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The layperson looks to his or her rabbi to set this tone. The message sent from the pulpit can determine if attitudes will change and if the scourge of abusers will stop.
As true leaders, rabbis have much to offer. As protectors of the image of the community, rabbis are part of the problem. If rabbis show moral courage (as some already do), others will follow. Rabbinic authority is critical when the authority is earned and demonstrates that a Torah leader is a model of justice and compassion.
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