The Media’s Role in Rabbinical Sexual Scandals

This paper seeks to examine the question of publicity of rabbis` unethical behaviour. Should immoral, unethical deeds by rabbis be published?

The research draws on the views of journalists, rabbis themselves and the broader public. It is based on three surveys which this author carried out. The survey of Israeli rabbis generated just over 300 responses.

There were wide differences among rabbis between different religious streams regarding whether scandals should be published in the general media.

57%, 30% and 13% of non-orthodox rabbis `strongly agreed`, `agreed a lot`, or `agreed` that these should be published. Little difference was found between Reform and Conservative rabbis.

Journalists overall were more inclined to favour publicity. 49% and 30% of journalists `very much agreed` or `much agreed` that the information about rabbinical unethical deeds should be published.

The public - the audience - were in the middle of the rabbis and the journalists. The public were inclined to agree - not as far as the journalists but far more than the modern orthodox rabbis. Thus, 33% and 19% of the Israeli Jewish public `very much agreed` or "much agreed" that the information about rabbinical scandals should be published in the general media.