Ephraim Shapiro

Ephraim Shapiro (July 22, 1916 - April 7, 1989) was a rabbi who served as a spiritual leader at various synagogues, and as the principal of the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore. During his lifetime, he was recognized for his outstanding achievements. In the years following his death, however, it was revealed that he had molested scores of children. [ [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/Shapiro_Ephraim.html Case of Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro - Agudas Achim and Talmudical Academy (Baltimore, MD) ] ]

The life of Ephraim Shapiro

Ephraim Shapiro was born in New York on July 22, 1916 to Russian immigrant parents. He was raised in New York City and attended Yeshiva University. In 1941, he moved to Baltimore, Maryland to became the spiritual leader of Congregation Agudas Achim.

In 1955, Shapiro moved back to New York, where he became the spiritual leader of a congregation in New Rochelle. But two years later, he returned to Baltimore, where he took a pulpit position with Tifereth Israel Anshe Sphard Congregation. He also became the principal of the Talmudical Academy.

Shapiro remained at the Talmudical Academy until illness forced him to retire in 1982. At that time, he was honored for 25 years of service.

Shapiro died in 1989 from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. His funeral service, which was held at the academy, was attended by 700 people. He was eulogized as being devoted to Judaism, the study of Torah, and the yeshiva.

Molestation case

Years after Shapiro's death, it was revealed through blogs and various other communications that Shapiro had molested possibly hundreds, even thousands of children during his lifetime. In 2007, the "Baltimore Jewish Times" started to run a series of occasional articles on child molestation in the Jewish community, telling the stories of some victims, and revealing the identities of some perpetrators, including some rabbis.

On April 13, an article was published on Shapiro's alleged sexual abuse, in which three male victims openly told their stories [ [http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/sexual_molestation/baltimore_confronts_sexual_abuse_in_rabbinate/ Baltimore Jewish Times ] ] . The victims, now middle aged, reported their suffering, and that they had strayed from Orthodox Judaism. The article was the cover story of that week's issue, as the cover read "Rabbi, Teacher, Molester."

The following week, the "Jewish Times" published an article detailing the accounts of several girls Shapiro had allegedly molested [ [http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/sexual_molestation/it_wasnt_just_boys/ Baltimore Jewish Times ] ] .

Around this time, the "Vaad Harabanim" of Baltimore issued a statement, signed by 23 rabbis, condemning child molestation [ [http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/sexual_molestation/area_rabbis_condemn_sexual_molestation/ Baltimore Jewish Times ] ] . The decree stated that members of the community should not hide the topic, and should not use Jewish laws such as lashon hara to protect rabbis who engage in such behavior.

Israel Shapiro

Three months following the article on Shapiro, the "Jewish Times" published another article on his son Israel (Yisrael) [ [http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/sexual_molestation/alleged_molester_investigated_here/ Baltimore Jewish Times ] ] . The younger Shapiro was being investigated at the time by the State's Attorney's office for alleged child molestation. In the article, dated July 13, 2007, several boys detailed their accounts of having been molested by Yisrael.

On December 5, 2007, he was arrested by Baltimore City Police [ [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/Shapiro_Yisroel.html Case of Rabbi Yisroel Shapiro (Baltimore, MD) ] ] . He was charged with third and fourth degree sexual offense and battery [ [http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/local_news/yisroel_shapiro_arrested/ Baltimore Jewish Times ] ] .

On March 10, 2008, Israel Shapiro entered an Alford plea, and was sentenced to 5 years probation, 300 hours of community service, and was ordered to keep away from children under the age of 18, both through physical contact and via computer. Since his alleged offenses occurred before 1995, he was not ordered to register as a sex offender [ [http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/sexual_molestation/shapiro_found_guilty/ Baltimore Jewish Times ] ] .

External links

* [http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news_list/jt/sexual_molestation/ Archive of Jewish Times articles on Child Molestation]

References