There was a comment on Matzav that said that the real purpose of a visit if some Roshei Yeshiva to a West Virginia prison was not primarily for the stated reason of giving encouragement to Jewish prisoners. The commenter said that It was reported in a Yiddish language newspaper that it was to deliver a personal letter from the head of the Eida HaCharedis, Rav Tuvia Weiss. Here is the comment in it's entirety:
According to Die Tzitung this visit was specifically for R. Yisroel Moshe Weingarten and a letter of support was delivered from Rav Tuvia Weiss, GAVAD of the Eida Charedis in Yerushalayim. They printed the letter in which R. Weiss spoke fondly of RYMW as his friend from Antwerp.
If this is true, it is one of the most disgusting things I can ever imagine about a religious leader of Rav Weiss's stature. Yisroel Weingarten, a Satmar Chasid, was convicted in an Amercian court of law of raping his daughter for years! She is no longer religious and will likely suffer from this trauma for the rest of her life! Mr. Weingarten is serving a 30 year prison term for his offense.
I don't see how a rabbinic leader from any segment of Judaism would ever want to comfort a piece of human slime like this! The only rationale I can possibly conceive of is that Rav Weiss has decided to believe the father who has denied this accusation form the very beginning and continues to do so. He claims his daughter has been lying about this from the very beginning. Perhaps Rav Weiss feels that the daughter - who is no longer religious cannot be believed over the father - who is religious. In other words she has no Ne'emanus and since he is Frum he has a Chezkas Kashrus and therefore Ne'emanus.
Talk about burying your head in the sand! Has anyone read the victim impact statement to Rav Weiss - or to any of those Rabbanim who visited Weingarten in prison? Or the fact that there had been some knowledge about the sex abuse in the past - where apparently nothing was done? I can't believe the extent of denial, that goes on in these circles!
fedral bureau of prisons
ReplyDeleteISRAEL WEINGARTEN 76830-053 60-White-M
date of RELEASE:11-24-2034
he will be 83 if he doesnt paiger first
-- big sigh --
ReplyDeleteIt seems clear that even the extremely insular community of Satmar must deal with threats to continuity, and herein lies the ironic tragedy of these sexual abuse scandals. I suppose that the rabbanim had in mind to protect the honor of one of their loyal flock, but in doing so, they are tarnishing the honor of themselves and by extension our entire community. Our distinction to the scandals plaguing the catholic church is evaporating.
Also consider the Islamic scandals. Their situation is different in that what the Western world considers abhorrent (forced child marriages and wife beating), the Islamic world considers valid if not holy as entrenched in quranic + hadith law. Herein lies our sad irony. While the Western secular law is mostly aligned with halacha (even if some forms of abuse are not technically incest per halacha, neither are they encouraged!), the lack of enforcement and treatment renders the point meaningless in practice.
How long can this continue? This makes me want to join the secularist boycott on eidah chereidi kashrut supervison.
btw - I like the format here much better - cleaner and free of the advertising that cheapens the other site.
ReplyDeleteI like this format beter too but if I switch this format will include ads. I'm not sure when or even if I'm going to do it.
ReplyDeleteAmong the visiotrs to Rabbi (I can't believe i am using this title) Weingarten was a highly respected rsoh Yeshiva from Monsey who came to visit this zaddik despite the rosh yehsiva being confined to a wheel chair.
ReplyDeleteI just wonder what do you need to do to get such chasuvim to visit you in prision...