Goldstein Charges Consolidated
Ari Goldstein, the former president of Temple University’s banished Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity chapter, will face two sets of sexual assault charges in one trial on June 4, The Temple News reported.
In a March 14 pretrial hearing, Assistant District Attorney Lauren Stram said the two cases should be consolidated because the two complainants were both students at Temple, were about the same age and the circumstances were similar.
In the first case, which stems from February of 2018, the complainant alleges that Goldstein locked her in his bedroom at the fraternity house, pinned her down and tried to force sexual activity on her before she managed to kick him and run away.
The second complainant alleges that, in November of 2017, she went to Goldstein’s bedroom. The two began to have intercourse, but it became aggressive. She alleges that he also forced her to perform a sex act on him and that she eventually was able to push herself away and run out of the room.
Jewish Philanthropy Leader Faces Several Sexual Harassment Allegations
Billionaire Jewish philanthropist Michael H. Steinhardt was accused by several women in a March 21 New York Times article of sexual harassment when they were seeking his support.
Women at Hillel International, Birthright Israel and other organizations described incidents where Steinhardt made repeated sexual comments and requests.
Steinhardt declined to be interviewed, but did issue a statement.
“In my nearly 80 years on Earth, I have never tried to touch any woman or man inappropriately,” he said. Provocative comments, he said, “were part of my schtick since before I had a penny to my name, and I unequivocally meant them in jest. I fully understand why they were inappropriate. I am sorry.”
This is not the first time Steinhardt has been accused of harassment. The Jewish Week reported in September that Hillel was investigating him for “inappropriate sexual remarks” that dated to 2011.
Tree of Life Raises $40,000 for New Zealand Shooting Victims
The Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha synagogue in Pittsburgh — victimized in October with its own shooting that left 11 worshippers dead — raised more than $40,000 to support victims of the Christchurch, New Zealand mosque shootings, JTA reported.
The shootings on March 16 left 50 Muslim worshippers dead and least 20 injured.
“We feel compelled to come to the aid of those communities, just as our Jewish community was so compassionately supported only a few short months ago by people around the world of many faiths,” the synagogue wrote on its GoFundMe page.
High School Athletic Director Calls Hitler a ‘Good Leader,’ Apologies Follow
Joe Piro, athletic director of Nutley High School in Nutley, New Jersey, referred to Adolf Hitler as a “good leader” during a March 16 presentation at Madison High School in Madison, New Jersey, prompting an apology letter the next day from Madison Superintendent Mark Schwartz, the New York Post reported.
“It is the position of the Madison High School District that the inclusion of Adolf Hitler had no place in the context of an assembly intended to promote unity and character,” Schwarz wrote.
Piro made a statement to NorthJersey.com in apology.
“My intentions during the presentation were to make a point that a leader could have strong leadership skills and influence people in a negative way,” he said. l
