An article published in the Jewish Daily Forward by Rebecca Dube discussed the fact that two prominient Jewish Orthodox organizations, Agudath Israel and Torah Umesorah, the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools, have spoken out against a New York State bill.
This particular bill has been an important topic for weeks in New York, as it would allow survivors of childhood sexual abuse to have a one-year window in which to file lawsuits against their abusers, no matter when the abuse occurred. It would effectively eliminate the statute of limitations on sexual abuse cases for that one-year period. A similar bill was passed in California some years ago, which allowed for hundreds of individuals who were sexually abused to finally come forward and get justice for the crimes that were perpetrated against them.
The Catholic Church has already taken a stand against this New York bill and they have now recently been joined by Agudath Israel and Torah Umesorah. According to the article, the Jewish organizations understand the affects that sexual abuse has on the abused individual, but that the lawsuits that could be leveled against Jewish rabbis, temples, yeshivot, schools and other institutions "could literally destroy schools, houses of worship that sponsor youth programs, summer camps and other institutions that are the very lifeblood of our community."
Many rabbis and yeshiva teachers have already been accused of sexual abuse, and it does stand to reason that if this New York bill is passed, many more could be forthcoming. However, it is vital to remember that the individuals who deserve justice in this situation are the survivors of rabbi abuse, priest abuse, clergy abuse and other sexual abuse against children. If you or a loved one has survived sexual abuse, please contact the Zalkin Law Firm. Their experienced sexual abuse attorneys can help you.
