New York – Op-Ed: Lessons From Penn State

    24

    New York – Ain apotropus l’arayos is a Talmudic maxim (Ketuvoth 13b) which warns us of the great enticement of immorality.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    And so, the Torah commands us, “…do not explore (lo sosuru) after your heart and after your eyes after which you may stray” (Numbers 15: 37-41).

    The latest child sex abuse scandal unfolding at Penn State University should remind us that the problem may seem to hibernate from the headlines for a few weeks, but sure enough, will re-emerge some place, in some fashion, in ways that we never could imagine.

    The allegations are, even for seasoned abuse-watchers, shocking. An assistant football coach at a major university is accused of molesting at least eight young boys, as young as ten. This deviant man, Jerry Sandusky, was also involved in nonprofit youth work.

    Senior university officials were told about the abuse, never called the police, and now are accused of perjured grand jury testimony, and violation of child protection laws.

    As we, the public, react with unmitigated disgust, we also observe that the police, the judicial system, and the university board of trustees have firmly confronted the scandal.

    Not only were the arrested college vice-president and athletic director immediately discharged from their jobs, but the Penn State trustees went above and beyond the letter of the law. They fired even those school officials not arrested, but who knew about the abuse, and didn’t sufficiently act.

    The employment of the legendary head coach, Joe Paterno, was terminated, notwithstanding that in technical adherence to the law, he informed his own supervisor. The Penn State trustees were not satisfied – he should have called the cops, did not, and paid with his job. The university president was also given his pink slip.

    And stepping outside his legal position as our nation’s highest elected federal official, President Obama weighed in with these words on a purely state criminal law enforcement matter:

    “And I think it’s a good time for the entire country to do some soul-searching — not just Penn State. People care about sports, it’s important to us, but our No. 1 priority has to be protecting our kids. And every institution has to examine how they operate, and every individual has to take responsibility for making sure that our kids are protected…you can’t just rely on bureaucracy and systems in these kinds of situations. People have to step forward, they have to be tapping into just their core decency…..all of us have to step up, we don’t leave it to somebody else to take responsibility.”

    As additional facts about the Penn State situation emerge, our own community should sit up and take notice.

    What legal machinery do we have for addressing child abuse? Almost none. In recent weeks, a Monsey, N.Y. rabbi employed as a kashrus supervisor was arrested, as were two orthodox-appearing men in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. There are no internal investigations, everybody keeps their jobs, and the public is informed of nothing.

    Just as worse, nearly every arrest we’ve seen in recent years is accompanied by varying levels of denial, cover up, and even witness intimidation.

    Proposals for change made by advocates are greeted with either stony silence by our communal groups, or, the public is told, first ask a rabbi before calling the police.

    We should weigh the wise words and conduct of the Penn State Board of Trustees, and of President Obama. We need to tap into our “core decency”.

    Our yeshivas are a legal no-man’s land. No employee background checks to flush out deviants. No mandated reporting of abuse to child protection authorities. “Silent resignations” of abusive employees, who then move on to other yeshivas. Statutes of limitations short enough that most abusers and their employing institutions escape accountability.

    Absent these basic legal protections, it is no wonder that our children are susceptible to heinous acts of abuse.

    Enough is enough. Even Lot protected his guests from the marauding Sodomites. We can surely rise to our own modern challenge, and protect our children. Let’s all tap into our core decency, and bring about the change we so desperately need.

    Elliot Pasik is an attorney in private practice, and president of Jewish Board of Advocates Children, Inc.


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    24 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    shredready
    shredready
    12 years ago

    “Our yeshivas are a legal no-man’s land. No employee background checks to flush out deviants. No mandated reporting of abuse to child protection authorities. “Silent resignations” of abusive employees, who then move on to other yeshivas. Statutes of limitations short enough that most abusers and their employing institutions escape accountability.”

    very good article but I am afraid it will fall on deaf ears, unless the public starts to pressure to powers in the frum community

    this change will have to come from the bottom up.

    The top have proved over and over no matter how many chances they have they will not change

    even after the well publicized stories nothing has changed

    the masses must speak up

    Joe-Shmoe
    Joe-Shmoe
    12 years ago

    Employee Check, I’m all for it! Yeshiva hiring database, with suspected wackos listed, Sure! as for the reporting child abuse, Sorry I’m a yid first! I have asked many poskim which I won’t name due to the ridicule and name calling which will result here, People with no knowledge in halacha as you. (obviously compared to our poskim). Ask your rav, another rav, any rav prior to transgressing this abhorible sin of mesira! My rav actually told me, “if you think I’ll be machmir too much, Go to any other rav. Any rav, prior to paskening alone or by Rabbi Rosenberg (not a halachic authority). Once you get a heter from any rav, you are mechuyav! (lo taamod ol dom reecha is applicable here!) to go to the police! or any agency needed. But you can’t just put away a man without confirming that it’s al pi halacha.”

    While I don’t question the writers intention, as truly good. There is still the point that he’s not my first stop on any decision in life, To me, halacha comes first!

    12 years ago

    What also is going on is that there are pulpit rabbis who give shishi to registered sex offenders who continue to act deviantly. If any shul member objects, they are the ones who are tar and feathered.

    12 years ago

    I’m waiting for the day when the yeshivas and institutions will put the safety of our children before their $$$$$ and reputations. Then we will know that we are one step closer to Geula.

    FALLSBURGER
    FALLSBURGER
    12 years ago

    I know of a family that recently went through a terrible ordeal when a 21 YO young man was FALSLEY accused of molesting a young boy.

    He:
    1) Was Arrested, and sat with the lowest of society for 24 hours
    2) Had to post $100,000 bail
    3) Retained a lawyer which cost him $75,000

    After 8 months of hell, the DA office finally had to concede that it was proven without doubt that this was a blood libel ,(MONEY…..) and the DA dismissed the charges.

    This young man is ruined for life!! He was arrested without a shred of evidence,

    PLEASE PLEASE don’t be quick on the trigger to shoot an alleged molester, there is such an hysteria at the DA office that we (Orthodox Jews ) are all a bunch of pedophiles, that they were actually excited & made every effort to prosecute this case ,and with great reluctance dismissed the case

    Footnote: at the bail hearing for this young man where the DA requested a $100,000 bail and the judge agreed, there was a case of a person accused of stabbing a person and shooting a person during a burglary attempt, his bail was set at only $25,000 !!!!!

    The worst part is that the accuser has no consequences for making false accusations.

    Yes I do acknowledge that there is molestation going on, but there are some crazed sick people who have a vendetta against chareidi Jews and constantly portray us all as a bunch of pedophiles

    ReasonableGuy
    ReasonableGuy
    12 years ago

    There is one BIG problem! We are jews and have to do every step according to the torah laws and not the state law, now don’t get me wrong cause I would not ask a rav before reporting a child molester!!! But for ppl that want to be really erlich and do the torah way, they have a big problem that there hasn’t been a rulling from any big posek made public that mesira doesn’t apply and that contacting the authorities is ok, the focus should be on a official psak from known poskim

    YJay1
    YJay1
    12 years ago

    I agree with #3 that halacha must come before anything, but once you get the heter from a COMPETENT authority then you MUST go and report – just like the Agudah statement. If anybody still has doubts as to why we have to go to a Rov please read #6 .

    #1 – shredready: please shape up on your spelling, I can’t understand a word you write. When I finally do understand what you write I just get a headache, so on second thought maybe it’s better for you just to quit posting altogether.

    12 years ago

    While some zeal in this issue is warranted, there needs to be a semblance of level-headedness. And there are too many people who address the media, print, online, and broadcast who lack that.

    Take Shredready’s contention that “The top have proved over and over no matter how many chances they have they will not change”. That happens to be an outright lie. There has been undeniable change, and there is continual progress, despite the disparaging attacks by Pasik, Shrtedready, and many other vocal advocates. If any of these people would used their conscience, they would be working with the system to bring about the change, not just smearing characters.

    Over the past few years, there is great increase in cases being investigated and prosecuted by authorities, and these extremists are not to credit for this. It is the level-headed ones among us who have worked with the “system” that have brought about these advances. There is more progress to make, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Change in the frum community is not overnight. Sad thing (painful) is that there are those at risk until then.

    thechief
    thechief
    12 years ago

    THERE IS A TAPE FROM REB.SHLOMO ZALMEN AUERBACJ A”H.WHER HE
    SAYS THIS IS REAL PIKUACH NEFESH,AND ONE MAY CALL THE POLICE
    EVEN IF THE OFFENDER LANDS UP IN JAIL SITTING WITH DANGEROUS ARABS.

    LoveHashem
    LoveHashem
    12 years ago

    The problem is the apikorsim like Hirsch and others who look for any chance to malign holy rabbanim, to ease their own self hatred and guilt about having strayed from Hashem and all yiddishkeit. they try and work out their own pain by pretending to care about chasiing molesters but they go about it only thru blaming all rabbanim. this doesnt help the cause at all only makes themselves look like fools. I shudder to think what the punishhment for these sonei gedolim will be .

    DRSLZ
    DRSLZ
    12 years ago

    A closed-door session at this past summer’s yarchei kallah on medical halacha featured major poskim, professionals, and community rabbis.There has been a sea change in how rabbonim are handling such matters, as they have become better informed by professionals regarding the methods of operation and recidivism rate of a pedophile. (Understandably, many feel that change is too slow in coming.)

    There is no question that advocates like Elliot Pasik have played a significant role in bringing issues of child safety to public attention and seeking protective measures such as mandatory fingerprinting and criminal background checks for all prospective employees.

    Once change occurs, as usual activists will be shunted aside and no one will give them any credit. I’m sure they’ll be okay with that, as all they seek to do is to protect our most precious resource: our children.

    12 years ago

    Nebech, things are so bad I hear they have a Riker’s Island Hashgamah Minyan.

    ShalomCon
    ShalomCon
    12 years ago

    The fate of the child should come first. Child abuse, especially sexual abuse causes long term damage to a child often leading to suicide and/or repeating the same abhorrent behavior when the child becomes an adult. I hope every school – public, private, religious, etc. – is conducting meetings and seminars this week. The message should be to run – don’t walk – to the police & district attorney at the first hint of misconduct. While charedi men are worried about riding the same buses as women; predators are taking advantage of children and the solution always seems to be, “tell the Rav.” Our rabbonim have all too often continued a culture of protecting the adult. Just like the Catholic church, Jewish teachers have been shuffled around to unknowing new communities where these serial offenders continue to victimize children. Statistics show that the suspicions and allegations are usually (although not always) true. So why take chances? False accusations are a terrible shonda, but better one person’s reputation is scarred than risking the lives of our children.