Brooklyn, NY – Igud Horabbonim: Dov Hikind A True Jewish Hero

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    Assemblyman Dov Hikind speaking [Photos by Isaac Hager]Brooklyn, NY – The Rabbinical Alliance of America, Igud Horabbonim, established in 1942, has a current membership of almost 850 Rabbis across the Western Hemisphere, serving as leaders of congregations, religious, educational, and charitable organizations. The greatest concentration of rabbis in the United States is in the Greater New York City Metropolitan Area, directly reflecting Jewish population demographics. Brooklyn in particular has the largest Jewish population in New York City. Consequently a large number of rabbis reside there, serving its Jewish population.

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    The ongoing Torah conferences, conducted by the Igud, celebrate Rosh Chodesh with a formal seudah (banquet) as formulated in the Shulchan Aruch. These monthly gatherings represent a continuing source of Da’as Torah, where prominent member rabbis deliver erudite lectures to assembled scholars and convene to discuss and resolve issues that confront and challenge Torah observance.

    Every Rosh Chodesh, a different member rabbi hosts a conference at his synagogue or institution. The success of the Rosh Chodesh Conferences is discernable in the celebrations of Torah learning and immediate attention focused on any breach of or innovation in our holy tradition.

    The Igud Rosh Chodesh Teves/Chanukah Conference was held on Sunday morning, the 7th day of Chanukah, December 28, 2008, at Khal Mevakshei Hashem, 3011 Avenue K, Brooklyn. Rabbi Yehuda Levin serves as its Rav. Rabbi Levin is renowned for his Herculean efforts in battling to uphold morality here in the United States, as well as in Israel. His efforts have brought him to the forefront of efforts to preserve family values, earning respect from all segments of society and religious clergy.

    Rabbi Levin, as host Rav, provided an enjoyable dinner, complete with cheese blintzes, jelly doughnuts and potato latkes. Rabbi Yoshua Y. Lustig, Igud Dayan and author of Li Yehoshia formally opened the conference with the recital of Tehillim 130. Torah luminaries, Igud President, Rabbi Abraham B. Hecht and Igud Rosh Beth Din, Rabbi Herschel Kurzrock, graced the session with their presence.

    Dov Hikind – Jewish Hero

    In his introduction Igud Director, Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum described the Honorable Dov Hikind, New York State Assemblyman, representing the predominantly observant communities of Boro Park and Flatbush, as a contemporary Jewish hero. Documents seized after the first World Trade Center attack reveal that Assemblyman Hikind’s name was on the terrorists’ assassination list. The New York City Police Department provided Hikind with 24 /7 police protection until the terrorist cell was apprehended, tried, and incarcerated.

    Hikind also faced down threats from the Israeli Government on Israeli soil during the Gush Katif expulsion. In Gush Katif he came under Katyusha rocket fire and had to run for shelter. During the recent Second Lebanon War in July of 2006, Hikind led a support group to Northern Israel while most of the population there had been evacuated. During these and other trips to Israel, Hikind never hesitated in going straight to the front, regardless of threats.

    Serious Problem, Serious Consideration

    Hikind’s efforts in combating child sex-abuse within the observant community have received much media attention. The response to his campaign has been an outpouring of support from all segments of the frum community.

    Surprisingly, some voices of criticism have been heard. However, the self-anointed critics have not presented any solutions and the problem persists. Assemblyman Hikind, as part of including all community leaders in his enormous undertaking, attended an Igud Horabbonim Rosh Chodesh meeting.

    Dov Hikind Fighting Abuse

    Assemblyman Hikind reported to the assembled rabbis on his current campaign to battle child sex abuse within the observant community. The reluctance to report molestation cases to authorities results in compounding the problems, sometimes with devastating results. Overcoming that reluctance could possibly be achieved by the creation of an intermediary entity that would ensure that offenders are either put on the road to proper behavior or punished accordingly.

    Hikind, who has undertaken the effort and is boldly confronting the horrors, literally is not sleeping at night. Rabbi Benzion Twerski, a noted observant psychologist, was to lead Hikind’s original task force panel.
    Rabbi Abraham B. Hecht speaking
    However, Dr. Twerski, one of the leading professionals working with addictions and youth-at-risk in the observant community, resigned in face of unspecified threats. Assemblyman Hikind is continuing his efforts in fighting sex abuse within the observant community and is working on developing a campaign that would achieve very specific goals.

    Rabbi Joseph Rosenbaum, DDS, Rav of the Yong Israel of Vandeveer Park, shared the accepted medical opinion that molesters are diseased and must undergo therapy. Failing that, molesters must be reported to the proper authorities and should be imprisoned.

    Igud President Speaks

    Rabbi Abraham B. Hecht, Igud President, who spoke immediately after Assemblyman Hikind, conceded that the problem is greater than he imagined and that, generally, congregational rabbis are not trained to deal with such problems.

    At the last Igud Rosh Chodesh meeting, President of the Board of Rabbi of Flatbush, Rabbi Herbert W. Bomzer, noted that he has served as a congregational rabbi for decades, as well as a long-serving rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva University, and during all that time, never has such a problem been brought to him.

    Rabbi Harry Rabinowitz, a highly respected Torah educator, indicated that he had heard rumors of problems at other institutions, but that he had never had to confront such a problem. Rabbi Hecht continued to say that the Igud Horabbonim thanks and applauds Assemblyman Hikind for his ambitious efforts and encourages him to continue his important work until a satisfactory plan is in place that would enable such problems to be properly and effectively dealt with within the community framework.


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    38 Comments
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    Barry
    Barry
    15 years ago

    Dov Hikind deserves our praise and respect. He’ll take difficult and controversial stands irrespective of politics, which is very atypical of politicians. He aalways looks to do what’s best for Klal Yisroel. We need more people in politics like him!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    When you start something new everybody says you’re crazy. When you’re halfway successful they say, ‘I knew it all along.’ You know when you’re really successful? When they say , ‘I can do it better than you’ “

    Dov Hikind is a real leader and judos to him and his family and may he continue to do great work for the klal.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Keep it up Dov….u r a true klal yisroel hero…..

    theFixer
    theFixer
    15 years ago

    I applaud Dov Hikind for publicizing the fact that sexual abuse is indeed a problem in our community . He has also clearly articulated that the resolution to this problem is fraught with many obstacles . That is to say , that the cultural and religious issues of the frum community unfortunately foster an environment in which it is diffucult to help the victim, as well as bring the perpertrator to justice. Furthermore , he has given his heart and lent his ear to those victims of silence whose lives were shattered by monsters.
    OK. Now what?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Go Dov! You have gone where no one has and hashem will reward you for this with eventual succes beyond your wildest dream. In your zechus may Israel hear only good news.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Dov, you are accomplishing things that no one was able to do till now, i wish you luck. and good job!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Rabbi Yehuda Levin’s name says it all. Kosher dirty language. When a sense of proportion of the problem is lost the solution becomes the problem. Let us keep this issue out of the hands of Mizrochnik rabble rousers and place it in the hands of those who can investigate and handle issues discreetly and proportionally without prematurley judging guilt or innoccence.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Has anyone heard of any of these “Rabbi’s”?

    “850 Rabbis across the Western Hemisphere”..Hmm..

    M Richter
    M Richter
    15 years ago

    In these dark days finnaly some light.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    WOW!

    I think he should become a member of the Igud Hurabunim & move to sedoret, isreal…. Its about time we BP people should hava american assemblyman that should help us with our american bread & butter issues, and not be busy with israel day & night.

    UBET
    UBET
    15 years ago

    R’Dov, You are a pillar to our community. You opened doors where nobody thought to enter. Your willpower to complete a job is something to be praised about. May Hashem give you strenght for all your endeavors. We need more like you!!!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    How sad. Dov, what are you doing with this pack of scoundrals???

    Why did you agree to be seen with them in public???

    Dov, are you looking to undo all the progress you’ve made in the last few months by associating yourself with these guys? Are you looking to give the mamzairim who are against your agenda of cleaning out the pedophiles live ammunition???

    Please tell me you they threatened the lives of your family if you refused to accept their ‘kibud’.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    #10
    Selfish people like you just sit down around BP eating Chulent all day while your brothers in Israel are suffering from hundreds of rockets that are landing on them every week. You are just like some Jews in America who did nothing for their own people in Europe during WW2. I suggest you to continue eating Chulent and then join Neturei Karta with Palestinian girls.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Can anybody enlighten us as to the Igud HaRabonim? I know of Levin, I think his previous words and actions speak for themselves, but I have my suspicions about this Igud

    the scoop
    the scoop
    15 years ago

    “Can anybody enlighten us as to the Igud HaRabonim?”

    The Igud used to be a bigger and more important organization years ago, but it has declined greatly (as have other organizations, Rabbinic and otherwise). The 850 member Rabbis figure is misleading. Perhaps they exist on paper, but if there are an average of twenty five or so at their meetings (and a significant part of them are retired, or not working as Rabbis), one wonders where the other 825 are.

    The Jewish Press gives them free space for publicity and R Tannenbaum (who himself has an interesting background, if you look into it) tries to do his PR to make them look important, but in reality they are a shadow of their former self nowadays.

    Rabbi Levin is a follower of Rav AVigdor Miller zt”l. Those who have taynes on him should take them up with R. Miller.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Do all these 850 rabbis agree with every statement of Rabbi Levin?

    the scoop
    the scoop
    15 years ago

    “850 rabbis”
    Is he including Rabbis who were niftar in that figure? Does R. Tannenbaum include every Rabbi he met in his life just to pad the numbers? Are there any dues paying members or is the ‘membership’ a joke? Or maybe he is paying them?

    Let us know about membership in the organization – what does it cost, what does it entail, and who is part of it.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    how come non of these so called rabbonim havr had the guys to defend hikind or speak up themselves when it came to all the abuse and protection of abusers they would rather pretend does exist???
    please. levin is a psycho.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    We don’t need a proposal. We need to follow the psak halachah. Molestor = Rodaif. Call the police.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Please, Please Mr Hikind, for the sake of my four year old in a Brooklyn Yeshiva, continue with your quest.