Rabbi Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Approximately 5.8 million adults in the United States identify as Jewish, about 2.4% of the US population [1]. Around 73% of these individuals consider themselves religiously Jewish and are involved in Jewish communities, such as the Orthodox Jewish community [2]. 

While religious institutions can bring comfort and community, clergy sexual abuse can lead to deep emotional wounds that never heal. Those who Jewish religious leaders have sexually abused deserve justice and compensation for their pain. 

The team of sexual abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers empowers victims to seek justice against religious organizations that fail to protect sexual abuse survivors and punish perpetrators. 

The Role of a Rabbi Sexual Abuse Lawyer

A rabbi sexual assault lawyer from Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers will guide you through the process of seeking justice through civil lawsuits. We assist both adult and child sex abuse victims using a trauma-informed approach that protects your privacy and respects your needs. 

Expertise and Understanding

Our team is familiar with Jewish law and different community dynamics, including the Orthodox and Reform communities. 

We have handled hundreds of cases regarding sexual violence in religious communities, including victims of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. As such, we understand the dynamics at play in religious abuse, such as how clergy members may use their faith to shame victims into silence.

Combining this experience with our knowledge of the Jewish faith allows us to compassionately serve those who have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of rabbis or other religious leaders. 

Advocacy and Support

Our law firm excels in investigating sexual abuse claims and identifying the liable parties. We will explore all facets of your civil claim, including gathering evidence like medical records, police reports, and testimony from other members of the community.

We will seek compensation on your behalf by filing lawsuits and entering negotiations with the liable parties, including the alleged perpetrator and any religious orders they may belong to. While we are often able to settle sexual abuse cases out of court, we will provide you with trial representation if necessary. 

Most importantly, we will treat your sexual abuse case with discretion and care. We understand that speaking about sex crimes is not easy and that many victims may have post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, or other complications. Our legal team can direct you to a local advocacy group or other resources, and we will treat everything as confidential.

Types of Sexual Abuse Allegations in the Jewish Community

Evidence suggests that members of the Orthodox Jewish community are sexually abused or assaulted at similar rates to the general population. [3] However, the insular nature of these communities and distrust of secular authorities makes it difficult to determine the actual rates of sexual abuse.

In 2021, The Times of Israel reported that over 150 lawsuits were filed against Jewish institutions in New York in just two years [4]. According to the lawsuits, abuse occurred in every Jewish denomination, and victims were sexually assaulted in a variety of institutions, including schools, community centers, camps, and synagogues. 

Child Sexual Abuse

Child sex abuse cases can involve showing children inappropriate photos, discussing sexual activity, inappropriately touching a child, or sexually assaulting minors. 

Sexual contact may take place at youth programs like the Boy Scouts, at school, or in Jewish camps. In New York, there were 11 different lawsuits against the SAR Academy related to two different teachers who molested students over several years. 

One former teacher admitted to molesting hundreds of boys over his tenure at the school [5]. In another example, a clergy member at an Orthodox summer camp was accused of sexually abusing three boys, including offering one teenage boy $100 to touch his genitals [6]. 

Research suggests that for Jewish female child abuse survivors, the average age of onset was nine  [7]. Jewish girls are more likely to be sexually abused by a family member, while male sexual abuse survivors are more commonly abused by an unrelated person [8]. 

Sexual abuse has devastating and lifelong consequences for children, making it crucial to seek justice through legal means. A child sexual abuse victim of any faith is more likely to have attempted suicide than their peers, and abused children have higher rates of PTSD than those who were not abused [9]. 

Adult Sexual Misconduct

Sexual abuse also happens to adults when rabbis or other religious members use their power to harm. This can include coercing victims into sexual relationships or manipulating them by using the Jewish faith against them. 

Inappropriate sexual conduct, such as unwanted touching or sexual harassment, inappropriate comments, and unwanted advances, may make sexual abuse victims feel isolated and afraid. This is especially true because Jewish communities are often tight-knit, and victims may feel they have no one to confide in.

In one example, an American rabbi was charged with rape by deception when he lied about his identity on dating websites to carry on multiple relationships with other women. He is alleged to have sexually abused five different women, but others are being asked to come forward with their stories [10]. 

Institutional Cover-Up

Clergy sexual abuse may be covered up by synagogues, schools, summer camps, and other institutions to protect their reputation. In one case study, a woman was repeatedly abused by a fellow professor, only to have the rabbi of her synagogue refuse to implement an anti-harassment policy [11].

In another case, a prominent Reform rabbi was accused of sexual abuse by multiple women. While the Central Conference of American Rabbis acknowledged the sexual activity broke their rules, they refused to release any statements and allowed the rabbi to resign on his own accord [12]. 

Many Jewish communities refuse to involve secular institutions in their internal affairs, stymieing any attempts by the legal system to protect children. Ultra-Orthodox Jews, also known as Haredim, consider reporting a Jew to non-Jewish authorities to be a religious crime called mesirah, making it hard for local law enforcement to intervene [13]. 

If a Jew chooses to report sexual abuse to a non-Rabbinical authority, the community may shun them.

Legal Claims Against Rabbis and Jewish Institutions

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers will carefully investigate the liability of rabbis and other leaders in a sexual abuse case, which may fall under the following legal concepts.

Negligent Hiring and Supervision

An institution has a responsibility to its community members, including keeping them safe from sexual abuse by screening and monitoring their staff. This is even more important in religious groups, where rabbis and other staff are in a position of trust and authority over their congregation.

The Jewish community currently faces a rabbi shortage, and many synagogues may seek a new candidate for months, even when they are offered good pay [14]. This can lead synagogues to overlook clergy sexual abuse to keep their staff or to perform only cursory checks of a rabbi’s background. 

Staff of other Jewish groups, such as daycares, schools, and community centers, may fail to take sexual abuse allegations seriously, potentially causing harm to even more victims. 

Breach of Fiduciary Duty

Breach of fiduciary duty involves a person failing to protect another from harm, especially for personal gain. While this often refers to financial abuse, it can also include abusing a position of trust and authority.

Rabbis and support staff of Jewish organizations are pillars of their community, expected to encourage the spiritual life of their congregation and guide their charges toward good decisions. When they commit sexual abuse, they are doing so from a position of authority, making it all the more devastating for a victim. 

Fraudulent Concealment

Synagogues or other institutions may hide information about sexual abuse from the community and population at large to protect sexual predators, especially if they are highly respected or prominent. 

For example, the Haredi author Chaim Walder was found to have perpetrated child sexual abuse against multiple individuals, some as young as 12 years old [15]. After his trial in the rabbinical court, it was found that some rabbis in the Ultra-Orthodox community had been aware of the allegations but refused to intervene [16]. 

When Walder died by suicide, some Haredi publications refused to acknowledge his alleged child sexual abuse in their eulogies. In contrast, others stated that accusing him of assault was worse than sexual abuse [17]. 

Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress

Victims of sexual abuse also may be subjected to harassment, discrimination, and shunning by their synagogues and other cultural institutions for speaking out against a rabbi or other prominent figure. This intentional infliction of emotional harm is meant to isolate the victim and protect the abuser’s reputation.

Seeking Compensation for Rabbi Sexual Abuse Victims

A civil sexual abuse suit is meant to provide compensation for the victim and their family, providing them with the funds they need to recover. This can include both economic and non-economic damages. 

Economic damages may include compensation for financial expenses like medical treatment or counseling, while non-economic damages consider the social and emotional impact of sexual abuse on a person’s life. 

Damages that you may receive in a sexual abuse lawsuit include the following.

• Medical Expenses – This can include medical treatment for injuries sustained during sexual abuse, as well as counseling and therapy to help you recover from psychological injuries.
• Lost Wages – If you had to take time off work to heal, this can be incorporated into your damages. This may also include lost earning potential due to your ongoing emotional care.
• Pain and Suffering – Sexual assault, particularly child sexual abuse, can cause lifelong medical issues, such as chronic pelvic pain, gastrointestinal issues, urogenital problems, migraines, and fibromyalgia. This should be considered in your settlement.
• Distress – Sexual abuse can lead to depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other emotional issues. As with physical pain, we will work to estimate the financial impact of this on your life.
• Loss of Faith and Community – Accusing a rabbi or other figure of sexual abuse can cause estrangement from the Jewish community, as well as serious spiritual crises. This unique facet of Jewish sexual abuse suits should also be considered. 

Our law firm will use various sources to prove both liability and damages. This can include medical records, therapy notes, and witnesses to assess who is liable.

Additionally, we will rely on the counsel of professionals, including those within the Jewish clergy, to support the amount of compensation we request.

The Legal Process for Rabbi Sexual Abuse Cases

Our attorneys will guide you through every step of a clergy sexual abuse lawsuit, starting with your free consultation. The typical process includes the following.

Hire a Rabbi Sexual Abuse Attorney to Fight for You!

Adult or child sexual abuse in religious settings can lead to lifelong damage, including isolation from a religious community and a crisis of faith. Rabbis and other leaders who abuse their positions of authority must be held accountable, and Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help. We are a leading personal injury firm that has helped thousands of sexual abuse victims receive compensation. Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you owe us nothing unless we win your case

To schedule your free case evaluation, call us at (888) 424-5757 or contact us online. 

Resources: [1] Pew Research Center, [2] Pew Research Center, [3] American Psychological Association, [4] The Times of Israel, [5] The Times of Israel, [6] The Jewish Chronicle, [7] American Psychological Association, [8] American Psychological Association, [9] Psychiatrist.com, [10] The Times of Israel, [11] Tikkun, [12] Forward, [13] Jewish Telegraphic Agency, [14] The Atlantic, [15] The Times of Israel, [16] Shalom Hartman Institute, [17] The Times of Israel,