Insight
Remember
When • • •
Gentle Hand On The Helm
From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.
New Orthodox Union head aims to heal embattled group.
1991
world." Members vary in their levels of Jewish observance
and enroll their children in everything from right-wing
yeshivas to public and secular private schools.
He is a past vice president of the centrist Orthodox group
New York
Rabbinical
Council of America and has served on a range
abbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, the new head of the
of
boards,
including
the Baltimore Jewish federation,
Orthodox Union, says that one of his foremost
NEFESH:
North
American
Network of Orthodox Mental
responsibilities will be to restore faith in the embat-
Health
Professionals
and
the
One Israel Fund, an organiza-
tled organization. It is a bit of an understatement.
tion that provides humanitarian assistance to Jewish settlers
Since July 2000, the O.U. has been reeling from accusations
in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
first reported in the New York Jewish Week that Rabbi Baruch
In a recent article in the Baltimore Jewish Times, Rabbi
Lanner, the top professional in its youth group, molested or
Weinreb's
anticipated departure was mourned not only by
abused teenagers over a period of 30 years, and that the group
local
Orthodox
community members but by a Conservative
ignored complaints about his behavior.
rabbi,
Mark
Loeb,
who called Rabbi Weinreb a "wonderful
Rabbi Lanner, who resigned immediately after the allega-
human
being"
with
"enormous intellectual gifts."
tions became public, was indicted earlier this year in New
O.U.
insiders,
along
with people who had criticized the
Jersey on charges of fondling two teenage girls at a school he
group's handling of the
ran in the 1990s. Rabbi Lanner has denied criminal allega-
Lanner matter, all praised the
tions against him and has pleaded innocent to the charges.
appointment.
He is expected to stand trial in the coming months.
Julius Berman, a past O.U.
Rabbi Weinreb, a Baltimore congregational rabbi who is
president,
lauded Rabbi
also a psychotherapist and is known for his scholarly and
Weinreb
for
simultaneously
oratory skills, replaces Rabbi Raphael Butler, who resigned as
playing
a
local
and national
executive vice president in January amid criticism that top
leadership
role
and balancing
leaders had long failed to heed complaints about — and
scholarly and nuts-and-bolts
properly discipline — Rabbi Lanner. The O.U., the umbrel-
achievements.
la organization for 1,000 Orthodox congregations in the
"Because he has established
United States and Canada, also plans to hire a chief operat-
an
excellent reputation as a
ing officer to oversee much of the day-to-day management.
scholar-in-residence
around
Rabbi Weinreb, 61, will begin officially on Jan. 1, but is
the
country,
he's
been
able to
working part time before then. Interviewed on his first morn-
reflect
his
intellectual
achieve-
Rabbi
Weinreb
ing at the office — where electricity is still running on a
ments, while at the same time
backup generator as a result of the Sept. 1 I catastrophe at the
he has shown he's not in an ivory tower and can deal with a
World Trade Center just a few blocks away — he said the
real community wita real sensitivities," Berman said.
O.U.'s "blemished" reputation will be restored both by cor-
Murray Sragow, a parent active in the New Jersey region
recting internal problems and becoming a "proactive" advo-
of the O.U.'s National Conference of Synagogue Youth,
cate on a range of moral issues, including natters of abuse.
who was sharply cri:ical of the organization for not taking
Among the conclusions of a comprehensive investigation,
stronger action against Rabbi Lanner and other top offi-
an O.U.-appointed commission reported in December
cials, said he is "absolutely thrilled" with the selection of
2000 that "certain members" of the O.U. leadership "share
Rabbi Weinreb.
responsibility for Rabbi Lanner's misconduct," and also
Sragow said Rabbi Weinreb had helped an acquaintance
criticized the organization for "poor management prac-
confront domestic violence and is as "squeaky clean as
tices," including lack of accountability, and a "total absence
squeaky clean can b.2 with regard to this kind of issue."
of any policies regarding basic ethical issues."
Richard Joel, international president of Hillel: The
Asked how he differs from his predecessors, Rabbi
Foundation for Campus Jewish Life and chair of the com-
Weinreb said he had similar values and goals, but a very
mission that investigated the O.U. last year, said Rabbi
different working style influenced by his training in psy-
Weinreb
is a "wonderful man" and "bona fide scholar."
chotherapy. Before becoming a congregational rabbi, Rabbi
However,
Joel urged. the O.U. not to view Rabbi Weinreb's
Weinreb worked for more than 10 years as a therapist,
appointment
as the end of its soul-searching, or to assume
treating both Jewish and non-Jewish patients.
that by selecting him it has solved all the problems — par-
Rabbi Weinreb, who comes across as a warm and gentle
ticularly the broader issues of management and accountabil-
man, is known as an advocate for Orthodox victims of
ity — identified in his commission's report.
domestic violence as well as for his skill at bringing together
"The O.U. shouldn't say, 'Oh good, we've finished, we've
diverse segments of the Jewish community.
hired
a new professional,' " he said. "It's great news if this
For 12 years, Rabbi Weinreb has been spiritual leader of
marks
the beginning and not the culmination of a period of
Baltimore's Congregation Shomrei Emunah, which he
transformation
for the O.U."
described as "the most diverse Orthodox synagogue in the
JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
R
.
❑
The Michigan House of
Representatives cancelled its session
on Yom Kippur this year, the first
time it has done so.
Jonathan Brateman of Detroit
was among the Israel Bond New
Leadership delegates who recently
toured Israel.
Workmen's Circle of Michigan
presented an award to Maryann
Mahaffey, Detroit Council presi-
dent, as 1991 citizen of the year.
1981
A winepress, which dated from the
time of the Second Temple, was
unearthed in Jericho.
Detroiter Paul Epstein was pro-
moted to produce sales manager for
Great Scott! Supermarkets.
1971
Rumors of a football (soccer) scan-
dal were confirmed in Jerusalem.
King Hussein of Jordan was
quoted as saying, "We are ready for
a separate peace with Israel."
Sam Frankel and Harold Berry
announced that their firms would
build the first high-rise in Troy, the
Somerset Inn.
Detroiter Herschel P. Fink gave an
eyewitness report on Berlin and
Prague on WTVS, Channel 56.
Maurice Lenhoff joined with
Louis Kantor in the delicatessen
business under the name of Louis
and Lenhoff on West Seven Mile,
Detroit.
1951
Michal Harel a kindergarten
teacher in the Israel immigrant
work camps, was elected Miss Israel
of 5712.
Rabbi Bernard Heller of New
York left for Bombay, India, to offi-
ciate at High Holiday services.
Vandals ransacked the Adas Israel
Synagogue in Washington, D.C.
— Compiled by Sy Manello,
editorial assistant
JN
10 / 5
2001
27