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Every survivor must be free to decide for themselves how best to respond to the physical, emotional, and spiritual harm resulting from abuse. Sacred Spaces respects Judy’s decision to seek a judicial remedy. We hold Judy and the other survivors in our hearts and pray that their courage will contribute to genuine reform in all Jewish communities. See the full response from Sacred Spaces: https://jewishsacredspaces.org/supporting-our-founding-board-chair

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This is an incredibly weak statement by Sacred Spaces. We should unequivocally SUPPORT Judy and every other survivor seeking judicial remedies - because it’s the only way organizations change, and because it’s the right thing to do. Words matter. Statements of “respect” - especially from Sacred Spaces - fall short of what we owe survivors. Please do better.

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Thank you, Gary, for keeping up with this story. I understand very well the sentiment of wanting to observe basic Jewish customs but not trusting Jewish institutions or Rabbis.

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There is a connection between OU Kashrus and the Lanner story which renders Klitsner’s juxtaposition of the Kashrus division and NCSY unintentionally ironic. It is at the heart of the Beis Din in 1989, and has to do with the financial interests of the organization and specific rabbis who would not otherwise have been connected to the Lanner case.

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:... the hope is that in the wake of their lawsuit and settlement, the current leaders of the OU will, at long last, hear them, too. "

And now, at this time of the year, would be an appropriate time to start that process. Given the response so far, I have my doubts.

So why this (non) response -- from OU, the Catholic Church, & the Boy Scouts (as opposed to the other organizations who acted differently)? I've long thought that the denial (& inaction) of these entities was just that -- psychological denial. "We're good, we're moral, we're religious, we follow God's laws (which prohibit this behavior), so this *can't possibly be happening in our ranks*.

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