This is very difficult,for me personally, but it is important so I feel I must join in making this announcement.
I am just going to copy the text from the
Daas Torah blog:
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT Meir Pogrow (founder of Master Torah program) has been determined to be a rasha by beis din and that it is prohibited for women to have any contact with him
Another tragedy, Meir Pogrow a brilliant, popular and influential Torah scholar has been found guilty of various prohibited and disgusting activities with women for a long period of time. He has used his Torah knowledge as a means of seducing women. As a consequence the beis din has announced that it is prohibited for women to have any contact with him. In addition a number of well known rabbis have signed the psak of the beis din. He is a resident of Ramat Beit Shemesh and lectures widely around the world. For the appropriateness of anyone listening to his shiurim see Igros Moshe (E.H. 1:96).
The following letters were published by the beis din involved in the case:
I must say the variety of the rabbonim signed on this letter is interesting, impressive, and telling. It attests to the seriousness of the nature of the announcement. It is not just Haredi or just MO or just hassidic, not just in Israel or in the USA, not just from one particular city. They have the rosh yeshiva YU, local rabbonim from RBS (where Pogrow lives), an important rav from Jerusalem, a hassidic rav, a rav from Los Angeles (where Pogrow used to live and teach - though I don't know if that is why this rav was included).
This story has been going on for a long time, and only recently came to its "conclusion" with this psak beis din. The story that put it over the top was the one
posted publicly by Tamar Schoor on Facebook.
I say this is particularly difficult for me because Meir Pogrow and I have been friends a long time - over 25 years - and I am friends with some of his siblings. We learned in yeshiva together and Meir came to my wedding in Los Angeles (he was in the region at the time, but still had to travel a few hours to be there). Over the years we have lost touch, even though we live in the same neighborhood, as busy people often do - we were each busy with our families and lives - but every now and then bumped into each other around the neighborhood and at simchas of mutual friends.
He is dynamic, charismatic and very outgoing and friendly, so it is easy to get caught up in his attention, and considering the situation, that can be dangerous. He travels a lot and in his teachings, he is in contact with people all over the globe, so his reach and influence is wide.
It pains me, but it is important. And it is particularly difficult due to the pain his family his surely going through. Not only the pain of the case itself and the ramifications to the family, but the pain in knowing that everyone around them is talking about it, imagining things, wondering, accusing, and the like.
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In the recent MLB draft, the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Kemer as their pick in the 14th round, and he signed with them. Kemer is a dual-citizen pitcher and has played for the Israel national baseball team in international tournaments.