((((JTA) — The founding father of the German liberal seminary is on go away as a consequence of sexual harassment allegations towards her husband, a spokesperson for the seminary, and criticism of his personal management.
Rabbi Walter Homolka introduced on Friday that he’ll droop his duties with the Jewish neighborhood at the University of Potsdam, dwelling of the Abraham Geiger College, a liberal rabbi seminary co-founded in 1999.
Homorka’s announcement was in response to a report by Germany’s main newspaper, Die Welt, whose husband, Hartmut Bomhoff, despatched at least one pupil a sexually harassing video to sexually harass him. It is claimed that it was carried out.
According to Die Welt’s report, the alleged criminality occurred in 2019, and the scholar who obtained the video first reported the case to native police. Citing a press convention, the college knowledgeable workers and college students in regards to the allegations two months in the past.
But it wasn’t till Die Welt’s report that the declare, and the “local weather of horror,” which is claimed to characterize Homorka’s management, invaded public and centered many establishments. backside. Liberal Jewish Renaissance in Germany In confusion.
Homorka is the president of Abraham Geiger College, which trains liberal rabbis. Zacharias Frankel College, a seminary related to the conservative movement of Judaism, And the Faculty of Jewish Theology. All of that is additionally at the University of Potsdam, simply exterior Berlin. He additionally chairs the board of administrators of the German Progressive Jewish Union and chairs a number of Jewish academic establishments, scholarship foundations, and teams of rabbis.
Rabbi Walter Homorka (2-R), President of Abraham Geiger College, Rabbi Walter Jacob (R), President of Abraham Geiger College, Rabbi Dennis L. Egger (2-L), USA Rabbi Central Conference President (CCAR), December 1, 2016, at Sinogog, a liberal Jewish neighborhood in Hanover, Germany. Two rabbis and one canter have been positioned in the town. All three workers are graduates of Potsdam Abraham Geiger College, the establishment the place rabbis are skilled, and are the primary in Germany in greater than 15 years. Photo: Julian Stratenschulte / dpa | Used worldwide (Photo courtesy of Julian Stratenschulte / Photo Alliance by Getty Images)
In these roles, Homorka manages or influences the particular person appointed as an unorthodox rabbi, liberal Jewish priorities in Germany, and the way the assets of the neighborhood are used. According to a report by Die Welt, many refused to cite by title due to worry of retaliation.
Among the accusations in the article by workers, ex-students, and others with data of the seminary, Homorka and Bonhof have proposed, harassed, or had intercourse with at least 10 college students. Homorka misrepresents how he was outlined as a rabbi. And he lacks substantial Hebrew and Jewish literacy.
“Given the criticisms of at this time’s press, I wish to categorical my private disappointment,” Homorka mentioned in a press release despatched to German college students, workers and the media late Friday. “It hurts to need to learn such a factor.”
Homorka mentioned he was a pioneer of liberal Judaism in Germany, suggesting that the accusation was a political motive and was assured that he was not performing inappropriately.
“Every activist has an enemy,” he mentioned. “I at all times attempt to do the proper factor in my job. I’m positive I did the proper factor right here as nicely.”
Bonhof and his lawyer didn’t return the request for remark made by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency on Friday. Bonhof was accused of “distributing pornography, not sexual harassment” to Die Welt in late February, and he mentioned he was “ashamed” of the incident, the newspaper reported.
View contained in the University of Potsdam synagogue. (Maloney Man)
Allegations towards Homorka happen in the widespread Jewish world of how Jewish establishments handled allegations of sexual harassment and assault. Both the US conservative and reform actions launched their studies final 12 months based mostly on a third-party survey of their very own practices, together with: Their rabbi school..
The German rabbi school was not a part of these investigations.
Die Welt studies that the scholar who obtained the express video first knowledgeable the native prosecutor. After being advised that the indictment had “no public curiosity,” the scholar contacted Jonathan Schorsch, an American scholar in the seminary division. Schorsch introduced the problem to the seminary, started an inside investigation beneath the path of Homorka’s employers Rabbi and Canter, and at last really helpful mediation.
On March 1, Anne-Margarete Brenker, Prime Minister of Abraham Geiger College, despatched a letter to the school neighborhood to tell members that journalists are investigating allegations of harassment by school officers on Facebook. .. “The worker in query is Hartmut Bomhoff,” she wrote in an e-mail, stating that Bomhoff is Homolka’s husband.
Josef Schuster, head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, mentioned he was “shocked” by Die Welt’s report and demanded a immediate clarification.
Other Jews in Germany mentioned they have been conversant in the dynamics and data of the story.
Rabbi Walter Homolka. On the left is the October 2019 occasion with different German Jewish leaders, together with Joseph Schuster, chairman of the Central Council of Jews in Germany. (Wolfgang Kumm / Photo Alliance by Getty Images)
“I’ve witnessed many individuals affected by this abuse (sexual and different) and customarily affected by a flawed energy system. [the Die Welt] article,” American rabbi, Rebecca Bloody Who is the Managing Director of Hillel Deutschland Written on Facebook.. “To all of the victims of the abuse described right here: See you. I consider in you. I’m right here for you.”
Rabbi Bradley Artson, Dean of the Zacharias Frankel College and the Ziegler School of Rabbinical Studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, mentioned the allegations towards Bomhoff and Homolka can be absolutely investigated.
The University of Potsdam started its investigation a couple of weeks in the past and is hoping for outcomes by August, Die Welt reported.
“These are critical accusations and ZFC takes them severely,” Artson advised JTA in an e-mail. “We promise full transparency and cooperation with exterior investigations by the college or authorized authorities. Dr. Homolka will be part of the LOA instantly till the outcomes and conclusions of the investigation are reached. We are college students. We are dedicated to the security and well-being of our college and workers and can proceed to watch this fastidiously. “
A strong response is crucial to the way forward for Germany’s liberal Jewish Theological School, Christoph Schulte, a professor at the Institute of Jewish Studies and Religion at the University of Potsdam, advised Dai Welt.
“Rabbi’s school, which publicly clarifies the sexual harassment of Rabbi college students and doesn’t impose strict sanctions, is totally morally and religiously distrusted,” Schulte mentioned.
