IS THIS REALLY A QUESTION?

I have always assumed that those professionals who have been the recipients of the Wexner Foundation Fellowships have been among the best and brightest. So it was painful, even horrifying, to read the title to a recent piece in The Jewish Week/Times of Israel incorporating a quote from one of these people: Do I Want to Walk Through the World With the Wexner Name Attached to Mine?https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/do-i-want-to-walk-through-the-world-with-the-wexner-name-attached-to-mine/

As the body of the article discloses:

"Wexner has not been accused of any wrongdoing but his close relationship with (Jeffrey) Epstein has raised suspicion." (Emphasis added.)

Should the Jewish Week and Times of Israel be peddling a story premised on unsupported guilt by association? A story that goes even further suggesting that this "guilt" associates the entire philanthropic community in Epstein's perversion. Thus, an anonymous "current (Wexner ) fellow" is quoted as follows:

"I think for some people, this issue has been about recognizing that there are systems at play that make scandals like this possible....There's something wrong in the world of philanthropy if this is possible in the first place.."

Just what "this" is the anonymous current Fellow talking about?

Then a former student at a Wexner-funded yeshiva, Mechon Hadar, was heard from:

"I would like to propose that our community take the lead in disassociating ourselves from Wexner and taking a stand against him being able to buy his way into a good name."

Les Wexner's good name was earned long, long ago. His good works date back decades. His contributions to Jewish life and leadership should not be tainted when he has not been charged with "wrongdoing" beyond his association with Epstein.  And, about that association, Wexner wrote only last month:

"...My heart goes out to each and every person who has been hurt. I severed all ties with Mr. Epstein nearly 12 years ago. I would not have continued to work with any individual capable of such egregious sickening behavior as has been reported about him. As you can imagine, this past week, I have searched my should...reflected...and regretted that my path ever crossed his. When Mr.. Epstein was my personal money manager, he was involved in many aspects of my financial life. But let me assure you that I was NEVER aware of the illegal activity charged in the indictment."

Leslie Wexner must certainly be numbered among the great Jewish philanthropists of our times. I can think of no other whose contributions to Jewish lay and professional leadership has been greater or more long term than his -- dating back to 1986, as I recall. I visited him in Columbus in my United Jewish Appeal Chair role and he freely gave his counsel and time -- so much so that I missed my flight to Chicago. 15 years later I and other leaders of the merger looked to Wexner for his insights. I remember so well the admiration that Rabbi Herb Friedman, z'l, one of our most important Jewish professional leaders, had for Wexner as Herb was the founding professional of the Wexner Heritage Foundation.

To now read of a sudden disdain and calumny based on innuendo that shadows Mr. Wexner since the reporting of Epstein's perversions, elevates guilt by association to an ugly art form. Let us not turn our backs to this great philanthropist.

Let the facts dictate our positions.

Rwexler