Report: Oberlin Chabad Rabbi, Shlomo Elkan, Removed Banned from Campus for Allegedly Engaging in Online Conversation Describing the Sexual Abuse of Children

Zaakah posts March 18, 2026: In a letter sent to students last week by Oberlin president Ambar, students were informed that Rabbi Scott Shlomo Elkan, co-director of Oberlin’s Chabad, had been banned from campus. Her letter stated that according to a police report Elkan admitted to egregious actions in his personal life, including engaging in online sexual conversations concerning children, and objectionable behavior.
The Forward reported today, based on a copy of the police report that it obtained, that Elkan had allegedly received sexually explicit texts, photos, and videos through Kik concerning three young people, ages 7, 12, and 13. In December, the Forward reported, Elkan allegedly been talking to someone who sent Elkan photos of himself giving a child a bath, alluded to himself touching the child’s genitals, and said he had been aroused when the child was sitting on his lap. The forward further reported that according to the report Elkan had shared photos of girls as part of that conversation.
Elkan, for his part, claimed to the Forward that his messages were not based on real events, but were between him and an adult and based on fantasy. He did not, according to the forward, address the photos.
According to the Forward Elkan resigned from his position with Chabad last Friday, per a Chabad spokesperson.
In her letter, Ambar acknowledged that no charges had been filed against Elkan, but nonetheless acknowledged the violation of basic morality and civil norms that were incompatible with Oberlin’s values. The letter stated that Oberlin had become aware of the matter after Oberlin police had reached out to the college as part of its ongoing investigation, and after filing a public records request with the police department, the college became aware of the precise nature of the allegations.
The letter announced an investigation into Elkan’s behavior and a campus climate assessment to determine the impact, and provided contact information for the investigators.
Below is the full text of the letter:
This is a very difficult message to deliver. I write to you in this moment not only as the President, but also as a member of our community and as an Obie parent. I hold close my commitment to the safety and welfare of our students, faculty, and staff, and the values that make Oberlin the precious place that we love. It is this commitment to the welfare of our community and our shared values that requires this message.
Today, Oberlin College severed its relationship with Rabbi Scott (Shlomo) Elkan, based on information in an Oberlin Police Department report. As many of you are aware, Elkan was a longtime volunteer at our college, certifying our kosher kitchen and sometimes leading Passover services and other religious celebrations. However, in the police report, Elkan admits to egregious actions in his personal life—including engaging in online sexual conversations concerning children and objectionable behavior. This behavior violates Oberlin’s values, shocks the conscience, and makes it clear that we cannot allow him continued access to our campus and community. Consequently, we have banned him from campus, from attending college events, and from representing himself as connected to Oberlin College in any way.
As abrupt and difficult as these measures will be—especially for those who sought spiritual leadership and guidance from Elkan—the seriousness of this matter requires clear and swift action. While no criminal charges have been filed against Elkan, his behavior and the language he acknowledged using violate basic morality and civil norms and are incompatible with the values of our institution.
We became aware of a matter involving Elkan when the Oberlin Police Department reached out to the college as part of an ongoing investigation. Based on this outreach, we filed a public-records request with the Oberlin Police Department to learn the substance of the matter. On March 5, we received the police report revealing that Elkan had engaged in online sexual conversations and behavior concerning children.
While the college has not previously received reports of this nature regarding Elkan’s behavior, we have asked a third party to conduct an inquiry and a campus climate assessment to determine if there are members of our campus who have been impacted. To begin this process, we are asking anyone in the Oberlin community who has concerns or information about Elkan that they wish to disclose to reach out to INCompliance at [email protected] or 216-523-5472.
During this challenging moment, we also want to ensure that our community has the guidance of counseling services and the Multifaith Chaplaincy staff. It is understandable that this news may be upsetting, and I encourage you to seek the support you need.
If it would be helpful to talk, process, or simply be in a supportive space, please stop by to see our campus counselors. Counseling and Psychological Services will offer drop-in sessions in Dascomb from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15, and again on March 21 and 22. Drop-in hours will also continue from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Multifaith Chaplaincy staff also invites those seeking connection and support to join them at Lewis House until 5 p.m. today (Friday) and between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday and Sunday. Other campus resources include the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and Student Support and Outreach.
We have worked hard to build a rich and robust Jewish life at Oberlin, as evidenced by our strong Jewish Studies program, our religious and spiritual student life support, our vibrant and growing engagement with Jewish-centered organizations, the numerous Jewish student groups on campus, and our kosher kitchen. I am committed to maintaining the various programs that our students, faculty, and staff enjoy. To help our students through this time and provide spiritual guidance, we have asked Rabbi Allison B. Vann to work with our community through the remainder of the semester. Rabbi Vann was last on campus to lead High Holy Day services in 2025.
I can appreciate that receiving this message will engender a range of emotions: disbelief, sadness, concern, frustration, and many sentiments in between. I am experiencing this range of emotions myself, but they are tempered because I have been a part of this community for many years, and I can speak directly to our resilience. Be assured that the strength of our community will endure, and I look forward to the day when our current emotions are replaced by trust, joy, reassurance, and peace.