One wouldn’t know it by reading your news story about employee fingerprinting and background checks in yeshivos (“Leiby Kletzky Killing Renews Call for Oversight of Yeshivas,” August 5), but it is a fact that the two main national organizations representing the yeshiva movement – Torah Umesorah and Agudath Israel of America — have strongly urged yeshivas to perform background checks of prospective employees.

Torah Umesorah’s guidelines on child abuse, issued in 2007, include the following directive to yeshivas and day schools across the country: “In light of disturbing findings that individuals convicted of child molestation and abuse have been discovered working in numerous institutions that service children, it is essential that all yeshivas conduct thorough investigations into the background of each prospective employee, whether he be a rabbi, secular studies teacher, bus driver or janitor… In addition, each yeshiva is encouraged to conduct a criminal record search on prospective employees.”

In February 2009, shortly after the New York State Education Department instituted a process through which nonpublic schools across the state could voluntarily access fingerprint supported background checks for prospective employees, Agudath Israel sent all New York yeshivas a memo urging them to participate in the state fingerprinting program, and providing them with detailed information about how to go about doing so. Agudath Israel renewed this call as recently as June of this year.

Rabbi David Zwiebel

Executive Vice President

Agudath Israel of America

New York

I’m personally matching all gifts to the Forward, up to $36,000. Can I match your gift now?

Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.

I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.

The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.

That’s why I’m paying it Forward. I’ve offered a $36,000 matching gift as an investment in the Forward’s newsroom, and I hope you’ll take me up on my offer to double your gift.

Don't just read the Forward - invest in it. Will you support our work today?

— Joel Brown, Forward board chair

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$120 $180 $360 OTHER AMOUNT