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Kesher Israel

Rabbi Lawrence Troster in 2014. (Screen capture/YouTube via JTA)
May 25, 2019, 5:09 pm
Rabbi Lawrence Troster, Jewish environmental activist, dies at 65
Spiritual leader was involved in progressive causes, including J Street, and frequently lectured about religious perspective on environmentalism, bioethics and modern science
By JTA
Rabbi Barry Freundel leaves the DC Superior Court House in Washington, February 19, 2015. (AP file Photo/Cliff Owen)
August 28, 2018, 8:56 pm
DC synagogue reaches $14.25 million settlement with victims of peeping rabbi
Kesher Israel says it’s confident it would have prevailed in a trial, but settled the class action because it was best for the community
By Eric Cortellessa and JTA
Rabbi Barry Freundel leaves the DC Superior Court House in Washington, February 19, 2015. (AP file Photo/Cliff Owen)
July 11, 2017, 10:44 am
Play about Peeping Tom rabbi dismays real-life victims
‘Constructive Fictions’ by AJ Campbell imagines DC’s Barry Freundel, who filmed women undressing, in prison
By Stuart Winer
Rabbi Hyim Shafner. (Screen capture: YouTube via JTA)
March 17, 2017, 7:45 am
DC synagogue hires successor for mikvah-peeping rabbi
Hyim Shafner to take reins at Kesher Israel, almost three years after arrest of Barry Freundel for voyeurism
By JTA
Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and their three children light menorahs during their family vacation in Hawaii, in this picture posted by Trump on December 26 2016. (Ivanka Trump/Twitter)
January 4, 2017, 8:43 am
Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner select DC house near 2 Orthodox synagogues
Future first daughter reportedly moving to $5.5 million home near Chabad ‘Shul’ and Kesher Israel synagogue
By JTA
Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump, walks through the lobby of Trump Tower with his wife Ivanka on November 18, 2016 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP)
December 20, 2016, 8:32 am
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner go shul shopping in DC
The Orthodox first daughter and her husband said interested in joining the august Georgetown synagogue Kesher Israel
By ToI Staff
Rabbi Barry Freundel leaves the DC Superior Court House in Washington, February 19, 2015. (AP file Photo/Cliff Owen)
August 16, 2016, 9:59 pm
Beth Din of America added to $100m civil suit in Freundel case
Plaintiffs say warning signs were ignored regarding rabbi convicted of secretly taping women in his synagogue’s ritual bath
By JTA
Rabbi Barry Freundel leaves the DC Superior Court House in Washington, February 19, 2015. (AP file Photo/Cliff Owen)
January 9, 2016, 10:25 pm
A year on, DC shul’s mikvah trauma slowly heals
As Rabbi Barry Freundel sits in jail, Orthodox synagogue Kesher Israel turns to a rabbi/psychologist to help pick up the pieces
By Uriel Heilman
Rabbi Barry Freundel leaves the DC Superior Court House in Washington, February 19, 2015. (AP file Photo/Cliff Owen)
September 13, 2015, 1:00 am
Rabbi apologizes for mikvah-peeping, but must Jews forgive?
As Barry Freundel expresses regret for actions, Jewish clergy note that whether to forgive remains up to the victims
By Uriel Heilman
Rabbi Barry Freundel exiting the courthouse after entering his guilty plea, February 19, 2015. (JTA/Dmitriy Shapiro)
September 11, 2015, 5:50 am
Read Rabbi Barry Freundel’s full apology letter
In missive dated Sept. 8, former head of prominent synagogue says he’s aware of negative repercussions his actions have had throughout Jewish world
By JTA
After months of work, the mural was dedicated at Orthodox synagogue Ohev Sholom on August 16, in Washington, DC. (Suzanne Pollack/Washington Jewish Week via JTA)
August 21, 2015, 6:22 am
After voyeurism scandal, DC women reclaim mikvah with mural
Project allows Barry Freundel’s ‘shattered’ congregants to put the pieces back together and restore sanctity to ritual bath
By Suzanne Pollak
The Kesher Israel Synagogue in Washington, DC (AgnosticPreachersKid/Wikimedia Commons)
July 24, 2015, 4:33 am
Mikveh-peeping rabbi’s Washington shul hires interim replacement
Rabbi and psychotherapist Avidan Milevsky will help community ‘move forward,’ synagogue leader says
By JTA
Rabbi Barry Freundel leaves the DC Superior Court House in Washington, February 19, 2015. (AP file Photo/Cliff Owen)
May 13, 2015, 12:42 am
Mikvah-peeping rabbi seeking community service sentence
Prosecutors recommend 17-year sentence for Barry Freundel, while his attorneys argue against incarceration
By AP and ToI Staff
Rabbi Barry Freundel, former spiritual leader of Kesher Israel (YouTube/Kesher Israel, screen capture)
February 19, 2015, 10:15 pm
DC rabbi accused of taping nude women pleads guilty
Barry Freundel admits to 52 counts of voyeurism; sentencing hearing set for May 15
By AP and ToI Staff
Rabbi Barry Freundel has been known as a national leader on conversion and a strict moralist. (JTA)
January 30, 2015, 6:33 am
Synagogue launches religious court case to evict Rabbi Barry Freundel
Rabbi charged with voyeurism said last month he didn’t intend to leave Kesher Israel-owned house
By JTA
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