A Time for Healing

By Jeffrey Frances
Washington Post
March 6, 2015

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-time-for-healing/2015/03/06/9c680d5e-c124-11e4-ad5c-3b8ce89f1b89_story.html

Rabbi Barry Freundel’s admitted voyeurism of women engaged in a ritual bathing central to Orthodox Judaism and, in this particular case, conversion, is truly a gross perversion and an aberration. Yet I hope this does not lead people to jump to incorrect conclusions about the institution of the mikvah or the role of rabbis within Orthodoxy.

Freundel’s crimes do not indicate a flaw in the system of the mikvah. One tragic individual abused his position for his own needs for control over those who trusted him to guide them on the path of Judaism. Nor did this case reveal a hidden problem of “peeping Tom” rabbis. Privacy and security are guiding principles in the operation of a mikvah, and each community determines specific guidelines depending on its size and needs.

Similarly, it is inaccurate to regard an Orthodox rabbi as the ultimate authority over how a mikvah is set up and run. The rabbi’s supervision is limited to ensuring the facility meets requirements for immersion depth and rainwater collection — the mikvah is essentially a body of naturally gathered waters, which may be augmented with drawn water. The rabbi may also oversee repairs or maintenance that could affect those requirements. In many mikvahs, once those decisions are complete, the most important day-to-day running of the facility is handled mostly by women.

I worked with Freundel on the construction of a small mikvah in this area. After its completion, our interactions were few and limited to issues of upkeep. A female volunteer, my wife, coordinates the access to the mikvah, and I assist with maintenance. (We have secured a different rabbi, who is an expert in construction, to act as our supervisory authority.) That is what is appropriate for our community, based on discussions that took place among the women here. Each community must find its own way to help achieve a sense of balance and move forward as it tries to heal.

One should not minimize the tragedy of this truly horrible event. The fundamental value of tzniyut (modesty) is part and parcel of the experience of Judaism, and kavod ha’adam — respect for the dignity of all humanity — is held as a universal value. The women Freundel victimized looked to him for spirituality. Instead they found betrayal and violation at the moment they were most vulnerable. I applaud and admire the women who had the courage to come forward, and they deserve our support.

There is a flaw in ceding conversion authority to one individual without any oversight. There is also a flaw in not heeding warning signs that were noticed too late.

But to use Freundel’s case as an argument against the way mikvahs are run is a mistake. It insults those who operate these institutions with integrity and respect.

This was a crime that targeted specific individuals, one in which the admitted perpetrator sought a level of control that went into the area of deviancy. It should not be used to further any agenda besides truth and righteousness.