RCA Press Release On The Tropper Sex And Abuse Of Power

We are deeply appalled, saddened and pained by reports that have reached us concerning alleged inappropriate behavior on the part of the chairman of the rabbinic committee of the Eternal Jewish Family, Rabbi Leib Tropper.

RCA Issues Statement Regarding Recent Developments Surrounding The Eternal Jewish Family Organization

We are deeply appalled, saddened and pained by reports that have reached us concerning alleged inappropriate behavior on the part of the chairman of the rabbinic committee of the Eternal Jewish Family, Rabbi Leib Tropper. We need to wait for more complete information before we can react fully.

Nonetheless, at this time, we would make the following points clear:                   

1.      What we have heard, if true, violates the fundamental elements of all that Judaism holds sacred.

2.      We urge anyone who might have been victimized to seek appropriate counseling and we, at the Rabbinical Council of America, remain ready to refer anyone who needs such assistance to the appropriate professionals.

3.      Anyone who may have any questions of Jewish Law regarding conversions should feel free to contact our Geirut administrator, Rabbi Michoel Zylberman, at 212-807-9000 ext. 3.

For further information please contact Rabbi Barry Freundel at 202-258-5172.  

Comments

[Critical_minyan]

Rubashkin is thinking, "I'm going to jail for the next ten years, but in still glad I'm not wearing tropper's shoes."

[hanavon hanavi]

daage nit meyn teyre kind
tropper is also going to sit in prison, but for more than ten years.. this is just the very beginning.....trust me

[Dag]

Source?

[Shmarya]

It was emailed to me by someone. It's from the RCA.

[Dag]

I didnt see it on the RCA Website. Google turned up ONLY your blog

[bootsy thorton]

dag makes a fair point.

If true, this is what we refer to as an "oportunistic" move. And that's the nicest way to phrase it. RCA had lost conversions to tropper cronies for years & are swooping in to collect the remnents of his shattered remains....

Facts will remain, with or without tropper, RCA converts won't be recognised in Israel...

[Oz N. Shmass]

Slightly off-topic, but I recently listened to the tapes posted on youtube. The last conversation posted there appears to indicate the existence of a video - use your imagination here (or perhaps don't) - that would be even more destructive (if that's possible) than what's come out thus far, if released. I would not be suprised if that is being used as leverage by the parties who have apparently set up Tropper. I would not be suprised to see a certain lawsuit settled or dismissed soon.

[Neo-Conservaguy]

We, the RCA, are sorry we didn't have the beitsim to tell the haredim where to shove it when they questioned our conversions - as if we didn't already have a fine record of making geruth harder than required by halakha. Instead, sadly, we held up institutions like EJF and rabbis like Tropper as the "answer" to the "problem". We were fools - but no harm, no foul, eh? Can't we all just get along? Our course, we don't mean with the scum so-called rabbis from other movements - but anyone else, well maybe if they can prove their Really Jewish.

[Neo-Conservaguy]

if they can prove their Really Jewish.

Bad proof reading - should be "they're", of course.

[Yerachmiel Lopin]

When Henry Kissinger was trying to make small talk with Chou En Lai he asked him for his opinion of the French Revolution. Chou said "Too soon to tell." This may be a first good step. At least they explicitly condemned the alleged behavior, they expressed support for victims and did not imply that they were necessarily suspect. I have not seen much of that from the Chareidi establishment. Certainly it is appropriate to decry the alleged misconduct while reserving final judgement on the quality of proof. They are a lawyerly organization, so even if they move it will be cautiously and bureaucratically. But that is a step up from having a kanoi wave a piece of paper and reflexively signing it.

[mo rabbi]

The RCA is being smart. The Charedim still stand behind the principle of Universal (Charedi) Conversions. Tropper has made the idea stink to high heaven so the natural instinct is to drop the whole thing. But if the Modern Orthodox are too aggressive then the Charedim will keep their bad idea alive. Wachtfogel and others will find ways to empower Eisenstein and his croneys. If the RCA lays low then Eisenstein will be a one man band again.

[ZIY]

ANOTHER CHABAD CONNECTION:

for those who are following the minutiae of the tropper-EJF-guma-kaplan affair -- here is another twist which directly involves lubavitch. these are very internal documents between a senior lubavitch shliach of brazil, rabbi zaientz, & the central lubavitch organization of american rabbis. this is fascinating since it shows an obvious split within lubavitch, & also addresses tropper's tactics by his name.

zaientz tries to point out to the rabbinic org. that there are shluchim that are involved in or support lenient conversions, most notably rabbi moshe kotlarsky, director par excellance of chabad-lubavitch shulchim worldwide, who supported converting guma aguior's girlfriend, despite knowing that she is not leading a halachic jewish life, & that the shluchim looking the other way -- all for the money. (this is not new: rabbi avraham shemtov of philadelphia & the white house did similarly when ronald perlman wanted to convert his shitzah wife, the actress ellen barkin i think.)

rabbi nochum kaplan (no relation to tom kaplan) of the rabbinic org. criticizes zaientz for bad-mouthing the lenient shluchim in quite derogatory terms, & rabbi zaientz responds in full force, making his claim clear.

interesting to point out how rabbi nochum kaplan uses the fact that guma gave tropper 10 million dollars under the direction of rav elyoshuv as PROOF that tropper's actions are validated!

these documents are quite internal & may not make sense to all, but here is a link to it anyways:

http://www.haredim.co.il/Data/ForumFiles/Untitled-1_copy_1.jpg

[Andrew]

THIS is the time to strike. It's a vulnerable time for chareidim -- Tropper, Spinka, Rubashkin, Syrians -- the latter of which we will now see additional indictments coming down from the IRS on those who gave to these phony charities.

Rabbi Slifkin (the Zoo Rabbi), Schweke, and of course the massive coverup of pedophilia in the frum community. The persecution of the converts, widows and orphans.

If ever there were a time to demonstrate real leadership and rally the silent masses, NOW IS THE TIME.

So ... who are these potential leaders? Any ideas?

[harold]

So ... who are these potential leaders? Any ideas?

Scotty!

[Ben]

So far the field is empty Andrew. New, more reasonable rabbinic leaders are nowhere to be seen.

Is it possible that rabbi and reasonable are contradiction in terms?

[ZIY]

also very fascinating (shmarya take note), for those not in the loop, is rabbi daniel eidensohn's blog http://daattorah.blogspot.com/ in which he has been criticizing tropper & EJF for years. in blog-entry after blog-entry, eidenohn unmasks the hypocritical & deceptive (both halachically & ethically) tactics of EJF & tropper.

at some point a "roni" start leaving virulent & lambastic comments, including ad hominum attacks on eidensohn & others who don't agree with tropper; "roni" also tries to attack eidensohn with learning (the blog is called "daas torah" after all....). eidensohn, like the cool cat that he is, responds to all that "roni" has to say, even egging him on.

at some point the bloggers there start suspecting that "roni" is none other than tropper himself using a pseudonym. yet after the tapes were released, "roni" confesses that he was wrong all along about tropper. still, the debate continues if this apology of "roni" is from someone else, e.g. tropper's enabler ronnie greenwald, or perhaps LT himself trying to make it appear that he is not "roni."

http://daattorah.blogspot.com/search?q=roni

another blogger there promises to begin a site called TropperStoppers.com to out all of tropper's enablers. still waiting for it to open up.

[ZIY]

ME'INYAN LE'INYAN BE'OSO INYAN (filed under: TOM KAPLAN):

what is it with these supposed secular, even atheist, jews, who have a thing to toches-lek (that is "kiss ass" to you non-yiddish speakers) up to the ultra orthodox?

just a few weeks ago, the pro-UltraOrtho philanthropist, Micheal Steinhardt, spoke at the 92 Street Y, espousing his seemingly paradoxical view of atheistic judaism & his unabashed support of the UltraOrtho via aish-sponsored Birthright programs etc.

& who was there to introduce him? the new president of the 92 Street Y himself, TOM KAPLAN.

there he was, all dapper & trim, speaking in his most eloquent Oxfordian-tinged english (he went through Oxford, from PPP to DPhil), espousing the greatness of the institution that he now heads (the Y) & the glorious deeds of Herr Steinhardt (one could hear the echoes of Herodotus from the podium).

Mr. Dr. Tom Kaplan seems like just the right person to head the 92 Street Y: Wealthier than Rothchild, more erudite than Isaiah Berlin, & as handsome as a Yorkshire squire to boot.

How can a man as polished & intelligent like him become so intimately involved with a crass & sick fellow like tropper???

does the board of the 92 street Y know about kaplan's intimate involvement with all this & of kaplan's pro chareidi involvement???

WHEN WILL KAPLAN COME CLEAN & TELL US WHAT HE REALLY KNOWS ABOUT ALL THIS???

thank god they caught tropper now, before kaplan let tropper's tentacles creep into the very foundations of America's pre-eminent house of Jewish intellectualism!!!!

Mr. Kaplan, if you are out there, PLEASE LET US HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT YOUR UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT OF TROPPER!!! when will you come out & disassociate yourself from this creep????

[kathiego]

Is there anywhere a list of these sexual pervert and wife cheating so called Rabbis? They make even the title of Rabbi stink.

[soso]

"also very fascinating (shmarya take note), for those not in the loop, is rabbi daniel eidensohn's blog http://daattorah.blogspot.com/ in which he has been criticizing tropper & EJF for years."

I have been following this blog for more than a year. They have a strong xenophobic undertone and in essence critise everyone who helps Gerim. Their issue is not Tropper's manipulative behavious or how he had a negative influence on some people who trusted him.

Their issue is solely that they accuse EJF of "proselytizing". In general, their evidence was rather scarce. For example, they tried to prove that Reuven Feinstein did not agree with EJF, which is a bit strange if the man is in the governing body of this organisation.

Of course they rejoice now at Tropper's fall. But they cannot say "I told you so", since their problem was a completely different one.

Moreove, they made insinuations about "the scandal of the century" that have not been proven till this they.

[ZIY]

WHY TROPPER WON'T GET OFF THE HOOK LIKE TENDLER DID

despite the fact that it is quite obvious that tropper is be'etsem more of a lowlife than tendler was, & that tropper's rishusdike personality permeated his whole life & relations to others (bein odom lachaveyro), not only in inyoney znus, as attested to by many (though others say he helped out a lot of people bigashmiyus), it addition to this, it seems that if -- when -- this whole affair makes it to court (as it will HAVE to, since it is all related to guma & kaplan & big bucks) , tropper will NOT be able to get off of it like tendler did last year under the court's inability to clearly define "fiduciary relationship" ( see: http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2008/06/tendler-accuser.html ), for in this case, (1) there are clear tapes that will make it to court, & in a most explicit self-implicating manner, (2) there is clearly coersion & monetary exchange discussed (though not perfect clear 100% that the money is for the sex per se, it could just be for her certain legal fees she needed the money for, most likely for a custudy battle she was going thorugh -- though one might ask, "what for?" so for all this to stick with super-glue, susan will have to testify in court), & (3) there is its relation to the fact that tropper may have been misappropriating EJF-Tom Kaplan money for his own orgiastic & lavish lifestyle.

(there are some who say, "well i was in monsey & i saw how his house & yeshivah looks & there is in no way that he is living it up." but take into account tropper's globetrotting, hotel hopping, texas swinging lifestyle (with some possible swings through vegas), & i tell you that there is something very fishy as to how he was paying for all this. Plus, where is he getting all that money to pay susan? Plus, susan is/was apparently AN EMPLOYEE, not merely a parishoner, of tropper (in the case of tendler, marmelstein was pressing charges as a congregant). Plus, the whole guma affair that is still brewing, which is a separate, though related, issue. so it seems like we may be facing more than one trial.

I'm tellin' ya, this guy's goin' down big time.

all we can say to all this is: BINFOL OYVECHAH AL TISMACH...

PS: i suppose i am the biggest rosho merusho in the world, spreading all this loson horo (unfortunately there is no rechilus in this case) about such a tsadik ve'tohor like maran (read: moron) leibl shtupper shlita -- but then again, i never made it to moron's shiyurim on loshon hororo in heilike heimishe monsey, nor did i ever get to read his kuntreism on this terrible terrible aveyroh. chaval chaval... mutav sheyihiyu shogegin...

perhaps tropper will give a shiur on these halochos when he opens up his ba'al t'shuvah yeshivoh in Ellenville????

[critical_minyan]

shmarya,
it looks like your rabbinic readership is now out and commenting. the other sites censor, so no one wants to read them. your blog is better because there is no censorsip of ideas.

[Gerald]

"a senior lubavitch shliach of brazil, rabbi zaientz, "

Zoro Islamo, no senior Shliach by that name.There is a wealthy Lubavitch family by that name with a couple of brothers.Chaim Shoulson is his tabloid used to publish a sort of op-ed "written" by such a Zaietz.I think that Zaietz only "lent" his name to Shoulson and the real "writer" was Shoulson.

[Ben]

There is a movement within Haredi world to prohibit all convesions. They have brought many justifications why this needs to be done in our time. This movement will become much stronger due to Tropper affair. They will use troppergate to achieve their racist purposes.

The converts were, are and will be screwed up by the Ultras even more from now on.

[soso]

"There is a movement within Haredi world to prohibit all convesions"

Yes, they already show their ugly heads on the Daas Torah blog.

(Since this blog has a "slight" anti-Giur bias in general).

[Baal Habos]

"there are clear tapes that will make it to court, & in a most explicit self-implicating manner, ("

You think think kind of stuff is admissable as evidience? Doesn't someone also need to press charges or at least bring it to the attention of Law enforcement?

[Mr. Apikorus]

If what Tropper did is illegal (e.g. fraud), then those tapes would certainly be admissible as evidence.

[the Monsey Tzadik]

Do not worry, the RCA will find an other opportunity to submit to the haredis. I wonder if Basil Herring sent a condolence letter to Tropper.

The Tropper tapes aside from talking about threesome had a reference to Malcolm Hoenlein asking Tropper for being able to sit next to Tom Kaplan.

I could not make it to the wedding so I do not know if Malcolm Hoenlein got his wish.

At least he did not ask Tropper to have what the Satmar guy had....

[Chicago Sam]

Observation:

A couple of months ago, R. David Eliezree of Lubavitch has the stones to say "Look how wonderful the Haredi world is..." give me a break.

You see, it's all about the abuse of power... For the first time in recorded history, the blog can hold Rabbis like Tropper and his ilk accountable.

Leaders of the RCA and the Haredi world must acknowledge a basic but obvious truth--if it wants to truly rehabilitate its collective soul: The state of Orthodox Judaism is sick because it continues to betray its principles, selling out its beliefs for pecuniary gain and power.

There are no Gedolim like M. Feinstein, E. Dessler, Henken, ben Uziel, and S.Z. Aurbach, everyone does whatever they feel like, and then justify their corruption. While they preach and give a new psak on how women should dress, they fail to take into consideration the pritzut they commit--all while maintaining a veneer of civility and respectability.

This sort of reminds me of the pig--the fact it has an external sign (split hooves), because it only "appears" to be "kosher," but inwardly--where nobody can see--it is as unkosher as anyone can possibly imagine. Sound familiar??

As the philosopher and theologian Jonathan Edwards once said, "Even the Devil can cite Scripture," and I would also add, "along with Talmud, and especially Halacha..."

[Black Hatter]

Grand Rabbi Tropper is now past history. His EJF organization was condemmed from its get-go by many rabbis and rabbinical organizations such as the Badatz of Jerusalem. The EJF was a blatant outreach effort to non-Jews. Period. The claim of just reaching out to only non-Jews that were married to Jews carries no weight and the entire EJF mission was Halachicly defective. Without Tom Kaplan's big bucks, EJF would have died on day one. The RCA, too, most sadly, is non-factor. If Rabbi Shechter were to lead, then they might matter. But with non-entities leading, they are going nowhere, very very slowly. The time is ripe for new bold leaders.

[Mr. Apikorus]

Hey ZIY, what is your beef with Steinhardt? Didn't you know Steinhardt's the Moschiach?

[the Monsey Tzadik]

couple of months ago, R. David Eliezree of Lubavitch has the stones to say "Look how wonderful the Haredi world is..." give me a break.

David Eliezree is the father in law of rabbi Shlomo Zarchi of San Francisco who is one of Tropper minions and, rabbi Zarchi provides Tropper with unsuspecting intermarried couples.

The UOJ has a comment of how he, the younger cunin and other bay area rabbis run after the slicon valley millioner who are internarried.

[chatz]

I don't understand why the RCA feels the need to make statements regarding issues in the community that don't relate to them directly.

That being said, I have tremendous respect for the RCA for their handling of Mordecai Tender.

[yitz]

he is a dirt bag

[Paul]

On a couple of blogs, there is a guy who speaks of a "prominent" Toronto (Thornhill) Rabbi who was caught in some illicit relationship. In a drasha to his kehilla he said something about how he didn't cross the lines of halacha, but merely blurred them. Something to that affect. Anyhow, my googling has not produced who this Rabbi could be. Does anyone know? If so, could you divulge?

[Shaul in Monsey]

Does anyone know if Tropper was or is still a member in good standing with the RCA?

[ZIY]

there certainly is a rabbi leibel zaientz (also spelled: zajac) from sao paulo brazil. he is not a pseudonym for chaim shaoulson. the reason why he zaientz gets published in panim chadoshes is because he has money & pays shaoulson to print his views. leibel zaientz was known for different shlichus activities, e.g. printing tanyas alll over, promotng pro-settlement ideology & activities, circumcisions, and criticising lenient conversions. here are some links mentioning him, not the least from our farfrumt brethern at "Circus Tent":

http://theantitzemach.blogspot.com/2005/05/man-on-mission.html

& read the comments what they have to say about him.

see too: http://www.chabadworld.org/index.php?url=article_en&id=325

speaking of shaoulson: in his new reincarnation of a rag, "Be'olamam Shel Chareidim," shaoulson gives less than 1/2 a page to tropper, mainly reprinting the jerusalem pashkvil, while spending page after page on yoel kahn's visit to the litvishe. to be fair, the story may not have fully broken when he went to press. let's see how he depicts all this next issue.

BTW, our brethern at Circus Tent refuse to even mention Troppergate, claiming that it is "shmutz"...

but what i don't undestand about this is that day-in day-out Hirsh Tzig, the moderator, attacks misnagdim in all forms & colors. yet as we know, "ah misnaged iz gor a dovor mezuham" -- so how does he justify being misasek with this "shmutz" all year round?....

[Da Satmar Guy]

"David Eliezree is the father in law of rabbi Shlomo Zarchi of San Francisco who is one of Tropper minions"

Interesting, Rabbi Zarchi synagogue in San Francisco (Chavra Thilim) is promoted by our own Yisroel Pensack on Luke Ford (of all places)

http://lukeford.net/blog/?p=11209

The question is, does that synagogue get the funding for the renovation from Tropper / EJF / Kaplan ? many people connected to Tropper got money from him for their institutes, like Reuven Feinstein (MTJ of Staten Island), Shmuel Kamenetzky (Yeshiva of Shmuel Kamenetzky) among others.

[Clarence]

Toronto - Taub- BAYT.

Worked with Baruch Lanner for many years and was his enabler.

Also brought Amram Bendahan, the Miami pedophile to Toronto in the early 90s to be the youth director at BAYT after Bendahan fled GA to avoid standing trial for a felony child abuse.

Taub allegedly testified to the GA authorities that Bendahan was deceased which led them to close the case against him.

Bendahan molested two boys in Toronto and fled to South Florida in 2001 where he is now.

He was the youth director at Young Israel of Hollywood and then at Bnai Sephardim where detectives are currently investigating charges that he molested boys there.

Detective Roussell of Hollywood FL is investigating:

BROUSSELL@hollywoodfl.org

[Paul]

Clarence - Are you saying Rabbi Taub is the one who was caught in an unsavory relationship? What's the story? I have not heard anything about it, and have friends at the BAYT.

[Gerald]

"but what i don't undestand about this is that day-in day-out Hirsh Tzig, the moderator, attacks misnagdim in all forms & colors. yet as we know, "ah misnaged iz gor a dovor mezuham" -- so how does he justify being misasek with this "shmutz" all year round?...."

Zoro,
The Tzig is one of those horrible mixes of Hungarian conservatism and Lubavitch.What comes out of such a "marriage" is horrendous.With your Lubavitch backround you surely know that there is no greater poison for a thinking Lubavitcher than an idiotic,brainless Hungarian style robot.It's torture.Way worse than a Misnaged.
Interesting point about the Goat:He can dish out but can't take.Every so often he has a public breakdown on the blog because of nasty posters.If there is anything I really don't like about Lubavitch it's their sticking us with and being "mekarev" idiots.Why did the genius who mekareved this Boro Park yukel not leave this empty robot in a warm Hungarian atmosphere in Boro Park, which would be better for him and us?

[Clarence]

Taub- w//Married woman, warned by Beis Din twice.

Taub was also enabler for Lanner.

Victims of Bendahan are speaking up.

Taub and Max/Mordechai Smolarcik covered for Bendahan in Toronto after two teenaged boys he molested tried to come forward.

In Miami Rabbis Neal Turk and Eli Schmeltzer (the Rosh Kollel of North Miami who is on Tropper's payroll and who has a convicted sex offender among his talmidim)
are Bendahan's enablers, harassing and threatening witnesses.

http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/flyer.do?personId=5114

Also NCSY fired Bendahan in Sept.

Rabbi Motty Breier of NCSY at FIU has also been helping Bendahan to harass any potential victims who have tried to speak to the Police.

[Not Impressed]

Why hasn't the RCA spoken out against the fraudulent conversion of Ivanka Trump by Rabbi Lookstein. Until they do that I don't care what they have to say.

[Shmarya]

I heard Rabbi Barry Freundel say Saturday night on Zev Brenner that he had met Ivanka and was very impressed with her as a person, and, I think, with her commitment to Judaism.

[Paul]

That probably would not have been such a good forum for Rabbi Freundel to hammer Ivanka, which would necessarily make Rabbi Lookstein look bad. In other words, that statement isn't as powerful as it may appear on its surface. Moreover, you did qualify the commitment to Judaism part by admitting that you think he said it.
By the way, I have heard on the street, that perhaps her commitment to (halachic) Judaism isn't so hot. Anyhow, I find neither the Trump nor the Kushner family to be particularly praiseworthy.

[JR]

Paul,
In light of the discussion here I have to take exception to the following statement:
"a good forum for Rabbi Freundel to hammer Ivanka".
I believe it is Tropper who "hammers" prospective converts.

[Mendel Zuckermann]

Why are the papers full of Jewish criminals?

Did every court convict the wrong man?

Were Yidden always such ganeffs and sex offenders?

Is this some of the tricks and lessons they learned from laynin' the Shulhan Aruh, Talmud Bavlee and Tanya?

If yes, I now understand why so many hate us and they are 100% correct.

The jails are full of with our Yidden leaders and Rabbis.

[Yehoshua]

You obviously are unfamiliar with the Gemara in perek Helek in Sanhedrin which states: "The Beit HaVaad (courts) will become houses of prostitution (znus)...". And we have no one to rely upon except upon our Father in Heaven.
look it up as the signs mentioned there are to be found on the front pages of our daily newspapers!

[Truth and Justice]

None of the above about Amram Bendahan is true. He is an honest, good person. These are lies that were spread by an angry person to slander his name.

[Emess Yid]

I'm suspect about the person posting about Bendahan - the link to the state site and offender is to someone completely different - IRA Siegal a well known offender. And why is the person posting this here - whats it got to do with Lanner and the topic at hand - Shmaya - check out this case before you allow these comments. This may be another of the 3% cases of a personal smear campaign