Yosef Blau

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Yosef Blau is an Orthodox rabbi. He currently serves as the Mashgiach Ruchani, Director of Religious Guidance at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), Yeshiva University, since 1977. Current president of the Religious Zionists of America (RZA).

Rabbi Blau earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1959 from Yeshiva College. He earned a Masters of Science degree at the University's Belfer Graduate School of Science in 1960, and was ordained at Yeshiva University's affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) in 1961 by Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik.

In the past Rabbi Blau served as the assistant principal at the Maimonides School, Brookline, MA; principal at the Hebrew Theological College, Skokie, Ill. and the Jewish Educational Center, Elizabeth, N.J.

In communal life, Rabbi Blau served as national president of Yavneh, the National Religious Jewish Students Association, and as a member of that organization's National Advisory Board. He also served as vice president of the National Conference of Yeshiva Principals.

Rabbi Blau is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America and serves on the executive board of the Orthodox Caucus, a national task force addressing practical issues challenging the Jewish world. He is also on the executive commission of the Orthodox Forum and the rabbinic advisory board of USSR, students serving Soviet Jewry. He has lectured and taught Torah in countries across the globe.

In the past Rabbi Yosef Blau served on the executive board of directors of The Awareness Center, Inc., which is the Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault). To this day, Rabbi Yosef Blau continues to be a strong advocate for those who are Jewish survivors of sex crimes.

Rabbi Blau is seen as a hero to many after becoming instrumental several high profile media cases of clergy sexual abuse such as in the cases of:

• Rabbi Baruch Lanner
• Rabbi Marc Gafni
• Rabbi Matis Weinberg
• Rabbi Mordecai Tendler

[edit] Articles and Audio Tapes on Sexual Abuse

• Confronting Abuse In The Orthodox Community

• Abuse of Power. Audio Tape, Blau, Rabbi Yosef. JOFA 5th International Conference. 2004.

• When Authority Breaks Down: The Abuse of Power. Audio Tape Blau, Yosef . JOFA 5th International Conference, 2004.

[edit] External Links

• Students accuse New Jersey rabbi of abuse over 20 years. Associated Press, July 14, 2000.

• Stolen Innocence New York Jewish Week, January 30, 2003

• Rabbi's Odyssey Reflects Struggle on Sexual Abuse. Washington Post, February 2, 2003.

• Panel To Hear Charges Against Prominent Rabbi. The Associated Press, May 9, 2003.

• Curbing Rabbinic Abuse. New York Jewish Week, December 19, 2003.

• The Re-Invented Rabbi. New York Jewish Week, September 24, 2004.

• REINING IN ABUSE: Awareness Center a clearinghouse of concern — and controversy. Washington Jewish Week, January 10, 2006.

• Rabbi Fired Over Sex Claims, Defenders Offer Mea Culpa. Forward, May 19, 2006.

• Community rallies for woman’s right to divorce abusive husband. Baltimore Examiner, September 19, 2006.

• Denominations take aim at sex abuse Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, January 19, 2007.

• Secrecy vs. privacy. Washington Jewish Week, February 14, 2007

• The End Of Innocence. Jewish Press, February 14, 2007.

[edit] External links

• Official Yeshiva University bio
• http://www.yutorah.org/roshei_yeshiva.cfm

Rabbis at Yeshiva University

Chancellor: Norman Lamm Dean: Zevulun Charlop Mashgiach Ruchani: Yosef Blau Roshei Yeshiva: Elchanan Adler • Eliyahu Ben-Chaim • J. David Bleich • Yitzchok Cohen • Meir Goldwicht • David Hirsch • Dovid Horowitz • Aharon Kahn • Aharon Lichtenstein • Yaakov Neuburger • Hershel Reichman • Michael Rosensweig • Yonason Sacks • Hershel Schachter • Eli Baruch Shulman • Baruch Simon • Zvi Sobolofsky • Moshe Tendler • Mayer Twersky • Jeremy Wieder • Mordechai Willig • Gershon Yankelewitz Former Roshei Yeshiva: Nisson Alpert • Yosef Leib Arnest • Samuel Belkin • Ahron Dovid Burack • Solomon Drillman • Michael Katz • Shlomo Nosson Kotler • Dovid Lifshitz • Shlomo Polachek • Moshe Ahron Poleyeff • Elazar Meir Preil • Bernard Revel • Shimon Shkop • Ahron Soloveichik • Joseph B. Soloveitchik • Moshe Soloveichik • Ephraim M. Steinberg • Shalom Elchanan Yaffe • Mendel Zaks