Alleged harassment victim speaks out against local synagogue leadership
A local place of worship has recently come under fire after a lawsuit was filed against leadership at a local synagogue. Christopher Greene, a former board member of Temple Isaiah Synagogue in Palm Springs spoke with KESQ & CBS Local 2’s Sarah Trott about the harassment allegations.
“Too many people, including myself, have been hurt,” said Greene.
According to Greene, he was fired in 2017 after taking issue with the alleged abuses.
“Chris saw harassment not only against himself but harassment against women, sexual harassment against women,” said Scott Myer, the suit’s prosecuting attorney. “Unfortunately, as what happens in some of these cases, he was punished and his job was terminated.”
Two female victims provided written statements alleging instances of unwanted advances and bullying in the place of worship.
One woman accused a Rabbi of kissing her without consent.
“When she met with Rabbi Lazar, she said he planted a wet kiss right on her face on her mouth without her permission or consent,” Myer said.
The second woman wrote similar allegations
“…put his arm around her, touch her, reports that he put his hand between her legs on the upper thigh,” Myer said.
Rabbi Lazar has been at Temple Isaiah for about three years. In legal documents, Greene claims church staff ignored complaints from uncomfortable worshippers and, “Knew or reasonably knew of Lazar’s wrong, danger and exploitive conduct based on prior history at former workplaces.”
“I went to the executive director and brought up the issue of inappropriate behavior, that I had witnesses and a female employee and I was told that was going to be reported to the president and the board..but nothing came of that,” Greene said.
The documents also claim employers at Temple Isaiah failed to prevent harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
“In terms of these clergy-abuse cases, there’s a position where the clergy is in power and it’s hard for people to complain when they see something happen, including sexual abuse and so what happens is that no one wants to complain and they go on for years and years and years as a result,” Myer said.
Greene says it weighed heavy on him to come forward knowing the lawsuit would shake up the temple community.
“A lot of sleepless nights, a lot of nervousness, not attending regular services at my synagogue, being ostracized by a handful,” Greene said.
Two other members have also been fired along with Greene.
We made multiple attempts to contact Lazar’s and his attorney by phone and email but they have not responded for comment at this time.
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