Rabbi Steven Weil’s Final Days At Beth Jacob

YID emails: I have always wondered why you have such animus towards Rabbi Steven Weil and anyone who has anything to do with him. I have attended Beth Jacob since the time Rabbi Dolgin was there and have seen many rabbis pass through it’s doors. Some were certainly better than others, but generally, they all had egos and something to prove. I guess this goes with the territory – being the rabbi of the largest orthodox synagogue west of the Mississippi goes to your head.

Weil certainly has his own personal issues coming from a non-orthodox background raising cattle in Upstate NY, to finding G-d and himself with the help of Rabbi Riskin, getting his smicha from YU and his business degree MBA from NYU and then making his way into being a pulpit rabbi. I doubt being a pulpit rabbi was ever his real calling and that his new role as the COO of the OU is a better direction and there’s no doubt that this isn’t the end. One day, he could take over Richard Joel’s position as the President of YU.

I understand your resentment with Rabbi Weil – he is no doubt a bully who wants his own way and will do anything to get it. I won’t go so far as to say that he will lie but he certainly has a way of twisting things around. He’s very adept at manipulating people to do what he wants but that’s probably part of what has helped him succeed at Beth Jacob. Beth Jacob as you well know is comprised of a pit of vipers each with their own agenda, each out for themselves, all eager to crush everyone in their path to achieve glory. You need to be tough to succeed there and Weil has proven he can do it.

He has picked puppets as presidents with the latest being Dr. Steven Tabak, a born again Jew who like Weil also found G-d and he has manipulated the Board. And recently, he has selected as the leader of his Executive Board, a very fine person, but nevertheless, a non-religious person who drives to Beth Jacob on the Sabbath – William Tenenblatt, who Weil also recently put on the OU Board. Now that’s ridiculous – a non-religious Jew on the Orthodox Union Board – why would either one want that?! Well – soon enough Weil will be gone and you will need to find someone else to kick, but I’m sure you’ll find someone – you’re good at that!

I think you are no different than you characterize Weil – you write things that you don’t really check out. I’m actually quite surprised that you haven’t been sued yet by any of the deep pocketed people you have gone after. Most of them could crush you financially just by suing you and forcing you to hire a lawyer. Why do you think they haven’t?

FAX: Re: William Tenenblatt. Why would someone who is not Orthodox want the position of chairman of Beth Jacob’s executive board and why would he want to be on the OU board which is so Orthodox and right-wing? Perhaps he really doesn’t know what he is getting into and Rabbi Weil just did a little arm twisting to have his puppet where he needs him? After all, he is the one who donated the six million dollars for Jacob’s Garden (on the corner of Olympic and Doheny). In addition to Bill’s driving to shul on Shabbat, it is common knowledge that his Friday nights are spent courtside at the Staples Center watching the Lakers. Additionally, he doesn’t keep kosher, so why would the OU want him when they are all about kosher food? I guess money talks.