May 2, 2016

The following chaverim were in attendance or on the conference call: Kenneth Auman, Hanan Balk, Shalom Baum, Gedalyah Berger, Hershel Billet, Binyamin Blau, Nasanayl Braun, Yisrael Ciner, Daniel Cohen, Michael Davies, Mark Dratch, Ira Ebbin, Zvi Engel, Ephraim Epstein, David Fine, Joel Finkelstein, Dov Fischer, Arie Folger, Efrem Goldberg, Zev Goldberg, Shmuel Goldin, Avrohom Gordimer, Stuart Grant, Jonathan Gross, Yonah Gross, Rafael Grossman, Kenneth Hain, Shlomo Hochberg, Jerold Isenberg, Wesley Kalmar, Benjamin Kelsen, Moshe Kletenik, Barry Kornblau, Daniel Korobkin, Doniel Kramer, Elly Krimsky, Aaron Liebtag, Chaim Marder, Leonard Matanky, Yechiel Morris, Elazar Muskin, Yehuda Oppenheimer, Ari Perl, Ariel Rackovsky, Mitchell Rocklin, Fabian Schonfeld, Dov Schreier, Elchanan Schulgasser, Tsvi Schur, Yerachmiel Seplowitz, Yechiel Shaffer, Shmuel Silber, Ze’ev Smason, Aryeh Spero, Adam Starr, Chaim Strauchler, Gil Student, Eliyahu Teitz, Kalman Topp, Reuven Tradburks, Brahm Weinberg, Elie Weinstock, Elie Weissman, Michael Whitman, Howard Wolk, Howard Zack, Elie Zwickler, and Michoel Zylberman.

As per section VI:5 of the Constitution, a Special Meeting of the Executive Committee was requested by ten Executive Committee members (Ephraim Epstein, Dov Fischer, Avraham Gordimer, Jonathan Gross, Yonah Gross, Elie Krimsky, Yehuda Oppenheimer, Mitch Rocklin, Yerachmiel Seplowitz, Gil Student) in order to discuss “the recent actions of JOFA against Rabbi Steven Pruzansky and the RCA’s comments to the media in response to a query regarding Rabbi Pruzansky.”

The Special Meeting was held in person at the RCA Offices, 305 Seventh Ave., 12th Floor, NY, and by conference call, on Monday, May 2, 2016, President Shalom Baum in the chair, and Reuven Tradburks acting on behalf of the secretary.

Mitchell Rocklin made the following motion: “Without approval by the Executive Committee, no RCA officer, staff member, or representative may criticize a member to the press or through other public media, except in matters of criminality, moral turpitude, or the violation of RCA policies.”

Doniel Kramer offered a friendly amendment to the original motion. Mitch Rocklin accepted it. The motion was amended to read: “Without approval by the Officers, no RCA officer, staff member, or representative may criticize a member to the press or through other public media, except in matters of criminality, moral turpitude or the violation of RCA policies.”

The motion was defeated by a vote of 41 against, 12 in favor.