belsky went to her kids' school and handed out copies of the magazine, making it clear the article was about Teper.

it that is true that is low but in character of the frum community

[MalachHamovies]

VIN never picked up the story. Very interesting.

[harold]

Each one getting married while still married to each other - wierd!

That is not what happened

Though they are still legally hitched,
This I assume mean that Kohn and Tepper are still legally married.

Kohn remarried in a religious ceremony to his pregnant girlfriend, records show.
He gets married

Teper, an insurance-claims adjuster, got remarried on Thursday to her longtime fiancé, also in a religious service.
She gets married.

[Shmarya]

I believe there was a divorce in between those acts.

[Ahavah]

Nachum Lamm:

I think you are mistaken. None of the UO I talked to in Monsey, NY, for example, had state marriage licenses. Many other communities are the same way. They only have a religious marriage and never become legally married - some because they don't believe the state has the authority to regulate their marriages, some because they have no intention of paying for the licenses, and some so that way the girls can qualify for welfare since they are technically "unwed" mothers. It's a very common practice.

[Ben]

I've heard of cases when religious ceremony is perfomed, but the state registration is not done. It is often done in Boro park and other haredi neighbourhoods to recieve single mom welfare payments (basically it is the same thing that is wide spread in black areas of New York)

[jake]

1.A member of the clergy who is permitted by law to officiate at a wedding ceremony ( officiating rabbi) on behalf of NY state may only do so if there is a marriage license..

2.If the member of the clergy officiates at a wedding without a marriage license the clergymen is committing a misdemaenor.

3.If a clergyman who is permitted to officiate at weddings in NY State performs a religious marriage ceremony without a civil marriage license, the couple is married per NY State law even without a marriage license!!!!
4. Those who have been married by officiating rabbis and claim single mother status for benefits are committing fraud.

5.If a couple only has a religious ceremony performed by a rabbi who may officiate in NY State and subsequently only get divorced with a ghet and then remarry the are committing bigamy per NY State Law . and have committed a class e-felony..

Welcome to the world of Jewish misdemeanors, fraud and felonies! All in the name of bayit n'eman b'yisrael!

[yudel]

So tragically what else is new? The Roshe yeshivas all have gone off the farm and left the Rez decades ago.
No one speaks to them with guts and facts and persistence.
Only real change will come with some big wins in civil court.
Any of you who know victims who are about to sue make sure they have a lawyer who will aggressively depose a rosh yeshiva and make it clear he is going to testify at trial in public.

Get tough with them. Same goes with Beis Din and divorce. Get lawyer or process server to walk in to the trial and hand out depositions to the Batei Dinim members.

This is not quote a tip. When i was living in Brooklyn for about 25 years that was the move i made. It always worked. Always got husband to settle. ALWAYS.

Public shaming with not a threat but a real time action to be carried out tips the court back to balance.

It works. But men you have to back the lady who is going to do this . If she is family do not run or give into pressure.

If you have a lawyer who loves to depose and gets the issue you can even serve shul members who put the heat on you for helping.

It is easy to send out process servers. Find lawyers as i did who want in on these kind of cases.

Do a search outside the frum community. Ask bar association to give you some phone time so they will give you law firms you can speak with who will cone on board.

It is okay to get headline grabbers. Roaches hate the light.

Okay this is another tip chaveri. USE IT.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

And he said, 'Your husband is more religious than you.

It must be the peyos. Nevermind the rechilus and lashon hara the "more religious" husband spread.

Last time I check, lashon hara is assur min haTorah; wearing shorts while jogging isn't.

[steve]

He grew a beard and sidelocks and befriended influential members of the Orthodox community...During a deposition he admitted to cheating on his 2005 income taxes, and in July he was arrested for contempt after he yanked the daughters out of an upstate summer camp and disappeared for six days....stiffed her out of $30,000 in court-ordered child support

In Belsky's eyes, the father is more fit to raise the children because he grew a beard and payos. The mother is unfit and is exposing her kids to her sexually promiscuous lifestyle because she wears pants and doesn't cover her hair. Never mind that the father is an admitted tax cheat, a deadbeat dad and a kidnapper. That's all muttar as long as he wears a beard and befriends "influential" members of the community. Not only that, he fits right in with all the other tax cheats and deadbeats in the community. Why, they are even raising money for this bum. There are always two sides to every custody battle. However, this article shows exactly what is wrong with our leadership today and what their values are.

[effie]

Mom, her new husband, and the two girls, should move as far away from this community as possible.

[Joe BenHaim]

HELLO! HELLO! It's absolutely amazing how people believe whatever is written in the papers! All of you who are bigots or racists or just anti religion have a nice life. For those who are open-minded and reasonable, please be aware that not one single word in the above article is true. Shame on the Post for publishing a pile of lies. It's all lies. you're all commenting on a bunch of fabricated lies. Here's the deal: the law states that a divorced parent may NOT attempt to alter the religious faith that their child was raised with. Asia Tepper wishes to lead a secular life – that's fine, America is a free country. However, it is illegal for her to try and get her daughters to follow her after they have been raised by her and her ex as orthodox jews. So she resorts to feeding BS to the Post and smearing her ex and Rabbi Belsky. The truth will come out.

[Shmarya]

Her husband was far from haredi at their marriage. The facts support Asia.

[Clear]

Jake -

These three points sound contradictory - specifically (1) and (3). Could you please clarify?

1.A member of the clergy who is permitted by law to officiate at a wedding ceremony ( officiating rabbi) on behalf of NY state may only do so if there is a marriage license..

2.If the member of the clergy officiates at a wedding without a marriage license the clergymen is committing a misdemaenor.

3.If a clergyman who is permitted to officiate at weddings in NY State performs a religious marriage ceremony without a civil marriage license, the couple is married per NY State law even without a marriage license!!!!

If (1) is the case, then how can (3) be the case, since (1) states that a license is necessary? And would not the officiant in (3) be breaking the law per (2), and if so, how could could it be legal based on (1) and (2)?

(I'm not trying to pick on you. I'm just trying to understand the pertinent laws.)

[Shmarya]

I believe the answer to your question is Jake's following point:4. Those who have been married by officiating rabbis and claim single mother status for benefits are committing fraud.In other words, even though what the clergyman did is illegal, the marriage is after the fact valid according to NY State law, and if a woman so married claimed single mother status for welfare benefits, she would be committing a crime.

[Moshe]

I know both husband and wife in this story and want to add one interesting fact: The get between the two is dated April 2009-- after Rabbi Herbst got involved! The marriage to "the pregnant girlfriend" took place many moons ago. Do the math on the birth of this hasid's 3 year old daughter. If any of you are familiar with the tactics of Rabbi Ralbag you can figure out the rest yourself. Its very sad that our Rabanim are waisting our communty money on his type of filth instead of helping those in need.

[jake]

u are all a bunch of imbeciles. um...i no first hand that rabbi belsky had an opperation so he cant walk without support,du u think he went all the way over to marine park for sum stupid lady besides dont believe everything u hear and if u do, i cant wait to read something bout u and then ur family and friends will probly shun u. and it'll probly b true cuz the papers said it.
p.s. 1000 dollars to the person that finds someone more knowledgable than rabbi belsky.

[Mr. Apikoros]

It would be quite difficult to find somebody more "knowledgable" than Rabbi Belsky. So your $1,000 is safe.

On the other hand, if one were to try to find someone more KNOWLEDGEABLE than Rabbi Belsky, I suspect that wouldn't be especially difficult.

[Bell]

I agree! I could never find anyone more knowledgable than belsky- on how to mess with a mother's attempt to raise her kids couse her shirt dosn't cover her elbows. How about giving him an education on child suppport, tax law and kidnapping. The last time I checked the Torah is pretty darn specific on the basic value of being a human being. Do what's best for the kids! Shraga kohn-leave this woman and her chdren alone. Move on with ur life and ur bastard children.

[Tyler]

She did the right thing by getting her side of the story publicized. I just get annoyed when people like this Rabbi use religion to justify a position. In addition,he acted irresponsibly by going to the school and handing out copies of the magazine. Totally uncalled for. She is a responsible woman who takes care of her children but because her beliefs are not the same as those of the ultra-Orthodox faith, she is now considered immoral. Shraga is irresponsible and he is not looking out for the best interests of his children. It is amazing that a person of low moral character is apparently viewed favorably by the Rabbi.

[Joe BenHaim]

how can people comment on peole they dont know. you have pre-judged the father and the rabbi cuz you have something against religion or you know other stories about other people. if these 2 girls wish to be orthodox and their mother wishes to feed them traif and desecrate shabbat, dont they belong with the father? and if the father cant afford lawyers, cant decent people attempt to help him? why you all assuming that the post has the true facts? all they have is the BS the wife fed them.

[jake]

im sorry "mr aspikores" that i didnt spell "knowledgable" right. but at least im not talking like a the biased person tha u seem to be.
besides last i checked god gave the "bible" to moshe and "we jews" only believe in one bible, so if the mother wants to wear short sleeves let her. but she wont do it as a jew. let her do it as a non jew.
p.s. the only 2 reasons why people dont like rabbi belsky is cause they are paskened against in a fair jewish court of law. and need i remind you that wen 2 side come to one jewish judge they have to agree to come there. so she should blame only herself for getting mixed in with rabbi belsky to begin with.
and 2,rabbi belsky is willing to make a stand against the wrong, he's willing to go beyond the normal, so people get scared and flustered. just look in the mirror for some proof.

[debra]

One of my favorite yiddish sayings: "A father who loves his children is good to their mother". Since when did becoming a bully equate to being religious.

[Eliezer]

Jake - "a Jew, even though he sins, remains a Jew" --- she will wear short sleeves as a Jewish woman who wears short sleeves - not as a non-jew.
Don't be so judgmental!!!

(and yes, Mr. Apikores, judgment without an e is the preferred spelling)

[Mo]

Jake, you are a loser. And so is Shraga Kohn and his wife Nicole Kohn or Nicole first, whatever name she chooses. I know them and their family. They are scum.

[moishe kneplemacher]

FOR YOUR INFORMAATION,MOST IF NOT ALL CHASIDIC COUPLES IN BORO PARK,FLATBUSH AND WILLIAMSBURG DONT GET MARRIED IN CIVIL MARRIAGE,SIMPLY,AS THE WRITER ABOVE HAD MENTIONED-THUS THOSE MOTHERS CAN CLAIM SINGLE MOOTHER HOOD AND THEY AND THEIR CHILKDREN ARE NAMED AFTER THE MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME.YES,THE CITY AND STATE ARE AWARE OF IT,,SO MANY BASTARDS IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY THEY ASK LAUGHINGLY OR NOT!YES,THEY ARE BASTARDS

[still]

Mo, how do you know the family? The mother no longer has contact with the children. They have been taken to Monsey and kept isolated.

[just saying]

Is Shraga a cohen? What was marital status of wife #2 when he met her? Just curious... I'm sure Belsky gave his haskama.

I hesitate giving any opinion on these sort of cases. Sure the mom should be the one to raise kids and doesn't matter if she wears slacks.

But then look at someone like Pearl Reich who had everyone fooled and is now posting photos online of her in nude with just body paint prancing around streets of Manhattan... Seriously, however deranged her Lakewood husband allegedly was, that women is clearly far beyond... and if the father was not a fit parent, those kids should have been placed with foster care -- with both parents having access and visitation.

Who was to know the extent Pearl Reich would go with her kids, when it seemed it was just a fight over a woman who decided to wear pants and pursue a career in modeling... have you seen the photo of her and fiancee in the nude plastered above her headboard in her bedroom? he kids got to walk in and see that???