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I was sexually abused at my synagogue as a child. Here's how our community can protect others from that horror

JL;DR SUMMARY Alex S. Kaufman details their personal journey of seeking justice after being sexually abused at a New Jersey synagogue in the 1990s, leading to a recent settlement with the synagogue. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish LeadershipSynagogueJewish InstitutionsSurvivorsChild AbuseAccountabilityRestorative JusticeTransparencyCommunity SafetyAbuse Prevention

Places mentioned

New Jersey, United States
"This week, I settled a lawsuit that I filed nearly five years ago against the synagogue in New Jersey where I was sexually abused in the 1990s while learning to read Torah."
Englewood, New Jersey, United States
"The Orthodox community in Englewood, New Jersey allowed my abuser to fully participate in communal life long after discovering he had hidden multiple convictions."
California, United States
"Alex S. Kaufman, Esq. is an attorney based in California."

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Retrieved 2026-03-12 05:30:50 UTC
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