Accused predator still rosh yeshiva

Leib Tropper has “passion for character development”

by Michael Orbach

Issue of January 18, 2010/ 29 Tevet 5770

It's been several weeks since Leib Tropper's recorded voice was made public discussing an illicit physical relationship. Tropper, founder of Eternal Jewish Family (EJF), which advocates a universal conversion standard under its strict control, hasn't disputed that the voice on the recordings is his, or that he was speaking with a woman whose conversion he was facilitating. Yet he remains a rosh yeshiva in Monsey, of Yeshiva Kol Yaakov, and the head of Horizons, an outreach organization based out of the yeshiva.

Receptionists at the Yeshiva Kol Yaakov number listed on the Horizons website confirmed that the number belongs to the yeshiva. The Jewish Star made multiple attempts to reach Tropper, and was informed that he would be in for "seder" (scheduled Torah study) on Sunday morning. On later calls to the yeshiva, The Jewish Star was told that Tropper either was out or was unable to come to the phone.

Tropper has resigned from Eternal Jewish Family and all mention of him has been scrubbed from its website. However, he is still featured prominently on the Horizons site, which calls him, "a dynamic and inspiring figure." Offering a message some could find ironic, the website continues, "R' Tropper's passion for the importance of character development is contagious, and the centrality of menschlichkeit to Torah observance is both an attractive and authentic recurrent message."

A letter from Rabbi Reuven Feinstein in praise of Tropper is still on the website, as well.

"I am very impressed with the dedication of the Roshei Yeshiva and the staff in general, she'yichyu," Rav Feinstein wrote. "My involvement with the yeshiva over more than 20 years allowed me to witness firsthand the special siyata d'shemaya [divine guidance] with which the yeshiva has been blessed."

Calls to Tropper at Horizons were not returned. While he is publicly said to be finished at EJF, there are clear ties between EJF and Horizons.

Receptionists at Eternal Jewish Family were instructed to not talk to reporters, and directed calls to a public relations firm that, in turn, referred inquiries to publicist Menachem Lubinsky. He referred all questions to the executive director of Horizons, David Jacobs. Calls for Jacobs were answered by staffers at Yeshiva Kol Yaakov who redirected callers to EJF, where Jacobs' office is apparently located. He did not return phone calls.

"Tropper's at Horizons, and Horizon owns EJF. He's still at Horizons and he's still in charge of Kol Yaakov," said Shmarya Rosenberg of Failed Messiah, the blog that initially broke the story. "There's no outrage about that."

Horizons was the recipient of a $4.8 million grant from the Lillian Jean Kaplan Educational Foundation in 2008. In 2007 the organization received $350,00, $2.5 million in 2006, $612,000 in 2005, and $154,000 in 2004. A tax filing from 2007 totaled the assets of the organization at the time at over $7.8 million.

Of that $7.8 million at Horizons, $2.38 million is budgeted as an expense for "scholarships for advanced studies." Just $1,500 is budgeted for food and meetings for the yeshiva students.

The woman featured in the Tropper tapes, Shannon Orand, underwent a full Orthodox conversion in Israel last week.

She told the Jewish Israel blog that she was vulnerable to Tropper's advances because he was footing the bill for attorneys in a custody battle with her ex-husband, who she said molested one of her children.

"I came from an idolatrous Christian background and worshipped a man instead of G-d," Orand told the blog. "And now I have a relationship with G-d that no man can take away from me."