Top American haredi rabbis and rosh yeshivas Avrohom Chaim Levin (Telz, Chicago), Aharon Feldman (Ner Israel), Aharon Schechter (Chaim Berlin), Malkiel Kotler (Beth Medrash Govoha, Lakewood), and Yaakov Perlow (the Novominsker Rebbe) – in other words, most of the top leadership of Agudath Israel of America's Council of Torah Sages, including the council's president, the Novominsker Rebbe – say that all the seminaries previously owned and run by alleged sex abuser Rabbi Elimelech Meisels are now safe and should be patronized by haredi girls. But should they?
Above: Rabbi Elimelech Meisels
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Top American haredi rabbis and rosh yeshivas Avrohom Chaim Levin (Telz, Chicago), Aharon Feldman (Ner Israel), Aharon Schechter (Chaim Berlin), Malkiel Kotler (Beth Medrash Govoha, Lakewood), and Yaakov Perlow (the Novominsker Rebbe) – in other words, most of the top leadership of Agudath Israel of America's Council of Torah Sages, including the council's president, the Novominsker Rebbe – say that all the Israeli seminaries previously owned and run by alleged sex abuser Rabbi Elimelech Meisels are now safe and should be patronized by haredi girls.
The rabbis write that because the seminaries – Pninim, Binas Bais Yaakov, Chedvas Bais Yaakov, and Keser Chaya – are now "under the supervision of rabbis of the Council of Torah sages, the geniuses Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rabbi Yehoshua Eichenstein, and Rabbi Asher Weiss, who will be vigilant and who will take care of proper regulations, if necessary…we are confident that with God's help the above seminaries and educational staff will continue to educate and prepare girls for [proper lives in} Torah and Israel…And We send them greetings and [blessings for] mutual success and a happy new year."
However, some observers note that staff members who allegedly knew about Meisels alleged abuse but failed to report it are still working for the seminaries and others are concerned that people close to Meisels' and his family are still playing active roles in them. And still others note that all of these rabbis have a long history of covering up haredi child sex abuse.
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