November 19, 2014

The following chaverim were in attendance or on the conference call: Daniel Alter, Hanan Balk, Shalom Baum, Gedalyah Berger, Jack Bieler, Binyamin Blau, Kenneth Brodkin, Steven Burg, Yisrael Ciner, Dovid Cohen, Mark Dratch, Zvi Engel, Dov Fischer, Arie Folger, Yaakov Glasser, Efrem Goldberg, Shmuel Goldin, Avrohom Gordimer, Jonathan Gross, Yonah Gross, Shlomo Hochberg, Jerold Isenberg, Wesley Kalmar, Benjamin Kelsen, Barry Kornblau, Doniel Kramer, Elly Krimsky, Leonard Matanky, Yechiel Morris, Elazar Muskin, Ari Perl, Chaim Poupko, Steven Pruzansky, David Rabhan, Mitchell Rocklin, Andrew Rosenblatt, Mordechai Scher, Jonathan Schwartz, Gideon Shloush, Shmuel Silber, Ze’ev Smason, Adam Starr, Chaim Strauchler, Kalman Topp, Elie Weinstock, Shlomo Weissmann, David Wolkenfeld, Howard Zack, and Michoel Zylberman.

Minutes for November 19, 2014 Meeting of the RCA Executive Committee
At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Council of America, held in the offices of the RCA, NY, NY, on Wednesday, November 19, 2014, President Leonard Matanky in the chair, and Reuven Tradburks acting on behalf of the secretary, the following items were decided:

• A motion to accept minutes of the Executive Committee meetings of September 17, October 15, and November 3, 2014 passed unanimously.
• A motion to approve Yaakov Trump, Philip Gabriel Moskowitz, Ian Lichter, Zev Spitz and Alon Isaac Meltzer as new members passed unanimously.
• Request for authorization of a cap of $15,000 to retain an attorney with specialization in internal investigations to do preliminary interviews and reporting on our internal investigations, should legal action be brought against the RCA.
• A motion (The Executive Committee of the RCA rejects the language used by the President in a recent public censure of an RCA member writing in his private capacity and authorizes an apology to that member.
• We also authorize that the same media informed of the censure be informed of this retraction.) was voted upon and did not pass (9 yes, 17 no, 2 abstain).

Additional matters discussed:

• President Leonard Matanky reported that Plans to create a broad oversight committee to address RCA processes used in reviewing rabbinic improprieties.
• The members of this group have not yet been chosen. Representatives of YU, OU, and RCA met to work toward addressing collaboration between organizations, synagogues, and rabbis to address the many issues that arise in communal life.
• The RCA Siddur contract negotiations with Artscroll are near completion but not yet completed.
• He also defended his actions in rebuking Steve Pruzansky as quoted in the Jewish Week. Steve Pruzansky called for the resignation of Lenny Matanky as President within 48 hours.
• Extensive discussion ensued relating to many issues of public censure of RCA members, as well a related motion (details above).
• Mark Dratch reported that back dues collection has yielded income and has also resulted in the resignation of 24 members.