NEW YORK
Spiritual Politics
Mark Silk
Dec 14, 2012
On Monday, the Rabbinical Council of America applauded the conviction of a leader of the Satmar Hasidic sect for sexually molesting an adolescent girl. In doing so, the umbrella organization of mainline “Modern Orthodox” rabbis called attention to the practice of hushing up such acts.
For many years the RCA has condemned the efforts of many parts of the Jewish community to cover up or ignore allegations of abuse, viewing these efforts as against Jewish law, illegal, and irresponsible to the welfare of victims and the greater community.
Yesterday, the RCA had the tougher task of addressing a coverup of sexual abuse at its flagship institution, Yeshiva University. An investigation by the Jewish Forward revealed that students at Yeshiva’s high school for boys were abused by two senior staff members in the late 1970s and early 1980s. When allegations were brought to the attention of Yeshiva’s leaders–including, most notably, current chancellor Norman Lamm–the men were not reported to the authorities but simply permitted to resign and find jobs elsewhere.
“If it was an open-and-shut case, I just let [the staff member] go quietly,” Lamm told the Forward. “It was not our intention or position to destroy a person without further inquiry.”
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