Rabbi Moshe Heinemann (center), the pusillanimous and gutless "Rabbi"
Inspecting plastic resins are Rabbi Jonah Gewirtz, Senior Advisor; Rabbi Moshe Heinemann,
Rabbinic Administrator; Dr. Avrom Pollak, President, STAR-K.
Richard Steve Goldberg, 61, was on the run for six years after being charged with performing lewd acts on young girls.
Story Highlights
• TV show says Goldberg told a counselor in Canada he was an American fugitive• Producing child pornography, performing lewd acts on children among charges
• FBI: Goldberg earned trust of parents, who let children play, take trips with him
• Goldberg is expected to be extradited; Canada holding him on immigration charge
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A tip from a Canadian resident ended Richard Steve Goldberg's stint on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, and the alleged child molester is now awaiting extradition, the bureau said.
According to the Web site for the television show, "America's Most Wanted," Goldberg had been seeing a nonprofit counselor under the alias Terry Wayne Kearns. He allegedly told the counselor he was an American fugitive, but the charges against him were "trumped up," the Web site said.
The counselor told a friend, who found Goldberg on the FBI Web site, according to "America's Most Wanted."
The 61-year-old former engineer had been on the run for six years after he was charged in 2001 with producing child pornography, two counts of possessing child pornography and six counts of performing lewd acts on a child, the FBI said. He also faces unlawful flight charges.
Authorities in Long Beach, California, say Goldberg engaged in sexual acts with girls younger than 10 for five months in 2001. Authorities also allege they found images of the sex acts on Goldberg's computer, a federal crime.
"Goldberg gained the trust of [neighborhood] parents and then befriended their children. He entertained the girls by allowing them to play with his pets, watch television and use his computer to play games. Some of these girls also took short trips with him," according to the June 2002 FBI news release announcing Goldberg's inclusion on the most-wanted list.
The president of a gun club in Long Beach, California, Goldberg was considered armed and dangerous, according to the FBI.
Goldberg was captured in Montreal, Quebec, early Saturday after the tip from Canada, said Long Beach Police Chief Anthony Batts and J. Stephen Tidwell, assistant FBI director in Los Angeles.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Montreal Police Service arrested Goldberg without incident for violating Canadian immigration laws, the statement said.
Canadian authorities are holding Goldberg on the immigration violation. He is scheduled to be in court Monday.
Goldberg is expected to be extradited to the United States to face the California and federal charges, Tidwell and Batts said.
A reward of up to $100,000 had been offered for information leading directly to Goldberg's arrest. The FBI news release did not mention the reward.
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The case of Yosef MeystelYosef Meystel has shown such brazen disrespect towards human life on his young resume already, that it is horrifying if you stop and think to yourself 'who is yosef meystel busy molesting right now at this moment?'. And you also wonder what shady business dealings is he into right now (other than killing nursing home residents and grooming another child sex victim for his pleasure release, and providing shelter and haven in the nursing home for convicted child molesters).
Apr 9, 2005
Emerald Park administrator Yosef Meystel could not be reached for comment Friday.
Police arrested four people, including the two unregistered child sex offenders, during the sweep at the nursing home, 9125 S. Pulaski Road.
The 249-bed skilled and intermediate care facility serves geriatric and mentally ill residents. (the mentally ill + Elderly + sex offenders = A RECIPE FOR DISASTER).
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Yosef Meystel has left a trail of battered and abused victims in places such as South Ben Indiana, Chicago Illinois, Rochester NY, Monsey NY and other cities he infected.
Yosef Meystel is a danger not only to children, but also to society. don't be fooled by his wicked smile. If you have reason to believe that YOSEF MEYSTEL is sexually abusing someone then please call 911 and report the abuse right away. Your phone call can help save lives and you can remain anonymous when you report.
Yosef Meystel likes to prey on young teen boys, but no child of any sex should think he won't try to molest them. THAT'S WHY YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO THWART OFF AN ATTEMPT BY A MOLESTER SUCH AS YOSEF MEYSTEL by knowing about his pattern of gaining access to his young victims via being a "school administrator" or any other position which grants him easy access to children. He is very manipulative and he has a way of scaring his victims into performing his sick fantasies. The victims endured ongoing sexual abuse by Yosef Meystel over and over for periods of weeks, months, and in some cases even years, until he was caught and thrown out from one place to another. However, dumping Yosef Mystel onto another town as is done so often with child molesters, does not solve anything.
The problem is, Yosef Meystel. did his abusing, was caught, and thrown out only to pop -up in another city, another town, to continue hunting for more kids to abuse, and have the process repeat itself all over again. The band-aid broke, and never should have been put there in the first place. Yosef Meystel should have been reported to the POLICE as soon as they found out about his crimes. The solution of kicking him out from one yeshiva to another only shifts the burden on someone else unsuspecting that Yosef Meystel is a child molester until it's too late.
Now I commend the Yeshiva's and others who have sent Yosef Meystel packing once they found out he was a child molester. That act alone probably saved a lot of other victims. But, people still must realize that if you send a child molester out of your city without reporting him to the POLICE, than without any certainty this child molester will find other children to molest in another city. What good is that?
PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW MINORS TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF YOSEF MEYSTEL UNSUPERVISED. NEVER! EVER!
If you happen to daven at the same Shul that Yosef Meystel is 'Gabbi' at, heaven help you that Yosef Meystel doesn't turn your kid into a victim.
EM
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Background Informatiion
April 26, 2006
Yosef Meystel was expelled from Rabbi Naftoli Riff Yeshiva in Sound Bend, Indiana when he was in 9th or 10th grade for pulling his pants down of another boy during an argument. It is believed that because Meystel's father donated a great deal of money he was allowed back into the school. Yosef's father owned a well known clothing store in Chicago at the time. There was also a rumor floating around that Yosef Meystel's also molested one his younger siblings.
Rabbi Naftoli Gettinger was the Rosh Yeshiva (dean of the school ) at the time. The Rav (Rabbi) was Raphael Gettinger, Naftoli's older brother.
"Steve" attended the Rabbi Naftoli Riff Yeshiva in South Bend, Inc. when he was 13 years old. The 25 year-old school administrator was Yosef Meystel.
"Steve" was warned by the other boys at the school that it was best to be on the good side of Meystel, "because if you weren't he would harass you all the time".
One of the jobs of Meystel was to organize the food for the yeshiva (making sure it was kosher). Being in South Bend having kosher food could be a challenge.
"Steve" stated that Meystel was overly generous to him. Instead of "Steve" having to use the public pay phone in the hallway to call home, Meystel would always let him use a private phone in an office. "Steve"" was always grateful for this since he would often be on the phone crying because of the illness at home. The survivor was a straight "A" student.
Meystel started grooming "Steve" by doing all sorts of special things for him, which lead to "Steve" spending time in Meystel's room. Gradually Meystel started showing him pornography, laying in bed exposing himself , and masturbating in front of "Steve". Meystel slowly encourage "Steve" to do the same thing, and "things progressed from there". The boys grades dropped from being an "A" student to a "C" student.
"Steve" told some of his friends that Meystel wouldn't leave him alone; yet didn't go into details about what was happening.
"Steve" left the school for summer break, never told his family what happened and ended up returning the next year. Nothing happened at first, so "Steve" thought he was going to be ok. After Succos (a Jewish holiday in the fall) the abuse began. "Steve" stated he did his best to stay away from Meystel, but things continued.
When "Steve" was 14. He disclosed his secret to a few friends. Together they decided to get Meystel on tape, which they did, and took the tapes to the Rosh Yeshiva, Raphael Gettinger right before parents day at the school. Steve still was not at a point he could disclose to his parents what was happening.
Rabbi Gettinger's confiscated the evidence and stated that he would take care of the situation. Nothing was done, except Yosef Meystel left the school a few days before the parent's day weekend.
At one point "Steve" told his parents what was happening. "Steve's" parents confronted Rabbi Gettinger who then offered to pay for the boy to see a therapist connected to the school. The thera
Case of Yosef Meystel
(AKA: Joseph Meystel)
Yeshiva Administrator, Rabbi Naftoli Riff Yeshiva - South Bend, IN
Park Ridge, IL
Chicago, IL
Yosef Meystel has been accused of child molestation during the time he was the adminstrator of the Rabbi Naftoli Riff Yeshiva in South Bend, IN.
He is currently employed by Morris Esformes who was at one time married to the wife of Mordecai Tendler nee Jofen's sister..
Esformes has a history with nursing home "deficiencies" including numerous heat related deaths at his homes.Yosef Meystel was the admistrator of the nursing home at the time. There was also allegations of an alleged sexual assault of a female resident in one of the nursing homes. Four days after asweep, another resident was found to be a sex offender and was arrested at a park where staff had taken him with other residents. As a result of that incident, home administrator Yosef Meystel was charged with reckless conduct, a misdemeanor.=============================================================
Nursing Home Fined for Negligence
By YVETTE PRESBERRY
Southwest News-Herald – City Edition
April 08, 2004
http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:RctyWNuYVB4J:www.swnewsherald.com/newsarchives/city_news_front_page_news_2004-04-08.html+%22Yosef+Meystel%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&ie=UTF-8
State health officials have fined Emerald Park Health Care Center, 9125 S. Pulaski Road, Evergreen Park, for failing to monitor intoxicated patients, to report resident abuse or to to give special programs to mentally ill patients.
The Illinois Department of Public Health fined the long-term care facility $20,000 after receiving three complaints on Emerald Park's services and conducting an inspection into the complaints.
According to health officials, inspectors cited Emerald Park for failing to monitor residents who were known to often be intoxicated.
One case proved to be fatal when inspectors learned that a man with a history of alcoholism was carried to his room by an employee and died of cardiac arrest 11 hours later.
The facility was also fined when it did not report senior abuse. A nursing employee said that she witnessed a resident pull off another patient's wig and throw it on a fan.
Although she told the resident not to do it again, the staffer didn't try to interfere in the incident, and she didn't report the act either, according to reports.
IDPH said the employee didn't think the incident was abusive.
The patient was later admitted into a hospital on a different occasion with a swollen face and a brain hemorrhage. IDPH said that the administrator, Yosef Meystel, did not conduct an investigation of the patient's injuries nor tell the state health department about it.
Telling IDPH about the hospitalization and injuries is required by state law.
Tammy Leonard, IDPH spokesperson, said that the health department also recommended to the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services that Emerald Park be fined for $6,400 for its federal deficiencies.
CMC representative sheryl Powell said that Emerald Park was fined for a total of $24,750, which they paid.
Emerald Park's representatives were unavailable for comment, but they requested a hearing on the fines. A date hasn't been set yet for the hearing.
This is not the first time that Emerald Park had been fined by IDPH.
In February 2002, the nursing center was fined $5,000 for failing to supervise smoking residents to avoid a fire.
Emerald Park was fined $5,000 again in April 2003 for failing to protect a resident from mental and physical abuse. The resident alleged that the facility's security guard used intimidation and physical pushing to interrogate him about an earlier incident.
The facility is also on the 2001 and 2002 watch list with Consumer Reports Online, and given high ratings of residential harm on the National Home Watch List from July 2002 to October 2003.
The facility is co-owned by Morris Esformes and Doreen and Marvin Mermelstein.
Marvin Mermelstein was named in a lawsuit with Emerald Park when the estate of a patient alleged that the nursing home failed to monitor her and prevent her from multiple falls.
Esformes owns several nursing homes in Illinois that have been investigated and/or fined for insufficient residential care.
None of the owners could be reached for comment.
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Man Sues Emerald Park, Claims Neglect
By YVETTE PRESBERRY
Southwest News-Herald – Oak Lawn, Burbank Edition - April 28, 2004
http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:Qr6DMZp0k8gJ:www.swnewsherald.com/newsarchives/oaklawn_news_front_page_news_2004-04-28.html+%22Yosef+Meystel%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&ie=UTF-8
After state health officials fined Emerald Park Health Care Center, 9125 S. Pulaski Road, Evergreen Park, for neglecting to monitor a resident's consistent intoxication that led to his death, the patient's family filed a lawsuit against the nursing home.
Danny Blair, brother of the late Eric Blair, filed a lawsuit on April 19 in Cook County Circuit Court, charging Emerald with abuse and neglect of his brother.
John Perconti, Danny Blair's lawyer, said that the 10-page complaint accuses Emerald of abuse and neglect, lack of supervision and monitoring and allowance of intoxication.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Eric Blair was well known at Emerald for his alcholism history.
In October 2003, Blair drank so much alcohol that he passed out. An employee allegedly carried him to his room where he died 11 hours later of a cardiac arrest.
In their report, IDPH's investigators said that one of Emerald Park's night nurses told the paradmedics, "It's not unusual for (Eric Blair) to get drunk. Not every night, but he is a regular."
IDPH concluded in their report that not only had Emerald failed to monitor Blair's alcohol intake and actions, but the facility also failed to monitor other residents who were frequently drunk.
"We know he wasn't being watched," said Perconti, who stated that Eric Blair was found in a rigor mortis condition when he was dead. He also said that the head board on Blair's bed was broken, suggesting that he injured himself.
Perconti said that a monitor has now been placed at Emerald.
The facility's administrator Yosef Meystel said that he could not comment on the case since it is pending litigation.
Perconti said that this is its third case against Emerald Park.
One pertained to a resident suffering from malnutrition, and the other was of an alleged sexual assault of a female resident.
Both cases are still pending, said Perconti.
Emerald Park is owned by Doreen and Marvin Mermelstein and Rabbi Morris Esformes.
Doreen Mermelstein owns 50 percent of a nusring home on the north side of Chicago. Marvin Mermelstein owns the other half of that facility, plus percentages of ownership in three other Chicago nursing homes, and one in Chicago Ridge.
Esformes owns nursing homes throughout Illinois and Missouri, and has been at the center of several cases regarding patient care at his facilities.
He could not be reached for comment.
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State seeks outside director for troubled nursing home
Knight-Ridder / Tribune Business News - April 29, 2005
http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:e_tTZWC_IOkJ:abtweb.newsedge.com/1stbin/read_story/FIRST/050811/74/12/683/5+%22Yosef+Meystel%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&ie=UTF-8
Apr. 28--Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan asked Wednesday that a judge appoint an outside administrator for an Evergreen Park nursing home, which was found to be housing 10 sex offenders this month, as a first step toward trying to shut down the facility.
Madigan filed a motion with the Cook County Circuit Court to have a receiver run the 249-bed Emerald Park Health Care Center at 9125 S. Pulaski Rd. while state officials seek to revoke its license.
The action comes on the heels of a spate of complaints from Evergreen Park officials and state legislators that the home is poorly run.
"We're taking this drastic action to protect the residents of both Evergreen Park and the care center," Madigan said in a prepared statement.
The long-term care facility was thrust into the spotlight early this month when a sweep by Illinois State Police found eight registered and two unregistered sex offenders living there.
Police arrested the two who had failed to register and two other residents on unrelated warrants from the Cook County sheriff's office.
Four days after the sweep, another resident was found to be a sex offender and was arrested at a park where staff had taken him with other residents. As a result of that incident, home administrator Yosef Meystel was charged with reckless conduct, a misdemeanor.
Care center officials then said they no longer would admit sex offenders and promised to transfer those currently living there to other facilities.
But the home has had other problems. Two weeks ago, small fires were intentionally set at the facility, Illinois Department of Public Health said.
Last year, the center was fined $10,000 for allegedly failing to provide adequate supervision of a resident with a sexually transmitted disease who became pregnant after she engaged in sexual activity with multiple partners in exchange for favors and cigarettes, the Health Department said.
In 2003, Emerald Park was fined $20,000 for, among other things, failing to monitor a resident who passed out after becoming intoxicated and for allowing another resident to leave the facility unnoticed, the agency said.
"While recent events have highlighted gross mismanagement at this facility, it has a long history of problematic incidents," Madigan said. "The bottom line is the state can no longer allow current management to keep putting the community and residents at risk."
A hearing on Madigan's motion for a receiver is scheduled for Thursday before Judge Patrick McGann.
The Health Department began proceedings to revoke Emerald Park's operating license in June 2004, said Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, the state public health director. A hearing is scheduled for July 18, but Whitaker said the department decided it cannot wait and requested that Madigan seek a receiver.
Emerald Park administrators could not be reached Wednesday for comment. The center's attorney, Frances Meehan, said the facility will oppose appointment of a receiver and intends to fight the proposed license revocation.
"There's been an awful lot of negative publicity about nursing homes lately, and Emerald Park has become a victim of that publicity," Meehan said. "We strongly disagree with the contention that the home has been mismanaged."
State Rep. James Brosnahan (D-Evergreen Park), state Sen. Edward Maloney (D-Chicago) and Evergreen Park Mayor Jim Sexton issued statements saying they're pleased with the moves by Whitaker and Madigan.
"We want safe neighborhoods for our families and closing this facility will accomplish that," Sexton said.
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Nursing Home Back in Village's Doghouse
Daily Southtown - April 9, 2005
Evergreen Park officials want to shut down a nursing home after two unregistered child sex offenders were arrested during a sweep at the facility.
Recently, police learned eight registered sex offenders live at Emerald Park Health Care Center.
"We're not going to take no for an answer," Mayor James Sexton said Friday. "Enough is enough."
Sexton and Police Chief Michael Saunders met Friday with officials from the Illinois attorney general's office about the facility.
"We want more stringent rules and regulations on how nursing facilities can be run," Sexton said. "That particular one is nothing more than a flop house."
The meeting with the attorney general's director of policy came one day after a sweep led by the Illinois State Police Medicare Fraud Unit.
Police arrested four people, including the two unregistered child sex offenders, during the sweep at the nursing home, 9125 S. Pulaski Road.
The 249-bed skilled and intermediate care facility serves geriatric and mentally ill residents.
The police chief said he was concerned about having so many sex offenders living in one place.
"It's very alarming to me. It's immoral and unethical having this type of behavior in this community," Saunders said. "The safety of this community comes first, and they're disregarding the concerns of residents of this community."
Sexton said nursing home residents have rights, but so do the community's residents.
"The system has bent over backwards maintaining the rights of the Emerald Park residents," Sexton said.
"But violating the rights of the people who live here in Evergreen Park. It's gone on far too long and disrupted too many people."
Emerald Park administrator Yosef Meystel could not be reached for comment Friday.
The nursing home has been disciplined and fined for serious violations by state regulators several times since 2002.
The Illinois Department of Public Health in September began proceedings to revoke the facility's license.
In October 2003, the facility was fined $20,000 for not providing nursing services in accordance with residents' needs. In one case, it failed to properly monitor a resident who passed out and died after becoming intoxicated, the state reported.
In another case, a patient at the home exchanged sex for cigarettes and carried a child undetected for eight months.
Tammy Leonard, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health, said her department has been in close contact with the attorney general's office since the state police sweep Thursday.
A hearing on the revocation proceedings is scheduled for July.
Sexton said the police department Friday turned over to the attorney general's office copies of police reports dating as far back as 1998 and other documents about the nursing home.
State Police Master Sgt. Arturo Martinez said the sweeps are done to get people wanted on active warrants out of state-funded nursing homes and to "ultimately make it a better place to live."
The state police periodically check the backgrounds of residents to determine if arrests need to be made.
Police said the people arrested Thursday were:
James Cothrain, 57, on a Cook County warrant for obstructing a court order for criminal damage to property;
Jerry L. Williams, 49, on a Cook County warrant for violation of a conditional release on domestic battery charges;
Maurice Young, 46, on a Chicago Police Department warrant for battery and because he failed to register as a child sex offender;
Tyrone Barber, 54, for failing to register as a child sex offender.
Stephanie Gehring may be reached at sgehring@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5971.
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State sues facility housing ex-cons
BY CHRIS FUSCO AND LORI RACKL Staff Reporters Advertisement
Chicago Sun-Times - April 28, 2005
http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:PwDRUdDjwGwJ:www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-sex28.html+%22Yosef+Meystel%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&ie=UTF-8
The state is moving to immediately begin shutting down an Evergreen Park nursing home, citing "gross mismanagement" that led to residents -- several with criminal pasts -- hurting each other and posing a threat to the south suburb's residents.
Emerald Park Healthcare Center, 9125 S. Pulaski, is expected to respond to the near-unprecedented action by Attorney General Lisa Madigan this morning in Cook County Circuit Court.
Madigan sued the nursing home Wednesday, claiming it racked up 168 federal health care violations since 1997 -- including patients falling out of windows and a resident's pregnancy going unnoticed for eight months.
CENTER'S PROBLEMS
The state's lawsuit cites a litany of problems reported at Emerald Park Healthcare Center:
Two residents seriously injured themselves after falling out of unsecured windows.
A mentally ill woman was bartering sexual favors for cigarettes. She came down with genital warts. When doctors were treating her, they discovered she was 8 months pregnant. Emerald was unaware of her pregnancy.
Staff members tore a wig off a resident and tossed it around. Other employees who saw the incident didn't intervene.
Last May, an insulin-dependent diabetic didn't get the right medicine, causing the patient's blood sugar to spike to four times the normal level.
A public health surveyor in July had to prompt Emerald staff to help a choking resident. The resident was supposed to be on a diet of soft foods and liquids but had been seen eating pretzels.
Staff have improperly supervised residents who'd been drinking alcohol. One drunken resident died. Emerald "failed to provide sufficient care in response to his intoxication."
Residents repeatedly escaped unnoticed, with Evergreen Park police receiving 114 reports of "missing" residents since 1997. A resident with a history of leaving the facility was spotted walking down the street by a state surveyor arriving for an inspection.
The attorney general also took aim at the facility's handling of parolees and registered sex offenders. A Chicago Sun-Times investigation published this week showed that 100 sex offenders and 61 parolees convicted of non-sex crimes have been living at nursing homes across Illinois, typically unbeknown to other residents.
Probe cites 'aggressive' behavior
State officials said sex offenders and parolees make up a miniscule segment of the nursing home population, and there are few reports of them being dangerous.
But a recent state Health Department investigation at Emerald Park pointed to "aggressive and threatening behaviors of residents with extensive criminal histories who posed as a threat to residents in the facility, as well as to residents in the community." At least 16 people with criminal pasts lived at Emerald Park. Among the incidents in the April 22 state report:
*A convicted child molester diagnosed with schizophrenia was reprimanded for standing over female residents as they slept. Records also indicate he physically abused fellow residents and told staff he would "cut them up in little pieces."
*That same resident was arrested April 11 after police learned he was on a supervised outing at a park adjacent to an Evergreen Park school. Sex offenders aren't supposed to loiter near schools, but the Emerald Park employee said she didn't know the man was a sex offender and had taken him to the park several times.
*A schizophrenic parolee who served 13 years in prison for sexually abusing a girl committed several violent acts. In March, he was caught smoking marijuana and threatening to kill other residents. Later that month, he came out of his room naked and attacked a guard.
*On April 12, a mentally ill parolee whose criminal history includes burglary and theft left Emerald Park without staff knowing, even though "he is not allowed to leave . . . because of his parole status."
'We can no longer wait'
Emerald Park's majority owner is Morris Esformes, who state records show has ownership in 17 other long-term care facilities in Illinois. Neither he nor his lawyer could be reached. The nursing home's administrator, Yosef Meystel, was unaware of the lawsuit but said state efforts to begin shutting down the facility were unwarranted.
Madigan wants a judge to put new managers in charge and begin transferring Emerald Park's 243 residents to other nursing homes. Eighty percent are mentally ill; the remainder are elderly.
The lawsuit hits the fast-forward button on the state Health Department's move last year to revoke the nursing home's license. A hearing on the license revocation is scheduled July 18. "We feel we can no longer wait until the July hearing to take action," Health Department chief Eric Whitaker said.
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Judge orders nursing home to close
by STEVE PATTERSON
Chicago Sun-Times - May 28, 2005
http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:RIwS1kPBGPcJ:www.zinkle.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20050528/ai_n14658642+%22Yosef+Meystel%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&ie=UTF-8
A troubled Evergreen Park nursing home is being shut down in the wake of reports of illegal drug use, violence and threats of sexual assault against female residents.
Its former operator was accused Friday of manipulating residents so they'll transfer to other homes owned by the same firm.
Emerald Park Healthcare Center will be open only another two weeks, after federal officials announced they're cutting all Medicaid and Medicare funding to the facility.
About 40 residents have already been moved to other facilities, and 200 more will be transferred in the next 10 days by Pathway Health Services, which has operated the facility at Emerald Park's expense since April.
Cook County Judge Julia Nowicki put Pathway in charge of the facility after Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan accused its leaders of "gross mismanagement."
Pathway produced a report showing repeated negligence, which was cited in the revocation of all federal funding.
Even as the nursing home was being shut down, the state reported during a court hearing Friday, the center's former administrator, Yosef Meystel, was "at the facility, telling residents it's being closed down and to sign papers transferring" them to other homes owned by Morris Esformes.
Ex-administrator told to leave
"They're in there right now undermining everything we're doing in court," Assistant Attorney General Deborah Simpson said.
Nowicki ordered him removed from the building, adding that if the allegation was true, it would be a violation of her orders.
Simpson argued Meystel was one of the "reasons the place is in the position it is in," and he shouldn't be allowed back, but Nowicki will allow Meystel to be there for eight hours Monday to observe Pathway's actions at the building at 9125 S. Pulaski Rd.
She also agreed that his presence could ease concerns of residents, most of whom are elderly or mentally ill.
Emerald Park attorneys also persuaded Nowicki to allow another top administrator, Sue Block, to supervise activities this weekend, claiming residents could suffer from "transfer trauma" unless they're around officials they know.
But Nowicki cautioned that if Block or Meystel interfere with the transfers, she could cite them.
"My primary goal is the safety of the individuals there and to get them relocated with as little trauma as possible," she said.
Pathway executive Kim Hysjulien told Nowicki that her company would be responsible for transferring patients and coordinating the layoff of about 200 staffers.
Cost of new manager questioned
Emerald Park attorneys didn't challenge the closure, but they questioned the number of nurses and administrators working to close the home, complaining that their bills are nearing $100,000. Nowicki will address that issue on Wednesday. Emerald Park attorneys refused to answer questions after the hearing.
Gail O'Connor, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office, said Madigan is pleased with the shutdown, which she believes "is in the best interests of the residents and the community."
The state has considered closing the center since last year, but its problems came to a head last month after the Sun-Times reported that 10 sex offenders were living there, including two who had not registered with the state.
The state, in petitioning for closure, also cited incidents in which unsupervised residents were trading sex for cigarettes, passing out from drinking, wandering off and setting fires inside the facility.
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By Phil Jacobs
Baltimore Jewish Times - February 23, 2007
The teacher's son. Steve was 11. (Case of Shmuel Juravel)
The yeshiva administrator. Steve was 13.(Case of Yosef Meystel
The attorney (Brad Hames). Steve was 15.(Case of Brad Hames)
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http://www.jimhopper.com/memory/
copy and paste above web address about memory and recollections of child sex abuse victims.
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Russian chief rabbi Berl Lazar.
Photo: Ksenia Svetlova
Rabbi: Russia not facing neo-Nazis
Russia's Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar said Sunday that not enough was being done to deal with neo-Nazi groups in the country, Israel Radio reported.
The rabbi's comments came a day after the murder of a Jewish teacher in St. Petersburg. The stab wounds on Dmitriy Nikulinskiy's body, noted Lazar, prove that his killing was an anti-Semitic attack.
St. Petersburg has a long history of terror-related murders, but this is the first time in the last few years that a Jew was murdered for this reason, added the rabbi.
Nikulinskiy, a Master's student in biology, was found dead Saturday morning in the Russian city with multiple stab wounds on a street near the university.
Nikulinskiy's body was discovered by his mother. He had been stabbed repeatedly in the head, throat and back.
Nikulinskiy had been in the last year of his Master's studies and also taught science at the local Beit Habad religious school.
One Jewish community member told The Jerusalem Post he was certain it was a hate crime because "we've had experience with these attacks. Those who commit them are very fast and very professional. His mother found him five minutes after he was stabbed, and his assailant took nothing from him."
A police investigation has been launched into the slaying.
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Spokane-area parishes raising $10 million for sex abuse victims SPOKANE, Wash. -- It's the Easter season in the Roman Catholic Church, but in parishes around Spokane, sermons on the joy of the resurrection of Jesus Christ are mixed with urgent pleas for money to pay people who were sexually abused by clergy decades ago.
http://www.snapnetwork.org/
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Mom Gets Jail For Taking Hush Money From Daughter's Molester
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