On UOJ & Kolko
Some have suggested, at multiple points since the initial New York Magazine story, that events that have transpired should lead to a re-evaluation of my initial stance on UOJ’s approach to the Kolko situation.
I find this surprising, though perhaps less so when I consider the sources of the suggestion — who often tend to have difficulty understanding moral conduct and personal responsibility.
It would make no sense at all to be critical of UOJ’s conduct when his work was at its most influential, only to turn around when events and individuals entirely out of his hands conspire to produce results when he has not contributed anything more.
It is fundamentally wrong to seek to ruin someone’s life while leaving oneself out of harm, protected by anonymity. There was then and remains no reason why UOJ could not have done the same work while using his own name. It is undeniable that achieving justice in the Kolko case was delayed by this aspect of UOJ’s conduct (of course, there are other problems with his process, but this is by far the most significant).
Stopping clergy abuse in the Jewish community is of paramount importance if we are to continue living in it; a community cannot continue to exist if at it’s most elemental points it is unsafe. But the pursuit of criminals and evil-doers carries with it a set of moral, ethical, and legal codes for the pursuer, and appropriately so. An immoral pursuit is simply that.
Certainly, things seem to have worked out so far in the Kolko situation, despite UOJ. The lawyers have done their jobs, Robert Kolker his, and, so far, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office appears to be doing its job. The fact that others have capably stepped in, however, says nothing about UOJ, except perhaps to allow him to pale in comparison.
And let us be clear: there is no courage in being UOJ, no bravery, no sacrifice. When there are no potential consequences, one can achieve none of these things.
Yes, seemingly every avenue in the established Jewish community has, for the most part, failed to deal adequately with the issue of clergy abuse. And other potential correctors — the general-interest media and law enforcement come most easily to mind — have, for the most part, failed as well. But that only makes those who do engage that battle all the more responsible for doing it right; when one can’t rely on others to necessarily pick up the slack, one has to be ever more careful not to create any.
It will be the downfall of the anti-abuse effort if conduct such as UOJ’s is applauded, not criticized.
December 9th, 2006 at 7:00 pm
“Certainly, things seem to have worked out so far in the Kolko situation, despite UOJ.”
Not for anything, I mean, it’s your blog, but, what planet are you on? As a bochur in yeshiva back in the late 70’s, we all new Kolko was molesting kids, including masturbating againt their bodies and fondling their genitalia. We had a joke in Camp Agudah, that if you weren’t in the Cocoa Club (waking up before shachris to learn mishnayos was rewarded with a cup of hot cocoa) you were in the “Kolko Club.” The guys nickname was Hot Kolko. So when you said things seem to have worked out, surely you meant “things seem to have worked out now that after more than thirty years and umteen victims someone finally decided to bring an end to the worst case of pederasty known to the Jewish world.”
I am of those that know that if not for UOJ, Kolko would be in a room right now destroting another life. Apparently for you, ignorance is bliss.
Even sicker than Kolko is Margo, the am haaretz. The gehennom that awaits him is simply unfathomable. He allowed Kolko unfettered access to any and every flavor of child that aroused the beast in kolko. Our chinuch system has never seen such a failure as the bastard Margo.
December 9th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
Agudah to UOJ: Welcome Back
It appears that the Agudah, with their pathetic grasping at straws of controvery to appear relevant, has ressurected UOJ — the Patron Saint of Children Who are Sexually Abused by Religious Figures and Those Who Harbor Them. UOJ, after being ‘outed’ this spring by some self-appointed thugs who believe themselves to be defenders of Torah and Gedolim, slipped into the background with a farewell post just before Rosh Hashonah. Sadly, it appeared as though UOJ would relegated to asterisk status in Jewish history, despite his valient and timely attacks on a viciously apathetic status quo that preferred the spiritual murder of Jewish children over decisive action.
And all was quiet as Rosh Yehivas, executive directors, and some yeshivishe egomaniacs in the sleepy slum of Waterbury, CT rejoiced at the miraculous bullet dodging they had just witnessed. Evidentally, the ‘humiliation’ weapon — a thin reference to ruined shidduchim and tainted yichus — had succeeded in preserving the perversity of ultra-orthodox apathy.
But something was afoot. Deep within the bowels of 42 Broadway, across some shiny overpriced conference table, the Wizards of Was realized that their destiny lay in murdering the mandate bearer: blogs. Ironically, if they would actually read the blogs instead of dismissing them as the tools of satan, they would have been able to ressurect themselves and actively contribute to the betterment and solidificaiton of American Orthodoxy. Instead, they took the short way out.
“Let’s bash blogs,” the Daas Torahniks declared. “We must create a new enemy, now that the Nazis are gone, Jewish busdrivers can wear yarmulkas to work without fear, we’ve given up on “at-risk” kids (poorly trained mentors are the answer….right?), and we’ve selected our gueat of honor for this year’s dinner…” The obvious answer was blogs.
The dispensers of Daas Torah, concerned with the impact blogs were having on their destructive hegemony and possible ramificaitons that would have on future fundraising seconded the motion. “Blogs are bad,” they bellowed. “We must rid our homes and neighborhoods of blogs.” Then they returned to worrying about why the frummest girls schools produce graduates who ignore tznius, despite 14 years of subversive inculcation, and how to close the pandoras box of frummer-than-though kashrus which has inexplicably led to America’s most religious neighborhood to eat traif meat for half a decade.
Blogs are bad. Blogs are bad. Yeah, let’s stick it to that UnOrthodox fellow. Who is he anyway to blame us for child molestation? We TOLD people that seperate seating weddings would solve everything. And as long as they don’t listen in the Five Towns, we can’t be held responsible for what happens to little boys in Brooklyn.”
So the convention program, with a half dozen cutsie teaser ads were drafted and everyone was happy. “Blogs are bad!,” said the Agudah bigshots. “When we’re done with them, we’ll be able to ridicule molestation victims with impunity in the Jewish Week.” The Daas Torah dispensers cried, “Blogs are Bad. And now, we can get back to banning intangible objects, like books and sheitels, which we can burn, and actual people whom we can besmirch, excommunicate and threaten. It was so much easier ointhe old days.”
But they didn’t count on themselves making the same mistake as they have made time and time again: life moves fast. People forget. They are busy. If things go away, they are forgotten. It’s the same reason why sexual molestation victims fade away. If people forget, their pain is buried, for they themselves to choke on, alone. But when old news gets dredged up. When books that appear objectionable are given attention, or banned, they take on a life of their own. When forgotten blogs are given mainstage forums at major fundraising events….they return to life.
And so, UOJ, in all his glory has been vindicated and ressurected, unlike the Audah, which is as pathetic and irrelevant as it has been for the past decade, UOJ has attracted a well-written, logical counterpart: ... ,which features a several thousand word letter detailing the vast and grievous gaps in communal leadership and compassion by our so-called gedolim.
The progeny of UOJ also provides an lucid timeline of events that led up to UOJ and more importantly the serious lack of judgement, compasison, and leadership of the dispensers of Daas Torah. And, incidentally, offers a nod to the one straight shooter of our generation, Rabbi Avigdor Miller, who told certain askanim, to, so to speak — damn the topedos and blow this mother sky high. (i paraphrased a bit).
So, to the chagrin of every frummie on the dark hatted side of the color spectrum, UOJ is back. Ironically, the very intention of the Agudah, to declare thei moral victory over bloggers and reclaim their relevance has instead tossed the moral imperative to bloggers such as UOJ. Blogs are more relevant and necessary than ever before.
As for UOJ, he sounds more mature, and as always — is dead on correct about the travesty that has been perpetrated over 40 years of inaction, intimidation, and malicious ineptitude.
Welcome back UOJ. Klal Yisroel needs you!
December 9th, 2006 at 10:28 pm
“And let us be clear: there is no courage in being UOJ, no bravery, no sacrifice. When there are no potential consequences, one can achieve none of these things.”
view the issue
- could it be that because you too are a blogger you you are focusing in on the virtues of UOJ as the main issue here? It’s not about him and it’s not about you; it is about the victims! You seem so caught up in the technicality of UOJ being a bad guy becuase he is anonymous. An absurd parallel would be if you were angry at a firefighter rushing to the scene at 9 /11 becuase he used foul language on the way. We’ll give him a slap later; meanwhile he got the job done. You need to refocus.
December 9th, 2006 at 10:38 pm
Steven
You are making yourself look foolish. Grow up, the guy spent upwards of $110,000 of his personal funds and at least 18 months of his life to get the abuse issue up close and ugly in the Jewish community.
Give the guy a break for cryin’ out loud.
December 9th, 2006 at 11:21 pm
Kish Mich - I’m shocked at your attitude of moral superiority, given that you personally are on the hook for more than three decades of abuse by a man you didn’t turn in. I hope you have a hard time showing your face in certain circles. As to my remark that “things seem to have worked out,” yes, I was referring to the period since UOJ surfaced, so much of your comment is irrelevant as criticism.
Jewish Observer - I don’t think UOJ is the main issue. Indeed, he’s largely an irrelevance to much of the story, and definitely the prosecution. It’s not a “technicality” to be a “bad guy.” You’re correct that your parallel is absurd. UOJ just happened to be the blogger whose comments section drew victims together, and then provided a lawyer’s contact information in a post; nothing more of what he did had any real result. Perhaps others want to make his role out to be more significant. But in overwhelming part, his actions were irrelevant and unethical. The pamplets, flyers, mailings, vitriolic posts, “investigations” of victims’ claims, all amounted to nothing. You’ll notice something similar among those who actually accomplished something — David Framowitz, Jeffrey Herman, Robert Kolker; they all put their names on the line. All one is left to wonder about is just how much harm UOJ did to the situation by pursuing it as he did.
Sol - I don’t know how much money he spent, but certainly funds spent in an unethical manner are made no less tainted by virtue of their size. Same with time expenditures. It was his choice to pursue the issue in this way, and it was a choice that certainly could have been made in a far better fashion.
December 10th, 2006 at 7:23 am
Steven;
Bottom line fact is this: If not for the heroic efforts of UOJ, Kolko would still be molesting kids and destroying lives.
This Man is a Tzaddik.
Framowitz, et al; all other victims that have come forward, Herman’s entry into the public sphere and becoming known to the public, Kolker’s NY Magazine article, the work of Eliot Pasik, Esq. with the NYS Legislature to pass mandatory fingerprinting for all Mosdos in their hiring practices, etc. All of these developments are the direct result of UOJ’s blogging and bringing this issue to the fore.
Your criticism of him that he did not ID himself at the outset misses the point entirely.
None of the religious organizations that have a responsibility to “out” this garbage did anything. Indeed, they are major culpable for the incredible cover-up that has gone on for the past 40 years.
December 10th, 2006 at 10:22 am
Steve,
I received a lot of flak this Shabbos for writing in comments to a blog that accusers have an obligation to use their real name. The Charedi community has this ingrained fear of repercussion if they are somehow seen as stepping out of line. I’m not sure if it is and extreme case of Da’as Torah (leave it to the rabbis because they are experts) combined with extreme pickiness regarding Shidduchim and the ease with which yeshivas expel students. But people here are terrified. I consider this fear to be a disease that afflicts this community. CONSTRUCTIVE, RESPECTFUL CRITICISM SHOULD NEVER BE PUNISHED but the perception is that this is just not how the community runs. And this perception will continue to run that way until enough people get the guts to stand up. But it takes a group because any individual will simply be squashed.
To the main point, I don’t think that there would be any legal case or arrest without UOJ. Granted, I deplore much of what he said. But in the end, if these charges turn out to be true (and I don’t know for certain that they will), then he will go down in history as a hero who managed to fight city hall where everyone else who tried was intimidated into silence and inaction. He did have courage, perhaps because of his anonymity but nevertheless. In a community of cowards (yeah, I said it) who desperately wish they had courage, he is a hero — despite his overly offensive words.
December 10th, 2006 at 11:06 am
Gil,
I congratulate your appluding of UOJ, you can get yourself in trouble for just saying that. I believe everything he said was true and from his heart, the man is outraged at what he sees. Straight from the outset he said he wants to be a catalyst for change in the Jewish community. How to get there? Speaking cute words? Making nice? His provocative language was probably enjoyed otherwise who would have read him? (He boasts 10 million hits)
There is a full group of professionals that are on his staff. An attorney, a NYPD former detective, two toenim, and who knows how many other rabbonim encouraged him in his work? Rabbi Yosef Blau has gone on record supporting his work.
He has been successful and will continue to work behind the scenes to provoke, intimidate and challenge the community. You may find his language offensive? Get over it, the man is a true Jewish hero!
December 10th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
Steven,
I think Gil is correct, the issue is that UOJ had to be anonymous. There is a repressive Charedi community, in which voices that challenge daas torah are summarily quashed and dismissed. This is very clear in Rabbi Salomon’s speech referenced on your blog. UOJ could only accomplish this anonymously, and you should give him more credit than you do. The lawsuit against Kolko was filed by an anonymous family, I am sure that the Charedi community is trying to find out who that family is, so they can destroy them, as they have done to others.
UOJ is truly the Judah Macabee of our generation, “Mi LaHashem Elai” Maybe there were missteps along the way, as you have pointed out, but he knew how to fight against the enemy he was facing, and he succeeded. In the spirit of Chanukah I think you should reconsider.
December 10th, 2006 at 12:38 pm
“I congratulate your appluding of UOJ, you can get yourself in trouble for just saying that.”
I said it straight out to one of the leaders of the Charedi community. His response was that UOJ also accused innocent people.
December 10th, 2006 at 12:51 pm
Gil,
UOJ has gone on record pleading with anyone that has been accused falsely to contact him or Elliot Pasik Esq. NOT ONE PERSON CONTACTED EITHER OF THEM. Let that Haredi leader name one! You claim to know UOJ, use your contact to fix the wrong if there was one.
That’s another attempt at the Community to change the subject. Again, if there was a false accusation I’m certain that UOJ would PUBLICLY apologize. He’s an underdog champion, a victim’s advocate, he publicly apologized profusely for accusing Plotzker of being Tuvya.
December 10th, 2006 at 1:03 pm
I fail to understand why UOJ’s anonymity is the issue here. I know that his language offended many people, and to the extent that it turned away those who might otherwise would have been receptive to his message, that is regrettable. However, his anonymity also makes him that much more frightening to the powers that be, who cannot play their usual intimidation games; that is significant. Furthermore, the people whoe names needed to be out there put them out there, so I am unclear as to how knowing UOJs identity would have changed anything.
December 10th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
“David Framowitz, Jeffrey Herman, Robert Kolker; they all put their names on the line”
I agree. I would rather take them for a son i law than UOJ.
2 questions:
- 1. do you believe they would / coiuld have done what they did without UOJ’s actoins?
- 2. if you are reasonable and agree that not, what is your cheshbon - your cost benefit analysis - that more harm than good came out of his actions? how are you SO sure that it’s not worth it?
December 10th, 2006 at 1:51 pm
SIW, I’m on the hook for nothing. Rumor and innuendo were brought to the authorities for decades. They chose to ignore all of us until UOJ slammed it home, right in their faces. And my tine of moral superiority stems from just that, my moral superiority. At least over bloggers who purely based on sour grapes or their own insecurities bash a man like UOJ who did more with his blog than 100 Canonists could ever hope.
What he did was cross the line from entertainment blog (like this one), to meaningful purpose and social change blog. UOJ is the anti-Canonist.
December 10th, 2006 at 1:57 pm
Who really cares what any of you think about UOJ’s courage. It is irrelevant.
From my own standpoint, I contacted rabbonim many, many years ago without any success in dealing with known sexual predators active in the community. Each and everyone refused to do ANYTHING public. Their answer was to allow these child molesters to shift from one organization/community to another. They told me specifically why they would not act publicly in any way: the consequences to they families.
Who cares if you believe UOJ is a coward? What have each and every one of you done?
I’ve never claimed to be courageous or a hero. I simply refuse to allow the child molesters or their enablers to thrive. I will not give them what they demand of me, my silence.
Am I required to do more than I have? Am I required to give my name to my enemies who’ve put a price on my head in newspaper ads and made clear their intentions towards me? Am I required to commit suicide to please your definition of courage?
Dude, when I published a summary of the Praesidium report on Tendler on my blog, it wasn’t courage, it was necessitry. Someone has to stand and warn our community. Has even the RCA done what I’ve done? And they won’t.
When our leaders leave a void it will be filled by goons like me. Tough luck. If you don’t like it demand better leaders.
In my court filings against Tendler, I had 2 named rabbis file affidavits explaining why my anonymity has to be protected, what the severe consequences to whistleblowers are in my community.
Moshe Rabeinu came across a Jew being beaten to death by an Egyptian. He did not act until he looked to the right, looked to the left and ensured he could act anonymously. Was he a coward? He knew that the alternative was his own death. So do I. So does UOJ. We all appreciate what must be done and we all appreciate the absolute lack of support we face from our leaders and community. We know exactly how they will go after our families.
And SIW until you’ve talked to all the principles of the Kolko story, you’re claims as to his role are outrageous and false.
This isn’t about journalistic ethics, this is about protecting children, women and men from the danger of sexual predators. Perhaps you’ve forgoten that. Without UOJ, the survivors would have no organization, limited information, few resources and no representation. Most would not know about each other.
Moshe Rabeinu was a hero who acted anonymously, so is UOJ.
December 10th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
Who really cares what any of you think about UOJ’s courage. It is irrelevant.
From my own standpoint, I contacted rabbonim many, many years ago without any success in dealing with known sexual predators active in the community. Each and everyone refused to do ANYTHING public. Their answer was to allow these child molesters to shift from one organization/community to another. They told me specifically why they would not act publicly in any way: the consequences to they families.
Who cares if you believe UOJ is a coward? What have each and every one of you done?
I’ve never claimed to be courageous or a hero. I simply refuse to allow the child molesters or their enablers to thrive. I will not give them what they demand of me, my silence.
Am I required to do more than I have? Am I required to give my name to my enemies who’ve put a price on my head in newspaper ads and made clear their intentions towards me? Am I required to commit suicide to please your definition of courage?
Dude, when I published a summary of the Praesidium report on Tendler on my blog, it wasn’t courage, it was necessitry. Someone has to stand and warn our community. Has even the RCA done what I’ve done? And they won’t.
When our leaders leave a void it will be filled by goons like me. Tough luck. If you don’t like it demand better leaders.
In my court filings against Tendler, I had 2 named rabbis file affidavits explaining why my anonymity has to be protected, what the severe consequences to whistleblowers are in my community.
Moshe Rabeinu came across a Jew being beaten to death by an Egyptian. He did not act until he looked to the right, looked to the left and ensured he could act anonymously. Was he a coward? He knew that the alternative was his own death. So do I. So does UOJ. We all appreciate what must be done and we all appreciate the absolute lack of support we face from our leaders and community. We know exactly how they will go after our families and how no one will stand for us.
And SIW until you’ve talked to all the principles of the Kolko story, you’re claims as to his role are outrageous and false.
This isn’t about journalistic ethics, this is about protecting children, women and men from the danger of sexual predators. Perhaps you’ve forgoten that. Without UOJ, the survivors would have no organization, limited information, few resources and no representation. Most would not know about each other.
Moshe Rabeinu was a hero who acted anonymously, so is UOJ.
December 10th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
To Jewish Observer:
You miss the point, entirely.
Framowitz, et al; and the lawsuits are only because of UOJ. He has been and is the catalyst.
1. An emphatic NO!
2. CBA=Excellent. The results justified the means.
My only criticism of UOJ is that he went off the air for 2-1/2 months. Had he continued blogging, Harav Matisyahu Solomon may have reconsidered giving that self-serving “Dass Toirah” speech at the recent Agudah Convention.
To all those whose parlor room sensibilities were offended by UOJ’s approach; put yourselves in the shoes of those parents whose children were sexually molested; their pain, anguish, and bitterness. Nowhere to turn and no one to speak to. The shattered lives of the children themselves. Therapy, Guilt, Debasement, Inferiority, Uselessness.
Who will restore their Worlds?
You would not take UOJ as a Son-In-Law? My, My; that’s rich of you.
Who will take these Tyreh Yiddeshe Neshomas for their shidduchim? You?
Remember Daniel Levin.
December 10th, 2006 at 4:49 pm
Boog,
I could not agree more. Offensive language was by design to attract attention. People pay attention to CRAAAAZZZZY! I think UOJ was so fed up with the fact that a parent group was not formed, just more nonsense talk that he had enough. How much can one guy do if there’s no one home to pick up the ball. IMO, The Agudah shot themselves fatally, thinking that UOJ was gone, and not knowing what UOJ knew that an arrest was imminent.
AS UOJ said from the beginning, he is a proud Jew and was fed up with the loser-leaders. They did themselves in at last. Let’s see some fresh faces step up to the plate.
December 11th, 2006 at 2:49 am
It is important to know that without UOJ my story would never have been made public.
Without his blog, the initial on-line complaints about Kolko would not have been published and I therefore would never have known that there were other victims of Kolko out there nor that Kolko was still in a position where he could continue to harm others.
Without UOJ I would never have had the guts and willpower to publicly come out with my story.
It is only because of UOJ and others thereafter that other victims and myself can now honestly say that this past Thursday the world became a safer place.
December 11th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
I don’t believe that UOJ spent any serious money on the issue at all. In fact, I don’t believe he has any serious money to spend. This is a guy who borrowed $50K from the SBA (and has alienated his children and family for -among other things - borrowing money and not paying back) - there’s no way a guy like that is dropping $110K on a cause like this.
It’s more than likely that the money for the mailing was paid by Ben Hirsch, who does have some serious money (although he is slightly handicapped by the need to keep it secret from his estranged/ex-wife).
December 11th, 2006 at 1:25 pm
Hey above idiot,
UOJ borrowed that money as a co-signer for me you loser.
December 11th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
FROM UOJ TODAY
Monday, December 11, 2006
Al Aleh Ani Bocheyah! (For These I Cry!)
Posted originally April 29, 2006
I did much soul-searching this Shabbos; I love Judaism, I abhor the people that hijacked the “leadership” and their followers.
For these I cry:
I wonder with amazement at the spineless cowards like Shmuel Kaminetsky, Yisroel Belsky and Avrohom Chaim Levin- For these I cry!
I look at the likes of Shea Fishman and Torah Umesorah and I want to tear my garments in mourning-for this I cry!
I observe the morons at the Agudah including the Nothingmeaninger Rebbe-for this I cry!
I look at the entire vile and meaningless sect called Chassidim-for this I cry!
I look at the tragedy when the most evil people in the world; the greatest rishaim can open a yeshiva, as easy as it is to open a fast food joint-for this I cry!
I look at the senile nursing home escapees that are worshipped by idiots- for this I cry!
I look with sadness at a Judaism when ritual takes precedent over illness and death-for this I cry!
I look at the publishing arms of the Charedim; the writers that contemplate whether Avraham Avinu performed metziza b’peh on himself-for this I cry.
I look at the dais of organizational dinners and I see swindlers and slimeballs-for this I cry!
I look at Lipa Margulies for the gangster and shaigetz that he is, and the horrendous damage he is on the precipice of causing to all of Judaism-for this I cry!
I look at Yudi Kolko and the illness that has infected him and wonder how many hundreds of families he destroyed-for this I cry!
I cry for the tragedy called “Torah True Judaism,” for the lie that it has become, and for the sinister motives of the people that have effectively destroyed it for any intelligent person- for this I cry!
Thunder and lightning will strike Orthodox Judaism over the next two weeks; the damage will be irreparable, and thousands will leave the fold because of it- for this I cry!
I analyze the statistics; tens of thousands of people that were born Orthodox have left their heritage over the last thirty years-for this I cry.
I do cry…and how I cry…for a Judaism that has run amok.
UOJ
posted by Un-Orthodox Jew | Monday, December 11, 2006 | 160 comments
December 11th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
Steven Weiss is still pedalling this nonsense? He thinks nothing counts unless, like a journalist, you are willing to take flak for wahtever you write or say. Gil Student is also wrong here. While Gil has come around to being reasonable regarding UOJ, he doesn’t understand that it’s not just a “perception” of being harmed that requires anonymity. It is an actuality that a de facto mafia will do anything to destroy you and your family if you fight for change. These corrupt and evil individuals who wear long black kapotas & black hats will disregard anything in the Torah to silence you.
Let’s see big talker Mr. Steven Weiss lead a campaign to rid a yeshiva of a molester. Let’s see how he can withstand possibly being beaten up, smeared in the community, having his website hacked and destroyed by rogue hires that are extremely tech savvy and having his computer hacked to glean whatever personal information that can be used against him.
It would also be nice to see full disclosure here. Israel Singer who is very personally dear to Steven Weiss is a constant target of UOJ. I’m not saying I agree with the attacks on Mr. Singer but it makes me wonder about Steve’s motives here.
December 11th, 2006 at 1:49 pm
...
Now that UOJ is semi-retired, this website has the latest up to date news on Kolko & Margulies.
December 11th, 2006 at 1:49 pm
David - With all due respect, you’re not giving a whole lot of credit to UOJ here. The fact that his blog happened to be the one where others came to discuss Kolko, and that you then happened upon it, doesn’t make UOJ all that significant, and certainly doesn’t justify his other actions.
December 11th, 2006 at 1:54 pm
>David - With all due respect, you’re not giving a whole lot
>of credit to UOJ here. The fact that his blog happened to be
>the one where others came to discuss Kolko, and that you
>then happened upon it, doesn’t make UOJ all that significant,
>and certainly doesn’t justify his other actions
With all due respect SIW, have you even bothered to speak to Mr. Pasaik, Mr. Herman or any of Kolko’s survivors as to the actual role of UOJ in all of this?
You can do better.
December 11th, 2006 at 2:36 pm
Steven,
You are making a fool of yourself. A blind person can “see” the hand of UOJ in all of this. And seemingly he’s just getting warmed up now that he’s been vindicated. His most voiceforous critics are now lauding him except for you and the above joker ich loch sick os.
December 11th, 2006 at 3:00 pm
There is an old rule that when posting on the internet, your anonymity cannot be guaranteed, as you never know what details could give you away. I happen to have figured out who “Ich lach zich aus” is, but I will not expose him. I don’t believe he has any sympathy for Margulies & Kolko. I think what’s driving him is that although UOJ has accomplished much good, he is still a despicable figure who is prone to outrageous and heretical outbursts.
I don’t think that shnoring from family & the SBA is any indication that UOJ is less than wealthy. How many rich people do you know who behave this way, trying to grub money wherever they can get it to add to the pile? I certainly know enough of them.
December 11th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
ATTORNEY JEFFREY HERMAN IS IN NEW YORK MEETING WITH ADDITIONAL KOLKO VICTIMS AND WITNESSES!
If you are a Kolko victim, or a person that has relevant information regarding this crime, or perhaps a witness, I urge you to contact Jeffrey Herman Esq. immediately for a personal& confidential meeting!
Jeff can be reached at : 305-409-7371 or via e-mail: ...
The person spreading this information is UOJ. Thank you UOJ for providing this valuable service. We all appreciate it.
December 11th, 2006 at 3:34 pm
Vos loch zich ois already said that he knows a rebbi who was falsely accused and whose life was ruined as the result of a bratty snotty kid. Therefore, he wants more due process, something that UOJ’s method leaves to be desired extenuating circumstances notwithstanding. Thus, I bleieve that Vos Loch Zich is actually pro kolko and margulies in this situation, although he is anti-molestor in theory.
December 11th, 2006 at 3:46 pm
I’ve heard this conspiracy theory before that Manilow & Hirsch were working together. How do they know each other? They’re certainly not the same age.
December 11th, 2006 at 4:28 pm
Steve,
Do yourself a favor and limit this conversation to the problems of the Jewish community in dealing with aberrant behavior. UOJ is not the issue at all, and is merely being bashed to change the subject. I know you hate the guy, but with your “journalistic ethics and all” your focus should be on the real issues and not the messenger. This entire thread should be demeaning to a proud journalist.
December 11th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
Kolko Case On CNN Tonight! As reported on Failed Messiah.
The case of Rabbi Yehuda Kolko and his near 40 year career of rabbi-on-boy sex abuse will be featured on CNN tonight, apparently on the Nancy Grace Show.
December 11th, 2006 at 4:55 pm
...
Someone posted the CNN rumor on the Rav Solomon blog too. CNN says her show tonight is about a Queens couple who vanished on the way back from Myrtle Beach. It says nothing about Kolko.
December 11th, 2006 at 5:32 pm
...
December 11, 2006
Shafran Must Resign
In a scathing post, DovBear calls for the resignation of Agudath Israel’s top man, Rabbi David Zwiebel, and it’s mouthpiece, Rabbi Avi Shafran. Here’s why. When asked by email to comment on the arrest of rabbi-on-boy sex abuser Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, Avi Shafran wrote:
Why would we have comment about the arrest of an individual? Because he was an employee, more than 30 years ago, of one of the camps we run (that have had thousands of employees over the years)? I don’t think that requires comment on our part. We are not even a party anymore to any lawsuit filed against the accused, as I understand it. The suit of the accuser who included Camp Agudah in his action (John Doe #1) has been dismissed (without prejudice, I believe, so it can still be refiled, but hasn’t been).”
DoveBear responds:
Let’s help Avi out. He asks: “Why would we have comment about the arrest of an individual?”
ANSWERS
1 - Because he was an employee, more than 30 years ago, of one of the camps you run! (Credit Avi Shafran himself for that one)
2 - Because men closely associated with your organization have been running interference for him for 25 years.…
DovBear goes on to note that Agudah comments on many issues, from Conservative Judaism’s grappling with halakha to the latest in Intelligent Design. Why shouldn’t they comment on 40 years of rabbi-on-boy sex abuse within their own community?
The answer is obvious. Many leading Agudah rabbis covered for Kolko. Some of them may be sued. Others may be open for criminal prosecution.
But DovBear raises a good point. Zwiebel and Shafran should both be forced to resign, Shafran for his smug dismissals of abuse and Zwiebel for working against mandatory reporting laws and against a centralized system within haredi schools to track abusers.
If you agree with DovBear’s call, please post it on your blogs and shout it from your rooftops. I have.
December 11th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Frankly, I do not understand what all the debate is about. When someone reports abuse to Child Protective, ACS, etc., the investigative agencies always try to protect the ANONIMITY of the reporter.
It is self understood that the reporter would want it to be kept confidential- what is so different here?
Because UOJ is a blogger (and hence dabbles in journalism) - would that make him WANT to be smeared?
Journalist are not annonymous becuase THEY WANT the publicity as the guy who got the “scoop”- it sells papers and raises their ratings.
Knowing the cancer that most certainly is flourishing in our community, too, we should really all be very happy about the way this iinvestigation, and prayerful for other vicims of this horrific abuse.
December 11th, 2006 at 10:11 pm
There was a Nancy Grace commercial/promo regarding Kolko yesterday, but no explanation today as to what happened to the story. It was not on Nancy Grace (CNN Headline News channel) tonight.
December 11th, 2006 at 10:22 pm
It appears that the Kolko story was originally schedluled for tonight.
...
Monday’s show
A rabbi suspected of molesting a 9-year-old boy is finally arrested. Nancy Grace investigates. Tune in Monday at 8 p.m. ET on Headline News.
December 12th, 2006 at 12:44 am
Maybe they felt it was wiser to wait a little, b/c on 12/13 he is going in for some sort of court hearing.
December 12th, 2006 at 12:58 pm
“I don’t believe he has any sympathy for Margulies & Kolko. I think what’s driving him is that although UOJ has accomplished much good, he is still a despicable figure who is prone to outrageous and heretical outbursts”
“Vos loch zich ois already said that he knows a rebbi who was falsely accused and whose life was ruined as the result of a bratty snotty kid. Therefore, he wants more due process, something that UOJ’s method leaves to be desired extenuating circumstances notwithstanding. Thus, I bleieve that Vos Loch Zich is actually pro kolko and margulies in this situation, although he is anti-molestor in theory.”
FTR, I strongly lean to thinking that Kolko has molested people (though not necessarily everyone who has or will now come forth to claim it). But I’m trying to keep an open mind, and assess the facts as they emerge. (I’ve heard private information which is more conclusive - to my mind - than much of what has been publically alleged so far.)
Re R’ Margulies, I am skeptical if he is guilty of anything worse than negligence at worst. If there’s one thing everyone agrees about Margulies it is that he is one tough and shrewd SOB, and I think a guy like that would bounce Kolko out the door in a half a second if he thought it was a legitimate issue. Theories that I’ve seen that purport to explain this have been unconvincing, to this point.
I think it’s a lot easier to go back with the benefit of hindsight and say that he must have been or should have been aware that it was true.
On another note, there are a LOT of other people who have been accused and smeared by UOJ and his various aliases and accomplices. So even if I agreed with every word he wrote about Kolko it would not change much.
BTW, I don’t recall saying that I know a rebbi who was falsely accused. IIRC, I generally stuck to theoretics. Although there may have been others participating in the same discussions who made this claim. If I’ve misremembered, please direct me to where I’ve made such a claim.
December 12th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
Sam may have been confusing Ich lach zich with someone else. Harry Maryles has been bellyaching for a while now on his HeEmtza blog that he knows a rebbe who was falsely accused.
December 12th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
UOJ has publicly announced that if anyone was falsely accused to contact his friend/attorney Elliot Pasik Esq. The only one that came forward was Shmuel Plotzker the guy accused of being Tuvya, and UOJ apologized publicly.
Maryles is referring to a buddy of his, that regardless of the evidence, Maryles refuses to forgive UOJ. Mind you, that accusation was not by UOJ, rather it showed up on a comment. UOJ checked with Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetzky and Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer and verified the accusations as true. How do I know, because UOJ asked for my help in the verification process.
It’s easy to play armchair general guys, I for one, know the amount of time and money spent on his quest for the truth. Love him, hate him, he’s one of the great Jewish heros of this generation. Your kids and granchildren will be much safer because of him. You owe him your gratitude whether you agree with him on all of his rants or not.
December 12th, 2006 at 4:02 pm
There was stuff on UOJ originally about the Mirrer yeshiva ketana allegedly complicit in a cover up on Stefan Colmer. Anything on that topic that was pointing a finger at the yeshiva ketana, was erased about a week later, evidently because UOJ had no supporting evidence. He just erased it. He did not apologize to the yeshiva ketana.
On a lighter note, there were also posts mocking Jesse Jackson and that Al Sharpton, who actually lives not far from Margulies, was organizing a protest in front of Temimah. UOJ allowed them through his iron-clad filter and to remain posted for up to a day before erasing them.
December 12th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
Yeah, I also heard UOJ doesn’t brush his teeth ever day.
December 12th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
IchLochZichOse may want to further investigate Margo’s involvement before graciously giving him such a large measure of kaf zchus. I have information from askanim regarding Margo tampering with the batei din. A well placed source also relates to me that several alleged victims have said in interviews that Margo used “mafia tactics” and other forms of intimidation to silence them. Jeff Herman, who is a shomer Torah umitzvos and a responsible person has made the same charges. It would seem at the very least that the same incriminating kol that has dogged Kolko for decades, is echoing conspiracy charges against Margo and others as well.
December 12th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Let Margo tell his BS to the grand jury! In the meanwhile witnesses are lining up to talk to Mr. Herman.
December 12th, 2006 at 5:10 pm
I wouldn’t be surprised if Margulies pressured people to keep the story quiet. In fact I would be very surprised if he didn’t. That’s not the issue. The question is whether he pressured them to keep it quiet because he believed that the accusation was false and didn’t want his yeshiva slandered, or did he do it with knowledge that it was true, or even with callous indifference to the truth? I believe the former makes a lot of sense and the latter makes very little sense at all.
This has nothing to do with “kaf zchus”. I am discussing this purely on a self-interest basis. What’s in it for Margulies to take this kind of risk? He fired any number of rebbeim without a second thought. He could have fired Kolko any time and the latter would have gone quietly rather than make a public fight over whether he was or was not a child molestor.
I’m not going to even bother discussing Herman’s qualifications or reliability. Anyone who is attempting to make millions of dollars based on promoting one version of events does not carry a whole lot of credibility, especially WRT events that he is not personally familiar with.
December 12th, 2006 at 7:41 pm
I think that UOJ is right on with Kolko and deserves credit for that. In general, however, the guy is nuts and doesnt deserve much respect.
Some guy Greg wrote a blog about some of his ranting about the arizal, baalshemtov, rav wasserman, and many other universally respected figures.
December 12th, 2006 at 9:52 pm
Rav Hershel Schachter
Should I Call the Police? Clarifying the Issurim of Mesira and Chilul Hashem
(Includes Q&A session)
Listen Now! (MP3) (shiur length: 42 minutes)
...
There was a question as to internet bloggers, crusaders who take upon themselves to expose abusers, as to permisability:
(This is an excerpt, for full answer listen to original material)
28:30-30:10
Answer: Look .. if the thing is not taken care of and (and) I am convinced that it is absolutely true, so I have no choice, I have to start a crusade and (and) save the public from this person who is (ah) serving as a menace … you have to do something.
December 13th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
>>Anything on that topic that was pointing a finger at the yeshiva ketana, was erased about a week later, evidently because UOJ had no supporting evidence.
UOJ may have contacted them and they agreed to take appropriate action, in which case he would agree to remove the content from the site with no apology necessary. UOJ always gave such opportunity to the people he plastered.
I would like to know what ever happened to Colmer. Supposedly he agreed to therapy, medication. I don’t know how that can be enforced.
December 13th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
Latest Kolko article:
...
December 13th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
As prosecutors warned there could be other criminal charges, Jeffrey Herman — the Florida-based lawyer representing all four plaintiffs against the yeshiva — was in New York this week seeking more information from potential witnesses or plaintiffs.
“I have heard from many other people about this,” Herman said.
Rabosai, please come in for fittings, first come, first served.
December 13th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
“Hitler “was indeed a great man, but also wicked-wickedly great”" - Louis Farrakhan
...
December 13th, 2006 at 2:03 pm
Above Loser,
Your twisted mind does not grasp the Torah Temimah tragedy. The venom you spew is part of the illness of the Haredi Jews as you guys unravel into just another meaningless sect of fanatics who will go down in history along with the Shabbtai Tzvi meshumadim.
December 13th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
What is the likelihood that Simcha is another Paul Mendlowitz alias?
December 13th, 2006 at 2:44 pm
That’s right joker, there’s only ONE guy in the world that agrees with him, that himself. You really are very sick.
December 13th, 2006 at 3:17 pm
Your style is identical, your comments are devoted exclusively to the greatness of UOJ, and your claim that the SBA loan was co-signed for you is ludicrous.
Mendlowitz is a regular user of multiple aliases, both on the UOJ website, where a high percentage of the posts are his own, and on the Ripoff Report website, where he responded both as himself and as “Alice K”.
I’m not saying for certain. I would say over 50% likelihood. Maybe not.
December 13th, 2006 at 3:33 pm
Jewish Press article on Kolko
...
December 14th, 2006 at 9:10 am
IchLochZichOse:
You indicate personal knowledge of Rabbi Yudi Kolko’s guilt. You are vocal in your criticism of UOJ’s methods and rants. You come across as well able to express yourself and appear passionate about your beliefs.
All this I discern from your writings. What I can’t figure out is whether you are doing anything to help bring Kolko to justice. Are you?
December 14th, 2006 at 11:14 am
To: Nothing to laugh at,
You sound like another Paul Mendlowitz alias:)
December 14th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
OUJ right again.
...
Avraham Mordecai Lazerewitz, spiritual supervisor at the Gerer Mesivta Bais Yisroel school, exposed earlier in the year on UOJ’s blog, has been named in a civil suit filed in Brooklyn.
He’s been accused of sexually abusing a male student.
At what point SIW, will you reconsider your position?
UOJ did good.
December 14th, 2006 at 7:24 pm
JWB,
You sound like another Paul Mendlowitz alias. Maybe not ,51%. I’ll go ask Margo.
Looks like all the above comenters are just only Paul. Yes sir, Paul is hanging around here. I think every one here is really Mendlowitz, even Steven, he’s just bashing Paul to attract more attention to himself.
Long live UOJ and for the the good he’s doing for the klal, nobody else has the guts, nobody.
December 14th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Well guys, long time no blogging. Been busy trying to be a mensch. It’s a struggle. There’s no man that’s completely righteous. I think some other redhead said that somewhere a while back.
But I digress.
I’m not sure what the consequences of recent legislation concerning anonymous attacks on the internet will be, but I can well understand why some critics in the orthodox community might prefer anonymity.
Atavistic and illiberal attitudes regarding shidduchim, the importance placed on getting into this or that yeshiva, and an ever present tone of disapproval to any unique individual behavior (you have a dog???), and what you end up with is a community quite vulnerable to intimidation.
With something as radioactive as accusing respected rabbis and teachers of heinous sex crimes, the consequences are that much greater. You can see the personal attacks on Mr. Hirsch and Mr. Mendlowitz. Was my father a schnorrer because he took out a SBA loan too? Of course any slings and arrows targeted at UOJ and those who support him pale beside what the victims of pedophiles endure. Still, it doesn’t feel good to have people reveal your flaws, real and imagined, online, just because you don’t think rabbis should grope their students.
Anonymity brings some freedom. It also brings restrictions and criticism. Though I use a handful of pseudonymous screen names, I’ve never hidden my identity while blogging. I personally find it liberating. Your mileage may vary.
The bottom line, though, is that if UOJ hadn’t done what he did, none of us would be discussing this. As others have pointed out, he started a chain of events that have resulted in Kolko doing the perp walk.
As far as UOJ falsely accusing others, like I said, it’s a radioactive charge so it’s permanently damaging to someone’s reputation even if false. However, I know that if I was falsely accused of sexually molesting a child I wouldn’t be silent. Don’t give me any of the “I’m not going to respond to such an outrageous charge”. I’d be actively trying to show how the charge was false, and confronting anonymous attacks with very public protestations of innocence. None of the schools named by UOJ made any kind of public assertion of innocence except for YTT after the lawsuits were filed.
Another thing is the chance of a false accusation, I believe, is very slim. Boys, because of the stigma of homosexuality, are less likely than girls to report sexual molestations if a male teacher molests them. That’s one reason why the cases in the Roman Catholic Church began with adults making the charge that they were molested as altar boys. It takes a long time to come to grips with it.
I’ve done a little research on the issue. It’s not scientific or anything, just some internet searching, but I’ve yet to find a case where a boy, not manipulated by therapists or police, made a false accusation of sexual molestation against a teacher. There are plenty of cases of girls doing it, particularly young adolescents, but boys aren’t going to risk being called a queer or a faggot just to get back at a teacher who was strict.
I’ve mentioned this to other male friends and they agree. Your mileage may vary.
And if David Framowitz is reading this, I live just down the street from your sister and brother in law near Detroit.
December 14th, 2006 at 11:23 pm
New Kolko article:
...
December 15th, 2006 at 8:52 am
Margo’s lawyers singing a new tune.
First Applegrad denied that there was ever a complaint, now this legalistic spin.
...
Attorneys for Yeshiva Torah Temimah claim that the school did not probe the allegations because they were never given enough evidence to warrant an investigation. Kolko, they said, is no longer affiliated with the school.
(Full disclosure - I am not Paul Mendlowitz)
December 15th, 2006 at 9:15 am
Mr. Stinks,
You can’t fool us! You said Margo’s “singing a new tune”. Mendlowitz is a baal m’nagen, you just gave yourself away. Gotcha
December 15th, 2006 at 9:15 am
“IchLochZichOse Says:
December 12th, 2006 at 5:10 pm
What’s in it for Margulies to take this kind of risk? He fired any number of rebbeim without a second thought. He could have fired Kolko any time and the latter would have gone quietly rather than make a public fight over whether he was or was not a child molestor.”
What about the theory that’s been espoused that Margo is just plain a megalomaniac? Maybe he felt that it’s better to cover up any murmurings of sex abuse that would stain the name of his “feine yeshiva”, as along as he felt he could keep the situation under control.
Applegrad might have even slipped when he used that exact terminology in refusing to cooperate with Eli Greenwald. Applegrad said that he & Margo “have the situation under control”. This, the same Applegrad who lied on National TV, denying that complaints were even made.
Is anyone aware of the supposedly “secret” meeting that Agudah rabbonim had with Margo to plead with him to take action before UOJ let all Hell break loose? Dovid Zweibel practically got down on his hands & knees to beg him according to a source that was there.
I also have been given reports of staff meetings where some rebbeim felt that the evidence / kala delo posik / however you want to term it, was overwhelming and something had to be done about it. Lipa Geldwerth would get very agitated and get up to fight for his buddy Kolko.
Why were Kolko & Margo mesarev din in refusing to follow up with R’ Shmuel Kaminetzky’s special beis din and then Mechon Lehoroyo? You might be able to explain away with the 2nd beis din, that they fell for UOJ’s trap because the hazmonos were indirect, but then again Margo also reportedly lied when he said he would contact Rav Elyashev to be advised on a course of action.
Margo might think he’s still in Satu Mare in der heim where corruption was a way of life. He had better wake up, and fast, to the realities of the American legal system.
December 15th, 2006 at 9:20 am
Very important-
Did anyone take a snapshot of the Avi Shafran Speaks blog, containing the spinmeister’s “confidential” email exchange before it was taken down?
Does anyone know how to navigate the Archive.Org website that takes a snapshot of anything ever posted? The last time I went to that site I found it very confusing.
December 15th, 2006 at 11:11 am
Margo’s lawyer has the right experience and he obviously has no conscience since he even defended al Qaeda terrorist Ramzi Yousef, yemach shmoy.
...
Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, the man authorities are labeling the master-mind behind the World Trade Center bombing, reported now in United States custody. [Yousef’s attorney Avraham MOSKOWITZ, former FBI assistant director James FOX - comment on Yousef.]
...
Former law professor sentenced on child-porn counts
NEW YORK (AP) — A former law professor accused of having some 150,000 images of naked, raped, sodomized and whipped children on his office and home computers was sentenced Monday to six months in jail and 10 years probation.
Edward Samuels, who taught copyright law at New York University Law School for 20 years, pleaded guilty in April to 100 counts of possessing child pornography. He was arrested last August after two computer technicians at the school found the images on his hard drive and reported him.
Assistant District Attorney Maxine Rosenthal told the judge that Samuels, 54, had the largest stash of photos and videos of child pornography ever found in Manhattan. Rosenthal said some of the images featured girls as young as 3 years old.
Avraham Moskowitz, Samuels’ lawyer, said his client has a mental illness and had been “amply punished” because he had lost his job and had been publicly humiliated.
Before being caught, “I didn’t want to be helped,” Samuels told the judge. “Part of my problem is that I did enjoy what I was doing and didn’t want to stop. I do ask for your help now.”
Meanwhile, the two computer technicians who found the materials on his computer have filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit claiming that they were wrongfully fired for turning Samuels in.
December 15th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
I see 4 consecutive posts by Simcha on the topic of whether he is Mendlowitz. Does that count as protesting too much?
“What about the theory that’s been espoused that Margo is just plain a megalomaniac? Maybe he felt that it’s better to cover up any murmurings of sex abuse that would stain the name of his “feine yeshiva”, as along as he felt he could keep the situation under control.”
It would have been a ridiculous calculation for him to make. As noted before, Margulies is shrewd and tough. If he was one or the other you could understand it, not both.
I’m not saying it’s absolutely impossible. But highly unlikely. Much more likely, based on everything I’ve seen to date, is that he simply misjudged the facts based on incomplete information and the way the story played out (& possibly self-interest).
I’ve spoken to someone who was in YTT at the time of the first BD, in the 80s. And his recollection was that at the time (as is also the case now) the people making the accusations were being “assisted” by other people who were thought to have a broader agenda than the actual case at hand, which of course gave rise to the possibility that they were driving the issue for other motivations. At the time, there was a lot of wrangling back-and-forth over the terms of the BD (as is common in such cases) and ultimately the accusers walked out of BD when Kolko was present. (This is also mentioned in the NYM article.) While this is certainly understandable, it is a principle of both torah law and US law that an accused has the right to be present when he is being accused in court, and many people - most likely including Margulies himself - interpreted it as being the final indication that what the accusers were after was not having an impartial BD look through the evidence.
It may of course turn out that it was all wrong. But my point here is that it was not as black-and-white at the time as it now seems with the benefit of hindsight and a one-sided presentation of history.
On a similar note, I know someone who lives next door to a childhood friend of one of the victims that is suing, and this guy says that on the basis of his knowledge of the guy as a kid he does not believe him - he was a troubled and weird kid independent of anything that Kolko might have done.
Again, this does not mean that the guy was not in fact a victim. It is a paradox of these types of accusations that some of the same circumstances that give rise to false accusations (e.g. weird & troubled kids) are also the same circumstances that give rise to genuine abuse (in that abusers seek out vulnerable victims), which is besides for the fact that abuse can mess up people’s heads in and of itself. My point here too is that if you look at a presentation of history which whitewashes this victim as some sort of courageous hero, while focusing on the character flaws of others, you get a distorted picture that seems a lot clearer than the more complex one that people had to deal with in making judgments at the time.
The same goes for any number of other aspects of the case. It’s worth noting that one of the accuser’s own mother did not believe him at the time, with his welfare presumably primary in her mind, and with a much better view of the circumstances and details than we have now. It’s not as simple as people like to think it is.
December 15th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
Above Loch Zich Os,
I am proud to admit that I work for Mr. Mendlowitz and I love him. I asked him for permission to do what I’m doing, he could not care less, “go have some fun, don’t waste too much company or personal time” was his response. I never asked him if he is UOJ, but he could be based on his passion for everything he does.
Believe me I can tell you don’t know him but choose to believe the crap people are saying and making up, you could even being taking instruction from the criminals on Ocean Parkway. Just for your knowledge we all love him here, he is a generous and caring guy. If you got to know him, chances are you would be overwhelmed with his charisma and magnetism, and get to like him. But of course you would love to believe the worst of him, but not Margo or Kolko, people that you do know for the sick guys that they have proven to be. All people like him have enemies, actually you can tell a person by the enemies he has. I’m certain he is very proud to have you, Margo, Kolko, Fishman, Twerski, Shafran, Perlow, Salomon and the whole bunch of you as enemies. I am done here, I wish you a refuah shleima, you are obviously not completely emotionally well. Good Shabbes.
December 15th, 2006 at 2:15 pm
I don’t know which people are saying what crap about Mendlowitz. My information about him is based on his own writings on the UOJ blog as well as the RipOff Report site, his company’s website, the BBB article about his company, the SBA website, on someone I know who knows his children (at least one of them), and on someone who lives in LA and knows of his life there.
Oh, and also on Mr. Rosh Yeshiva’s email exchange. I see that Mendlowitz has taken a strong stand on his blog against publishing confidential emails. Somehow I find this highly amusing.
December 16th, 2006 at 6:45 pm
Important Meshulach Alert!
Dear Members:
The following is an important message from the Vaad Hatzdokah of Toronto:
We have been advised by our sister Vaad Hatzdokah office in London England that we are about to graced with a visit from the above meshullach collecting for “Hakav Hameachas”. (See attachment for photo)
The Moised itself is of a suspicious nature, but worse, we have been informed Mr Konopnitzki served a four year jail sentence in the States for sexually abusing children. He is unable to return to Israel (he
has problems there with the Authorities) has spent the past four months in the UK, and intends to remain here in Toronto for an extended period . He was initially issued certification by the London Vaad , but this was immediately withdrawn on receipt of reports of his incarceration. He is still in possession of this certificate and may well produce it to prove his authenticity.
London suspects he got up to further no good there, and recommends Toronto circulates his photo with warnings to mothers and young children to avoid contact with him. Needless to say do not contribute to this cause.
perp’s photo here:
...
December 16th, 2006 at 6:57 pm
IchLochZichOse,
Tell me that you really think that a boy will accuse a teacher of homosexual contact with him, just because he is “a troubled and weird kid”. This doesn’t pass the sniff test. Boys are loathe to do anything that would stigmatize them as gay. It just isn’t going to happen. Girls will indeed make false accusations against a male teacher, boys won’t.
IchLoch, your attitude reflects the prevalent view among froomies, that there are such things as “troubled” or “weird” kids, that any problems are not due to an educational system that fails many students but rather due to the shortcomings of the students themselves.
Go ahead and kick the “weirdos” and “bums” to the curb. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to soil your pure soul by associating with people who have problems.
Of course, all people have problems. The family that hides their problems the best, gets the best shidduchim.
But then, if the bums and weirdos ever saw a froomie acknowledge a flaw or wrongdoing, they might actually have a role model for tshuvah. But since we all know that froomies are perfect and have no problems or character flaws, such a thing will never happen.
December 16th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
IchLochZichOse,
Please produce even a single documented case of a boy making a false accusation of sexual molestation by a male teacher. You seem to be such an expert, talking about the “circumstances that give rise to false accusations “. Tell us, oh great wise one, about some of those false accusations and their circumstances.
December 16th, 2006 at 10:37 pm
“As noted before, Margulies is shrewd and tough.”
That doesn’t make him infallible as far as making a huge miscalculation with Kolko. In my opinion, the “highly unlikely” scenario that he’s being accused of fostering, would indeed be highly unlikely for any real rosh yeshiva. Margo is just a businessman with a kapota who is not particularly known for his lomdus and tzidkus. I would venture further, that like in his backwater hometown of Satmar, he is used to corruption and feifing on the system and any set of values that he’s not particularly interested in adhering to.
That Kolko & Margo’s accusers have been accused of bias, is an old story which even the more contemporary Eli Greenwald is not immune from. I think it’s safe to assume that over 90% of people who have crossed paths with Margo wind up with a bias against him. Who then is left to make unbiased accusations? If Margo made his own bed, then let him sleep in it.
That an alleged victim’s own mother did not believe her son’s accusations against Kolko, also means nothing as far as I’m concerned. It would not be the first time. And the baalei musser happen point out that people have a predisposition to not want to believe that something bad happened to a relative. That is the reason why the Shvotim could not recognize Yosef, who with age & beard notwithstanding, they should have been able to recognize. Because they refused to believe that something bad happened to him, they could not recognize their own brother.
“Weird” victims are still victims, wether they are truly weird and thus handpicked for abuse by Kolko or if they are just smeared as such by Margo after they point fingers at their attacker. The din of kala delo pasik seemingly applies even if all or most of the alleged victims are weird. That was the case in relation to Mordechai Tendler and why he was able to continue getting away with his crimes against women. It was the perception of the public in New Hempstead that all the accusers are wackos which somehow makes the claims less credible. The teshuva from Rav Wosner finds Tendler guilty regardless.
Even if IchLoch is somehow right about Margo, he may still be found guilty by the authorities of failing to act as a responsible educator.
December 17th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
I urge everyone to analyze the comments of Simcha above.
This is the same simcha who was first to announce on Gregs blog (here is the link)
...
that “UOJ” (here he didnt say Mendlowitz) will be attending the Aguda convention (right before the announcement appeared on UOJ’s site) and couldnt stop singing the praises of both UOJ and Mendlowitz.
I guess if noone else says nice things about you, you gotta do it yourself!
December 17th, 2006 at 5:33 pm
I’ve been able to get multiple sources to confirm that Rav Dovid and Reuven Feinstein were aware of the sexual abuse allegations against Rabbi Joel “Yehuda” Kolko and knew the allegations were credible. They knew for decades.
And what did they do?
Nothing.
That’s right our children were abused in our camps and schools because these moral pygmies and so many others were silent and did nothing.
Weep oh Israel, for we live in a generation without leadership.
December 18th, 2006 at 10:57 am
JWB, you’re going to have to say a lot more than that, to back up such a startling statement. Try names, dates, places, and who said what.
Let’s assume, though, that the two rabbis did know of complaints that Kolko was abusing boys at YTT. Undoubtedly, they gave much thought as to what to do with this information, if anything. Assume, as seems fair, that the victims wanted to keep it quiet, because they never pressed criminal charges. They also did not bring any civil lawsuits. So what were the two Rabbi Feinsteins supposed to do, without any complaining victims? The two rabbis certainly can’t go to the police, or file civil lawsuits on their behalf.
Nor can they warn the community about Kolko unless there’s been criminal or civil charges filed, or least have a victim available to back them up. But they had none of that.
And YTT was and is not their yeshiva. They did not have the power to fire Kolko.
I guess you’re talking about complaints in the 80s. Child sex abuse was simply unheard of then in our circles, and to talk of a yeshiva registry would have been considered ludicrous. Even the government didn’t have such registries.
They were probably lied to also by Margulies with some baloney about Kolko not doing it anymore, doing teshuva, and there are no more complaints. Shevach butcher fooled a lot of people also.
Let’s be fair.
December 18th, 2006 at 10:59 am
Reb Dovid & Reb Reuven are very humble, Reb Dovid won’t pasken a shaalo that someone much smaller than him has already paskened.[Even if he knows that they are wrong].
He doesn’t run to be the main speaker every where,or any where, and looks at him self like a nothing, even less than any alumnus ofany Yeshiva.
They don’t believe they are Choshuv enough to be listened to, especially if they were never asked, or if someone Paskened before them.
They also don’t speak & are not Mekabel Loshon Horah, so if they were not part of a Bais Din how would they know?
IT is also not possible that two brothers were on the same Bais Din, so please don’t try to get, the last few that are are still authentic.
They may not be manhigim, because they were not given that matono, and are not looking to be so,but they are Talmidai Chachomim & Gedolei Yisroel.
The only thing you could tell them is: Haloi Im Koton Ato B’Eineicha Roish L’shivtei Yisroel Ato.
Even us gutter boys need a drop of authority & Derech Eretz, and for them I have it.
December 18th, 2006 at 11:03 am
>So what were the two Rabbi Feinsteins supposed to do,
>without any complaining victims?
They should have given carte blanche to all to go to police.
They should have phoned child and family service and made a report.
They should have written psaks, made public statements and stood for the children.
>Let’s be fair.
I certainly am.
December 18th, 2006 at 11:43 am
I was not happy that the Feinstein bros were originally defending nephew Mordy, even though they are his uncles. They haven’t said a word in his defense for a long time now though.
I happen to have inside information that R’ Dovid Feinstein was tipped off by a younger rosh yeshiva about a molester cheder rebbe. R’ Dovid called the molester, threatening that he’d better leave chinuch or he will be mefarsem on him. The molester complied.
December 18th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
I now expect them to do public teshuvah. Take responsibility for their past moral failure and stand up publicly NOW for these young men/children, as they should have done many years ago and even more recently.
Their failure is directly responsible for the abuse suffered by the latest survivor to come forward. A brave 9-year old abused at age 6.
And Rav Dovid and Reuven Feinstein remain silent? It’s shameful. Absolutely shameful.
December 18th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
...
Monday, December 18, 2006
UOJ TO FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AND DIN TORAH ON BEHALF OF KLAL YISROEL!
I am seriously contemplating filing both a lawsuit and convening a bais din with the intent of exposing the corruption in our Organizations and yeshivas for the entire world to see.
All Organizations, yeshivas, laymen and rabbis that are involved in the corruption of our religion will be named as defendants.
I am asking all Jews of good will to contact me at: ... if you are willing to assist me in this effort. You can be named as a plaintiff if you wish or you can work behind the scenes remaining anonymous.
Calling all rabbis, attorneys, parents, and all Jews who had enough of the sickening corruption that has infected our community.
Get involved or authentic Torah true Judaism will be no more!
December 18th, 2006 at 12:43 pm
“That doesn’t make him infallible as far as making a huge miscalculation with Kolko.”
Not infallible. But it would be an egregious miscalculation to keep a time bomb like that on your staff, if you were an intelligent “businessman”.
“That an alleged victim’s own mother did not believe her son’s accusations against Kolko, also means nothing as far as I’m concerned”
Nothing?
Again, remember that the issue at hand was not whether or not this victim was actually molested, but whether it was reasonable at the time to conclude that he was not, based on the facts at hand. I would think the fact that the guy’s mother didn’t believe it suggests that this was a reasonable belief. And that those who can now look 30 years back at a situation that they have only a vague and selective view of and determine that the issue is black-and-white are seriously mistaken. YMMV.
December 18th, 2006 at 12:54 pm
>but whether it was reasonable at the time to conclude that
>he was not, based on the facts at hand.
Dude, that’s the job of the police and child family services. It doesn’t matter what the rabbonim or the mother believed, they have zero expertise or training in the area. What was reasonable was to report the allegations and let trained experts evaluate, investigate and come to conclusions.
They chose not to act reasonably and now will have to answer in the courts.
December 18th, 2006 at 1:43 pm
“Dude, that’s the job of the police and child family services.”
You appear to be confused as to what the legal issues are. They are, FYI, whether R’ Margulies was negligent in keeping Kolko on his staff in light of the allegations, such that he is liable for subsequent abuse.
This is apparently an emotional issue for you, but please try to keep the issues straight.
December 18th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
>You appear to be confused as to what the legal issues are.
>They are, FYI, whether R’ Margulies was negligent in keeping
>Kolko on his staff in light of the allegations, such that he is
>liable for subsequent abuse.
By not reporting allegations to the police and child family services, he is likely negligent. By choosing to dismiss the allegations as such and retaining Kolko, he is likely responsible for all consequences.
>This is apparently an emotional issue for you, but please try
>to keep the issues straight.
Dude, your opinion as to my emotional state is irrelevant and incorrect. I’m giving you the stone cold facts.
December 18th, 2006 at 3:44 pm
“By not reporting allegations to the police and child family services, he is likely negligent.”
As I understand it, guys like yourself are carrying on in favor of changes in the law that would make the schools mandatory reporters prospectively. This would not apply retroactively. In any event, the issue here is whether he is liable for not having taken note of prior accusations WRT future victiims. I don’t recall any of the lawsuits that I’ve read making an issue of this.
In fact - maybe you or someone can refresh my memory on this - are there any allegation in lawsuits to this point that any kids continued to be abused after they reported their stories to R’ Margulies (or anyone else in authority)?
FWIW, I don’t see why a school would be required to report anything when the kid’s parents know about it and can make their own decisions as to what to report and to who. (Unless the school suspects the parents of abuse.) But this seems to be a moot point in this instance, as above.
“By choosing to dismiss the allegations as such and retaining Kolko, he is likely responsible for all consequences.”
Well maybe yes and maybe no. It’s obvious to anyone who has read any of your numerous posts on this and related issues what your opinion will be on any aspect of this and similar incidents. If you get yourself on the jury I have no doubt you will vote against Kolko and Margulies, and any other rabbi suspected of anything FTM on every issue. I have no objection to discussing any points that you might make, should you happen to make any, but if it’s just a matter of what your subjective opinion is, as is apparently the case here, I don’t see much in it.
“I’m giving you the stone cold facts.”
I don’t see you giving any facts at all, stone cold or otherwise.
December 18th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
>FWIW, I don’t see why a school would be required to report
>anything when the kid’s parents know about it and can make
>their own decisions as to what to report and to who.
Dude, it’s simple. They should report so professionals investigate and ensure there are no further victims.
>Well maybe yes and maybe no.
Dude, if the jury finds that the allegations against Kolko are true, why shouldn’t they find liability against YTT? YTT chose not to have professionals investigate, they took that responsibility with the associated consequences of liability.
December 18th, 2006 at 4:28 pm
Whistleblower, just give it up. You are obviously no match for the guy and are making yourself look silly with all your dudes.
December 18th, 2006 at 4:44 pm
JWB,
You’ve decided that anyone who makes an effort to ascertain for himself and does not go to “professionals” is negligent and liable. I don’t know that this is so much a “stone cold fact” as your opinion. Time will tell how this holds up in court (unless there is an out-of-court settlement).
It is my impression that there is significant evidence that the Catholic Church leaders in many cases knew of and accepted the abuse by their various clergymen, but continued to employ them, based on the testimony of psychologists that they were cured or restrictions on their activities that were loosely monitored. And that this was consistently done as a matter of policy, for many such priests. ISTM that accusing someone who looked into the issue WRT a single person and arrived at a conclusion that differs from yours (and from what may turn out to have been correct) is on shakier ground.
December 18th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
It has been pointed out many times on the Internet that JWB has a very big fan club of racist and anti-Semitic bloggers.
Here is the text that appeared on many sites, including JWB’s own blog:
JWB has a clear agenda of attracting negative attention to Orthodox Jews and Orthodox institutions, often based on flimsy rumors and innuendo. Look no further than his post about the Ramaz Yeshiva bus “scandal” to see how far he will stretch in a feeble attempt to shame any Orthodox Jew.
It should come as no surprise that JWB’s blog is admired by racist and anti-Semitic websites.
The “Badlands” is a white-supremacist and anti-Semitic site. That site lists JWB’s link right alongside a short list of other premier white-supremacist and anti-Semitic links such as:
Mark Godfrey’s Ontomia
The Refugee Camp
National Vanguard
The White Picket Fence
Little Geneva
…and has blog categories such as
For Fear of the Jews
The Holomocaust (sic)
Jews Hate Christianity
etc.
Birds of a feather…
December 18th, 2006 at 4:59 pm
>You’ve decided that anyone who makes an effort to ascertain
>for himself and does not go to “professionals” is negligent and liable.
Dude, have you not been following the Catholic Church scandal? Why do you think they’ve been found liable in so many lawsuits?
December 18th, 2006 at 5:03 pm
Give it up Anonymous 4:46 pm, I was right about Team Tendler, I was right about Team Gafni and I was right about Team Worch.
If all you can do is stick your head in the ground and chant anti-semitism, good luck to you.
I love Judaism and I hate those who’ve muddied its name by protecting sexual predators.
December 18th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
JWB, Are you a victim?
December 19th, 2006 at 11:04 am
“Dude, have you not been following the Catholic Church scandal? Why do you think they’ve been found liable in so many lawsuits?”
Odd. I addressed this very issue in the paragraph following the one that you quoted. I would suggest that you read an entire post before responding.
December 19th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
IchLochZichOse: “the issue at hand was not whether or not this victim was actually molested, but whether it was reasonable at the time to conclude that he was not, based on the facts at hand… those who can now look 30 years back at a situation that they have only a vague and selective view of and determine that the issue is black-and-white are seriously mistaken.”
So I guess it was “reasonable” that Margo tampered by multiple batei din, who couldn’t even get to the investigative stage, even though gedolim like R’ Avigdor Miller and the Tenker Rov said to keep Kolko away from children, and R’ Shmuel Dishon had already forced out Kolko after confronting him about molestation? (I’m not referring to the one beis din that did investigate but where the accusers did a horribly sloppy job of presenting evidence & their case.)
Margo’s reactionary mafioso tactics that ignored the Torah code of conduct, does not lend one either to think Margo was following temimusdik instincts.
Hence it’s only “reasonable” in Margo’s alternate La La Land universe of corruption.
I’m sure that IchLochZichOse is a learned fellow, who is earnestly trying to arrive at the truth, but there are now roshei yeshiva who quietly confide that Margo is not only guilty as sin, but a moron to boot.
December 19th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
>JWB, Are you a victim?
As I’ve said many times, not a victim, not a survivor, not a relative of one. And it still remains irrelevant.
>Odd. I addressed this very issue in the paragraph
>following the one that you quoted. I would suggest
>that you read an entire post before responding.
My point was you obviously either did not comprehend the events or are incapable of same.
December 19th, 2006 at 1:51 pm
uoj is an alter cocker 59 year old in a few days - you can read more about his public records on my blog ameilusbetorah - ...
December 19th, 2006 at 2:41 pm
Another Margo real estate move.
Is anyone aware that Margo bought a plot of land for his son at the corner of Ave O & East 17th St? They broke ground for an oversized cheese box but then the property was put up for sale. I bet it has to do with minimizing assets because of the lawsuits. I wonder who is recorded as deed holder with the city.
December 19th, 2006 at 2:46 pm
— I wonder who is recorded as deed holder with the city. —
If you know the address, you can go to the city website below to find out.
...
December 19th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
The ab ameilus guy might have a point or two but is otherwise suffering from a severe form of brain damage as is in abundant evidence on his anti-UOJ blog.
I’m having trouble with my browser speed today, otherwise I would be looking into all kinds of details relevant to Margo’s property at Ave O.
December 19th, 2006 at 4:19 pm
Paul Manilow lived in Skokie between NY & Beverly Hills?
...
Chicago Sun-Times, Nov 11, 2000
Court officer cleared
A federal judge has cleared a court security officer of any wrongdoing after a juror complained the officer made inappropriate comments to him. Judge Elaine Bucklo on Thursday found the testimony of the security officer more credible than the juror’s. Defense attorneys for three people convicted in June for taking part in a kickback scheme suggested that the comment could be viewed as a veiled threat and wanted a new trial. The juror, Paul Manilow, a Skokie accountant, said the court officer admonished him for talking during the trial and told him that IRS agents were sitting near the jury box. Another juror backed Manilow’s basic account. But the judge found that the officer’s comment did not have the hint of a threat.
December 19th, 2006 at 11:20 pm
To everyone here, would you please check outthis article it seems extremely important and credible. See for yourself - there is much more than just rape and coverup.
All the best.
December 20th, 2006 at 12:43 pm
Baruch Atah UOJ Elohenu Melech Haolam Shehakol Bara Lichvodo.
Yechi Adonenu Morenu Verabenu Melech Hamoshiach UOJ Leolam Vaed.
December 20th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
Baruch Atah UOJ Elohenu Melech Haolam Shehakol Bara Lichvodo!
Yechi Adonenu Morenu Verabenu Melech Hamashiach UOJ Leolam Vaed!
December 20th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
“So I guess it was “reasonable” that Margo tampered by multiple batei din …”
Assuming that all these things are true, yes.
JWB,
“My point was you obviously either did not comprehend the events or are incapable of same.”
I highly doubt it. Most likely you read the first paragraph and got excited and banged out a reply. (Otherwise you would have addressed - or at least acknowledged - what I wrote.) Saying “what about X” when the other has already addressed X is silly and pointless. But having acted silly and pointless you tried to cover for yourself by saying some version of the old schoolyard try: “what you said is so silly that I don’t even have to respond”. Right.
December 20th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
While it seems that it is not clear whether YTT is negligent according to the legal definition, if the allegations are true, it would appear that the school’s/Margulies’ conduct here was beyond egregious. That being said, we cannot lose sight of the fact that all of these families had the right, and the opportunity, to go to the authorities. And I think this is where the real work needs to be done–that is, in getting people to understand that, currently, they have the best chance of having these matters investigated and dealt with properly if they take these cases to the outside authorities.
December 21st, 2006 at 1:04 pm
Another part of the problem is that there is some stigma associated with being an abuse victim. And with good reason too - since being abused can cause serious long-term emotional problems. So if you are an abuse victim you might be better served by hushing it up rather than doing anything that might draw the attention of a lot of people to the fact that you just might have serious long-term emotional problems. That’s why in general you will find a disproportionate percentage of the people who do come forth to be adults, people who have no connection to the community, and possibly people who emotional problems are obvious in any event.
In a paradoxical sense, the people who keep harping about child abuse are making it even harder for others to come forward, since these people tend to magnify the evil impact of the molesters to the extent possible - this makes the self-identification as a victim even more of a losing proposition than otherwise.
December 24th, 2006 at 2:44 pm
In a paradoxical sense, the people who keep harping about child abuse are making it even harder for others to come forward, since these people tend to magnify the evil impact of the molesters to the extent possible - this makes the self-identification as a victim even more of a losing proposition than otherwise.
—————————————————————-
I get it! Let’s “sweep it under the carpet” for the sake of the victims.
Are you nuts or just plain dense? The only way your people will stop messing around with innocent children is if the world stops them. Your wink wink attitude towards child abuse is the problem and has caused more destruction than any of us can comprehend.
Go ahead, keep on laughing at the rest of the world while your perverse distortions of torah judaism destroy your culture. You deserve your future.
December 25th, 2006 at 10:32 am
Dear Harry, Yaakov, Barry, Mendel & Michael:
Congratulations on your new endeavor. It comes at an oddly opportune moment, a time when the entire world is watching us to observe how we react to the growing scandal of rabbinic abuse and cover-up within our ranks.
While our community is sure to welcome yet another organization seeking our support and gaps in our social calendars cry out for the need of one more dinner, I question your need for funding.
It is my understanding that calls to 911 are free and to the best of my knowledge the police and prosecutors do not charge for their services.
What than is your raison d’être? Surely, you are not suggesting that victims of rabbinic sexual abuse bypass the authorities and contact your new organization. Why, that would be obstruction of justice. More importantly, that would suggest your intent is to provide cover for rabbinic molesters and the institutions they work in. Is this your purpose?
Your call for “financial reporting and transparency” is laudable and something that is sorely lacking in many of our vital organizations. As there appears to be no need for your new entity, your offer of transparency seems pointless.
May I suggest you consider cutting your losses and ending this spectacle before you embarrass yourself further? If there is one lesson to be learned from the Kolko/Margulies affair, it is that we are obligated to go directly to the authorities with allegations of rabbinic molestation. The police and the prosecutors have the training and resources to assess the veracity of claims and deal with the perpetrators. You and your buddies do not. Nor do even our most well meaning rabbis. (For an apt example, please research the evolution, geographic and otherwise, of the Mondrowitz case.)
For the sake of our children, stop this nonsense before more innocents are pulled into this vortex of backward ignorance.
December 25th, 2006 at 8:28 pm
This is a test
December 26th, 2006 at 8:19 pm
Interesting post from the Matt Salomon blog.
Kolko showed up in Lakewood Sunday night for the Kurant wedding. He was yapping away all night, seemingly without a worry in the world with those Hungarian idiots from Weinfeld’s shul. Figures the pompous behaima temeah would show up on Kratzmach / Nittel Nacht of all nights. What are the odds that he will show up again on Jan. 6th for the more authentic Nittel.
Pinny Lipschitz thinks everyone is oyver on hamalbin pnei chavero and giving poor Yudi unbearable bushos. You would never know Kolko had any shame by observing him.
January 4th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Kings
Index No. 268/2007
JOHN DOE NO. 5,
by and through his natural parents and guardians, and by his MOTHER and FATHER individually,
Plaintiffs,
vs.
Yeshiva & Mesivta Torah Temimah, Inc.
Defendant
This boy was molested by Kolko and Margulies in 2004 & 2005 in Torah Temimah. Another $10,000,000 lawsuit against TT. Another felony indictment against Kolko. Maybe this time they charge Margulies too. This poor kid was abused by Kolko in the classroom together with several classmates.
January 8th, 2007 at 3:35 am
The following was posted approximately 11 days ago by Rabbi Yisroel Belsky Shlita on other sites. Rav Belsky mentioned during one of his shiurim last week that he felt it to be Halachicly proper to notify the public on line since so many Yiddin are blatantly violating the issur of being on the internet and not listening to the rabbonim who have clarly forbid it and instead are today reading blogs over the internet.
”As the most accepted possek of this generation, I, Rabbi Yisroel (Israel) Belsky, feel the olam needs to know my daas regarding Rabbi Yidi Kolko Shlita. Rabbi Yidi Kolko should never have been arrested. A child, whether he is six years or nine years of age should not be assumed to be telling the truth accurately. And even if it were true that the child was touched inappropriately, these type of things happen all the time, its not enough of a reason to label the man a pedophile and danger to society. In the early 70’s,Yidi and I were together in Camp Agudah. I heard occasionally complaints from young campers that they had been fondled by Rabbi Yidi Kolko. Always I suggested that they allow me to go public with their accusation. It was my way of testing them for the truth. Each and every time, I heard the accusing child refuse. It was then clear to me that these campers were lying. Children are known to make up stories. To this day Yidi Kolko was never found to be dangerous to any children. To the contrary, Rav Pinchas Scheinberg Shlita and Rabbi Lipa Margulis Shlita, after carefully investigating many of the accusers, made a very clear determination that Yidi Kolko was innocent of mishkav zachar, and that the claims of inappropriate touching was nothing more than his showing of affection. That was their psak many years ago, and the olam remains obligated to accept it without any question. We therefore must give no credence to the shouting voices of Yidi’s most recent accusers. These are people seeking false publicity and to make an easy dollar off the back of a Yeshiva which in reality they should be very grateful to. I therefore, as always continue to stand behind Rabbi Yidi Kolko Shlita and give him my fullest support. I am fully certain that at the end Rabbi Kolko will be acquitted of all the false charges.”
January 9th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Anyone who thinks that Belsky actually wrote the above post on another site is retarded.
January 9th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
PEOPLE PLEASE LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY
MY SON WAS IN KOLKO CLASS YEAR 2004-2005. HE MOLESTED MY SON. MY SON TOLD US EVERYTHING AFTER 1 1/2 YEARS LATER. MY SON TOLD THE TRUTH. HE NEVER HEARD OR KNEW OF ANYTHING GOING ON. HE WAS DISTURB ALOT FROM KOLKO HANDS. I AM THE FATHER OF JOHN DOE # 5. AND I WILL GO AFTER KOLKO AND LIPA WHAT EVER THE COST WILL BE. LIPA SHOULD OF GOT RID OF HIM LONG TIME AGO. I AM NOT HERE TO PLAY GAMES. WHEN MY SON TOLD ME THE RABBI PUT HIS HANDS DOWN MY SON PANTS. MY SON ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE RABBI SCARED HIM BY TELLING HIM IF HE WILL TELL HIS PARENTS OR ANYONE HE WILL BE THROWN OUT OF THE YESHIVA. PEOPLE FACE THE FACTS HE DESTROYED MANY CHILDREN MINDS.MY SON IS GETTING THEARPY NOW. MANY THINGS ARE COMING OUT. MY SON TOLD THE DOCTOR THAT HE SEW KOLKO PULL DOWN OTHER KIDS PANTS BEHIND THE HIS DESK AND PLAY WITH THIER PENIS. PLEASE DID THIS RIDICULOUS.
IF WANT TO TALK TO ME PLEASE E-MAIL ME ABUSED BY ...
January 13th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
I SPOKE TO SOMEONE THIS SHABBOS ,AND THE PERSON SPOKE TO RABBI BELSKY AND NEVER WROTE THE JANUARY 8 2007 LETTER.
January 13th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
RABBI BELSKY A VERY BRIGHT PERSON AND A GADOL DID NOT WRITE THE LETTER POSTED ON JAN 8,2007. I BELIEVE THE PERSON WHO WROTE THE LETTER IN THE NAME OF RABBI BELSKY SHOULD BE HUG UP LIKE SADAM .
January 13th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
if anyone wants to talk to father of john doe # 5 who filed a claim against ytt and low life kolko emal to ...
January 13th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
abusedbykolko aol.com
January 13th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
everyone who wants to speak to father of john doe # 5 you can e-mail him at
abusedbykolko alo.com .
January 13th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
ABUSEDBYKOLKO AOLCOM
January 14th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
This past Shabbos R’ Dovid Cohen of Khal Gvul Yaavetz publicly stated that he was the author of the open letter to Rav Matisyahu Salomon regarding the blogs. Rav Cohen stated that he has all his information from his position as the clergyman for Ohel Children’s Home. What is strange to me is that in 1998 Ohel too was written up in the NY Post as having been involved with a major coverup over the rapes of young boys by their male counselors. Shame on you Dovid Cohen. Not too long ago you were written up in the media (NY Times etc.) as the rabbi that gave advice to a woman to bribe Gerald Garson, the convicted matrimonial judge who presided in Kings County. It was that bribery case that brought down Judge Garson. You are no rav, you are a phoney. You are no Cohen either, you are the child of a Gerusha and a Cohen. You are a Challal at best, that is if your really Jewish. Your disgraceful arrogance is not found among true Jews. Your shul building was purchased with laundered funds from a convicted felon (Green)hiding today from the law in Switzerland. The public should be aware of who you really are. Rav Belsky too has stated on numerous occassions that you Dovid Cohen are the antecedent of a new tribe of challal meyuchsan as well as the puke of the Jewish community. Once again Shame on you!
January 19th, 2007 at 1:25 am
It seems that not only does it take one challal to know another, but also that vomit can identify puke. David Cohen and Israel Belsky by dropping their smelly diahrea where ever they go are serving the Jewish public with ample warning as to the idiots they both are. Great Job
February 24th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
Colmer is still around and dangerous. Other blogs say he is living in Passaic NJ.
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