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.