Two major Orthodox blogs have come out against Agudath Israel of America's spokesman, Rabbi Avi Shafran's handling of rabbi-on-child sex abuse allegations:
Rabbi Gil Student writes:
…While the many accusations about abusers may or may not imply something about the general Orthodox community, the cover-ups, the diminishing of the seriousness of these accusations, and the belittling of the victims and the immense courage that many of them have shown by coming forward, is in my mind a greater indictment of our community than any Brooklyn courtroom can issue.…
Orthomom adds:
…It's almost as if Rabbi Shafran would have us believe that the fear of the community losing face over these allegations are somehow anywhere near as disturbing as the allegations themselves. The allegations, some quite credible, of children being abused in the most heinous manner by those who we entrust to care for them, to educate them. If Rabbi Shafran were to put out just one statement that would lead me to to believe that he is chagrined, devastated, completely emotionally wrought by the allegations of abuse and cover-up that have rocked the Orthodox world, then maybe I would feel more comfortable with the apologetics and attempts to paint the community at large as the actual victims of unfair media attention here. But the bottom line is that the victimhood is getting old. The victim here is not the Orthodox community, at the hands of a sensationalist press - or at least they are not the most pitiable victims. The victims, that just once, Rabbi Shafran might consider showing at least as much compassion for as he does for the reputation of our entire community, are...well, the actual victims of these heinous crimes.…
Any other Jblogs weigh in on this? If so, either leave that info in the comments to this post or email me and I'll post links. Thanks.
[Hat Tip:You know who you are.]