Rabbi Saul Berman Hired by Chovevei
One door closes, and this one opens:
From: Yeshivat Chovevei Torah
Subject: Important Announcement to YCT TalmidimDear Chevre,
I am pleased to share with you some wonderful news. Rabbi Saul Berman has been appointed the Director of Rabbinic Enrichment at the Yeshiva. Rabbi Berman will head YCT’s Legacy Heritage Rabbinic Enrichment Initiative (LHREI). Established through the generosity of the Legacy Heritage Fund of New York and Jerusalem, in honor of Bella and Harry Wexner, z”Â?l, this initiative in continuing Rabbinic education will use a combination of mentorship of newly ordained rabbis by senior rabbis, conferences, community events, and electronic resources to support YCT alumni and enhance their intellectual and spiritual growth, thus, making our rabbis in the field more effective and successful in their service to Klal Yisrael. Coming in at the unprecedented time of growth for the Yeshiva, Rabbi Berman will shape the way for the institution’s support of the growing number of chevre in the field.
As you are well aware, Rabbi Berman is one of the most respected voices in the Modern Orthodox community, and in the larger Jewish world today. His commitment to the vision of YCT and his extensive experience as a pulpit rabbi, community leader, and educator will be critically important to the development of a sophisticated continuing education component. I am proud and delighted that Rabbi Berman, a person of great brilliance, integrity and sensitivity, has agreed to come on board.
The Yeshiva is forever indebted to you, our dear students for your commitment to Am Yisroel. You are the centerpiece for all that we do. Together, B’ezrat Hashem, may we grow from strength to strength.
With blessings for a pleasant, fruitful and fulfilling summer,Be’ahavah,
Rav Avi [Weiss]
July 2nd, 2006 at 2:56 pm
“Director of Rabbinic Enrichment at the Yeshiva”?
Disgusting.
Rabbi Avi Weiss should be ashamed of himself. Rabbi Berman ran a campaign for years to protect a sexual predator and child molester. He has demonstrated his dishonesty and basic lack of integrity. He claimed investigations and determinations of innocence when he couldn’t even be bothered to speak with the brave survivors of Gafni who came forward. Berman blackened the names of those survivors and anyone who dared stand with or for them.
The fact that an educational institute would give this lowlife a position of this sort reflects directly on this institution, those who support it and our community leadership.
To date Berman has note done anything resembling teshuvah.
The only title Berman deserves is “Chief Liar and Protector of Sexual Predator and Child Molester Mordecai Gafni, Unrepentant”.
Perhaps Rabbi Weiss has jobs for the community leaders that protect sexual predators such as Rabbis Lanner and Kolko.
Perhaps Rabbi Margulis could be Co-Director of Rabbinic Enrichment at the Yeshiva?
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:24 pm
Berman and Weiss could just as soon both get positions at the JTS, which is what they would do if they were honest.
July 3rd, 2006 at 9:47 am
YCT will also absorb into the fabric of the Yeshiva three significant projects initiated by Edah: the Edah web-site, the Journal and the audio-visual library.
July 3rd, 2006 at 10:20 am
Signing yourself “Rav Avi” is a sure sign of a first-class phoney. Are you running a yeshiva or a commune? It reminds me of “Rav Berg,” for that matter. Or “Rav Shlomo,” but Carlebach wasn’t pretending to run a seminary.
July 3rd, 2006 at 10:35 am
I wonder how YCT staff and supporters feel about having sexual predator and child molester Mordecai Gafni’s most vocal protector of the past years on staff. A protector who to this day has not done any real public teshuva like apologizing to the brave survivors whose calls he refused to even take. Perhaps, we should ask:
2004 Information
Staff (compensation, benefits and allowances):
1. Rabbi Dov Linzer - Rosh Ha Yeshiva - $101,292.00
2. Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot - Chair Bible & Jewish - $79,570.00
3. Rabbi Dov Weiss - Director Admissions - $69,578.00
4. Oksana Bellas - Director of Operations - $62,994.00
5. Rabbi Jack Love - Associate Chair - $59,553.00
6. Rabbi Ysocher Katz - Director of Mechina Program - $50,814.00
7. Jocelyn Egyes - Development Coordinator - $47,752.00
Officers/Directors/Trustees:
1. Tova Bulow
2. Hon. Dr. Dov. S. Zakheim
3. Benjamin Belfer
4. Charles Feldman
5. Norman Bullow
6. Howard Jonas - Chair of the Board
7. Ari Hait
8. Hillel Jaffe
9. Alexandra Zizmor
10. Jack Schwartz - vice-chair
11. Steven Lieberman
12. Stewart Harris - vice-chair
13. Daniel Katz
14. Herschel Raskas
15. Jonathan Zizmor
16. Rabbi Avi Weiss - President/Dean
17. Dr. Rachel Yehuda
18. Michael Brill
19. Rabbi Joshua Lookstein
20. Daniel Perla
21. Marcel Lindenbaum
July 3rd, 2006 at 5:40 pm
I don’t think you can expect anything more. There hasn’t been a serious Jewish national conversation about this disease on ways to prevent future occurences. To the best of my knowledge there aren’t proper protools put into place within our schools and organizations to prevent this kind of criminal-anti-social behavior. Please visit my website and let me know how you feel. shaelsiegel.com
May 30th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
Thank Hashem for Rabbis Weiss and Berman. They are catalysts for positive change.