Georgetown rabbi charged with voyeurism

By Maureen Umeh
Fox 5
October 15, 2014

http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/26784414/dc-police-arrest-georgetown-rabbi-with-voyeurism

Rabbi Barry Freundel

WASHINGTON -

D.C. police have arrested and charged a prominent Georgetown rabbi with voyeurism.

Barry Freundel was arrested at his Georgetown home Tuesday morning and has been the rabbi of the Kesher Israel Congregation, an Orthodox synagogue, on N Street in Northwest D.C. since 1989.

Freundel is accused of setting up a hidden camera inside his Northwest D.C. synagogue and recording women as they showered.

The alleged crime happened in an area of the synagogue known as a mikvah. It is a ritual bath where congregants go to get spiritually cleansed.

D.C. police say Rabbi Freundel used cameras set up in a changing area just outside the mikvah to peep on women.

According to a police report, Freundel was seen installing a camera hidden in a clock radio above a shower at the mikvah.

He allegedly told a 35-year-old woman who caught him that he was fixing the shower ventilation.

The 62-year-old is in custody and will go before a judge on Wednesday.

Neighbors who live on O Street say D.C. police arrived at the rabbi's home just before 8:30 a.m. and later arrested him in an alley behind his home where witnesses say he was clearly agitated and very upset.

Neighbors say as many as five officers came to the house, spent several hours inside and took several items out of the home, including what they believed to be hard drives or computers.

According to the synagogue's website, Freundel has taught at several local universities that include Georgetown University, the University of Maryland and Baltimore Hebrew Institute at Towson University. He is also a consultant to the ethics review board at the National Institute of Aging of the National Institutes of Health.

Kesher Israel says its board of directors has suspended Freundel without pay.

Statement on behalf of the Board of Directors at Kesher Israel Congregation:

"This is a painful moment for Kesher Israel Congregation and the entire Jewish community. At this challenging time, we draw strength from our faith, our tradition, and our fellow congregants.Upon receiving information regarding potentially inappropriate activity, the Board of Directors quickly alerted the appropriate officials. Throughout the investigation, we cooperated fully with law enforcement and will continue to do so."

"After today's arrest of Rabbi Dr. Barry Freundel, the Board of Directors suspended him without pay. As always, Kesher Israel will remain open as a place of learning, prayer, and community, including throughout the remainder of the Sukkot holiday."

"This is a very difficult time for all of us. We respectfully request that our community be granted privacy. Any further questions should be directed to the U.S. Attorney's office."