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It is a child sex abuse scandal which eerily mirrors the Penn State sex abuse scandal of 2011. Dozens of former students of Yeshiva University High School in Manhattan, New York, started coming forward last December. They have alleged serious acts of sex abuse perpetrated upon them by two teachers at the school. The allegations involve molestation beginning in the 1970’s and ending in the 1990’s, after the teachers left the school.
At the heart of the scandal are Rabbi Macy Gordon and Rabbi George Finkelstein. Gordon was a Judaic studies teacher and Finkelstein was a former principal. Both have denied the allegations of sex abuse.
To date, nearly two dozen men have come forward with allegations that Yeshiva University suppressed allegations of sex abuse, virtually allowing the abusers to access additional victims. Specifically, two victims have indicated they reported the abuse to school officials who failed to alert law enforcement. According to an investigative article by the Jewish Daily Forward, one victim reported the abuse to a school official who then had the door to Finkelstein’s office removed. According to the Forward, the most recent chancellor of the school, Norman Lamm, admitted that Finkelstein was later removed for inappropriate wrestling with students.
Chancellor Lamm retired from his post over the summer and has indicated he was wrong in his handling of the allegations of sexual abuse.
*Sources: www.nydailynews.com, “Rabbis’ touch of ‘evil’: 11 more claim sexual abuse at Yeshiva University’s high school” and “Yeshiva University High School former students file $380 million sex abuse lawsuit.”
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