Teaneck, NJ – In a letter sent on Tuesday by Rabbi Shmuel Goldstein, dean of the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, and Eli Weber, the school’s president, parents were notified that A.. M…, the River Edge school’s former basketball coach, had been arrested for child endangerment.
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According to a statement from Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli, M.., a married Teaneck resident, allegedly targeted at least four former RYNJ students, securing nude photos of the teens — then between the ages of 14 and 16 — by claiming that blackmailers already had pictures of the boys naked.
The prosecutor’s office also reported that four boys involved in the investigation stated that the conversations they had with M… regarding the photos he requested, as well as the actual taking of the photos, took place in 2006 and 2007, when M… was a supervisor at a youth basketball program in River Edge where they served as volunteers.
The arrest came about as a result of an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Squad.
According to the RYNJ letter, M… was not rehired for the 2008-09 school year because of scheduling conflicts.
Telling parents that “we have not been informed by law enforcement officers of any specific details nor have we been questioned concerning the allegations against him,” the letter further noted that “during the time that Mr. M…. served as our coach, we received no reports of improper behavior or anything that would have raised even the slightest concern.”
Stressing that the school maintains “a zero tolerance policy with respect to behavior that may endanger children,” the two school leaders said RYNJ had “procedures in place to respond responsibly and quickly should any allegations against our staff ever occur…. We have in the past and will in the future contact the appropriate law enforcement agency whenever there is a claim of child endangerment or any other crime against one of our students.”
Goldstein and Weber offered to meet with interested parents the following night, with a counselor available “for those seeking additional guidance.” Reiterating that the yeshiva is not involved in the investigation, they urged those with direct knowledge related to the allegations to call the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office directly.
Dr. Wallace Greene, director of Jewish Educational Services at UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey, called the affair “sad and unfortunate. This goes back to the Baruch Lanner case,” he said. “At the time there were calls for stricter background checks, but I don’t know if any formal policies were adopted. This is precisely why they’re needed.”
Lanner, former of Hillel Yeshiva High School in Ocean, and director of regions for the Orthodox Union‘s National Conference of Synagogue Youth, was found guilty in 2002 of sexually abusing teenagers.
Greene noted that while he cannot cite similar cases of sexual abuse in this area, he does not know if individual religious schools do more than “review résumés and check references.”
According to Gloria Montealegre, spokesperson for Gov. Jon Corzine, a New Jersey law passed in 1986 mandates “criminal history record checks for final candidates for school employee positions.” While the law was amended in 2006 to authorize local school districts to require volunteers to undergo the background checks, “there is no statewide requirement that volunteers undergo the checks,” said Montealegre.
She added that the law applies to public schools only, since “we do not have jurisdiction over private schools. They make their own decisions.”
Charged with four counts of child endangerment, M…. turned himself in to county authorities in Paramus last Friday. Held on $50,000 bail.
Our sympathies and best wishes to overcome this tzarah for the boys, their parents and the school and its administration!
Is this a Jewish coach? ALL school personnel should have background checks, male & female, even in Yeshivas!! We must protect our children! When will we learn, what would it take, Chas V’Sholom?
how do you do a backround check for most of the “unzere perpetrators ” there is no criminal records because they were never officialy caught think of the last 10 stories ?which one had a record…
backround checks are virtually impossibe? who are you going to ask ????
the real answer is A. to have a zero tolorence and take appropiate action as this school seems to have done
B. have an “arei miklat” a place where people struggling with these unfortunate temptations can go for help
Why are you covering up for him by not releasing his name = Who is A M = maybe he coaches for other Yeshivahs or Camps
he has worked for many yeshivas over the years
A.M. has young children, a wife, parents, etc. They are also innocent victims of this tragedy and this blog is smart not to print his full name for their protection… little googling is all it takes to find it out yourself.
Anon 2:15, you think if VIN doesn’t print their names there pain is in anyway avoided?? This is happening to them in a big way, and will affect their lives forever, regardless of if VIN posts his name or not. It’s silly to assume that makes any difference.
Not only is he Jewish, he is Frum and is a very well known Jewish Music personality. Check my blog tomorrow I’ll have a very detailed post on the story.
What’s more important then worrying about VIN posting his name or not, is to make sure schools, shuls and parents are aware that YES, THIS DOES HAPPEN, and we need to be vigilant to protect our children.
so many times the people doing these things are so capable in other areas at times exceptional counselors, coaches ,rebbes… its a real pity first for the victims, their wifes & children, themselves
many of these alledged perpetrators try very hard to control themselves & when they fall prey we here about it
FIRST & FOREMOST WE MUST PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AT ALL COST
AT THE SAME TIME FEEL THE HUMAN SUFFERING OF THE PERPETRATOR. SIMILAR TO AN ALCOHOLIC WHO ABSTAINS FOR SIX MONTHS AND THEN FALLS PREY & ENTERS A BAR.. “YESH MACHRIV OLAMO BESHAA ACHAS”
VEYAIDA KOL PAUL KI ATA FEALTO…
This alleged perpetrator is innocent until proven guilty…..not even sure if he was arraigned yet and entered a plea. Regardless, we should all be having discussions with our youth (especially teens) about how to protect themselves from predators and how not to be afraid to confide in adults around them. Sadly, if this story is true these teens were keeping an awful secret for months and months.
he turned himself in for the arrest last friday and was arraigned on tuesday. bail was 50,000.
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