A video that was produced for the Orthodox Jewish community about “stranger danger” — BEFORE the kidnapping and murder of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky — is getting fresh buzz on YouTube.

Video: Stranger Danger Video Getting New Attention

A video that was produced for the Orthodox Jewish community about “stranger danger” — BEFORE the kidnapping and murder of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky — is getting fresh buzz on YouTube.

A group called the Torah Safety Commission produced the video before Leiby was killed, but some of the situations talked about by a child actor and a grandfatherly figure are eerily similar to what happened to the boy from Borough Park. The video shows the boy, who’s about Leiby’s age, eating cereal in a kitchen, while his grandfather talks to him about the dangers of trusting somebody you don’t know.

The boy tells his grandfather on the video lessons he has learned, “Never talk to strangers!” The grandfather says, “Who is a stranger?”–and the boy replies, “Somebody I don’t know”. The video instructs children to run, if a stranger tries to help them in the rain, and also shows an adult man on the street asking a boy for directions to a bakery. “Grownups ask other grownups for directions,” the grandfather tells the boy-actor in the kitchen.

In the Leiby Kletzky case on July 11th, it was the 8 year old boy — a week shy of his 9th birthday — who asked a 35-year-old man, Levi Aron, for directions — when the boy got lost on the way to meet his mother in Borough Park. Aron is charged with kidnapping the 8-year-old and taking him to his attic apartment, where he drugged, smothered and dismembered the child, saying he panicked over the media attention given to the boy’s disappearance.

Leiby Kletzky was a member of a Hasidic Jewish community in Borough Park, and now, PIX 11 has learned that another Hasidic community — the Lubavitcher movement in Crown Heights — was taking special steps to protect its young people from abuse the night before young Kletzky was kidnapped.

The Beth Din of Crown Heights — a rabbinical court in the Lubavitcher community – -issued a ruling on Sunday, July 10th, that child sex abuse, referred to as CSA in its letter, needed to be addressed by civil authorities.

Here’s part of what the letter said: “The severe prohibitions of mesirah (reporting crimes to the police)….do not apply in cases where there is evidence of abuse.”

“The Lubavitch is the first community to do this, the first Jewish community,” said 18-year-old Mordechai Feinstein to PIX 11. Feinstein told us he met with the rabbinical court in Crown Heights before it issued the ruling, to complain about a self-styled rabbi, Moshe Keller, who was suspected of abusing numerous teenagers who sought guidance from him. Keller was charged this week with attempted sexual abuse of a 15-year-old, three years ago. Feinstein told us that 15-year-old was him. “He used to talk to me about pornography, masturbation,” Feinstein told PIX 11 Friday. “He put his hands in my pubic area. I said what kind of rabbi does this?”

Feinstein said he was afraid to say anything for several years, because Keller helped him get into schools and fed him when he had trouble at home. “The person pushing me to be religious….that same guy was trying to molest me,” Feinstein said.

It turns out Keller’s 17-year-old son had died five years ago, and Keller named a foundation in his honor, ostensibly to help at-risk adolescents. Feinstein remarked to PIX 11, “It’s sick how he names an organization after his son and uses that organization to betray little kids.”

Advocates for children say the push to teach them about stranger danger — and the potential dangers they even face from people they know — will increase, in the aftermath of Leiby Kletzky’s death. Assemlyman Dov Hikind told PIX 11 Friday, “When I started talking about this three years ago, people were infuriated with me.” Hikind said many more videos will be produced and urged parents, “ If your child is sexually abused, you must take action.”

See the video below:

38 Comments

  • chosidshoite

    Okay so I went to school and didn’t talk to strangers but my stupid psychologist always says I should learn to trust other people… The world is really a full of good people…. its all in my head….. humans are really good its just that we are always on the defensive so we create the cycle

    So I don’t know what to do!

  • IMPRESSED -ABOUT TIME

    Wow thsnk you for coming forward with your story!!! Kol Hkovod!!!!!!

  • Thinkster

    And what are shluchim telling their children in their open homes. “Don’t talk to Mr. Burg but go ask him if he want’s to come over for shabbos”

    I don’t know if this don’t talk to nobody is a solution

  • Rachel R.

    Mordechai Feinstein, you have my full support for coming out and telling your story! Thank you for helping to protect our children.

  • stranger???

    I think we need to go into more details on a “STRANGER”. My kids thought someone who davenened in our shul was NOT a stranger…..

  • thank you

    Thank you Mordechai, This is the biggest Breakthrough crown heights has ever seen, Hopefully many more will follow you.

  • shkoach

    that was a brave move of you mordichai! we are all behind you! lets hope many more learn from you to step up and speak out! there for making our streets safer for all of our children!!

  • very proud

    thank you. i think Crown Heights needs to be proud of this media coverage.

  • Not! stranger danger!

    ummm: ‘stranger’??

    we’re all missing the point!

    strangers are the danger only 2% of the time!!

    this is so missing the point :( :(

  • A TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE...

    It is absolutely NOT RIGHT that an individual who is “accused” of a crime, but not yet given a fair trial in a court of law, have his “story” narrated (as if it were already proven “fact”)together with his picture on national television.

    This is a grave travesty of justice, and I put the blame for the outcome of this new permission for messira squarely on the irresponsible letter signed by the two (of the three) CH “Rabbonim”.

  • A victim

    Chilul Hashem? You idiot. The chilul hashem is that these people are molesting and ruining the lives of innocent children, not that the victims are coming forward!

  • What a Brave Young Man!!!!

    Mottel… Don’t pay attention to negative comments! They must be coming from people who have never been exposed to the pain you are going through and can’t understand. You are indeed a very brave man. I doubt there are too many people who would be able to stand up and speak out like you.

    Hashem should help you through this nightmare and make you strong enough to help others who have gone through similar situations r”l. Most of all, I hope you receive the support you certainly need during these difficult times. (I remember you when you were a charming and carefree kid. It’s so painful to see the pain in your eyes and the quiver in your chin.)

    Hashem! Please help this young man fully recover from the hurt of the past! Mottel… I will have you in my tefillos. G-d bless you!

  • Shame on us

    To the people who feel that it is not fair to put his face and name for all to see-and claim that this is a lack of justice- where are the molesters’ sense of justice? They couldn’t care less about another person or their own wife and children!!They care only about their own sick sense of pleasure.Any person that defends and trys to protect a molester is almost as bad as the molester!! Right now I am wondering how we can call ourselves an Am Kadosh when so many people have let molesters carry on their ‘trade’ for so many years at the expense of our future generation.Shame on us.

  • Counselor Teacher Danger

    Strangers are not the only problem.

    Keller was no stranger to the children he abused.

    Neither were Kolko, Mondrowitz, Kramer, Cyprys, Yomtov, Weiss etc.

  • ari

    mordy i dont think i have that kind of courage to go ahead in front of the media but im glad ur getting ur story out there its about time ppl learn the truth this kind of stuff has to stop its about time the rabbis signed off on that psak but this is only the tip of the iceberg hopefully more prevenation will be put in place in the schools,shuls,mikvahs,yeshivas erev etc.

  • R- Shlomo In Eretz Yisroel

    I whole heartly agree with #14!! The Rabbonim of CH Beth Din should come out in writting & postings. To condemn trying this person, Moshe Keller, before it comes to court. He deserves his day in court ! SWhame, Shame to try someone in public !

  • anon

    Why does the “stranger” have to look scruffy? It would have been better to make the “stranger” look like a decent, smart Jew.

  • THANKS MORDECHAI!

    WOW Mordechai! THANK YOU!What you did is brave!Maybe now more people will follow in your lead!
    Thanks to 2 out of the 3 CH Rabbonim for putting in an effert to protect our children!
    AND # 14 IT IS A FACT THAT THIS MAN HAS RUINED MANY BOYS LIVES!

  • TO #14

    until this “accused” excuse for a man is proven guilty- send your children over to his house for a play date.
    I’m sure his address could be found in the jewish directory

  • hk

    I think parents need to teach there children about what is proper behavoir and what is not and from there children could realize when something is wrong and get away asap! Morever they need to be able to feel like they have an open healthy communication with there parents thay they could report to them if they feel uncomfertable about a person or situation!

  • Yossel

    I think that in addition to Moshe Keller needing to answer the authorities for what he is accused of. Rabbi Braun & Shweii will have to answer to G-d for causing this tremendous chillul Hashem. Woudl have been so difficult for these two clown to add in their letter that forbade the community from divulging his name to the websites and ultimately Channel 11? I am so disgusted.

  • Proud sister

    Mottele! I’m so proud of you! Kol hakovod! You have our FULL support! Don’t be discouraged by what some people say. Because you brought this out to the open, less people will be hurt.

  • Hashemyoung men are special

    Bs”D Kol HaKavod to the victims who were over-age (23) and were courageous enough to come out with their stories of being victims of abuse. Even though their accusations were not accepted because of their age, their testimonies gave courage to the younger victims to come out with their testimonies, which will be accepted as valid in a civil court of law. Thank you for your bravery in the face of being scared. You are all Tzaddikim to help others when you yourselves were in pain. Hashem should give all of you sweet, wonderful lives.

  • disgusted

    agreed with 14…
    how could you post such a video…
    ruining peoples lives on this site
    seriously not ok
    not impressed
    :(

  • to #30

    but it was ok for this rabbi to ruin all the lives of all the younger boys that he victimized???

  • shame for caring about molesters!

    How dare anyone care about the molesters!! What about the innocent children who’s lives were ruined from these monsters who have beards or not……. Thay r sick and should be embarrased publisized ostrasized and than JAILED because only than will they be stopped and the streets will be safer for our children!!!!!

  • SHOCKED

    Does anyone know this for a fact?? I happen to know, or I thought I knew, the family really well. Spent lots of time there as I am friends with one of their children.
    I am literally in shock, this is one of the nicest families.
    If it is true I cannot imagine what the rest of the family will have to go through. They have had more than their share of sorrows.

  • Rachel

    I don’t really get it. I mean by all means that young man who came and spoke up about his past abuse did a courageous thing. I thank you for being true to yourself!
    But, on a halachic note, is it ok that I know who did it?, or is it Loshon Hara.
    I mean obviously he’s sick, and the public needs to protect themselves, but I’m only 19, I don’t have any kids yet and if it’s not something that will nessecarily affect me Baruch Hashem Should I still be reading this?
    Ah I think this is a mashbiah question..

  • WE NEED MOSHIACH NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I feel very sorry for everyone involved! Except Rabbi Keller! Please get help fast! His wife is so sweet, I pray for all there family that Hashem should not let this harm her children and gradchildren.

  • shocked that u can side with a monster

    to all the people who commented saying that it was a chilul Hashem to disclose the name of the perpetrator, should just shut your mouths and keep your opinions to your self. you should be thanking G-d with all of your heart that you don’t know what it’s like to suffer like the victims (& their family’s) of these horrible crimes. we have a right to know who protect our selves and are loved ones from!

    Kol Hakavod to Nate F. for coming out and telling his story & to the Rabbonim who aren’t trying to sweep everything under the carpets anymore.