UNITED STATES
The Jewish Week
Tue, 10/28/2014
Stephanie Doucette
Special To The Jewish Week
Many in the Jewish community seem to be transfixed at the moment with the ongoing voyeurism scandal concerning Rabbi Barry Freundel. A flood of articles has been published throughout the United States and Israel focusing on the details of the police investigation or debating mikveh politics and Orthodox Judaism. These are important issues, but they’re a bit abstract. They can’t answer the question of what it feels like to be a potential victim of Rabbi Freundel. What was it like to go through a conversion with him?
I can answer that question. My name is Stephanie. I am a 22-year-old graduate student in the Washington, D.C., area and I began converting with Rabbi Freundel over a year and a half ago. I was one of the conversion students who did ‘practice dunks.’ Now I’m waiting to find out if he videotaped me in the mikveh.
I grew up celebrating my maternal Jewish heritage; then, as an undergraduate, when I found myself becoming more traditional in my observances, I decided to do an Orthodox conversion. I thought I was fortunate to be living in the same city as Rabbi Freundel, who was well known for his conversions.
At first my experiences with him were positive, and I was delighted with my decision. However, as time progressed I began having more difficulties. I started to see him as being very judgmental. He wouldl disaparage surrounding communities as not being truly Orthodox or comment on an individual congregation member’s observance level. I chose to keep my personal life to myself for fear of what he may say about me to others.
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