Y. says: Here is a blog entry by Rabbi Marc Angel about Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt.
Angel and Rosenblatt were scholars in residence this past Shavuot, yes, just over a week ago, just blocks apart, at YICC and Beth Jacob, respectively. Kinda funny.
This is not the first time BJ has hosted a soon-to-be-scandalized scholar. In 2000, during the inter-regnum between Rabbi Abner Weiss and Rabbi Steven Weil, Beth Jacob hosted Rabbi Baruch Lanner of NCSY as a scholar in residence. His talks were so well received that he was invited back to serve as Rabbi for the 2000 high holidays. But then the scandalous news was received that he had sexually abused girls and physically abused boys at NCSY. BJ hastily canceled their plans, and ended up hiring some retired fellow from New York at the last minute whose specialty was leading shuls “in transition” between rabbis. His Rosh Hashanah debut was so bad that he was asked to stay home on Yom Kippur (with full pay, of course), and BJ had some local rabbis lead services. They did a darn good job.
EMAIL:
Luke —
I enjoyed your post. Here is something you might find interesting.
The listing on the Beth Jacob website about Rosenblatt’s weekend as “scholar in residence” initially advertised “For Teens! Shavuot Night Shiur by Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Rosenblatt” from 3 a.m. to 3:45 a.m. See attached “before” screengrab.
Sometime during the last week before he was coming, that line disappeared. See attached “after” screengrab, which is how it currently looks on the site.
