As rabbis we must do all that is in our power to reverse the deterioration of society and to elevate standards of moral behavior. We are expected, therefore, to behave at a level worthy of emulation. This includes behavior in family, social and financial affairs. CCAR Code of Ethics
"We are devastated that a member of our clergy could abuse our (or any) pulpit and position of power within our community the way that Rabbi Zimmerman did. According to all three women, Rabbi Zimmerman discussed Martin Buber’s “I and Thou” theology with them as a framework of relationship, and, with two of the women, as divine sanction for his behavior. This was a gross manipulation of his spiritual authority. The women shared the irreversible harm that his behavior caused in their lives, including, for one of them, leaving Judaism completely. And, to this day, each of these three women told us that he has not made Teshuvah with them." Statement of April 27, 2021 by Rabbi Angela Buchdal on behalf of Central Synagogue.
DECLARATION ON ETHICS IN JEWISH LEADERSHIP
"Unethical behavior among Jewish leaders has reached crisis levels in the American Jewish community. It seems hardly a week passes without news of yet another scandal involving rabbis, Jewish organizational professionals, or other individuals in leadership positions. These disturbing developments make a mockery of Jewish values, shatter the trust that we have placed in our community's leaders, and alienate young people from Judaism."
The appearance of impropriety
(יב) וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה יַעֲקֹב וַיִּגַּשׁ יַעֲקֹב וַיָּגֶל אֶת הָאֶבֶן (בראשית כט, י), אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כָּזֶה שֶׁהוּא מַעֲבִיר פְּקַק מֵעַל פִּי צְלוֹחִית. (בראשית כט, יא): וַיִּשַּׁק יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל, כָּל נְשִׁיקָה לְתִפְלוּת בַּר מִן תְּלַת, נְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל גְּדֻלָּה, נְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל פְּרָקִים, נְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל פְּרִישׁוּת. נְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל גְּדֻלָּה (שמואל א י, א): וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת פַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן וַיִּצֹּק עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ. נְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל פְּרָקִים (שמות ד, כז): וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ בְּהַר הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּשַּׁק לוֹ. נְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל פְּרִישׁוּת (רות א, יד): וַתִּשַּׁק עָרְפָּה לַחֲמוֹתָהּ וְרוּת דָּבְקָה בָּהּ. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא אָמַר אַף נְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל קְרֵיבוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּשַּׁק יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל, שֶׁהָיְתָה קְרוֹבָתוֹ. וַיִּשָֹּׂא אֶת קֹלוֹ וַיֵּבְךְּ, לָמָּה בָּכָה, אָמַר, אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָלַךְ לְהָבִיא אֶת רִבְקָה מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ (בראשית כד, י): וַיִּקַּח הָעֶבֶד עֲשָׂרָה גְמַלִּים וְגו', וַאֲנִי לֹא נֶזֶם אֶחָד וְלֹא צָמִיד אֶחָד. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה בָּכָה, שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ נִכְנֶסֶת עִמּוֹ לַקְּבוּרָה, הֲדָא הִיא דְּהִיא אָמְרָה לָהּ (בראשית ל, טו): לָכֵן יִשְׁכַּב עִמָּךְ הַלַּיְלָה, אָמְרָה לָהּ עִמָּךְ הוּא דָּמֵיךְ, עִמִּי לֵית הוּא דָּמֵיךְ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה בָּכָה, שֶׁרָאָה הָאֲנָשִׁים מְלַחֲשִׁים אֵלּוּ לְאֵלּוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנְּשָׁקָהּ, מַה בָּא זֶה לְחַדֵּשׁ לָנוּ דְּבַר עֶרְוָה. שֶׁמִּשָּׁעָה שֶׁלָּקָה הָעוֹלָם בְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל עָמְדוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְגָדְרוּ עַצְמָן מִן הָעֶרְוָה, הֲדָא אָמְרָת שֶׁאַנְשֵׁי מִזְרָח גְּדוּרִים מִן הָעֶרְוָה.
(12) ...Why did he weep? He said, "At the time that Eliezer brought Rebecca, what is written about it? 'And the servant took ten camels, etc.' But I did not take a single nose-ring, nor a single bracelet." Another explanation: Why did he weep? As he saw that she would not be buried with him. This is [the meaning of] that which is written that she said [to Leah] (Genesis 30:15), "Hence he will lay with you tonight" - it is with you that he will die, it is not with me that he will die. Another explanation: Why did he weep? As he saw people whispering to one another because he kissed her, "Why is this one coming to introduce a new matter of licentiousness?" As from the time that the world was struck during the generation of the flood, the nations of the world took a stand to forbid themselves licentiousness.
(יב) לֹא יִתְיַחֵד אָדָם עִם שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים, אֲבָל אִשָּׁה אַחַת מִתְיַחֶדֶת עִם שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, אַף אִישׁ אֶחָד מִתְיַחֵד עִם שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים בִּזְמַן שֶׁאִשְׁתּוֹ עִמּוֹ וְיָשֵׁן עִמָּהֶם בְּפֻנְדְּקִי, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאִשְׁתּוֹ מְשַׁמַּרְתּוֹ. מִתְיַחֵד אָדָם עִם אִמּוֹ וְעִם בִּתּוֹ, וְיָשֵׁן עִמָּהֶם בְּקֵרוּב בָּשָׂר. וְאִם הִגְדִּילוּ, זוֹ יְשֵׁנָה בִכְסוּתָהּ וְזֶה יָשֵׁן בִּכְסוּתוֹ:
(12) A man may not be secluded with two women lest he sin with them, but one woman may be secluded with two men. Rabbi Shimon says: Even one man may be secluded with two women when his wife is with him, and in that situation he may even sleep in the same inn with two women, because his wife guards him from sinning with them. They further said that a man may be secluded with his mother, and with his daughter, and sleep alongside them with bodily contact without clothes, since there is no concern that they will engage in sexual intercourse. And when they, the son or daughter, have grown up, this one sleeps in her garment and that one sleeps in his garment, but they may share a bed.
Inappropriate sexual behavior
Shame and Reputation
The findings – which were provided to the synagogue's leadership in February but never disclosed to the congregation – substantiated "specific incidents of inappropriate comments or behavior" by R towards C, concluding that his behavior was "inappropriate" and his defenses were "not credible."
Those included a reference to C as the "beautiful blond cantor" in remarks to the congregation from the altar – the bimah in a synagogue – during his interview weekend in February 2016. He also referred to "Fifty Shades of Cantor" after Myers returned from an overnight anniversary celebration with her husband at a winery, and later claimed to the CCAR team that she had displayed a pair of "play handcuffs" – which both she and a witness denied. And he referred to the first dinner out with the synagogue's new executive director as "popping his cherry," in front of the cantor and the Temple's sound engineer.
Buffalo News October 26, 2020
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