Yeshiva University Survivors for Justice Calls on Affiliated RIETS To Rescind Ordinations of Rabbis Accused of Abuse

New York, NY — Yeshiva University Survivors for Justice (YUSJ), a volunteer-led advocacy group for survivors alleging they were abused by administrators, faculty and staff of Yeshiva University and its affiliates from the 1960s through the 1990s, has sent an urgent letter to the leadership and Board of Trustees of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) and its Rabbinic Alumni organization calling for the immediate rescission of rabbinic ordinations (semikha) granted to two alumni accused of egregious acts of abuse.

The letter, sent one week before Yeshiva University’s centennial Hanukkah dinner on December 15, also highlights the longstanding demand for the full release of the Sullivan & Cromwell report, commissioned by YU in 2013 to investigate allegations of abuse. YUSJ asserts that this report is critical to understanding the depth of institutional failures and reforming policies to prevent future harm.

The letter follows an article published Nov. 25 in The Commentator by journalist and survivor Mordechai I. Twersky, who noted that YU’s centennial celebration excludes any mention of victims, who continue to languish in darkness as they await the justice and acknowledgment they deserve.

In the letter, YUSJ emphasizes that the abuse allegations against the rabbis -- detailed in court filings and corroborated by investigative reporting – “paint a devastating pattern of betrayal, harm, exploitation…and institutional silence.” The group contends that these failures cast a long shadow over the Seminary’s moral and ethical foundation.

“The Seminary’s history in handling these matters further deepens the pain of survivors and raises critical concerns about accountability,” the letter states. It points to key decisions made by the institution that have compounded survivors’ suffering, including:

1. Accepting a Major Gift in 2002: A scholarship was created in the name of one of the accused rabbis, two decades after abuse allegations were first brought to a senior YU and RIETS administrator by a student and his father, according to court documents and published investigations.

2. Honoring Another Accused Rabbi at Fundraising Dinners: This occurred in 1985 and 1995, despite prior reports of abuse allegations by students and parents, according to court documents and published investigations. These events were publicly celebrated in university press releases and newspaper advertisements.

“These decisions continue to be a source of immense pain for survivors, serving as stark reminders of the institution’s repeated failures to prioritize the safety and dignity of its students,” the letter states.

Demanding Accountability and Transparency

YUSJ’s letter raises pressing questions about RIETS’ ability—or willingness—to discipline its ordained rabbis in the wake of an indictment or credible evidence. It challenges the Seminary to establish a demerit system or database to track allegations against rabbinic alumni, both to aid its internal placement division and to protect congregations and schools worldwide.

The group highlights reports that one of the accused rabbis went on to abuse others in subsequent positions, including relocations across state lines and to other countries, further perpetuating harm, according to court documents and published investigations.

“This also raises questions about an institution’s responsibility to correct the historical record and formally amend the legacies of those credibly accused of ignoring complaints of abuse, playing a role in covering up the abuse, failing to report abusers to the police, and supporting—through public statements and private actions—their continued employment at other institutions,” the letter asserts.

A Call to Action

YUSJ outlines three critical outcomes of rescinding the ordinations:

1. Moral Accountability: Affirming the ethical principles upon which RIETS and Yeshiva University were founded.

2. Healing for Survivors: Validating the experiences of those harmed and providing a measure of justice.

3. Deterrence for Future Transgressions: Establishing a clear precedent that abuse will result in decisive consequences, regardless of when it occurred.

“By rescinding these ordinations and amending the historical record, RIETS would send a resounding message to the Jewish community and beyond: that there is no tolerance for abuse, no protection for perpetrators, and no place for complacency in matters of justice,” the letter states.

YUSJ calls for an immediate meeting of the RIETS Board and Rabbinic Alumni leadership to address this urgent matter, emphasizing that “failure to act would send a dangerous message to future generations.”

About Yeshiva University Survivors for Justice YUSJ

Yeshiva University Survivors for Justice (YUSJ) is a volunteer-led initiative dedicated to ensuring that the stories of survivors are heard and their calls for accountability are answered. The group advocates for transparency, institutional reform, and justice for survivors to protect future generations.