No, they won't solve the problem, but it's at least a start. Public schools require them. Are our children any less valuable? But you're right, everything has to go hand in hand. However, if someone knew that something in a background check would unearth previous incidents, they might just be discouraged from working in a school environment, or anyplace else that is supposed to be a safe haven for our children.

Bottom line is just because they look alike, doesn't mean they are alike. There are more then a few "good" apples.

It's the Squarer Hassidim who live in New Square, Satmar is predominently in Williamsburgh and Krias Joel. Boro Park is mainly Bobov, but has many other sects as well. Crown Heights is Chabad country. Even to the LItvaks, we can't always differentiate between these groups. Some have payos, some wear different types of hats, some wear knickers on Shabbos, etc. But even among Litvaks, different yeshiva guys wear their hats differently. Like everything else in life, you can only evaluate people on an individual basis, not as a group.

Josephine, what's at issue here is not whether or not this or that religious observance breeds abusers. Personally, I doubt it -pedophiles come in virtually every ethnicity. What this editorial very well points out and what our responsibility is as a community is to assure that all children are safe. Schools must implement background checks on every employee. And the mindset of thinking that a victim is guilty is no more justified then to think that the victim of rape is at fault. Abuse is abuse, and must be dealt with firmly by our legal system.

Great article, Josh. Hope you got some Shabbos and/or Shavous invites from some of these folks.

Hi Cipher, how've you been. The concent of "you're going to rot in hell" is a Christian concept, not a Jewish one. We believe that even someone who totally turned their back on their heritage still needs only 11 months after death to do tshuva and therefore, get upstairs. Hence, the custom of saying kaddish for 11 months. I wouldn't want to sit down and compare notes with you (or Stan), on who has the richer life, I doubt you could say your life is more meaningful then the average Orthodox Jew. Sure, we both put on our shoes and head out to the office; but one of us is driven by a greater purpose then just material success in galus.

Stan, the idea of a "triefa mediina", as it was often referred to, was not untrue. Many threw their tefillin overboard enroute to America. And for others who tried to cling to their Judaism, it meant getting fired weekly for refusing to work on Shabbos. And many of us are the descendents of these people. Checking a family tree is proof that there was validiity to our ancestors fears. In the branches that transpired from Orthodox to Conservative to whatever, there are few if any Jews remaining. Those that stuck with their traditions now see many generations blossoming.

Orthodox Jews have never rejected modern technology. They are not akin to the Amish, despite that famous scene in "The Witness". Sure they fly, and while 47th Street photo hasn't been around for years, B&H, its "child" is a thriving business.

So stop with the nonsense that the Orthodox are living in the dark ages. It just isn't true.

The fact that many suffer from internet addiction is a well known fact. Just as some people can drink socially, and others cannot. But from what I've heard, the actual event did not live up to its publicity - which was more like "the internet is not going away, let's just take certain precautions...". Perhaps it was the choice of speakers (which was kept pretty secret right up to the evening itself). Somehow I doubt that some of the American born (as opposed to Israeli Charedi) rabbis who were on the dias would have taken the same approach. Personally, I think the $1.5 million plus could have been spent in much better ways.

These comments are so typical of this publication's readership that they are yawn inducing. First of all, since the Metsare far from selling out this year, the ownership is renting Citifield out for myriad purposes and users. To be honest, the first time I heard about this gathering, I did think it was a joke. It's more like a case of "if you can't beat them, join them". For years, Rabbis said, "Don’t use the internet". Period, end of story. But we now realize that just to pay one's bills it's necessary (as my Rabbi pointed out in his drasha [speech] this past Shabbos). Most of it can use it without any issues. However, some are drawn into the darker depths. I know of a few young men whose lives were destroyed by the depravity that's available online. As a middle aged person, I clearly recall "daring" guys sneaking National Geographic and Playboy into school. If that was the extent of what was available online, i.e., a few naked breasts, this would be completely unnecessary.

Bottom line is, how can the group Beth is with, or any other "human rights group" really be looking out for the interests of ALL the people in this area if they don't give equal time to Israelis who have been victims of terrorist attacks? Can you say "Intifada"? Have you ever read the PLO's charter, where they clearly state that their intention is to take all the land between Jordan and the sea. No where does their charter infer that they are only interested in what liberals call "occupied territories".