Orthodox High School Acknowledges “Inappropriate Relationship” Between Students, Teacher

The head of a modern Orthodox all-boys high school in Los Angeles said two students have come forward to report an “inappropriate relationship” with a “female staff member” at the school.

The relationships allegedly took place between two male students and a female staff member at Yeshiva University of Los Angeles, which is more commonly known as YULA.

In a May 28 letter addressed to the YULA community, Rabbi Arye Sufrin, head of school at YULA, said the school on May 27 “learned of allegations that a female staff member had an inappropriate relationship of a sexual nature with a student in the Boys Division.”

Separately, the school “learned of another allegation against the same staff member involving a second student in the Boys Division,” Sufrin’s letter says.

“It is impossible to comprehend and beyond devastating that students would be facing this situation,” the letter, which was obtained by the Journal, says.

Sufrin’s statement does not identify the staff member allegedly involved.

The staff member was “no longer on campus and has been directed not to communicate with students or other members of our school community,” according to the letter.

YULA has notified the Los Angeles Police Department about the allegations and is cooperating with law enforcement’s investigation.

“YULA takes these allegations with the utmost seriousness and we have been working non-stop since we first learned of this…We are cooperating fully with law enforcement during their investigation and we will continue to fully cooperate,” the letter says.

The ages of the two students who came forward were not revealed.

Sufrin was not immediately available for further comment.

YULA, a modern Orthodox yeshiva high school, operates two separate campuses, one for boys and one for girls, in the heart of the predominately Jewish Pico-Robertson neighborhood. The all-boys Nagel Family Boys’ Campus is located adjacent to the Museum of Tolerance.

Other Orthodox schools in the community appeared to have learned of the incident at YULA. In a May 31 letter, Valley Torah High School Head of School and Dean Rabbi Avrohom Stulberger instructed those in his school community against being cavalier about the situation.

“These are real individuals facing significant challenges,” Stulberger said, “and making light of their pain is unacceptable.”