Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Tropper resigns as rosh yeshiva of Kol Yaakov


Five Towns Jewish Times

Late this morning Leib Tropper, the head of Yeshiva Kol Yaakov in Monsey resigned his position as Rosh Yeshiva of the institution. The new incoming Rosh Yeshiva is Rabbi Dovid Stefansky Shlita, a maggid shiur in the Yeshiva. Kol Yaakov is staffed by fine Talmidei Chachomim among whom are some quite distinguished Torah scholars.

Tropper indicated that he was resigning so that the Monsey-based Bais Din will not continue their investigations into allegations against him.[...]

28 comments :

  1. Tropper indicated that he was resigning so that the Monsey-based Bais Din will not continue their investigations into allegations against him.[...]

    So where does that leave us? With Tropper on the loose to set up a new Yeshiva in a different town??? I need closure. I once learned by him!

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  2. Posted on 2/3/2010 4:34:46 PM

    BEWARE!!!! Tropper is a shrewd operator! He probably stepped down just till the heat passes over. BRILLIANT IDEA!! When he takes his name off the legal papers of KY and Horizons - then you can say - Yitamu Chataim min ha'aretz!

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  3. I don't see any basis for rejoicing since the organization he built (EJF) is still functioning and there still has been no response from the American rabbis regarding this tragedy.

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  4. He's probably still going to be running it behind the scenes, just as he's doing with EJF.

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  5. At least the new Rosh Yeshva, Reb Dovid Stefansky is a mench.

    Let us daven that hashem gives him koach to not be led like a puppet by Tropper.

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  6. Baavod Reshaim Rinah!
    This is yet another step in the excruciating demise of the perpetrators of one of the biggest Chilul Hashem's of all time! It's a very simple risk/reward ratio - Tropper knows the filth that is almost sure to be dredged up and exposed for all to see, so it's easier and more palatable for him to resign and render the investigation moot.
    Let us hope that the Beis Din continues their investigation, uncovers all the shmutz and renders him completely "impotent" forever!

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  7. ז) כל מי שחטא ולקה חוזר לכשרותו שנאמר ונקלה אחיך לעיניך כיון שלקה הרי הוא אחיך אף כל מחוייבי כרת שלקו נפטרו מידי כריתתן:
    ח) כהן גדול שחטא לוקה בשלשה כשאר כל העם וחוזר לגדולתו:
    ט) אבל ראש הישיבה שחטא מלקין אותו ואינו חוזר לשררותו גם אינו חוזר להיות כאחד משאר הסנהדרין שמעלין בקודש ולא מורידין:
    Rambam Hilchos Sanhedrin Perek 17

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  8. KY- I guess there is nevua in a name.

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  9. Daas Torah,

    While i agree that tropper is a menuval and rasha, i must say that as a kiruv worker, funding from EJF for a program we created facilitated the conversions of over 20 geirim (the geirim had no contact with EJF whatsoever).
    My only point is, that the *idea* of an organization like EJF is a wonderful one...now, add politics and what really went on there is a different story, but intellectually, i feel its a good idea.

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  10. Recipients and PublicityFebruary 4, 2010 at 4:01 AM

    "Tropper indicated that he was resigning so that the Monsey-based Bais Din will not continue their investigations into allegations against him"

    How does that work exactly?

    How, when and who confirms that Tropper has definiteively and absolutely and UNCONDITIONALLY officially, formally and certifiably 100% resigned from all the corporations and bank accounts of Kol Yaakov and Horizons and EJF???

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  11. "Let us hope that the Beis Din continues their investigation, uncovers all the shmutz and renders him completely "impotent" forever!"

    I suspect that has already happened. It wasn't as if the 'investigation' took more than a few days and few very basic interrogatories.

    In all probability Tropper's actions and what the beis din might or might not say were negotiated over the past while.

    Tropper resigns, the beis din has nothing more to say and the rabbonim who took money from him will keep the money and agree not to speak ill of him (and probably not to speak of him at all).

    EJF will have to fold, as under it's current incarnation there is just too much baggage. If they can raise more money, they will magically reappear as a new and improved and kinder and more gentle organization.

    There's money in the geirus business- Tropper proved that.

    Let the games begin.



    It will be business as usual.

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  12. Anonymous said...Let us hope that the Beis Din continues their investigation, uncovers all the shmutz and renders him completely "impotent" forever!

    To uncover "all the shmutz" would be to reveal the other men involved in these perverted games and that isn't going to happen. Is the Monsey Beis din for EJF the investiating court? Would a dayin on that court who is a facult member for Kol Yaakov (15 years) risk his livelhood for a real investigation? Not knowing who else is involved, would any one there want an investigation? My quess is that this is all wing-flapping and p0sturing. If Tropper resigns (or just appears to) and there is no further investigation then the whole rotten bunch comes out a winner...right? What now? The players just trade places like chess pieces on a board. Nothing lost and it is business as usual.

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  13. EJF if still loaded with Kaplan's money. This is assuming even if Kaplan provides no further funding (which itself is not known to be the case.) What incentive do they have to shut down considering their bank accounts are bursting with cash?

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  14. "Would a dayin on that court who is a facult member for Kol Yaakov (15 years) risk his livelhood for a real investigation?"

    An employee could not even theoretically be impartial. Have the members of the bais din been publicly identified? Who are they?

    It is curious that the resignation follows closely the threat to the beis din. I wonder whether the motivation for the resignation could not have been the audio recording of the threat to the beis din. If the voice on that recording would be identified and that caller would finger the person who put him to it, that alone could have prompted Tropper to resign. Just a theory, but a pretty plausible one.

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  15. I spoke to Dovid Stefansky this morning and he says that he has not been appointed to replace Tropper.

    What is 5 towns news particular interest in this?

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  16. the geirim had no contact with EJF whatsoever).


    How do you know that ? R' wender also claimed he did not know his conversion candidate had this thing going on with menuval Tropper

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  17. I agree that an investigation must continue. Otherwise 10 years from now we will be hearing about the "unsubstantiated claims" in the inevitable whitewash of redemption to follow.

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  18. are the EJF and Tropper the same thing?

    Were its goals for conversion initiated by the Gedolim such as R' Elyashiv, R' Feinstein, or did they only hesitatingly go along with it?

    what is the connection between EJF and the Vaad Haolami which is so widely praised in Yated Ne'eman?

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  19. There is no Bais Din investigating, never was.... Its the same one investigating Finkel.... within 17 years they will report back. And who would have the right to appoint such a Bais Din. There is no Bais Din kavua in the whole place, therefore bais Din can only be formed with both sides signing a Shtar borerus. Who are the 2 sides? this is a dumb joke!

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  20. this is not nearly enough. tropper is an insidious and manipulative character who will never stop trying to destroy anyone who he doesn't like.
    i myself had an issue with him, i didn't do something that he wanted me to and he called my kallah's father 3 weeks before the wedding day and convinced him to break up my engagement. i stood all alone, in the dark under the skylight of the wedding hall on the night that was supposed to be my wedding, until the janitor came in and said "what are you doing here? no ones getting married tonight"
    now i'm 31 and still single.
    tropper has consistently chased after me to destroy my name, to keep me from getting engaged, even writing a letter to my landlady saying that my "dam is hefker, and it's muttar to call the police on me for anything", even if i hadnt done anything! until i was forced out of monsey!

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  21. If the investigation is allowed to be put to rest without uncovering all the shmutz - the evil will yet rise again!

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  22. What was the "issue" that Hanavon had with Tropper that caused Tropper to ruin Hanavon's shidduch and drive him out of town? This is anonymous for Hanavon and it is important for the world to know what Tropper is like.

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  23. Hanavon - you have to fight back. And maybe you should move in circles where tropper's "authroity" does not exist - B'H today that gives u a wide comunity.

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  24. Unfortunately Hanavon story is too familiar, there are so many cases where Tropper destroy lives and broke up families.

    From revoking conversions to forcing people to divorce their spouse and leave their children because the spouse refused to follow Tropper command to preventing parents from seeing their children, and the list goes on

    Tropper turned off so many people from Judaism.

    The people now who defence him (even if they get their livelihood from him) are modern day kapos and one day they will give din vecheshbon for that.

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  25. The people now who defence him (even if they get their livelihood from him) are modern day kapos

    I agree. I've been saying that for years, but people would say I was overreacting. Now it is just starting to come out. If you haven't dealt with him, you have no idea how bad this guy is. The people who work for him do know and call themselves tzadikkim for looking away.

    I hope an investigative reporter decides to write a book on this. Many would be vindicated.

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  26. I know hanavon, who fancies himself a navon but is really a sochol, and his kallah's father always hated him. To me he never told this story about RT, just blamed his would-be shver. He instigated Rabbi Tropper to no end and caused havoc in yeshiva. He left Monsey because he knew he couldn't force himself to sit and learn.

    Last I knew hotzoas shem ra was still assur, even about R.T.

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  27. " tzoorba said...
    I spoke to Dovid Stefansky this morning and he says that he has not been appointed to replace Tropper."
    Hmmm!!! Why am I not surprised? Anybody see a pattern here? Tropper's previously announced resignation from EJF and replacement by R. Wachtfogel turned out to be neither a resignation by Tropper nor a replacement by R. Wachtfogel. Now we have his announced resignation from his yeshiva and replacement by R. Dovid Stefansky. It appears that this too is also not a real resignation by Tropper. The sole purpose of the first announcement was to prevent the distribution of the audiotapes. It appears that the sole purpose of this announcement -- according to its own words -- is to cause the termination of the investigation by the beis din. Don't let anyone be fooled!

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  28. To Rabbi Eidonsohn

    Have you confirmed
    1. That there is an actual Bais Din investigating Tropper
    2. That Tropper has stepped down

    I suspect this is a farce.

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