"An Open Letter to Chabad from the victims of Stanley Levitt"
We, the undersigned, call upon the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown, NJ (RCA) and Chabad Worldwide to retract and rescind the Smicha (ordination) granted Stanley Z. Levitt (aka “Rabbi” Zusia Levitt) in or around 1968 and ask that he be placed in Cherem.
Each of us has either direct knowledge or find it highly credible that Stanley used and uses his title of Rabbi to gain unfettered access to young boys in order to sexually assault them. The three cases in Philadelphia, PA, including multiple charges each, several of which he plead “No Contest” to, are a matter of public record as are his sentences. His deviant history spans more than forty years, five states and at least as many schools.
He has never been married and to our knowledge has never expressed interest in a shidduch. In other words, he does not even try to hide behind a farcical heterosexual relationship as many of his ilk do. While this might seem quite audacious for a coward who uses his rabbinic authority to coerce his helpless students to fulfill his homosexual urges, more likely it stems from a mistaken, but perhaps understandable, belief that what he does is "okay" in our (orthodox) community-at-large’s eyes. Allegations elsewhere include taking three boys to The Bostoner Rebbe’s (people) mikva to tovel kaylim. He stripped naked and was fully aroused (indecent exposure). He assaulted one boy as he lay in a hospital bed having just suffered the trauma of a maimed finger. He toweled off a boy at a mikva. These are but a few specific acts and facts known to the originator(s) of this document.
In today’s climate, where the Orthodox community is (far too) rife with “rabbis” who are pedophiles and allegations of their misconduct, your failure to address this one case might be considered an oversight. However, failure to respond quickly and publicly to our request will be considered a condoning of Stanley’s behavior. Chabad’s mission of kiruv is certainly not served by having one such as him among your Rabbis. In fact, he has caused irreparable damage to so many n’fashot and ruchot and has singlehandedly served to push them-and perhaps generations to come- far away from Yiddishkeit. We, of course would welcome an investigation on your part and would be happy to cooperate in any way possible.
Survivors of abuse of Stanley Levitt
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