By Jonathan Lemire
New York Daily News
December 3, 2010
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/12/03/2010-12-03_brooklyn_rabbi_gershon_kranczer_and_sons_accused_of_sexually_abusing_relatives_y.html
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| This is house of Gershom Kranczer,58, who has been accused of molesting several young women. He and one of his adult sons have fled the country |
A Brooklyn rabbi and three of his sons are accused of preying on four female relatives - and the sexual abuse may have started as many as 15 years ago.
Detectives suspect Rabbi Gershon Kranczer, 58, abused two underage relatives, while three of his sons - ages 24, 21 and 15 - repeatedly attacked other girls, police said.
Investigators said Kranczer and his 21-year-old son, Asher, who is legally blind, fled to Israel Monday and haven't been found.
The rabbi's 24-year-old son, Yechezkel Kranczer, turned himself in to the NYPD Thursday, and the 15-year-old - whose name is being withheld - surrendered to police the day before.
The horrifying abuse came to light when the oldest victim, a 20-year-old woman, told a co-worker at a yeshiva the rabbi had sexually assaulted her. The co-worker went to cops, who soon learned that three of the victim's female relatives - ages 19, 17 and 8 - also allegedly were abused in the rabbi's home.
The 20-year-old said she was frequently molested by Gershon Kranczer - the former head of Yeshiva Tehila L'Dovid - for the past 15 years, police said.
Neighbors were stunned at the allegations. "I've known him for 32 years, and he's an angel, a saint," said friend Sol Borger, 60. "Whenever I need anything, I know I can go to him. There's no way he would do this."
Investigators raided the rabbi's dilapidated Midwood home, where he and his wife - who are first cousins, police sources say - raised their 14 children.
The couple's children range in age from 10 to 28, and those younger than 18 were removed and placed in the care of the Administration for Children's Services.
Investigators do not believe Kranczer's wife was involved in the pattern of abuse and may have unwittingly given her husband a ride to Kennedy Airport on Monday, police sources said.
Her husband unexpectedly resigned from the yeshiva three months ago, sources said.
Detectives are not certain if other female relatives also were abused. Local leaders expressed worry the victims stayed silent for so long because of a culture of silence in the Orthodox community.
"Too many victims are then victimized by people who are angry at for them going forward," said Assemblyman Dov Hikind. "People are afraid to even talk about it."
Yechezkel Kranczer was charged with 70 counts of sexually abusing relatives - ages 17 and 20, prosecutors said. The 15-year-old suspect was charged with sexually abusing an 8-year-old relative, police said.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said cops were coordinating with Israeli authorities to track down the fugitives.
Contact: jlemire@nydailynews.com
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