Orthodox Jews Begin to Reckon with Sexual Abuse
…abused a boy at a Jewish summer camp. Rather than supporting the alleged victim, the community rallied to Kolko’s defense. Historically, abuse victims and their families have often been urged—and then bribed or threatened—not to go to the police. Jewish customs and concepts, such as mesirah (not informing on a fellow Jew to the secular authorities), chilul hashem (the desecration of God’s name) and lashon hara (spreading gossip) are invoked to c…
Read More