Comments on Jeremy Rosen's Blog: Not Rabbis

As Jeremy's online editor, I appreciate your point...

2008-08-05T23:26:00.000-04:00

As Jeremy's online editor, I appreciate your pointing out that mistake. It appears you are correct; Jewish Week reports that Gafni's most recent "resurfacing" was in Salt Lake (http://tinyurl.com/5hkp6h).

However, two years ago The New York Post (http://tinyurl.com/6rdlz5) reported him as fleeing to Colorado or Massachusetts (places where he had spent previous parts of his life), which is where the confusion came in, I think. We try hard to catch all factual errors before a piece is posted, but occasionally something slips through!

Gafni's website (http://www.marcgafni.com/) is amazing, by the way, as is this quote from the former mayor of Salt Lake City which appeared in the lengthy article about R' Gafni that ran in their local New Age magazine:

"Rabbi Marc Gafni has been a victim of a spiraling abandonment of responsibility. After emails from women with whom he had relationships were deleted from his computer, complaints were made by the women that make it appear they were helpless, obtuse, easily fooled victims of a man who took advantage of them. The emails were recovered from Gafni's computer hard-drive. Reading them, it appears clear that those relationships actually had been the product of mutual consent and honest, loving disclosure." (http://tinyurl.com/5stgcw)

Shoshana

Trivial footnote. He did NOT go to Colorado. Rathe...

2008-08-04T19:28:00.000-04:00

Trivial footnote. He did NOT go to Colorado. Rather, he seems to be operating from the Salt Lake City, Utah, area. Check it.

Indeed, that's the point. No one, let alone a pulp...

2008-07-30T16:10:00.000-04:00

Indeed, that's the point. No one, let alone a pulpit rabbi, should take advantage of anyone, regardless of legislation, simply on the basis of basic religious law. And, on the other hand, should not put himself in a position where he might be taken advantage of.

Reading the link - one wonders if the defendant is...

2008-07-29T18:30:00.000-04:00

Reading the link - one wonders if the defendant is/was a rational adult. That the rabbi concerned has misused the position which he held with those whe saw him as a "professional" is beyond dispute.

What jars with me is that this cannot be compared to the known cases of evil Xtian RC priests who "abuse" childen - where the latter's intellect & ability to discern are undeveloped and whose fear of adult persons of authority is predominant

The (adult) defendant in this matter swallowed the Rabbi's "line" hook-line & sinker, though she was not subject to violence - and she seems to have entered into this "relationship" willingly.

so... what sort of "Wertschätzung" does the term/title RABBI have - that leads otherwise reasoning adults (of both genders) to be duped so 'willingly'?

The rabbi - a bad apple....
the lady - there is one born every minute...

Graham

ps. When does counsellimg commence? is it when scripture is not referred to?