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Legendary Orthodox rabbi aware of sexual abuse of children, report says
Legendary Orthodox Rabbi Aware of Sexual Abuse of Children, Report Says
Report by Ramaz Academy says Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, who officiated at Ivanka Trump's wedding and ran the school for 50 years, was aware of misconduct
The Forward and Ari Feldman Aug 31, 2018 11:23 AM
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File photo: The corner of 88th St. and 1st Ave. in New York City, 2016.Bloomberg
Vatican knew of cover-up of horrific Pennsylvania sexual abuse, claims AG[/paste:font]
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, a global Jewish leader who officiated at Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushnerâs wedding, was aware of multiple instances of sexual misconduct by educators affiliated with the Upper East Side school he ran for 50 years, which is considered one of the best private Jewish academies in the country.
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This is according to an independent report the Ramaz Academy released on Thursday that describes the sexual abuse of students at the school by three former employees, as well as allegations of sexual misconduct, including a possible sexual relationship with a student, against three additional former employees.
âWe [âŚ] learned of instances in which the Ramaz administration could have done more to protect our students,â board chairman Dr. Philip Wilner wrote in a letter that accompanied the report.
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The Ramaz School@RamazSchool
https://twitter.com/RamazSchool/status/527186431815729153
TONIGHT 7:30 Rabbi Lookstein lecture: "Challenges and Opportunities in Prayer" RSVP for location: [email protected]
3:53 PM - Oct 28, 2014
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Lookstein was not quoted in the report, but cooperated with the investigation and conceded to investigators that with regards to one instance of sexual misconduct he âcould have handled the situation better.â
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âThe report pretty much speaks for itself,â Lookstein told the Forward without elaborating.
Ramaz hired the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton to investigate in January after another Jewish day school notified its community of allegations of child abuse against Stanley Rosenfeld, who taught at both schools in the 1970s and was the subject of a recent Forward investigation. Ramaz engaged Debevoise to probe not just accusations against Rosenfeld, but all reports of abuse in the schoolâs history. Now, as Yom Kippur approaches, the school is calling the report its collective effort at teshuvah, or atonement.
âThe season of repentance asks of us to acknowledge our wrongdoings, reflect upon our missteps in judgment, and resolve to being a better person going forward,â the letter the chairman of the schoolâs board concludes.
Lookstein, principal of the school from 1966 to 2015 and rabbi emeritus of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, was aware that the three teachers accused of repeated sexual abuse had abused Ramaz students, according to multiple people interviewed for the report.
The report states that in the case of Rosenfeld, Lookstein told investigators he knew âwithin several yearsâ of Rosenfeld leaving Ramaz that Rosenfeld was a predator. In another case, a former employee at Ramaz accused of molesting multiple Ramaz students claimed Lookstein knew about the abuse before the employee was dismissed from the school. In a third case, Lookstein was aware of past abuse while the perpetrator was still a teacher at the school, and after investigating the misconduct, allowed the teacher to remain at the school.
In the case of the teacher that was investigated but not let go, the report states that Lookstein ârecognizes that he could have handled the situation better.â
Lookstein also was allegedly made aware that Rosenfeld molested a Ramaz student in 1980, shortly after the abuse occurred, according to an account included in the report and also relayed to the Forward. However, Lookstein told investigators that he doesnât recall being told about the incident.
The report states that none of the three teachers accused of repeated sexual abuse were ever reported to police. New York State has had laws about âmandatory reportersâ â individuals required to report sexual abuse of children to authorities â since the 1960s. Any employee of a school is considered a mandatory reporter.
Though the report notes that one of the instances of repeated child abuse was previously investigated by the school in 2005, the report marks the first time the school has admitted that its officers, administrators or teachers knew about allegations of sexual misconduct with students.
SAR Academy, in the Bronx, and Westchester Day School, in Mamaroneck, both of which also employed Rosenfeld, have each commissioned investigations into Rosenfeldâs tenures at the schools. Looksteinâs son, Rabbi Joshua Lookstein, is the head of school at Westchester Day School.
Though the report does not give a total tally of victims, it suggests that the abuses â from sexual relationships with students, to genital groping, to inappropriate touching and communications â touched the lives of dozens of Ramaz students, from the 1970s until earlier this year, when the school swiftly investigated an allegation of misconduct against a teacher and removed that teacher.
â[W]e offer our deepest apologies to the victims and their families, and openly acknowledge all the ways in which we have erred in cases of abuse,â Dr. Philip Wilner, the chairman of Ramazâs board, wrote in the reportâs cover letter.
Ivanka Trump's rabbi
Ramaz, which opened in the fall of 1937, is considered one of the most prestigious private Jewish academies in the country. It is a Modern Orthodox institution, meaning that many of its 1000-plus students have traditionally come from homes that are strictly observant of Jewish law, strongly encourage interaction with the secular world and prize equal educational opportunities for men and women. Ramaz, which has styled itself on New York City preparatory academies, is a broadly conservative institution, with a student body that has showcased strong pro-Israel positions and some discomfort with women having an equal role to men in ritual observance.
The school was founded by Rabbi Haskel Looksteinâs father, Rabbi Joseph Lookstein, also the long-time leader of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, a major Orthodox synagogue that is closely tied to Ramaz. The younger Lookstein, who was one of the Ramazâs first six students, served as his fatherâs apprentice, eventually taking over the leadership of both Ramaz and KJ, as the synagogue is widely called. Due to the prominence of KJ and Ramaz, Lookstein is an internationally known rabbi. His congregants include the prominent Jewish businessmen Michael Steinhardt and George Rohr. Lookstein also oversaw Ivanka Trumpâs conversion process and officiated her wedding to Jared Kushner in 2009. He stepped down as the senior rabbi and head principal of the institutions in 2015.
Legendary Orthodox rabbi aware of sexual abuse of children, report says
Legendary Orthodox Rabbi Aware of Sexual Abuse of Children, Report Says
Report by Ramaz Academy says Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, who officiated at Ivanka Trump's wedding and ran the school for 50 years, was aware of misconduct
The Forward and Ari Feldman Aug 31, 2018 11:23 AM
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File photo: The corner of 88th St. and 1st Ave. in New York City, 2016.Bloomberg
Vatican knew of cover-up of horrific Pennsylvania sexual abuse, claims AG[/paste:font]
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, a global Jewish leader who officiated at Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushnerâs wedding, was aware of multiple instances of sexual misconduct by educators affiliated with the Upper East Side school he ran for 50 years, which is considered one of the best private Jewish academies in the country.
To really understand Israel and the Jewish world - subscribe to Haaretz
This is according to an independent report the Ramaz Academy released on Thursday that describes the sexual abuse of students at the school by three former employees, as well as allegations of sexual misconduct, including a possible sexual relationship with a student, against three additional former employees.
âWe [âŚ] learned of instances in which the Ramaz administration could have done more to protect our students,â board chairman Dr. Philip Wilner wrote in a letter that accompanied the report.
View image on Twitter
The Ramaz School@RamazSchool
https://twitter.com/RamazSchool/status/527186431815729153
TONIGHT 7:30 Rabbi Lookstein lecture: "Challenges and Opportunities in Prayer" RSVP for location: [email protected]
3:53 PM - Oct 28, 2014
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Lookstein was not quoted in the report, but cooperated with the investigation and conceded to investigators that with regards to one instance of sexual misconduct he âcould have handled the situation better.â
Keep updated: Sign up to our newsletter
Email*
âThe report pretty much speaks for itself,â Lookstein told the Forward without elaborating.
Ramaz hired the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton to investigate in January after another Jewish day school notified its community of allegations of child abuse against Stanley Rosenfeld, who taught at both schools in the 1970s and was the subject of a recent Forward investigation. Ramaz engaged Debevoise to probe not just accusations against Rosenfeld, but all reports of abuse in the schoolâs history. Now, as Yom Kippur approaches, the school is calling the report its collective effort at teshuvah, or atonement.
âThe season of repentance asks of us to acknowledge our wrongdoings, reflect upon our missteps in judgment, and resolve to being a better person going forward,â the letter the chairman of the schoolâs board concludes.
Lookstein, principal of the school from 1966 to 2015 and rabbi emeritus of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, was aware that the three teachers accused of repeated sexual abuse had abused Ramaz students, according to multiple people interviewed for the report.
The report states that in the case of Rosenfeld, Lookstein told investigators he knew âwithin several yearsâ of Rosenfeld leaving Ramaz that Rosenfeld was a predator. In another case, a former employee at Ramaz accused of molesting multiple Ramaz students claimed Lookstein knew about the abuse before the employee was dismissed from the school. In a third case, Lookstein was aware of past abuse while the perpetrator was still a teacher at the school, and after investigating the misconduct, allowed the teacher to remain at the school.
In the case of the teacher that was investigated but not let go, the report states that Lookstein ârecognizes that he could have handled the situation better.â
Lookstein also was allegedly made aware that Rosenfeld molested a Ramaz student in 1980, shortly after the abuse occurred, according to an account included in the report and also relayed to the Forward. However, Lookstein told investigators that he doesnât recall being told about the incident.
The report states that none of the three teachers accused of repeated sexual abuse were ever reported to police. New York State has had laws about âmandatory reportersâ â individuals required to report sexual abuse of children to authorities â since the 1960s. Any employee of a school is considered a mandatory reporter.
Though the report notes that one of the instances of repeated child abuse was previously investigated by the school in 2005, the report marks the first time the school has admitted that its officers, administrators or teachers knew about allegations of sexual misconduct with students.
SAR Academy, in the Bronx, and Westchester Day School, in Mamaroneck, both of which also employed Rosenfeld, have each commissioned investigations into Rosenfeldâs tenures at the schools. Looksteinâs son, Rabbi Joshua Lookstein, is the head of school at Westchester Day School.
Though the report does not give a total tally of victims, it suggests that the abuses â from sexual relationships with students, to genital groping, to inappropriate touching and communications â touched the lives of dozens of Ramaz students, from the 1970s until earlier this year, when the school swiftly investigated an allegation of misconduct against a teacher and removed that teacher.
â[W]e offer our deepest apologies to the victims and their families, and openly acknowledge all the ways in which we have erred in cases of abuse,â Dr. Philip Wilner, the chairman of Ramazâs board, wrote in the reportâs cover letter.
Ivanka Trump's rabbi
Ramaz, which opened in the fall of 1937, is considered one of the most prestigious private Jewish academies in the country. It is a Modern Orthodox institution, meaning that many of its 1000-plus students have traditionally come from homes that are strictly observant of Jewish law, strongly encourage interaction with the secular world and prize equal educational opportunities for men and women. Ramaz, which has styled itself on New York City preparatory academies, is a broadly conservative institution, with a student body that has showcased strong pro-Israel positions and some discomfort with women having an equal role to men in ritual observance.
The school was founded by Rabbi Haskel Looksteinâs father, Rabbi Joseph Lookstein, also the long-time leader of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, a major Orthodox synagogue that is closely tied to Ramaz. The younger Lookstein, who was one of the Ramazâs first six students, served as his fatherâs apprentice, eventually taking over the leadership of both Ramaz and KJ, as the synagogue is widely called. Due to the prominence of KJ and Ramaz, Lookstein is an internationally known rabbi. His congregants include the prominent Jewish businessmen Michael Steinhardt and George Rohr. Lookstein also oversaw Ivanka Trumpâs conversion process and officiated her wedding to Jared Kushner in 2009. He stepped down as the senior rabbi and head principal of the institutions in 2015.
