Here’s a moving video about the process of converting to Judaism, check out the inspiring words of Rabbi Leib Tropper:
The Eternal Jewish Family is an independent organization dedicated to the preservation of the authentic Jewish family, as is dictated by our Torah delivered to the Jewish nation on Mt. Sinai more than 3300 years ago. A primary focus of EJF is the halachic conversion of a non-Jewish spouse in an intermarriage. To assure that all conversions are based on the authentic dictates of Torah and halacha, the Eternal Jewish Family follows the halachic guidelines of such noted Torah authorities as Harav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, Harav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, Harav Yosef Sholom Eliyashuv shlit”a, Harav Shmuel Wosner shlit”a, Harav Reuven Feinstein shlit”a, as well as leading Sephardic authorities shlit”a. The Eternal Jewish Family is affiliated with Horizons and the Kol Yaakov Torah Center of Monsey, New York. Founded 25 years ago under the inspiration of the late venerable sage Harav Yaakov Kaminetsky zt”l, Kol Yaakov has been a leading institution in the kiruv movement. Hundreds of its alumni have over the years assumed leadership positions in Jewish life throughout the world.
Dov Bear reports:
Absolute facts:
– In 2006 Leib Tropper revoked a woman’s conversion because of a breach of strict halachic tznius rules.
– In October 2009 Leib Tropper was sued by a billionaire Israeli for allegedly misappropriating 1 million dollars.
– In mid-December 2009 Leib Tropper resigned from his leadership role at EJF
– Pashkvelin in Israel, this month, denounced Leib Tropper as a Zimri playing like a Pinchas.
Facts Supported by strong circumstantial evidence:
– A woman who identifies herself as Shannon Orand, recorded a number of conversations between herself and a man who sounds like Leib Tropper and has intimate information about Leib Tropper’s associates and family.
– In the audio recording, Tropper speaks of a sexual relationship with the woman as well as setting her up for phone sex and actual sex acts with men identified only as “Amir” and the “Satmar guy.”
– Money is passing hands, although it is not clear if the funds were used as a quid pro quo for sex.
Information provided by Shmarya at FailedMessiah after a conversation with the woman (whom he does not identify):
– The audio was leaked and was not supposed to end up in the hands of bloggers and mainstream media.
– One of Shmarya’s sources for the audio was the billionaire Israeli.
– There were other women that were part of the sexual activities.
– The woman claims that Tropper was using her for sex and in return he was going to provide her with a conversion.
Investigative Reporting:
– The woman on the audio is from Texas. There is a Shannon Orand listed in Houston Texas. Her address is near the frum neighborhood.
– Ms. Orand claims on her Myspace page that she was raised Catholic and is now Jewish. This implies she has already converted.
– Ms. Orand has not logged into her Myspace account since August 2009.
– Ms. Orand had a Facebook account (which is still visible in google results if you click “cached”) it has been since deleted.
Here’s a comment to DovBear: Shannon Orand’s Linked In profile claims that her current position is “Outreach Administration at Eternal Jewish Family”. Thus, if it was her, I would assume Tropper would be familar with her background. And it indicates that her background includes many kiruv positions, which is not likely if she had not yet converted.
DINA COMMENTS: The conversion process requires living for at least a year as a Jew, so that would explain why she is saying she’s Jewish when she’s still technically not Jewish.
CA POSTS: – If Ms. Orand had already converted why was she converting again? Was it a set-up? Or was she really converting (again)?
Perhaps the reason she was able to get converted was because she did the Rabbi’s bidding. But she continued becuase the rabbi has a track record of “revoking” conversions of people who don’t cooperate.
– A man with the means of the slighted billionaire Israeli could very well have orchestrated the demise of his nemesis by playing to Tropper’s weaknesses with an elaborate set-up.
You mean he’s so rich he has access to some sort of secret mind-control technology that makes a man do things he wouldn’t do otherwise?
– By recording conversations in which the woman admits to sexual activity with a married man and potential sexual activity with others, we can infer that there was a huge interest on her part to expose Tropper and indict herself.
Yeah, well lots of people succumb to extortion, that doesn’t mean they like it or like the person who’s doing it. Doesn’t surprise me in the least that she was collecting evidence that could be used against the guy.
– The things Tropper did would still be inexcusable but they shed new light on his predicament.
His predicament is self-made. If he wanted a life of kinky sex, he should have gone into show business, where that sort of activity isn’t such a career-killer, and he would have found lots of willing partners.
READER COMMENTS: Of course she was trying to get a response from him. She was TAPING the calls. She was obviously on her way out of the relationship and wanted to take proof with her.
Even if it was total entrapment, he still admitted to all sorts of sexual things and sure seems to admit to pimping her also.
Lots of people first convert Reform or Conservative and then decide they can make the commitment to converting Orthodox. It usually requires a bigger financial commitment like moving to a frum neighborhood where real estate is very expensive and you might even have to quit your job. It’s very common in the world of converts.
MJ COMMENTS: Listening to the recordings without any knowledge of the situation other than the assumption hat they are authentic, it is hard to come to any conclusion other than you have a married man who is in an alarmingly manipulative and seemingly coercive relationship with another woman.
The man cites the Torah as providing reason why he can be in love with multiple partners and seems to fault her for not being able to do the same. The man further admits to being sexually coercive with his spouse.
The question is not whether this is illegal, The question is how, once again, did this kind of person with a predatory nature rise to a position of power. The answer is, once again, with the complicity of a rabbinic establishment that depends on handlers like Tropper to funnel millions of dollars to their institutions.
I know plenty of lovely people in the kiruv business. But I’ve traced the origins of the kiruv movement and the major organizations it nearly always comes back to people with cult-like manipulative personalities and very shady financial arrangements. I spent time working at a kiruv organization that is very highly regarded (=not Aish). This organization did not turn into the vast financial scheme that others have, but it too was led by a person, now dead, who was emotionally abusive and its clients were across the board people of unstable emotional grounding.
VEGANOVICH COMMENTS: Below is Shannon Orand’s website, in case you’ve ever wondered “why does Judaism reject the Christian messiah.”
http://www.shannonorand.com/
And in an odd detail, below is link to a page where Shannon Orand requests the definition of the word “herpes” into Albanian. I wonder why she needs to know.
http://alb.proz.com/kudoz/ englis…tted_virus.html
RABBI YOSEF BLAU COMMENTS: “There is a campaign to besmirch Shannon Orland. My information from a most reliable source is that she is sincere and was working for Rabbi Tropper though her geirus had not been completed. She was misled about the public distribution of the tapes.
Unfortunately, the pattern of blaming women who have been manipulated by a rabbi, who was an authority figure, is being repeated in this case.
Attacking her won’t save Tropper but it will have a devastating effect on her life.”
YAHU COMMENTS: From the available evidence it seems that she was not a “plant,” or someone who “set him up,” but a sincere prospective convert who seems to be have been hit on, manipulated or abused by Tropper, and who then decided to record conversations and turn them over to his enemies, to try to get this guy out of his position of authority where he could potentially abuse others. I believe her that she didn’t want or expect her identity and the tapes to go public — what possible interest would she have in that? Her own reality show, as in that toddler UFO hoax? No way. She probably just trusted Tropper’s enemies not to publicly release the tapes, but things didn’t go according to plan — Tropper refused their demands — so they aired the tapes publicly.
HERE IS SOME INFO ON SHANNON ORAND FROM LINKED-IN:
#
Tomball College
1999
#
Harris County Community College
Photo Journalism 1997
#
Humble High School
Year Completed 1995
Shannon Orand’s Summary
Seeking a fulltime position that will take advantage of my marketing, public relations, journalism, event coordinating, administrative, and computer skills. I am trained in all Microsoft Office programs and have strong Microsoft administrative support skills. In addition, I have experience in web development and desktop publishing.
Shannon Orand’s Specialties:
accounts payable, administration, advertising, american sign language, counseling, customer service, database administration, editing, education, email, fundraising, grant writing, management, marketing, microsoft excel, microsoft powerpoint, microsoft publisher, microsoft word, newspaper, public relations, publicity, radio, real estate, research, retail, sales, scheduling, shipping, teaching, travel arrangements, web site production,
Shannon Orand’s Experience
*
Outreach Administration
Eternal Jewish Family
(Non-Profit Organization Management industry)
July 2009 — Present (6 months)
The Eternal Jewish Family is an independent organization dedicated to the preservation of the authentic Jewish family, as is dictated by our Torah delivered to the Jewish nation on Mt. Sinai more than 3300 years ago. A primary focus of EJF is the halachic conversion of a non-Jewish spouse in an intermarriage.
To assure that all conversions are based on the authentic dictates of Torah and halacha, the Eternal Jewish Family follows the halachic guidelines of such noted Torah authorities as Harav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, Harav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, Harav Yosef Sholom Eliyashuv shlit”a, Harav Shmuel Wosner shlit”a, Harav Reuven Feinstein shlit”a, as well as leading Sephardic authorities shlit”a.
The Eternal Jewish Family is affiliated with Horizons and the Kol Yaakov Torah Center of Monsey, New York. Founded 25 years ago under the inspiration of the late venerable sage Harav Yaakov Kaminetsky zt”l, Kol Yaakov has been a leading institution in the kiruv movement. Hundreds of its alumni have over the years assumed leadership positions in Jewish life throughout the world.
*
Administration
Chabad Jewish Center
(Non-Profit; Non-Profit Organization Management industry)
2008 — 2009 (1 year )
*
Media Public Relations / Radio Program Producer
Arutz 7 – The Tovia Singer Show
(Non-Profit Organization Management industry)
November 2007 — March 2009 (1 year 5 months)
Results driven Media Public Relations and Radio Program Producer. In this position I was responsible for producing LIVE event programming from generating ideas and researching, to writing and editing, and finding and scheduling high profile guest interviews.
During the live show my role required excellent interpersonal and communication skills, which were used in facilitating/moderating the live online virtual studio where I would stimulate debate and encourage callers to call into the show. A strong ability to deliver quick and precise instructions under intense time pressures was necessary in directing a successful program.
I left the company on good terms based on a request to relocate to Israel, which I declined due to a family decision to remain in the United States.
During the live show my role required excellent interpersonal and communication skills, which were used in facilitating/moderating the live online virtual studio where I would stimulate debate and encourage callers to call into the show. A strong ability to deliver quick and precise instructions under intense time pressures was necessary in directing a successful program.
I left the company on good terms based on a request to relocate to Israel, which I declined due to a family decision.
*
National Radio
Tovia Singer Show
(Non-Profit Organization Management industry)
November 2007 — March 2009 (1 year 5 months)
*
Marketing/Operations & Project Manager
Outreach Judaism
(Non-Profit Organization Management industry)
November 2007 — March 2009 (1 year 5 months)
Marketing, Project, and Operations Manager for this leading non-profit religious education organization. In this position I was responsible for managing a diverse range of projects as well as the daily administration. I was successful in implementing a high profile; image based marketing strategy using various outlets on the internet and in the media, within the organizations budget. Using my fundraising skills and experience with non-profit organizations, I was able to triple the sales, solicit donations, and strengthen the monthly commitments from donors to help ensure steady funds for continued operations.
Daily operations included managing Accounts Payable/Receivables, mailings, processing/shipping orders, inventory, booking lectures, making travel arrangements, and customer service.
Over the past year I was trained as an educator/counselor and began teaching weekly online classes, one on one studies, and taking basic counseling calls.
*
Marketing Assistant
Grubb & Ellis
(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Real Estate industry)
February 2006 — November 2007 (1 year 10 months)
Marketing Assistant for the Vice President of the Investment Group specializing in Commercial Retail Investments. In this position I implemented and executed a full marketing plan for each listing as well as the administrative process involved from the initial Listing Agreement to the contract and closing. Specializing in research, each Offering Memorandum is completed with a detailed description of the area, its demographics, surrounding retail, area development, and realistic potential in the market.
Executing the marketing plan includes:
Submitting the detailed listing to various listing sites including the Grubb & Ellis website, LoopNet, Property Line, CCIM.net, Commercial Gateway, BizSpace, and the individual Broker’s website.
Printed advertisements in various magazines including Red News, and Texas Real Estate Business. Printed advertisements also include mass mailings of post cards and flyer projects.
E-Mail Marketing – this is by far the most effective and cost efficient. Maintaining a good contact database for e-mail blasts is of high importance.
*
Marketing Assistant
Grubb & Ellis
(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Real Estate industry)
February 2006 — November 2007 (1 year 10 months)
*
Development and Operations Manager
Virtuosi of Houston
(Non-Profit Organization Management industry)
May 2002 — January 2006 (3 years 9 months)
Marketing, Development, and Operations Manager for this non-profit Youth Chamber Orchestra. In this position I was responsible for the daily administration including website updates, financial reports, student records, promotional publications, mass mailings, meeting coordination, and communication with the executive committee/board. My responsibility was also to coordinate events such as concerts, black tie dinners, cocktail parties, luncheons, and the annual fundraising Gala.
To date I have been the Event Coordinator for eight (8) major concerts, four (4) gala fundraiser’s inviting the social elite of Houston and business/community leaders, two luncheons with well known actors, musicians, and two cocktail parties for high-profile politicians.
Since I started at Virtuosi of Houston, I have established numerous large fundraising promotions and have played a key role in seeking corporate funding and support.
I assisted in the application for and was successfully approved for several significant grants. Including CACHH, Texas Commission of the Arts, The Rockwell Fund, and the Cullen Foundation for the Performing Arts.
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