By COLlive reporter
In another quick turn of events, Educational Institute Oholei Torah reversed its decision to fire key faculty members over their association with the Call of the Shofar therapy program.
“After a comprehensive investigation into this matter, the said faculty members have been found to be free of any undue influence from alleged ‘brain washing’,” wrote Rabbi Joseph Rosenfeld, the director of the boys school in Crown Heights.
“Parents should rest assured that these devoted and talented mechanchim are not a risk to their talmidim, and will be resuming their duties,” he said in an email Tuesday night.
The school fired elementary school principal Rabbi Zalman Goldstein and Rabbi Shlomo Sternberg, a Mashpia in the Beis Medrash (Zal) for participating in the controversial LGAT (large-group awareness training) on Monday.
Many people protested the decision in comments online and some 51 bochurim signed a letter to the school minimizing Rabbi Sternberg’s association with the program which has been called a cult that uses mind-control techniques.
In his latest email, Rosenfeld said they consulted a “Dr. of Psychology with an expertise in mind control and exploitative groups (cults) to comprehensively assess all aspects this situation,” as well as “a local community physician.” They were unnamed.
In the past two weeks, cultbuster Shea Hecht said the Call of the Shofar is a “cult,” and mind-control specialist Raphael Aron said that participants of LGAT “rely on a continuing and often ongoing dependent relationship with the organization.”
Two Rabbonim of the Crown Heights Badatz also issued a psak din against attending “Call of the Shofar” programs.
Explaining the original decision, Rosenfeld said “We acted quickly, out of our first and foremost concern for the well being and welfare of our talmidim. Our efforts towards fully investigating this complex issue continues and further steps will be implemented to assure the safety, security and chinuch of our talmidim.”
It seems you Nebuch have 2 left eyes! All my boys had and have excellent Mechanchim who are a dugma Chaya and are Mechanech with great emphasis on Chassidishe Hanhogois and imbue them with Chayus in their learning . It’s not easy being a Mechanech nowadays and I have tremendous respect and Hakoras Hatov to all my son’s Rebbeim.
Why didn’t they re-instate the fine mechanech who Rabbi Shea Hecht spoke about on Sunday night? (available on youtube, search “Live Q&A on Cults and Brainwashing”) He said that he spent HOURS with this mechanech and as far as the cult concern, he’s 100% clean! If you trust Shea Hecht on the matter of cults then trust him with his opinion on this mechanech! Rabbi Hecht said that he knows this fine mechanech well and would trust him NOW with his own son. Don’t take my word on it – watch the video yourself. To the individuals who are opposing… Read more »
A seasoned tenured Mashpia makes a calculated decision to send Bochurim and promote a program with a Megulach Brosh who received his training and hashpo’oh from the most questionable sources. Furthermore, the Mashpia knows that they will spend a Shaabos in an atmosphere that has no smell or taste of Yiddishkeit or Chassidishkeit. Is that a Mashpia? This is not a 45-60 minute appointment with a proffessional therapist. This is a setting to brainwash you and change your way of Chinuch, thinking and attitude to life. We did that and continue to do that with people who are either not… Read more »
As someone who has been in Chinuch for a long time, I can tell you – that anyone who was influenced by COTS, or anyone that their talmidim are drawn to them, and the talmidim have a REAL kesher to, should not be allowed to teach period.
it can hurt other mechanchim v’dal.
FO
yes i would agree but i changed my mind when i hear and witness attendees struggling accepting the rabbonim’s decision j. they read a confession of a participant and still cannot shake themselves of this spell and are justifying themselves. THey can’t live without this. one can poshut see how they are addicted or duped and just not understanding sensible proof. yes i am being them dan l’kaf zchus in saying it is not their fault anymore, they do not have control of their minds which is very dangerous. so yes these MECHANCHIM have to be emesdik evaluated if they… Read more »
The problem needs to be dealt by the root. What need caused people to be drawn to cots? What were they lacking? My understanding is that it is search for emotional healing that people are seeking. Fulfill that need, address those issues, and the symptoms will disappear. Hashem made this happen for a reason. In order to go up, many times a descent is needed, and that too is part of the plan. I strongly believe that our schools need to invest in work shops and in-services to give the teachers and parents the tools to deal with their students… Read more »
The fact that people look outside to new-age, definitely secular based programs with iffy methods, is disturbing. The effects in the long term can be destructive to some or even many frum Jews. I wouldn’t recommend it. But to say that Rabbis who went need to be deprogrammed as if still under a hypnotic, mind numbed trance of a cult seems (to me) a wild exaggeration due to ignorance. Why the Rabbis went may be an issue (unless they went to see if it was kosher). But exaggerating the effects of attending the seminar makes what could be an important… Read more »
Forgiven and thank you.
I keep reading comments well if you need it you should go its not for everyone. So what if they go through shabbos in silence. hey I have a friend a misnagid he does tanis dibur.Then after his one hour tanis dibur youl hear every loshon hora. A MASHPIA OR MECHANECH HAS TO BE A CHASIDISHA YID NOT SOMONE WHO DABBLES IN HOCUS POCUS THERAPIES> why arent you posters who are still defending cots reading the evidence that cots -landmark is a scam and dangerous with residual bad effects on the atandee. Do you realy want mechanchim who have attended… Read more »
Boruch Hashem, all I can say is Rabbi Rosenfeld you made the right decision. You acted like a true Chosid. To those who post whoever was in favor for bringing mecahnchim back was brain washed i say WRONG i have no vested interest to do so only that history serves us a lesson to all of us and if we don’t keep our history present how can we be assured a future. It has nothing to do with his ‘so called brainwashing”.Kol Hakovod to our Bochurim for not standing idly by….
Parents must be concerned and get involved regarding the Chinuch of their children. However, as the Rebbe clearly wrote, (I have the source) that their involvement needs to be done in a quiet and productive way and not the screaming and shouting and printing method that was employed in this case. This was ALL hepech Shulchan Aruch and hepech sholom, etc. So the Talmidim emulated the approach of their parents and they also acted in a way that is not acceptable to the Rebbe. Like father like son. It is not Rabbi Rosenfeld’s fault your son sat for years in… Read more »
Gooooooooooooooooood. Moooooooooooooooove
To all you concerned parents! has anyone thought what these last two weeks in C. H. had an effect on your children? what this week in O. T. all the bitul torah that went on will have a long term effect on your children? what are you doing for this!?!
Sadly, many secular influences have infiltrated the yeshiva, beginning with college educated preschool teachers (with very secular views and jargon) and therapists, and gov. required curriculum for headstart children, continuing with introduction of basic math in younger grades, some teachers who aren’t exactly a tziyur of a chassidishe Yid, ie you see them without a jacket or hat outside Yeshiva, every teaching fad coming from the “mashpiim” of the general population showing up in Yeshiva classrooms… emphasis on dikduk and “skills”,, little, or no emphasis on kedusha of the Torah being learned, yiras shomayim… Halevai that Cots was the only… Read more »
The word brainwashed is being thrown around like a simple term. You sound extremely uneducated and living in a bubble to truely believe that they or anyone that went to COTS has been brainwashed forever until being “deprogramed”. Please understand what brainwashed means first. Just because you read in a few articles what cults are like and how cots “sounds” like a cult, you shouldn’t jump to such extreme views. I was never there but I personally still believe that if someone feels they need it they should go and they will probably gain a lot and grow in their… Read more »
I agree 100% with rabbi rosenfeld he is the only one who cares about this school and if this is what he decided it is right
but had too much pressure for this men who say they care about the yeshiva and he had no chooice.
A good mashpia would have seen the hidden agenda and the hidden meanings of this cult when they attended it. This cult is dangerous because it is ” ongeton in a zeidene zupetza”.
The mature experienced Bochurim should not be allowed to have a say. Their parents need parenting classes.
Mechanech goes MULTIPLE TIMES to cots gets fired which seems logical and then gets reinstated without a profesional thorough investigation by the people who fired him. This is more absurd then those wqho went to cots.
Its astounding because emotionaly charged bochrim protest everything is fixed? overnight these mechanchim have been certified as ok. Has anyone investigated on a professional level the long term efects of the brain washing. Hasent the hanholo of ohelei torah read enough well written posts about the long term efects of lanmark -cots. Here is a fact the one who started landmark Mr Werner went to jail for being a pedophile and molesting his own children. I chalenge Rabbi Rosenfeld to be more professional and do more investigating before playing yo yo with the precious neshomos in his charge.Chabad is moach… Read more »
why rehire him, hes supposed to be a dugma chaya for my child. slipping through the systems to get back in doesnt sound like i need him for my children…
i do not know if you know, but may many people have asked questions regarding steven’s frumkite. shlomy sternburg himself admitted to this.
this guy lived in sydney for four months and nobody knows which shul he davens.
but you still demand that we give him a reverend title.??
i just do not understand you.
first of all, his pirchei shoshanim semicho, does not make him r’, neither is the fact, that he has no compunction in doing all those things, mentioned in pollens article. on to your point: the beis din brought up the halachik issue AZ, you probably know nither in that or, in understanding how much went into this whole thing, so probably it would be wiser for you to be quite. in addition, to being assur in the halachik sense, we all know by now, that is wrong, general jewish/chasidic sense. as brought out in their letter, by reb yoel, the… Read more »
if COLlive will permit it, I’d like to print all COTS related articles, with all comments, and make a book titled “COTS, its affect, on lubavitch, and the aftermath”
This quick reinstatement after a public outcry makes the initial firing so much worse. Cowboys!
I dunno folks, the lack of backbone ohelei torah has displayed is more concerning than any “brainwashing” these teachers may or may not have been doing
Are we going to call a asifa to unite again the whole schunah, the same ways we called the first asifa? that brought great pilug amongs chassidim, look what it did to the bochurim, how are we trying to fix all this, where are all those hot heads that caused this, did they not think what this is going to bring, aizehu chochom haroieh es hanoilod!!!
logic prevails, now move on from this topic!
Call of Shofar is exposed= reaction: fire the teachers!
Teachers are fired= reaction: bring them back!
Teachers are rehired= reaction: they shouldn’t have been rehired!
??????????? anyone know what they want?????????
this is the most on-target of all the comments;
it is the URGENT DUTY of all the Rabonim to clarify immediately that the decision has nothing to do with legitmising cots chas v’shalom – it is clear from so many comments that many are confused…
A few things need to be said: Just because someone took the techniques of the 1960′s and 1970′s marathon encounter groups and gave it a fancy name with a Jewish levush, does not mean that it is anything other than what it is. A powerful “laxative” to open up people who are emotionally farshtopt. You take it when you need it. It is not, and never was, a substitute for normative Judaism. If any refuah is made from “chazer fetz,” a competent Rov has to be consulted regarding if, and how to take it. When the Rebbe spoke about deveoping… Read more »
Only time can tell if they have actually dropped their association with COTS. Why should they still be teaching until TIME proves (not doctors)?
Rabbi Rosenfeld fired them and made the right decision. He reversed course after the clowns we have for Rabbonim wrote him a letter stating to unfire then most likely b/c this is a Mishichist supported fiasco. This whole thing is a joke and a huge failure that we will only start seeing 5 years down the line when these young kids start having their own children.
#49 you make a good point that R’ Frischling doesn’t personally need an apology. The beauty of Torah is in our desire for truth. My point was that as more information comes to light, we make more informed (perhaps, you might even say “better”) decisions. In the event that the Beis Din comes back upon further review and finds that COTS did nothing wrong, they should also retract their view. That was my point. To #57, thank you for caring about our standards within Chabad. However, I have not specifically seen anything that delineates what COTS does that is assur.… Read more »
IS WIPED CLEAN IN ONE HOUR QUICK…
Remember when u hand over ur pell grants next year to Rosenfeld …. Send ur kids to another place to learn. Their were not cured in one hour…
rabbi rosenfeld great job for bringing back a mashpia that is so desperately needed.
truth will prevail
dont get phased by all this garbage those who really know you know how much you care and give. you changed and touched so many,pls continue ur avodas hakodesh
you are unfortunately still from the brainwashed sect.
well daven for you.
may you understand one day.
The only sensible comment on this whole mess. After all is said and done, parents will not be assured of their precious child’s chinuch and future safety al taharas hakodesh for a long time. Neither side of the coin is clear at this point. Let’s hope for sayata d’Shmaya in the zchus of our Rabbayim who surely watch over us…….
To # 81
Here is the answer to the mystery.
First someone with lots of money threatened that he will withold his $ if they are not thrown out – since $ is the Posek Achron, they were thrown out.
Then the Rabbonim told him he is not permitted to do that, so the decision had to be reversed.
It took 48 hours only because the Rabbonim’s call were not returned and ignored initially.
It’s as simple as that.
In this letter Rabbi rosenfeld says “we acted quickly” and in the previous letter it says “in order to not act in haste”….
Just saying there is more than meets the eye.
Just because the Rebbe appointed Rabbi Rosenfeld does not mean that he’s infallible. Is he human? Well, all people make mistakes.
You are 100% right that he was appointed by the Rebbe and bochurim just 19 years old should not be telling him what to do. Rabbi Rosenfeld may not have made a mistake and his only iintention was for our good and everyone (JJ included) agrees to that. We as bochurim were stating our opinion of our mashpia and it is understood how in a time like this he wishes to remain silent. Unfortunately, regardless of who is at fault hiss name was (almost) destroyed and we are trying to help out however we can to make people see the… Read more »
I think Rabbi Rosenfeld would’ve wanted to stand by his original decision to fire the Mashpia and Principal…however, he was being harassed personally at his home with throngs of people making a ruckus…and he was probably severely threatened that if he did not reverse his decision there would be repercussions. On a side note, I think Parents who allowed their boys to antagonize the Hanhala and protest in the streets have a lot to answer to. The bochurim are of very impressionable age and will have less respect for authority as they get older if this is the way Parents… Read more »
this just makes ot look bad first they fire them then hire them back. also now they know they could do whatever they want cuz what ot is gonna fire them again. look how it worked the first time. [they got back their job]
Some people seem to think that because the teachers were taken back, this means you can go to COTS. So get this straight: The teachers themselves signed against it. The rabbonim and majority of Beis Din banned it. For those who don’t understand, this means there’s no question wether you can go or not. The question here was NOT wether the Rabbonim made the right decision by banning COTS, but wether the hanhola made the right decision by firing the teachers for going there. Once the hanhola made sure there was no danger of them causing damage to the talmidim… Read more »
How much exactly are you being paid for this and every post you write? For all those invested in this monetarily… There are good real estate deals out there you should consider…Know this;you could have made a bad investment .. Stop defending it to the ends of the earth …and throw more bad money into a bad investment .. We all know this is about money ,money ,money ,extortion etc.. You lost with this one Give it up Nothing good will ever come from trying to hang on to the last vestiges of an investment made in the heat of… Read more »
I”m coming to you to attend necessary classes to refine and re-define.
since you’re the EXPERT and CHOSID of the REBBE
what a Joke
Oholei Torah MUST express their deepest apology to Rabbi Sternberg. He is an exceptional person and Mashpia, and I know that first hand!!!
Why do people think the decision to fire came from “truth”, and the desicion to take them back came from money and lawsuits?
The opposite is true!!
The first decision was less thought out. As he writes in his second letter, the second decision was the more educated one.
There were no lawsuits or money involved.
Only one thing involved: Truth always prevails
Stop posting lies.
You so backhandedly write “we all agree that sternberg did some things”.
You obviously don’t know R Sternberg personally. I do.
Please don’t post Lohon Hora. To be precise, it’s not Loshon Hora (which means it’s true), it’s Moitzi Shem Ra (which means it’s false).
according to the rabbonim and reb yoel, cots is just not kosher.
so if sternburg got his good stuff from cots, then he just does not belong there.
the only excuse to keep him, is that he claims to have repudiated what he gained from there.
one may say that rehiring them was correct. but to demand asking mecholo, is a chutzpa. there is no other way to describe it. maybe sternburg and goldstien should ask mechilo for abusing their positions? so firing is a travesty of the century, as if it is an inherent right to keep any teacher (like the rubber rooms in the goyishe velt). while having teachers abuse their positions, and having messed up hashkofois, in control of our kids chinuch, is just fine. are you guys out of your mind?? if you want to rehire them, i would say the reverse,… Read more »
So, he first “comprehensive investigation” results in firing and 48 hours of pure anguish for their families and their bochurim. The second “comprehensive investigation” results in a total flip-flop and demonstration of the administration’s complete lack of sechel and competence. I am appalled at this show of small-mindedness and outright evil.
i think we all agree that Sternberg did some crazy/unacceptable things. Yet no apology or statement came from him, none what so ever! have you ever stopped to think for a second, maybe he isn’t as innocent as he may tell you he is? why does he have such adamant followers that will go do whatever it takes to reinstate him? maybe you along with your class are all a little “brainwashed”?! and to have the chutzpah to ask the head who the Rebbe appointed to make an apology? if you read the letter he sent out you will see… Read more »
Give it a week and they will be out again….
I agree with you!! Were gona be so bored once this stops…Better be a new scoop soon 😉
Honestly Guys, Why do I have to feel this urge to go on collive to see the newest ridiculous news?!
amazing news!!!!!!!!!!!!11
You are 19 years old. You think u have figured life out. Let me tell u. U are in for a surprise
Sternberg really will always be pro COTS
He just puts on a good show
please…..let’s stop the hysteria……. Walking around the Shechuna, it becomes obvious that there are issues about Kabolas Ol, Chassidishkeit , and so on. And let’s make no mistake about it , a hat and jacket, “walking the walk and talking the talk” do not guarantee that all is well deep down with everyone. There are struggles, there are conflicts. There is a serious need for leaders and Mechanchim who have a true understanding of the struggles, or the (apparent) lack of caring among youth, and even among the not-so-young. Where they go to develop such understanding is, of course, crucial.… Read more »
Congratulation to Rabbi Rosenfeld for being a mensch, admitting his mistake and reinstating the fired Rabbis. So now it’s official, they were NOT brainwashed and not engaged in avoda zara. That’s because none of that takes place in COTS. I know that Rabbi Sternberg was an important member of COTS, participating multiple times in the workshops and referring people to COTS. The reason he is such a wonderful rebbi, mashpia and beloved by his students is BECAUSE of the training he received at the COTS workshops. I am really ashamed of the behavior of people belonging to a Chassidic sect… Read more »
boys and girls- where you stand on this cots issue.
its a fundamental position in regards to who you are as a chosid.
First letter from R Rosenfeld: “The Executive Board has conducted a thorough and ongoing inquiry…regarding members of our faculty promoting an alternative healing program…Furthermore, we have spent these last few days intensely learning and investigating all the particulars surrounding the above-mentioned matter. We have been working with halachik authorities, professional and medical personals to guide us appropriately.” Now he writes: “We acted quickly” This shows the lack of proper leadership – OT shoots first and asks questions later. Shecht the person first and investigate later. This is appalling! The admission that he [“we] acted quickly” contradicts the lies in the… Read more »
True integrity, is someone who has the guts to admit he made a mistake and even reverse himself when in fact he did make a mistake. That goes for COTS attendees who realized they made an error in going and now stopped. It goes for those who fired people, realized they too, had made a mistake and had the guts to correct that mistake of firing… Don’t keep on seeking someones “blood”. A Mistake was made on many levels, it has been corrected and it should be over now. Some people are never satisfied and even after someone is knocked… Read more »
What??? Rabbi Heller sent people to a mamash avodah zara program????
I have so much respect for HaRav Heller, and then…this???
What is going on with this community??? Rebbe, Oh Rebbe, we neeeeed you!
A ridiculous comment. The 2 faculty members are innocent victims of cult mind control. Reinstating them is a move towards healing for the community. In fact, precisely because of their first-hand experience, they are better equipped to handle the confusion resulting from this sinister
group’s influence on bochurim. This guy frischling is another can of worms entirely. The rabbonim, not Chabad btw, who gave him their haskamas were snookered, and are being pressured, rightly so, to retract. In the coming weeks, the dark side of this cult leader frischling will be exposed… and there is a VERY dark side!
What will I do with myself when I don’t have all these comments to read?? I will be so bored, I might even go back to watching some interesting youtube clips. …..or maybe not?? avodah zara???!! psak din! Help!
Let this episode be a cautionary tale for other mosdos. before firing an teacher, hold a hearing (and call experts if need be).
Cots is just as much Avodah Zara, as any secular self-help book. Meaning if you read, “The Seven Habits,” guess who produced that book? A goy! = Avodah Zara Mamash.
1. Ppl who know very little what goes on there
2. Ppl who are afraid for their own careers being threatened and are trying to publically distancenthemselve
A school controlled by the masses
It was wrong that they went. It was wrong that they encouraged others to go. It may have been wrong to “fire” them. Giving them a warning about not discussing Call of the Shofar and monitering them might have been enough but it was totaly expected that they would have been back shortly anyway. The question is who is making the decisions and what are the motivations. If the email below had anything to do with it then there is an issue – Here’s an “internal” email from behind the shofar line sent out to the group of followers of… Read more »
Joseph Rosenfeld had his head straight when he learned that very good mechanchim (I have no doubt) in his school are affected by a cult, his first instinct was, as good as they may be, they are brainwashed and not fit to teach Lubavitcher kids.
Never mind the big chance they may influence other talmidim and mechanchim.
What changed in the last 24hr the can justify his change of mind?
• Pressured by brainwashed donors?
• Threats of lawsuits?
Oholei Torah! Where are your principles!
What would the Rebbe say?
Rabbi Hecht too, wont be fired for sending ppl
BH!
The guy who said theres no G-d at cots, is merely trying to distance himself, for obvious reasons
People r going to pull their kids out of oholei torah! Rabbi rosenfeld messed up big time! These mashpiem should be fired together with others who attended the cots! Where r the strong people in lubavitch to stand up and save our children! Unfortunatley money is talking instead of saving neshomas!
They had the courage to reexamine the facts, and realize that it was a small but voacl cunk of hot heads
I think OT also realized that it woukd be forced to loosenhalf of Staff
Furthurmore thenrealized that Rabbi Heller and Hecht would also have to step down for sending people (and even sponsoring them) to attend Cots
sorry- no one will buy that here, sounds like u are simcha himself or one of his messengers.
it is completely against our beliefs. he is nowhere near our standards. sorry- but when it comes to someone who is leading us astray we HAVE to publicize his evil work so that others dont fall too.
I still never saw an apology from sternberg and Goldstein for all the nonsense they did.
Obviously they were going to be re-hired. They were fired, so the majority can’t say OT didn’t stand up when a teacher [allegedly] errs, and [OT knew many would pressure, thus] rehired immediately afterwards.
As an out-of -towner non familiar with COTS until I read [on COL] about it and the entire megillah it caused, I expected exactly this reaction from OT.
Its called sensational journalism……and COTS is loving every moment of this major [free] advertisement campaign.
As parents we believed that we were sending our children to a very special school run Al Taharas HaKodesh. I am extremely concerned. In a few months when the uproar dies down. COTS members will still be receiving emails from S Frishling. As Raphael Aron stated, one of the aims of these types of groups is to create unhealthy dependencies. How can we be assured that the mechanchim who were involved with COTS will not be drawn back in. How can we be assured that our children are getting the education we expected? I know of tutors who have attended… Read more »
Amazing news!! Bh they were able to withstand all the pressureand reinstate him.
We can run COTS in OT and all the proceeds stay in the yeshiva
they have apologized and will IYH hopefully realize why its so bad (hopefully they do already!)
when they do, they have the power to help others out of this mess, and the achrayus to help those who they sent.
IYH Hashem will help all those who were victims of cots to recognize their mistake and really come closer to Hashem in the TRUE way.
Maybe COTS proposed a partnership with OT
50% 50% PROCEEDS
read the article about the workshop staff member who realized he was brainwashed. its very very clear that although simcha is not bad, or unorthodox, or necessarily doing wrong intentionally. Yet what he is teaching is fundamentally against our belief system therefore should not B an apologybecause no beis din attacked him as a person just his philosophy.
oy vey
confusing world we live in.
each one thinks they are doing the best thing.
the question is
WHAT IS REALLY BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN?
something doesn’t feel right about the fact that many staff there have been polluted by cots.
what is being done about this??
there must be a solution to help the mechanchim get rid of what happened to them so that they remain true to our values.
Now its time to properly investigate call of the shofar, and see if it is really so bad
Such good news!
If they were checked and cleared enough to be brought back to Yeshiva “without any worry” (what ever that means), couldn’t this investigation have been done done BEFORE firing them and sending out a letter etc.!????
I don’t get it. If you felt there was a problem with them, ask them privately to come with you to the Dr. bring them to other Mashpiim… and then decide their fate!
Even if you would have held them back from going to Yeshiva until all is clear, why the letter? the publicity? the firing???
Flip flop went the fish in command.
הרב רוזנפלד אתה אדם מיוחד מודה ועוזב אבל נאך דעם מבאגראבט אמענטש מיט זיין תלמידים ומושפעים ומשפחתו וילדיו בעט אין א בריוו א סליחה דו ביסט א דוגמה חיה פאר אנדערע מענטשען
these bochurim have to learn a little respect towards their elders they have no idea about anything and theyre making statements
As the Menahel of Ohelei Torah for over 50 years Rabbi Rosenfeld made a decision after consultation with his board to immediately remove the cancer that was invading the body of the institution that he loves.
Prior to 3 Tammuz no sane person would question his decision. Everyone knows that the Rebbe would completely support his decision.
Rabbi Rosenfeld courageously made a decision despite pressure from major donors but could not ignore the unprecedented demand from the rabbonim that he immediatly rescind his decision
well done! there arent many people who would do the same thing u did. to apoligise in public
good job!!!
today is a very sad day -those two did not belong in yeshiva – sad that yeshiva could not stand by what it knows was the right thing to do ….for many reasons
Instead of blaming the hanhala, or the mechanchim, just take the simple step of apologizing for your unkind comments towards others. The rectification of this issue starts in our own hearts. We can’t and shouldn’t wait/expect others to do it “first”.
Huuurrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
YECHI COTS Leolam Vaed!!!!!!!!!
Agree with you 100% we want to see how OT hanhala will apologies to the mashpiim and to the public!!!!. they dont even know how much shame they brought to the mashpiim for firing them!!!
Happy they did the right thing
were not doubting physical or emotional health- this is a RUCHNIUS issue- what does a doctor have to do with anything???
we want to know the purity of those who teach our children.
we want those who went to be deprogrammed.
they can do this while still teaching but something must be done.
then they need to be evaluated by a REAl mashpia- a doctor in the chassidus field.
B”H. Kol Hakavod to the Bochurim and to the Hanholo. And now….please use this as a stepping board to listening and hearing the challenges, and then work to rectify those factors which are moving people (of all ages and backgrounds…) to seek help in strengthening their connection to Hakadosh Boruch Hu. This is, after all, the “bottom line”, and to do so beSimcha, and without judgement from people who may not (or may) have some of same difficulties. May everyone have Siyata diShmaya to do what is necessary…beEmes.
Now all they need to do is conduct a proper investigation into COTS And reverse their decision. R Simcha is an Orthodox Jew, with an orthodox smichah, and has orthodox haskamos. Pretty hasty.
There we go again, right back into the pot of Sinas Chinam and Lashon Hara. No matter what you think about them, you are never right in speaking that way about them.
?
I realized I made a grave error in previous articles, when I commented in a nasty way about fellow Yidden. Regardless of what other Yidden say or do, I NEVER have the place to speak in such a way about them. I want to make an official apology and state clearly that I will be far more careful in the future.
What is going on here?
You did not ask the advice of rabbis before that?
You did not ask the advice of medical experts before?
B”H.
So sad to see so many people hurting in Lubavich hurting. Lets help these people so that the next generation has an easier life.
Rabbi Rosenfeld is a great man!!!
Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new (Albert Einstein)
The fact that he realized he made a mistake, and so quickly corrected the mistake, shows that he is truly a special person.
To err is human, to correct the mistake, divine.
It’s no wonder that Oholei Torah is one of the strongest moisdos in Lubavitch.
We learn from our mistakes, not from our success!
Kol Hakovod Rabbi Rosenfeld.
Now everyone is happy.
!!! שפכתם את דמם
?לא התיעצתם עם מומחים לפני זה? לא התיעצתם עם רבנים לפני זה
!!!!שפכתם את דמם
!!!!!אתם חייבים להתנצל לעיני כל ישראל
בחור פשוט שכואב את השקר והשנאה בכל הסיפור
Baruch Hashem for clear thinking. I think its important to mention that the firing was hasty and investigation should have been completed first, while staff members are on leave of absence, and then a decision rendered. The quick decision, if I may be honest, alienated some very honest and searching young people. Baruch Hashem for the outcome. Thank you.
Why didnt the school have these teachers evaluated BEFORE they fired them?
because if its good enough, they should have done it before firing, and if its not good enough then why reinstate them!!!
Where is the apology????
Oholei Torah –
Spilled his blood, buried his name,
And you write a few lines, without any apology???
What is going on here?????
We want to see an Public apology now!!!
People with a drop of emotion from the ‘shchuna’
parents would like all staff to teach al taharas hakodesh.
i hope this is not saying cots is ok- but rather that they did teshuva….may all who went attend necessary classes to refine and re-define their thinking and position as a chosid of the REBBE only.- with no other afiliations.
I am so elated that truth prevailed and these two good people were reinstated. Hopefully the frenzied crowd will slow down on their seeking a scapegoat for all of the shchunas problems. These people were trying to fix this. They should be commended for trying to cater to our community.
Amazing news!! Bh they were able to withstand all the pressureand reinstate him.
The Rebbe is probably so proud.
Act in haste, repent at leisure. No doubt OT feel very embarrassed at their earlier decision but it is encouraging to see that they are capable of changing it.
Note, though, they don’t apologize or take any responsibility for their monkey see, monkey do reaction. I’m sure they only retracted because of public, Halachic and legal pressure. It was the right thing to do but they will be under a lot of scrutiny going forward. I hope the Yeshiva can get back to normal, but there is a lot of work to do to get back to where they were,
New it would happen.
Let’s all forgive everyone.
Moshiach now.
Dear rabbi rosenfeld,
Thank you so much for doing what is best for us bochurim. Unzereh kinder these days need a lot of direction and care and rabbi sternberg is our man! Thank you for taking into account with others and dealing with it appropiately.
Once again, proud to be a student in OT.
Jj duchman
p.s. if there is anyway possible to come out with an apology for all the people who were deeply hurt and shamed by this incident. (Bochurim, family etc…)
[email protected]
Wat wimps!!!
i think the bochurim and all the comments on COL actually helped to get back the mechanchim to work
It was the factor in firing them and the factor in rehiring them. Nothing else.
This teacher and vice principal need a leave of absence and spend months reprogramming from this CULT.
Our children are in danger at Oholei Torah and many parents I have spoken to, are now looking for new yeshiva for their children.
Many more will now longer send to OT, because it is not safe for our children.
wow, something normal
AMAIZING!!!!!!!
apologies to these two machanchim are due, the smear campaign that ensued due to their being fired is no small matter and must be addressed by the school
so over this story
YES APPARENTLY sternberg and goldstein went to the doctor and were certified not to have any effects from shofar and they brought a letter on his stationary to rabbi rosenfield .. and the doctor said well if you have a letter then you are “protected” so you can let them back in .. how pathetic this is that a doctor can see them for maybe one hour on new years eve and certify them ok to be with children ??? how sad that after spending many days and getting braiwashed which has been proven .. the OT board can allow… Read more »
Forget COTS I was hoping OT would now hire certified principles to take over in elementry instead now we are back to the same old
they aren’t teachers.
Principal and Mashpia.
apologies to these two machanchim are due, the smear campaign that ensued due to their being fired is no small matter and must be addressed by the school
A powerful action that will bring much needed harmony and achdus to the community. Kol HaKavod to the bochurim for their graceful and eloquent defense of their beloved teachers.