Washington, DC–Law enforcement authorities say they are at the beginning of their investigation of Rabbi Barry Freundel, the well-known and previously respected pulpit rabbi of Kesher Israel Synagogue, and the former head of the conversion committee at the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA). This week they began examining computers, storage devices, cameras and files seized during searches last week of the synagogue, the adjacent mikvah and the 62-year-old rabbi’s home in Georgetown. The rabbi was considered one of the most trustworthy in America to handle conversions accepted by the Israeli rabbinate. The first concern was to reassure all converts under Freundel that their conversions continue to be kosher, which the RCA did immediately. The Israeli rabbinate announced it would review his conversions, but under global pressure, backed off and declared them valid.
In addition to being suspended as the rabbi of the shul, the RCA announced Freundel’s suspension from membership in the RCA and its Executive Committee, from the Beth Din of America and from all activities related to conversion. He was also suspended from his position as an associate professor at Towson University as a result of students coming forward to say that they had been encouraged by him to tour the mikvah and practice immersion there. Freundel, who worked at the synagogue for 25 years (replacing a rabbi whose murderer has yet to be found) took a very personal interest in building the mikvah to exact specifications. He was caught because a woman in the mikvah noticed the clock radio was really a camera. The board of directors immediately suspended him and called the police.
The story of Freundel’s arrest was greeted in social media and Jewish newspapers with shock and dismay. Freundel was considered one of the stars of the Modern Orthodox movement, opposed to Open Orthodoxy and expanding women’s roles in the synagogue. The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) has sent out a notice stating that this is the time for women to make their voices heard and to take back the mikvaot. They have called for an “unconference” (a livestream interactive conference) on the subject. Mikvaot around the country are revamping policies, adding women to advisory committees and appointing them as ombudsmen in conversion cases.
The RCA was very quick in its response. Its leaders expressed their sympathy for the victims, who were photographed while preparing to immerse themselves in the mikvah. “First and foremost,” they wrote, “our hearts continue to go out to the individuals who were converted to Judaism by Rabbi Freundel whose trust was violated and who have worried about their personal status. … The Beth Din of America … has concluded as a matter of Jewish law that conversions performed by Rabbi Freundel prior to his arrest remain halachically valid and prior converts remain Jewish in all respects. This ruling follow[ed] a review of the charges contained in the court documents that have been released to date (including the criminal complaint, search and arrest warrants, and accompanying affidavits) and applicable Jewish law with respect to the status of prior conversions.”
The RCA also announced two additional actions: They have agreed that every Beit Din assembled under their Geirus Protocol and Standards (GPS) will appoint a woman (or group of women) to serve as ombudsman to receive any concerns of female candidates to conversion. The name of this person will be provided to all conversion candidates at the beginning of the conversion process. Prospective converts will be assured that their standing in the conversion process will not be compromised by communicating with the ombudsman, and that any such communications will remain confidential to the extent possible. The RCA will appoint a commission composed of rabbis, lay leaders and mental health professionals (including men and women) to review the current GPS conversion process and suggest safeguards against possible abuses. This commission will report its findings to the RCA Executive Committee by January 31, 2015.
Others are calling on the RCA to reveal past charges that brought against Freundel for other abuses with potential converts, including one accusation that could not be borne out because a witness changed his mind about testifying. Freundel had already been warned and removed from other positions at the RCA–but was not suspended. It is clear that it will be some time before the storm caused by Freundel’s arrest will be calmed, and that there have already been repercussions felt at every level of the Orthodox world.
By Combined Services
