Letter to the editor: Trained to report abuse

To the Editor:

Dr. Neustein provides us with a fascinating insight in her editorial [Training rabbis to identify abuse, Aug. 26] on dealing with sexual abuses in the Jewish community. As meritorious as it may be to seek counsel from a local rabbi about potential sexual abuses, this may still fall short of solving specific problems, and may even turn out to be unintentionally counterproductive.
Dr. Neustein proposes a coordinated and thought-out plan on how to respond to a parent whose child may have been abused. A possible first step might be the formation of a Board or various Boards consisting of rabbis trained in relevant psychological areas and some psychologists and other appropriate professionals, to be consulted by rabbis or even by the confidential informants directly.

Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel, Esq.
Kew Gardens