JUST WHY??

I'm certain that if I Google "#MeToo +Jewish men" I would find multiple analysts who would attempt to explain this horrible phenomenon of so many Jewish men accused/guilty of assaulting (for there is no better word for it) women over whom they hold power -- sometimes over decades. As the names roll out weekly (if not more often) it seems Jewish men appear to, if not predominate, disproportionately appear in this terrible chapter. To paraphrase the title of an insightful MIchelle Goldberg Op-Ed in The New York Times (Sunday, September 16, 2018), it's "The Shame of the Jewish #MeToo Men."

When the Managing Partner of my Law Firm 25 years ago, I introduced sexual harassment training and a Zero Tolerance Policy, those actions were both scorned and necessary, never in my wildest nightmares would I have thought that we would see an avalanche; now, if any Jewish organization isn't doing both, they had better to do so...yesterday. 

On the cusp of Yom Kippur, the wonderful ejewishphilanthropy published: https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/metoo-in-the-jewish-community/?utm_source=Sept+18,+2018&utm_campaign=Tue+Sept+18&utm_medium=emailThis is an important read, a comprehensive analysis from Dr. Elana Maryles Sztokman. Her insights are far better informed than mine.

We've seen Jewish politicians, academics, movie and television network moguls, among so many, self-immolate in the flames of their own assaults on women.

There have now surfaced women's complaints against Michael Steinhardt and an attendant Hillel investigation first reported in the Times of Israel and, then, more expansively, in the New York Jewish Week in https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/hillel-investigating-allegations-against-major-philanthropist/, and in Sztokman's ejewishphilanthropy piece. If you have been engaged in Jewish philanthropy in the last decades, you know Michael Steinhardt as a brilliant visionary philanthropist, always outspoken, sarcastic, sardonic and, in a different age, he could be laughed at for his language and conduct. Michael always challenged those in his presence to truly think outside the boxes as he himself did; and, yet...in cited conversations, encounters and speeches, he lacked any filter. While we may live in a different age today; it doesn't appear that Michael Steinhardt does.

Based on the allegations of women who were affected and affronted by Steinhardt's sorry attempts at, can it be called "humor," often profane and scatological, sometimes bizarrely so, Hillel has taken his name off its Board list and is now "investigating" his behavior. Assuming Hillel determines that all or any of the allegations are true, what might Hillel's (as opposed Michael's accusers') remedies be? Steinhardt is, after all, a volunteer as well as a major donor. Will Hillel refund Steinhardt's contributions -- they are in the millions? Will he no longer be welcome on their dais? No longer invited to their events? And, is it ever appropriate in today's environment, to note that Michael Steinhardt's abusive language appears never to have gone beyond that?

This is a tough decision for any non-profit. Issues of lay leader harassment and worse have arisen in the past. Precedent exists. Clearly, Michael Steinhardt must enter counseling. Perhaps, Michael should fund a study of #MeToo in the Jewish community. And Hillel needs to assure that it has in place appropriate policies to protect its employees, if not already codified. 

And, we need some national organization to take the lead on this issue -- form a consortium, bring Rabbis into the conversation, engage in a serious introspection about ourselves...and answer the unasked questions of "why so many of us?" and what can be done about it?

Wexler