Rabbi Craig Scheff:
“If you see . . . do not render yourself ignorant.” (Deut. 22:1).
In the spring of 1998, I was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary and became rabbi at Orangetown Jewish Center, a Conservative synagogue in Rockland County, New York, in METNY USCJ (Metropolitan NY region of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism).
I grew up in the region (at New City Jewish Center) and was an active member of USY at the chapter and divisional levels, though less so at the regional level. Crediting USY with having a positive effect on my own Jewish identity, I made revitalizing and growing our USY chapter one of my top priorities in the fall of 1998.
I sold USY to parents and children alike. I used my own experiences and available resources to encourage parents to trust me, our youth leaders and chaperones. I held out to our youth (including my own children) the promise of lasting friendships, transformative moments, and identity-building experiences. Although I had direct oversight of who was shaping those experiences in our building, I entrusted an institution—one that had served me well—to protect the children of my community when they were away from home.
As Rabbi Jordan David Soffer and other John Does come forward with their stories of sexual abuse, I am left heartbroken for them and combing my memory:
Should I have known what awaited some of our children? Were there signs or messages that I missed? Did I see something and let it pass, choosing to be ignorant to what should have been apparent?
I know I am not alone in wrestling with these thoughts. There are parents, youth directors and leaders, and contemporaries of the traumatized victims who are asking themselves the same questions. Some are afraid to say so aloud for fear of legal ramifications; some are afraid to say so aloud because they don’t want others answering the questions for them.
I choose to say so aloud for the sake of the victims, for the sake of today’s USYers, for the sake of the institution, and to start my own process of teshuva.
Whether I knew at some level and chose to not see, should have known, or could have known had I been more proactive in protecting my children, I am so sorry. I vow to demand more of myself, others and our institutions.
Rabbi David Schuck:
Dear Beth El Family,
On August 12, the Times of Israel published an article in which Rabbi Jordan Soffer, an active member of United Synagogue Youth (USY) during his teenage years, told the paper of sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of one of USY’s senior staff members.
According to the article and other information that has come out since its publication, Rabbi Soffer is one of a number of teenagers who were sexually abused while participating in USY programs in the METNY (New York area) USY region. Our hearts break for Rabbi Soffer, those who have come forward to share their experiences, and those who are holding on to their own stories in silence.
We know that members of our community have been impacted by this story in many ways. Whether you are a victim or know someone who experienced sexual abuse in USY; if you are someone who is connected to people in these stories; if you have experienced abuse in a different context and the publicity of this or other recent press has tapped into your own traumatic experiences--we want you to know that Beth El’s clergy are here for you and we support you. Please call or email if you or your child would like to connect with any of us. You can also contact Jewish Survivors of Harassment and Abuse Network to participate in online support groups.
Beth El has long had a vibrant USY chapter, a forum where our teens can develop lifelong friendships, explore their connection with Judaism, and cultivate their skills as future leaders. Rabbis Schuck, Sitkin, and Fisher and other members of Beth El’s staff have all been involved with and shaped by USY in their own lives. USY is meant to be a nurturing and joyful Jewish space during the complex years of adolescence. We are horrified to learn that this trust was violated in the METNY region within an institutional culture that did not properly investigate reported abuses.
As a member synagogue of United Synagogue, we entrust the safety and wellbeing of our children to the leaders of the organization. This sacred trust has been violated, and we expect United Synagogue to repair the violation of that trust first and foremost with the victims of this predatory behavior, and then its synagogue organizations. This healing requires a transparent accounting of the failures of USCJ leaders to respond appropriately to the alleged claims, as well as an acknowledgment of the egregious moral behavior of those who hurt our children.
Earlier this week, USY and United Synagogue released a statement outlining the steps they are taking to ensure the safety of anyone who participates in USY programming, as well as the organization’s plans to be more transparent and held accountable. We hope that this statement is the beginning of significant efforts on the part of our movement to protect young people who are in these programs now, as well as to find ways to support those who are coming forward with stories of abuse over the years of USY’s history.
Beth El is committed to protecting the safety of all children in our care. We have consistently adapted our safety practices to keep our children safe from trauma, such as sexual abuse and other potential dangers. Some of these measures include having windows on office and classroom doors, regular training to recognize signs of sexual abuse for all staff and teachers in our schools, and background checks on all synagogue employees prior to their first day of work, including our seasonal camp staff. Most recently, we applied to be part of Aleinu: Safeguarding Our Children, a program of Sacred Spaces that enables youth-serving organizations to implement best practices for child protection. Our community, led by Rabbi Schuck, who initiated our involvement in this program, will be participating in one of the upcoming cohorts.
We believe in the power of USY to transform lives, and we know that there are many wonderful leaders within the organization, both at Beth El and at the regional and international levels. USY’s year-round and summer programs are a foundation of Jewish life for so many of our teens and we hope many more generations of kids and teenagers have the opportunity to flourish in USY.
The Beth El Clergy Team
Erica Leventhal, Executive Director
Rebekkah Gold, USY Advisor
Rob Patchen, President