Towson, MD – Following the execution of a search warrant at the Towson University office of professor and prominent Georgetown Orthodox rabbi, Dr. Barry Freundel, investigators say they found a large stash of micro cameras contained in household items, a handwritten list of names, and at least one nude photo of a woman.
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WASHINGTONPOST.com (http://wapo.st/1Dg504g) reports that the search turned cameras contained in key chains, a clock, a tissue box, and a computer charger, and that micro spying capabilities have now been discovered at every location frequented by Freundel, including his home, his office at Towson, and at the ritual bath next to his synagogue, Kesher Israel, in northwest Washington.
Freundel was arrested and charged with voyeurism on October 14.
Police say say the cameras recently seized were capable of holding up to 200,000 images and 25,000 hours of video.
An affidavit filed by investigators states that there is “evidence of the crime of voyeurism” inside Freundel’s Towson University office, but school officials said they have yet to be “briefed” on whether or not any Towson students may have been victimized.
Jeffry Harris, Freundel’s attorney, would say only that his client was “not doing great,” but was highly critical of the mess investigators made searching the rabbi’s Towson office.
“Police do not get exact their own punishment in this process,” Harris said.
I suppose we should be relieved he wasn’t involved with children.
The whole sordid tale is so disturbing & what’s so awful is the fact that any man, especially a “religious” community leader, can do such things. It doesn’t sound like he was set up, he seems to have quite an operation going. What tipped off the police?
Can’t be true !!!
This is only supposed to happen by the “uneducated” hasidic Rabbiys…..
How can we believe that a collage educated M.O. Rabbi could do this???
poor guy
a pity he was sick for so long …
Since when can’t you record your own office? The police are on a witch hunt. If he was such a voyeur as they are suggesting, surely there would be many more than one picture. I am beginning to believe there is a larger conspiracy here. On that note, where are all the chareidi bashers now?
The article states “Police say say the cameras recently seized were capable of holding up to 200,000 images and 25,000 hours of video.” Yet only one inappropriate phot found. How many filthy pictures do the police have in their homes and offices. In this country that is not a crime but considered “art” . The police are seeking to destroy an innocent man without evidence of a crime. Live the man alone and give back his jobs.
Rabbis from whatever stream of Judaism are just men, that’s it. We have seen from the most so called ultra-Orthodox to the most liberal rabbis, severely disappoint their congregations.
Small shuls WITHOUT rabbis are going to make a comeback.
For those potential converts seeing the scandals in the frum world, many of them will now opt to go the easier routes of the more liberal streams.
To #4 -Get real, will you! This man is a sick, weird, pervert. He must be fired from his job at both the university, and the Shul. It will cost the Shul plenty, as the aggrieved victims are going to sue for invasion of privacy, mental anguish and humiliation. His wife (if he is married), should divorce him. There is no cure for these types of sex addicts, as it is conceivable, that her could reoffend again.
Not a charedi-basher here…just one who is highly critical of the cult of Rabbi/Rav/Rebbe-worship that has developed across the entire Orthodox spectrum. This is at it’s worst in chasidish circles, is pretty bad amongst the yeshivish – with their subservience to the phony “da’as torah” idea, and has certainly found its way into Modern Orthodox circles as well.
Rabbonim and shul Rabbis need to be seen for who they are: people. Plan old people. Some good, some bad? No, all human beings have both a yetzer hara and a yetzer tov, and none should be given carte blanche over finances or people’s lives. Their actions, and their employment, are best approached like any other employee – subject to serious oversight always, and to serious criticism when warranted. Lifetime contracts for rabbonim are ridiculous, and control of entire mosdos by roshei yeshiva and their families and/or close friends is disgusting.
Until we change course, we will only see more abuse of all kinds – sexual, financial, or otherwise.
Rabbonim in general have way too much power, and recent events prove it. Ad kan!
Real Lashon Harah. To think it’s only a few weeks after Yom Kippur. SHAME ON U, VIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nebech, so sad for the Rebbetzin and the innocent children, and extended family. How could the ruv do this to them?
What’s wrong with a handwritten list of names? Kvittlach or what?
Get this guy out he’s bad bad bad
Why don’t we let the justice system work. If he is not guilty he should be found not guilty. The jury of his peers should decide based on the evidence that is or will be presented.
the Rabbanut and RCA should apologize to all the local rabbonim they forced to bring their gerim to this guy instead of allowing them to make their own local batei din for giyur
About 25 years ago, when they were thinking of hiring him, I called a cousin of mine who was on the search committee, and told him they had to investigate him thoroughly. I told him while I knew nothing first hand, I had gone out with his ex wife and what the few things she told me about him were very disturbing, and if they were true he was a pervert. He did not start now. He’s probably been at it for the entire time he’s been there. Pity they didn’t find anything back then.
As my father was once told by a famous Rabbi when he ask why, if the Shabbos elevator was perfectly fine to use, why the Rabbi was taking the stairs, and he received the reply, “A Rabbi, like Caesar’s wife, must be above suspicion.”
In 1989, I was in Washington, DC for Shabbos. I stayed within walking distance of Kesher since it was the only frum shul in the immediate area. I remember that it was so cold outside.
I arrived at Kesher that Shabbos morning to learn that a new Rabbi was going to be introduced that morning. That was my first visit to Kesher.
I studied the new Rabbi who sat on stage next to the Aron Hakodesh. I couldn’t help but notice that his eyes were fixed to shomayim for most of davening. I was asked to take out the Torah and when I did, I turned around to see that his eyes were not in shomayim but they were fixed on the women’s section above that could be seen from the first few rows of seats. There was a clear view of the women and from the Rabbi’s angle it was not sniesdik at all. I then realized what a pervert this MO guy was.
I’ve eaten in restaurants under his hashgocho during the past 25 or so years but now I am worried that his hashgocho may have been as perverted as his mind.
Washington, DC is in a real mess.
Let the police do their work. We shall see in due time.
Thank you #20 .
Of course regardless of how many people have bashed me, you have not answered the question.
1. It is not illegal to have a secret recording device in one’s office. There is no allegations being made that there were any nude women in his office, and a woman has no reason to be nude in that office.
2. They found equipment that can hold thousands of pics, yet found only one picture. Hardly a major pervert.
3. The legal difference between voyeurism and surveillance, is ones expectation of privacy. A hidden camera is not illegal. A hidden camera in the mikva may be.
I am not defending the allegations, I am saying that this case is seeming to be way blown out of proportion.
To #42 - “Authentic Satmar”-What seems to be your problem, that you can’t force yourself to admit, that having a camera in the women’s Mikveh, where this character was able to view their nude bodies, for his sexual gratification is ILLEGAL! In addition to the shame and disgust which we feel within our own communities, how does this pervert make us look among the gentile community? If there was ever a poster person for causing anti-Semitism in the USA, it is this despicable sexually oriented/addicted individual!