A Jewish Week investigative report six years ago on a rabbi accused of sexually abusing young boys led to a verdict last week in Baltimore. But the silence has been deafening.
Sadly there is no article in the Baltimore Jewish Times because it is no longer an investigative, news-oriented, journalistic enterprise. It is now 32 unbound pages -- on a good week 20% e-- as opposed to the more than 100+ and 50-50 ad/copy ratio that it proudly had for decades. Most of its articles are of press release quality. Sadly, continual, quality local Jewish journalism has gone the way of the DVD. Such important reports as this one will only continue to come to light through columnists such as yourself and pass-along readership. The community sounding board is dead.
Thankyou for shedding light on this terrible crime. So many of these cases finally getting to court- Malka Leifer for one in Australia- punishment yet to be announced. Do we Jews get so sucked into this vision of us as "chosen" that we can't see that we are exactly the same as everyone else? Same criminality, same psychological disorders- do we think that putting on a kippah or a shtramel makes us.more God Fearing. Did this Rabbi remove his Kippah while assaulting these poor boys who will suffer the rest of their lives with difficulty in relationships and years of therapy? We are.no better- and.no worse- than all those in the world. And as soon as we understand that- the netter we will be for it.
Good Reporting and good action on your part. It is really shameful that the ball was dropped and those youngsters have been permanently scarred.
Kol HaKavod, Gary. I am si glad you wrote this piece. Beautifully crafted. Great last paragraph.חזק ואמץ ושבת שלום!
Margot Mann
Sadly there is no article in the Baltimore Jewish Times because it is no longer an investigative, news-oriented, journalistic enterprise. It is now 32 unbound pages -- on a good week 20% e-- as opposed to the more than 100+ and 50-50 ad/copy ratio that it proudly had for decades. Most of its articles are of press release quality. Sadly, continual, quality local Jewish journalism has gone the way of the DVD. Such important reports as this one will only continue to come to light through columnists such as yourself and pass-along readership. The community sounding board is dead.
Kol hacavod
Thankyou for shedding light on this terrible crime. So many of these cases finally getting to court- Malka Leifer for one in Australia- punishment yet to be announced. Do we Jews get so sucked into this vision of us as "chosen" that we can't see that we are exactly the same as everyone else? Same criminality, same psychological disorders- do we think that putting on a kippah or a shtramel makes us.more God Fearing. Did this Rabbi remove his Kippah while assaulting these poor boys who will suffer the rest of their lives with difficulty in relationships and years of therapy? We are.no better- and.no worse- than all those in the world. And as soon as we understand that- the netter we will be for it.
It's a shanda and a busha that Orthodox communities sweep these things under the proverbial rug.