Rabbinical Committee
The Executive Committee has a constant dialogue with many rabbis, and among them are these pioneers who have zealously promoted the health, safety and welfare of children:
Rabbi Yosef Blau, M.S., graduated Yeshiva University, where he received his B.A.; rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Isacc Elchanan Theological Seminary; M.S. from the Belfer Graduate School of Science. He has served as a Rebbe and Associate Principal of Maimonides School in Brookline, Mass., 1965-1967; Rebbe and Principal of Yeshiva High School of the Hebrew Theological College, Skokie, Illinois from 1967-1970; Principal of the Jewish Educational Center, Elizabeth, N.J., from 1970-1977, and Mashgiach Ruchani (Spiritual Director) of R.I.E.T.S. and Yeshiva College since 1977.
Rabbi Blau has been National President of the Religious Zionists of America since 2005. He was also associated with Hanhalat Artzit Bnei Akiva from 1959-60; served as National President of the Yavneh National Association of Religious Jewish Students from 1963-1964; and National Vice President of the Torah U’Mesorah Association of Hebrew Day Schools Principal Council from 1975-1977.
Rabbi Blau has been a member of the Executive Orthodox Caucus since 2002, and a member of the Orthodox Forum since 1989. He is the author of many articles on Jewish thought.
Rabbi Mark Dratch served as a congregational rabbi in Stamford, CT for 22 years. He is currently chairman of the Task Force on Rabbinic Improprieties of the Rabbinical Council of America (the RCA is the world’s largest organization of more than 1,000 modern and centrist orthodox rabbis); and is a former RCA vice-president. He is a member of the Clergy Task Force on Abuse, Jewish Women International; a member of the Jewish Advisory Committee of the FaithTrust Institute; and a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Religion and Abuse. He teaches at Yeshiva University in New York City. He is the founder of JSafe: The Jewish Institute Supporting an Abuse-Free Environment. The JSafe web site contains many articles authored by Rabbi Dratch addressing the Jewish view on children’s rights, abuse, and related issues.
Rabbi Allen Schwartz became the spiritual leader of Congregation Ohab Zedek, located in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan, in 1988. He is an alumnus of Yeshiva College and received his Master of Arts degree in Bible, Rabbinics and Halacha (Jewish law) from Yeshiva University's Bernard Revel Graduate School, where he continues to work on his doctoral thesis on Rashi's methodology. Rabbi Schwartz was granted rabbinic ordination from the University's affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He currently holds the Raymond J. Greenwald Chair in Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University, where he has taught since 1983. Rabbi Schwartz serves on the executive board of the Rabbinical Council of America and has also served as President of the Council of Orthodox Jewish Organizations of Manhattan's West Side. Rabbi Schwartz also teaches the seventh and eighth grades at Manhattan Day School. He has lectured extensively for the Board of Jewish Education of New York at elementary and high schools in the New York area. Rabbi Schwartz has published curricula on Biblical themes for Jewish day schools nationally and has written Bible curricula for Yeshiva day schools and high schools. He was the educational director of Camp Mesorah from 2002 to 2005 and continues to dedicate time during the summer months to serve on its educational staff. Rabbi and Alisa Schwartz have six children and three grandchildren.
Rabbi Chaim A. Wakslak, Ph.D., holds rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, Brooklyn, and has been the spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Long Beach synagogue (Long Island, N.Y.) since 1985. Rabbi Wakslak holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Hofstra University, and is currently Clinical Director at HASC Center in Brooklyn. In addition, he is a consultant to the N.Y.S. Department of Education, and the N.Y.S. Department of Disability Determinations. He has previously served as Clinical Director and Administrator of the Brunswick Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital in Amityville, N.Y.; and served as a psychologist at Bais Ezra/Ohel. Rabbi Waklsak received a Medallion Award for rabbinic service at the 1998 Centennial Dinner of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. The first meeting of JBAC (then known as the N.Y.S. Yeshiva Parents Association) was held at the Young Israel of Long Beach, and covered by the New York Jewish Week (Friedlin, "Yeshiva Parents Want Their Say", Feb. 26, 2006).