NEW YORK
The New York Times
By ANDY NEWMAN
AUG. 18, 2015
A prominent Orthodox rabbi in the Bronx who was the focus of scrutiny for having taken young boys naked to a sauna will keep his job, after his synagogue’s board changed course and decided not to seek his removal.
The rabbi, Jonathan Rosenblatt of the Riverdale Jewish Center, had fought efforts to remove him and apologized for lapses in judgment, and seemed to have the support of most of the 700-member congregation.
“After carefully considering various scenarios over the last several weeks, we firmly believe that the approach laid out by Rabbi Rosenblatt is an effective and appropriate way forward,” the board’s president and chairman wrote in an email to members last Thursday. The rabbi, the board said, had “shared his vision” about strengthening bonds among members and maintaining the synagogue’s financial stability.
The email was reported on Monday by The Times of Israel.
At least two board trustees resigned over the decision to keep Rabbi Rosenblatt, and dozens of congregation members unhappy with the process have begun holding services at each other’s homes instead of at the synagogue.
In May, an article in The New York Times described how shortly after taking the helm of the synagogue in 1985, Rabbi Rosenblatt began taking boys from his congregation, as young as 12, to a gym to play squash or racquetball, then to the sauna, where he would talk with them about their faith. The rabbi and the boys were often naked during the chats.
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