He wrote: “In a twist, one Rabbi Weiss school, YCT, won’t recognize the rabbinic credentials of the other Rabbi Weiss school, Yeshivat Maharat…” The assumption being that the IRF is part of YCT when it is really an entirely separate organization.

He also wrote: “… and primarily composed of YCT rabbis.” The IRF has a little less than 150 member rabbis and to date there have been 54 graduates from YCT Rabbinical School. Even if every YCT graduate enters the IRF (which is unclear if that is the actual case) that represents about 1/3 of the organization, certainly not the “primary” composition.

Jonathan Mark has a clear agenda against the Mahara”t phenomenon as is clearly noted in an opinion piece he wrote a few months ago on the subject. He now is abusing his position as a news columnist to further his agenda and Gary Rosenblatt, the editor of the Jewish Week and the one responsible for ensuring a proper journalistic standard in his newspaper, did not stop him.

Gary Rosenblatt needs to issue an official apology on behalf of the Jewish Week to YCT, the IRF, Rabbi Avi Weiss, Yeshivat Mahara”t and Rabba Sara Hurwitz for all the untold amounts of slander they have caused by publishing this outrageous so called news column.