Letter defending Rabbi Halpern debunked as a forgery

A letter circulating in the strictly-Orthodox community purporting to defend Golders Green rabbi Chaim Halpern, who stands accused of sexually abusing people who were sent to him for counselling, has been debunked as a forgery.

Immediately before Pesach, recorded remarks by Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, the leader of the Eda Haredit movement in Jerusalem, were made public in London. In a taped message brought to rabbis in Britain, Rabbi Sternbuch, 97, called Rabbi Halpern, who heads the Divrei Chaim synagogue in north London, a “gangster” who should be removed from post.

Asked what the rabbis in England should be told, Sternbuch says: “They shouldn’t be afraid. They should say clearly and openly that all groups of people have gangsters. By us also there’s a gangster.

“They should throw him out and [be] finished. The best is emes [truth]. But they won’t do that.” Sternbuch adds: “Throw him out… he can’t hold himself.”

Divrei Chaim is affiliated to the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (UOHC). Despite pledges to investigate the accusations against Rabbi Halpern, which he denies, there is apparently growing anger in the strictly Orthodox community in Stamford Hill and Golders Green that he remains in post.

Sternbuch, 97, who grew up in London, is widely seen as the foremost rabbi of his generation. He is vice-president of the Rabbinical Council and head of the Eda Haredit, the most senior Charedi Beth Din [Jewish religious court] in Israel. He is also the brother-in-law of the late Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu.

Because of his great age, questions are often referred to Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch’s son, Rabbi Osher Sternbuch. In an apparent attempt to attack the powerfully critical remarks of Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, a letter has been circulating in strictly Orthodox communities in London purporting to have been written by Rabbi Osher Sternbuch.

This letter — which observers say uses odd grammar and idiosyncratic spelling — told readers that Rabbi Osher had been asked to state — in his father’s name — that the recording of Rabbi Moshe condemning Halpern was “entirely false”, and that it had since been established that there was no basis to the accusations against Halpern. This letter referred to the recording having been made “a few days ago”.

In fact, the recording was made in November last year, though only made public recently. Several people in London, suspicious of the claims made in the letter, contacted Rabbi Osher Sternbuch in Jerusalem to ask if he had written it.

He replied: “No, no, I have not written any letters this year”.

Observers have concluded that the letter is a clear forgery and an attempt to defend Rabbi Chaim Halpern from the continuing allegations against him.