Rabbi, woman settle lawsuit
By Stephen Scott, Religion Editor
Pioneer Press (St. Paul) - June 08
Rabbi Jonathan Ginsburg appears set to resign as senior rabbi at Temple of Aaron, shortly after reaching an out-of-court settlement with a former congregation member who accused him of sexual misconduct. A criminal investigation into the case also is being closed, with no charges forthcoming.
Ginsburg's attorney, Robert Weinstein, said Monday the rabbi has decided to resign after 17 years at the Conservative synagogue in St. Paul's Highland Park.
'Over the past several months he's given a lot of thought of what to do with his future, ' Weinstein said.'I think he was looking for all of this to be concluded.'
Congregation president Phillip Kibort said Monday synagogue officers had not received a notice of resignation, though discussions had taken place with Ginsburg 'about the future leadership of Temple of Aaron.'
In a civil suit filed in January in Ramsey County, a Maplewood woman accused Ginsburg of sexual exploitation, intentionally inflicting emotional distress, sexual battery and 12 other charges. The suit claimed sexual contact between the two occurred between December 1999 and April during which time the woman said she was seeing Ginsburg for counseling.
The suit also named the synagogue, on Mississippi River Boulevard, as a defendant.
Weinstein and Philip G. Villaume, the attorney for the accuser, Linda A. Cohen, each confirmed Monday that a settlement with all parties had been reached. Citing confidentiality agreements, they released no details.
It is still not clear whther or not Rabbi Jonathan Ginsburg was having inappropriate sexual relations with Gail Ginsburg at the time when he converted her.
By Paul Gustafson
Star Tribune (St. Paul, MN) - January 22
Www.startribune.com/stories/462/4332508.html
A former female member of the Temple of Aaron in St. Paul charged Wednesday in a lawsuit that Rabbi Jonathan Ginsburg sexually exploited her while counseling her for more than two years.
The Maplewood woman alleges that Ginsburg knew that she was an emotionally vulnerable person because he learned while counseling her that she was recently divorced, and had been sexually and emotionally abused in the past.
Philip Villaume, her attorney, said she has been 'extremely traumatized' by Ginsburg's conduct, and feels that temple officials 'did virtually nothing' when she complained to them.
Betty Sue Lipschultz, the temple's board president, said an investigation of Ginsburg was done after the woman complained about him that 'did reveal an error in judgment' by the rabbi.
'We have not stood idly by... We investigated the charges fully, and we took and are continuing to take appropriate remedial steps. The Temple of Aaron is a wonderful, caring congregation, and it cares deeply both about its congregants and its staff, ' she said.
Ginsburg, who is the temple's senior rabbi, could not be reached for comment.
The suit, filed in Ramsey County District Court, seeks damages in excess of $50,000 for sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and sexual exploitation by a member of the clergy.
Temple of Aaron is also named as a defendant in the suit, which alleges that it failed to supervise Ginsburg properly or take appropriate actions against him.
The woman said she complained to temple officials in May.in June the congregation received letters from Ginsburg and the temple's board informing it that he had had an inappropriate relationship with a female former congregant. Ginsburg apologized for what he called 'an admittedly regrettable incident, ' according to the suit.
The woman alleged, however, that the letters did not disclose the full scope of Ginsburg's sexual misconduct toward her.
Joe
LA, California
U.S.A.
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