Tropper Resigns From Yeshiva

Rabbi Leib Tropper—the Monsey, New York, ultra-Orthodox conversion guru whose alleged sex scandals were broken in part by Tablet Magazine—has resigned from the Monsey yeshiva he had continued to lead even after these stories emerged, Failed Messiah reports. The resignation is not an admission of guilt, but is likely a sign that, even within the ultra-Orthodox community—which has been extremely reluctant to condemn Tropper—his problems are not going away any time soon.

Meanwhile, the Beit Din—or formal rabbinic court—that is investigating Tropper has received threatening phone calls over the past few days (among the threats was that the caller would pray for the rabbis’ downfall). This is not tangential to the larger story: the ultra-Orthodox establishment’s main stated justification for not yet passing judgment on Tropper is that, rabbis say, to do so before a Beit Din rules on the charges would violate Jewish law. The threats have not disrupted the court’s probe.

You can read Tablet Magazine’s four-part series on Tropper here.

The Other Shoe Finally Falls [Failed Messiah]
Monsey Beis Din Investigating Tropper Threatened Visit and Phone Calls [5 Towns Jewish Times]

Related: Sex, Lies, and Audiotape [Tablet Magazine]

Earlier: Why the Rabbis Are Silent on Tropper