Navigate to News section

D.C. Rabbi Allegedly Filmed 152 Women in Mikvah

Prosecutors reveal extent of the voyeurism charges against Barry Freundel

by
Stephanie Butnick
February 13, 2015
Kesher Israel in Washington, D.C. (Adam Fagen/Flickr)
Kesher Israel in Washington, D.C. (Adam Fagen/Flickr)

Prominent Washington, D.C. rabbi Barry Freundel’s arrest in August 2014 for voyeurism charges sent shock waves through the Jewish community, particularly among the congregants of Kesher Israel, where he had been the spiritual leader for more than two decades. The disturbing charges against him included installing cameras to spy on women in the synagogue’s adjacent mikvah and showers.

As the investigation continues, the scope of Freundel’s alleged surveillance has been revealed. The AP reports that prosecutors told victims the total number of women filmed using the mikvah was over 150.

During Wednesday’s meeting, prosecutors told victims, their spouses and some lawyers representing them that an investigation had determined Freundel had filmed 152 women. Prosecutors said 88 of the women had been filmed within the last three years. They said another 64 were filmed going back to 2009, though a statute of limitations bars prosecutors from charging Freundel with voyeurism based on those recordings.

The next hearing in the case against Freundel will take place Feb. 19.

Stephanie Butnick is chief strategy officer of Tablet Magazine, co-founder of Tablet Studios, and a host of the Unorthodox podcast.