AS WE CELEBRATE THE JEWISH NEW YEAR OF 5772 IN JOY, WE CELEBRATE THE GREAT HISTORIC PROGRESS WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN PROTECTING AND SAFEGUARDING OUR MOST PRECIOUS COMMODITY OUR CHILDREN. THE FIGHT IS TOUGH AND DIFFICULT. CHANGING THE WAY THAT WE, COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY, DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES IS NOT AN EASY TASK.
WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THE CHILD ADVOCATES OF THE YEAR.
WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THE CHILD ADVOCATES OF THE YEAR.
CHILD ADVOCATES OF THE YEAR
ADVOCATES:
 |
| MARK MEYER APPEL THE VOICE OF JUSTICE |
With both compassion and zealousness, Mark Meyer Appel works both in the public eye and behind the scenes with individuals and families experiencing the damage and anguish caused by child sexual abuse, making himself available 24 hours a day to handle the physical, material, and spiritual needs of any victim that needs assistance.
 |
| Dr. Asher Lipner, Ph.D. |
Tireless advocate for our community’s children, Dr. Lipner keeps the issue of child sexual abuse at the forefront of our collective consciences by both creating awareness of the problem in the frum community and calling upon our leadership to address the issue head-on.
With both compassion and zealousness, Mark Meyer Appel works both in the public eye and behind the scenes with individuals and families experiencing the damage and anguish caused by child sexual abuse, making himself available 24 hours a day to handle the physical, material, and spiritual needs of any victim that needs assistance.
 |
| Professor Marci Hamilton |
Professor Marci Hamilton of the Cardoza Law School/Yeshiva University, leads the historic campaign of protecting our children and enacting new laws in all states to increase the statute of limitations on sex abuse crimes and has already been successful in California, Hawaii, and Delaware, states which have increased to statute for the benefit of survivors of sexual abuse.
 |
| Zvi Gluck, Community Activist |
No stranger to community activism, Zvi Gluck is a very strong advocate and supporter of keeping our community safe. He has traveled all over the world and has become an icon to our community as a strong defender and supporter of child safety.Zvi undestands the process and the inner working of law enforcement.
RABBIS:
 |
| Rabbi Yosef Blau, Yeshiva University |
Mashgiach Ruchani of Yeshiva University, Rabbi Blau serves as rabbinical counsel to many child advocates in the community, and often addresses the halachic ramifications of sexual abuse and reporting it. Rabbi Blau has become the spiritual leader of our movement.
 |
| Rabbi Nuchem Rosenberg |
Advocate for children and survivors of sexual abuse and assault, Rabbi Rosenberg, through his hotline, website, and other media, as well as behind the scenes, educates the frum community about abuse, predators, and supports survivors of abuse and their families, often at great personal expense.
 |
| Rabbi Daniel Eidelsohn |
Rabbi, author, and blogger, Rabbi Eidensohn of http://www.daattorah.blogspot.com/ has written Child & Domestic Abuse, Vol. I, III, and III, a comprehensive resource for the discussion of halachic and psychological issues of abuse. Rabbi Eidensohn is a strong advocate for reporting incidents of child abuse directly to the police.
 |
| Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum |
Rabbi Tannenbaum, Rabbi of the Young Israel of Linden Heights, Brooklyn, NY and Director of the Rabbinical Alliance of America, has been a staunch supporter of sexual abuse survivors, including opening up his shul for the “Survivors Seder” in 2011, forums on abuse, and other public events meant to create awareness of sexual abuse in the Jewish community.
 |
| Rabbi Yakov Horowitz |
Dean of Yeshivas Darchei Noam and Director of Project Y.E.S. has been a strong advocate for child safety and has been a strong voice for stronger policies to eradicate predators from our yeshivas and neighborhoods. Through his numerous seminars and publications, Rabbi Horowitz also educates parents, educators, and the Jewish community as a whole about the issue of sexual abuse and its prevention.
JOURNALISTS:
 |
| Hella Winston |
Author, journalist, and advocate, Ms. Winston has spent countless hours interviewing survivors, researching the issue of child sexual abuse, and reporting about it with accuracy, compassion, and tenacity, as well as uncovering a long history of abuse cover-up by the Agudas Yisroel of America and Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services.
 |
| Bracha Goetz |
Author of sixteen children’s books, including Let’s Stay Safe, the first book of its kind targeted to children in the Orthodox community that teaches personal safety in a calm, clear way. Mrs. Goetz has also written numerous articles in various Jewish publications on the topic of sexual abuse.
LEGISLATORS:
 |
| Assemblywoman Margaret Markey |
New York State Assemblywoman, Margaret Markey has championed the cause of child safety in private school by proposing legislation that would, among other provisions, allow victims of sexual abuse to bring lawsuits against clergy, teachers, camp counselors, and perpetrators of abuse no matter when the abuse occurred. If enacted, this bill would go a long way in providing substantial recourse and validation for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
 |
| Assemblyman Dov Hikind |
New York State Assemblyman, Dov Hikind, in 2008, established a task force to investigate the rabbinic abuse of children and uses his radio show to address this issue blunt and openly thus providing a forum for honest discussion about the topic of sexual abuse. Mr. Hikind has energized our community with his strong support of protecting our children from abuse.
