19 Area Men Appear in 'Dateline' Sex Predator Story
NBC 4
November 4, 2005
http://www.nbc4.com/news/5254495/detail.html
Potomac, Md. -- A rabbi from Potomac and a Prince George's County special education teacher have lost their jobs after getting caught up in a "Dateline NBC" investigation about Internet predators.
Video from a "Dateline" hidden camera allegedly shows Rabbi David Kaye visiting a home where he was expecting to meet the 13-year-old boy he'd been discussing sex with online. On Monday, Kaye resigned as a vice president with PANIM, the Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, an education program for Jewish students from across the country.
A statement from Rabbi Sid Schwarz, the president of PANIM, said "We currently are undertaking an internal inquiry to be certain that there has been no similar misconduct at PANIM. There have been no allegations of, nor any evidence of, any improprieties involving PANIM programs or participants and Rabbi Kaye."
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Prior to working at PANIM, Kaye worked at Congregation Har Shalom for about 15 years until he left in 2001. While there, Kaye performed bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs and was a confirmation instructor.
Congregants who know Kaye said this is totally out of character for him.
"We have discovered absolutely no allegations, suspicions or anything of that sort involving Rabbi Kaye and minors," said Rabbi David Rose, of Congregation Har Shalom, in a statement.
According to "Dateline," 19 men believing they had been chatting on the Internet with an underage boy showed up at the house during a three-day period, allegedly to have a sexual encounter. No one has been charged, but all 19 men are under investigation.
Also among those men is a teacher identified as Steven Bennof, of the District, according to "Dateline." He taught at Woodridge Elementary School but has been fired.
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