Chabad Rabbi Who Allegedly Threatens And Harasses Members He Dislikes Receives Warning Letter From Synagogue

"We [are] writing to you in relation to two specific serious issues that the Yeshivah Shule Committee believes need to be addressed immediately. 1. Your abuse and threatening behaviour towards Mr N Werdiger in the foyer of the Shule on Shabbos Chanukah 5771 2. The unauthorised removal of signs and damage to the noticeboard. The Committee has made several attempts to resolve these matters, and have also asked that you attend a meeting with Rabbi Telsner Shlita.…"

The following letter was, apparently, sent to Rabbi Chaim Herzog by Chabad's Melbourne Yeshivah Shul Committee.

It specifically does not address Herzog as "Rabbi," even though he has smicha, ordination, and even though he founded and heads the Melbourne Central Business District Chabad House.

Herzog is allegedly behind much of the online harassment of victims of alleged child sex abuse, their families, their advocates and Chabad dissidents, along with some good old fashioned in person threats, as well.

Mr Chaim Herzog
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Dear Chaim Herzog
We [are] writing to you in relation to two specific serious issues that the Yeshivah Shule Committee believes need to be addressed immediately.
1. Your abuse and threatening behaviour towards Mr N Werdiger in the foyer of the Shule on Shabbos Chanukah 5771
2. The unauthorised removal of signs and damage to the noticeboard
The Committee has made several attempts to resolve these matters, and have also asked that you attend a meeting with Rabbi Telsner Shlita.
Initially Yossi Klein made contact and asked that you attend a meeting with Rabbi Telsner.
Subsequently, Hershel Herbst explained to you that your behaviour will have consequences if not stopped, including being asked not to come into the Shule and its environs.
Finally, Shimon Cowen, on numerous occasions, made attempts to bring your issues to mediation, to give you the opportunity to air your grievances.
Unfortunately our efforts to resolve these matters have not achieved any resolution in relation to the 2 areas of unacceptable behaviour.
Firstly the Shule Committee firmly believes that all mispallelim are entitled to feel safe and secure, and not be subjected to threatening behaviour while at Shule. The Shule Committee makes every effort to provide a safe, secure and pleasant environment for everyone that wishes to daven in Shule and the other minyonim.
The Shule maintains two noticeboards, one which is freely available to all to advertise events and services. These noticeboards are monitored regularly for anything that may contravene halocho, be offensive or not be suitable for our community. Such signs are removed only at the discretion of the Rov or the committee. It is unacceptable for anyone else to determine which signs are to remain and which need to be removed, let alone cause damage to Shule property.
The Shule Committee respectfully requests from you;
1. That you apologise to Mr N Werdiger, before Yom Kippur, for your unwarranted and aggressive
behaviour towards Mr Werdiger, which occurred on the Shule premises. This apology needs to be
acceptable to Mr Werdiger and not a nominal apology.
2. The Yeshivah Shule requires an immediate commitment that you will desist from removing signs and causing damage to the noticeboard.
If you are unable to accept and fulfil our requests, we reserve the right to ask you not to attend the Yeshivah Shule and its environs.
B’Birchas Kesiva V’Chasima Tova
Yeshivah Shule Committee
P.S. The Shule confirms that you have not been precluded from advertising on this noticeboard

An attorney, Peter Schwarcz, sent a letter to the shule committee requesting that it issue a "full retraction of the 'draft' letter." But I've seen documentation, which I can't post, that seems to clearly show that the shule committee's letter was, in fact, sent to Herzog and is not a draft.

In his letter to the committee, Schwarcz refers to the people who leaked the letter as "bugs and cockroaches that lurk in the shadows."

Schwarcz's firm, Spigler & Schwarcz advertise on Herzog's Chabad House website.

Comments

[OnionHead]

Still more evidence of the dangers of living life upside down.

[Rebitzman]

Reads like a form letter........

[Rebitzman]

But seriously.....

The shul ultimately is doing the right thing. If I read this correctly attempts were made to discuss t directly with him first. It lays out the issues - specifically. It lays out what steps have been ace to date - specifically. And t lays out expected steps and consequences - with equal specificity. It is in no way threatening.

The should have used his title.

[lionroars]

i would trust the werdiger family over the herzog family anyday

N werdger is a very special man and a classy an

herzog his family has this history of behavior issues

[Eli, what me messiah?]

to defend his client accused of being a thug, the lawyer calls his client's opponents "bugs and cockroaches that lurk in the shadows".

just so we know that the thug hired a thug for a lawyer.

they're both morons. you can't make this stuff up.

[A. Nuran]

They are doing the right thing. Good for them

[Mispalel]

Well here we go again the Billion dollar Werdiger family ( not that you would know it from the Tzdoko they don't give) protecting one of their own looser of a son David,
Not in the family business because everybody knows David and his children are sick wackos.

So they have a go to attack Rabbi Chiam Herzog for telling the Old man Werdiger in Public almost 3 years ago to stop David from harassing Rabbi Herzog.

Well done once again to the Shule Committee for capitulating to the Werdiger family fortune .

[Emanuel Newgant]

Hypocritical, selective outrage.

1. Werdiger has money and must be obeyed. In other cases, the Committee themselves abuse congregants without fear when they feel like it, as documented on this site. 2. “Rabbi Telsner Shlita”. What a joke. People in shul have been talking about the new nametags on seats, just affixed a couple of days ago. They are very nicely done. Telsner’s is blank. No name. What a relief, he’s not really the Rabbi of the Shul. 3. “Spigler & Schwarcz”. Another travesty. Over the years, this highly ethical law firm has been used by another serial sexual predator in the Yeshiva Shul to send warning letters whenever things get a bit close to home. Said predator now in Beis Din trying to shut up the latest allegations against him. Telsner knows and still lets him daven at the omud on Shabbat.

They all deserve each other.

[Emanuel Newgant]

lionroars: "N werdger is a very special man and a classy an". That should be anus.

I forgot to mention that the other part of the class act of Spigler & Schwarcz, Mr Spigler, supervised the honesty (seriously) of the election of same Shul Committee. And these guys aren't even ashamed.

You can't make this stuff up, no one would believe you.

[Steven]

"Said predator now in Beis Din trying to shut up the latest allegations against him. Telsner knows and still lets him daven at the omud on Shabbat."

What has Beis Din got to do with molesters? Call the police and let them work it out.

[Emanuel Newgant]

We were discussing the ethical law firm of Spigler & Schwarcz and their clients. Beis Din, molesters, police and Telsner is a whole different parsha.

[Steven]

You brought it up.

[CM Brexxer]

about time yeshivah did something about herzog
he's a meshuganeh just like his father

[Melbourne mispalel]

Herzog and his father Henry are wackos that have been switching sides between gutnick and groner for years. Chaim herzog is a sad case and very not well with a lot of mental disorders that must be treated, i hope he is being seen by someone special. But as they say we wish both sides a lot of success.

[Lo K'darkah]

I don't understand. How do so many people who can't stand each other's guts pray together in the same shul? Chassidic thought emphasizes that Jews are required to accept upon themselves the mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael before tephillah; and every informed person knows that unless your relationships with other human beings are sorted out, then Yom Kipur is not going to mean diddly squat.
But of course, once you peel away the thin veneer, the Jewish community of Melbourne - the jewel and pride of Australian Jewry - is a basket case of issues, particularly the frum spectrum (not just Yeshivah).

[CM Brexxer]

yossel gutnick had a fight at yeshivah and started his own shul
mottel feiglin had a fight at yeshivah and started his own shul
herzog just goes from one shul to another and wherever he goes there are fights

[Steven]

BH In Melbourne you have a large selection of Shule's you don't go to.

[Yossi]

Breaking News! Chaim Herzog has been forced to give up the Chabad name!

[Emanuel Newgant]

Lo K'darkah “once you peel away the thin veneer, the Jewish community of Melbourne ... is a basket case of issues”.

Do you really think Melbourne is so different from other places? Maybe you just know it better.

[Steven]

I would be very surprised if Melbourne IS like other places and if it is, Gd help us. (Probably as bad as Sydney though.)

[Emanuel Newgant]

Steven, I have unfortunately come to the conclusion that it is “Gd help us” (no apikorsis intended) in this matter.

[David]

Chassidic thought emphasizes that Jews are required to accept upon themselves the mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael before tephillah; and every informed person knows that unless your relationships with other human beings are sorted out, then Yom Kipur is not going to mean diddly squat.

Posted by: Lo K'darkah | September 22, 2012 at 09:02 PM

Correct. Apparently this point has been missed by some people.

[Goob]

I respect everyone's right to an opinion, and I understand that not everybody is going to be of the same opinion as myself. However, I find all these hateful and nasty comments about Rabbi Herzog to be totally out of line. I know Rabbi Herzog, and I consider him to be a friend. He is one of the few religious members of the community who supported me through a very difficult time when very few others were willing to stand up for me. It is also not surprising that he allegedly lashed out against certain people as most people would be aware of the unwarranted slander that has been written about Rabbi Herzog by them, online and elsewhere. Ultimately what this all boils down to is that Rabbi H, whilst being Orthodox is not narrow minded or discriminating against people from different backgrounds/levels or religious observance. His understanding and acceptance of everyone is obviously the reason why some people find him to be too "radical" or "progressive" and therefore create ridiculous allegations and abusive taunts to throw at him. He should be granted the respect he deserves and be left alone to be the religious leader and guide that he wants to be. In summary, if Rabbi H had a full time shul i'd pay the membership fee because I think hes brilliant. Instead of being hated and shunned he should be recognised for his great work, especially in the CBD and for his drive and motivation in regards to getting his shul and other activities around the place up and running.

[Steven]

I don't know why you have to stand up for Rabbi Herzog against a bunch of anonymous stirrers who are happy to criticise everyone.

[Lo K'darkah]

"...if Rabbi H had a full time shul i'd pay the membership fee because I think hes brilliant."
Posted by Goob

classic.

[dh]

Goob, maybe he is being granted the respect that he deserves.

I am glad he was there for you during your difficult time. Isn't that his job?

[Yossi]

Interesting that Shmarya, who has become a vocal advocate regarding abuse at Yeshivah, is here pushing a story that makes Werdiger look like the Saint. These are the same Werdigers who are board members and run the Yeshivah. Go figure.

[CM Brexxer]

they really should give credit to susan herzog - chaim's mother
she is the one who does all the work to make his chabad house run

[lionroars]

the werdigers are a family that does baalie chesed

just wondering how chabad allows aa unmarried shliach i was told it is because they need his money

[Yossi J]

It was because Henry Herzog bullied Rabbi Groner into appointing him. Moshe Kotlarsky has said many times that he doesn't recognize him as a shliach.

[Steven]

Exactly what is the difference if someone is married or not, and if someone recognizes him as a shliach or not? Is the end result identical?

[Emanuel Newgant]

That’s the way it worked: people who could (with money or blackmail) bullied Groner, Groner then bullied others to fall into line, apart from the bullying he did on his own. Unfortunately, this culture of bullying is alive and well in YC today, starting from the very top, continuing right down to those who think they should be at the top.

[lionroars]

the is a rule no unmarried shliach since herzog is unmarried he is not supposed to be a shliach and there are a lot of questions regarding ethics and the herzog families biz practices

[truth]

Interesting that Shmarya, who has become a vocal advocate regarding abuse at Yeshivah, is here pushing a story that makes Werdiger look like the Saint. These are the same Werdigers who are board members and run the Yeshivah. Go figure.

Posted by: Yossi | September 23, 2012 at 12:51 PM

It's called "my enemies enemy is my friend"

All "hareidi"'s are shmarya's enemies. V'dal

[truth]

So now D Werdiger got HH to do his dirty work. How typical.

For those who go to Yeshivah will notice that for the past several months there hasn't been any lock on the bulletin board at all. How does one then do damage???

Does D werdiger need to apologize to Herzog for the slander against him.

Is it a one way street.

I am not saying that Herzog is right. In fact he is 100% wrong. But he is not the only one who is wrong in this case. But measures seem to be only against him.

[CM Brexxer]

herbst doesnt do dirty work for anyone
herzog business has been going on for years while chaim tzvi sat back and did nothing
all the slander about him is true!

[Unfathomable.]

Wow! Chaim Herzog has hit the big time... A whole article about him on a blog that posts disgusting comments about his Rebbe and Chabad.
He and ZW should have an hakofoh together.

[Dovber]

ANYBODY WHO USES SCHWARTZ IS A CROOK. Crooks go to crooks!!

[Steven]

May the schwartz be with you.

[the lion]

herzog should be removed immedietly if kotlarsky says he doesnt recognize him let him immedietly not use the name chabad

[the yeshivah shul]

http://www.crownheights.info/index.php?itemid=25785

[Steven]

Two and half years old. Nothing new. The sign is still there, the Rebbe is Moshiach and alive and we are in golus. Strange.

[Yossi J]

check out the letter peter shwarcz wrote to yeshiva http://chaimherzog.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/more-on-yeshivah-letter.html