Rabbi Shmuel Tal Maintains Cultish Hold on Yad Binyamin

Rabbi Shmuel Tal Rabbi Shmuel Tal, whose yeshiva was originally located in Gush Katif in the Gaza Strip, attempted to form a "pure" community in the new Israeli town of Yad Binyamin. But then Rabbi Tal tried to convince at least one married woman to leave her husband, claiming that she and Tal … [Read more...]

Update: Offer Rescinded. Indicted Sex-Offender Ezra Sheinberg Awaiting Trial; May Move to Kibbutz Hafetz Hayim

Update: Rabbi Horowitz rescinded the offer. Public pressure works. Often, it is the only thing that works. The only question remains, will parents be willing to keep their daughters in the school under Horowitz's management, or will they demand that he be fired, as some parents have … [Read more...]

Interview with Yeshiva University President Richard Joel

After the event on Modern Orthodox education sponsored by YU in Israel, I was able to interview President Joel. The interview appeared in the Jerusalem Post's "In Jerusalem" supplement on February 2, 2016 and is reprinted with permission. After the panel, In Jerusalem spoke with president Richard … [Read more...]

How To Combat Bullying in the Jewish Community

This year I again attended the conference, Shedding Light on the Darkness of Abuse, sponsored by the Tahel Jerusalem Crisis Center for Women and Children. The conference addressed a wide range of issues relating to treatment and prevention of abuse. The conference also addressed abuse by peers, … [Read more...]

Tahel Conference to Fight Abuse in the Religious Community

Hardly a day goes by without hearing of another case of domestic violence, get refusal, or child sex abuse in the Jewish community. We are all against it, and appalled by what is happening. But is there anything we can do? Debbie Gross, director of the Tahel Crisis Center for Religious Women and … [Read more...]

Uncovering Gay “Conversion Therapy”

Psychologist Dr. Norman Goldwasser is a controversial figure. Some laud him for innovative treatments of trauma patients. But he has also been criticized for endorsing "conversion "or "reparative" therapy" to lessen or eliminate homosexual tendencies. This type of therapy has been thoroughly … [Read more...]

Rabbi Defends Not Reporting Sex Abuse

Last week, Yehuda Shohat and Ariela Sternbuch published a story in Yediot Aharonot about the advice that rabbis give regarding sexual molestation and abuse. Sternbuch called up 27 rabbis and community leaders with a story of how she or her child was sexually abused. In only a few of the cases did … [Read more...]

Spy Cameras in Gan

A new trend in Israeli parenting involves equipping small children with spy cameras to catch a ganenet (kindergarten teacher) during the act of child abuse. In Makor Rishon's "Tzedek" supplement (January 16), Itzik Wolf wrote that the education ministry is preparing a legal document that will … [Read more...]

Dr. James Cantor on Pedophilia and the Brain

This is the fourth post on the Tahel conference on "The Jewish Community Confronts Violence and Abuse." Dr. James Cantor gave the keynote lecture on the first day entitled,"Understanding Pedophilia and the Brain: Implications for Safety and Society." Cantor is the Associate Professor of … [Read more...]

Rabbi Cherlow’s Top Reasons for Divorce in the Religious Zionist Community

This is the third part in my report on the conference, "The Jewish Community Confronts Violence and Abuse." Part IV: Dr. James Cantor on Pedophilia and the Brain. Today I'm taking a break from discussing abuse to share Rabbi Cherlow's remarks about marriage and divorce. After the presentations by … [Read more...]