Robert,
Perhaps your revenge on Braverman was to grow up, become a successful writer (I LOVED Body Double, by the way) and most importantly a devoted husband and father. My husband always says...the best revenge is living well... I truly believe that. And you are most certainly NOT a victim. You would not have achieved all that you have, had you taken on that belief. I applaud you for spilling the beans about this man who was nothing but pure evil.It saddens me to hear such a story about a school teacher when I know that most teachers are dedicated, caring, and noble people. As I have mentioned before, my father who died at 41, was a school teacher loved by children and parents alike. I remember him telling me that his favorite grade to teach was fourth grade. He loved that age because they were bright, a little more independent, and still a little humble, being that they weren't at the top of the school yet like the 5th graders! He made such an impact, that just a few years ago I was sending a package to my brother and the postal worker noticed the last name. She said to me "I've only known one other **** in my life, Sol ***, and he was my 4th grade teacher. He was my favorite teacher... He was kind, and handsome, and he died...I will never forget him". After picking my jaw up off the ground I said to her "that was my dad". We both stood in disbelief...I cannot tell you how filled my heart was to hear an actual student say this about him...nearly 35 years later. So teachers do have an impact...they touch and shape and change our lives in ways we may not know until many years later. But never, ever, should a teacher bring evil into the life of a child. I am sorry for what this man did to you.
But the joke is on him...because inspite of his evil ways...you grew up to impart beauty on the world through your marriage, your 3 children and your wonderful writings.

Thank you,
Randi

Randi:

You are a hundred percent right. My revenge is my life. My wife and my wonderful children are living proof that Braverman was wrong about me, about so many other children.

I also have fond memories of one or two other teachers and I will write about them, for they changed my life in wonderful and important ways.

I believe that we grossly underpay and undervalue our teachers. It is a disgrace. I think that Jewish education is the great problem facing American Jewry right now--after the existential conflict with the Arab world, of course.

Thanks for your note and may HaShem bless the memory of your father ZT"L.

Wow, Randi, you summed it up perfectly! Bravo :)

After reading Robert's current post about the revenge, it reminds me of how good a writer he is. The subject matter may be 'disturbing' but also very compelling. Robert writes in such a manner that you are glued to the screen/page and and cannot wait to find out what happens next. That is the emes!

A Seraphic Press Addict (should I start a new self-help group?)

Robert,
I agree with everything you said, and Rachel, thank you for your kind comment. I, too, am a Seraphic Press Addict, and would like to join your self-help group..."Admitting it" is the first step, so I guess we're headed in the right direction!
Randi

I saw Body Double (or at least parts of it) and it was quite risque as I recall. How do you square that with being frum? Put another way, do you have a responsibility as a frum writer to avoid depictions of gratuitous nudity/violence in print and/or on screen? Perhaps in the case of Body Double some of that was the influence of Brian DePalma but I'd be interested in getting your take on the subject.

Anon:

I have agonized over this question since I wrote the film. But here's the short of it. I have always wanted to be a screenwriter. Always. It's a murderous profession to break into. You could not even begin to imagine. When the opportunity came to work with DePalma on this huge and prestigious studio film, I immediately said yes, knowing that it was my entree to the business--in a big way. I made the right decision. I have a wonderful career and it's due to that movie. Now that I'm established I have the luxury of turning down projects that I consider inappropriate.

Glad you liked the film. Perhaps you will like my second film better: "A Stranger Among Us." The anti-Body Double film.

I loved Stranger Among Us.

A very disturbing story. I know there was at least one rabbi at my day school who hit the boys.

Robert,

Thank you for your honesty regarding Body Double. As one who has creative pretensions myself, I've often thought about that issue and don't have a great answer for it.

Of course, I have seen "A Stranger Among Us" or as some have dubbed it "Vitness". Loved the depiction of chasidic life, which was respectful and positive in a dramatic departure from typical hollywood fare.(contrast with the odious "Price Above Rubies") The wedding scene concluding the movie was particularly moving. Didn't much like the rest of the film, which I found cliched and unrealistic. You must admit that Melanie Griffith was horribly miscast. She was believable neither as a tough NYC cop or as a pretend Chasidic woman. The male lead (Eric Thal) did a much better job although I did not believe for one minute his "relationship" with Griffith's character. I'm sure much of this had to do with directorial/producer choices.

Anon, why do you refuse to put a name to your comments? I wonder...

A Stranger Among Us is a beautiful and deeply touching film. And it was moving to see Ariel on the screen in the Shabbos scene (along with his two sisters).

Back to the topic at hand: Everyone who has noted that living well is the best revenge is absolutely correct. It boggles the mind to think that you were ever put in the "dumb class," Robert. And it hurts to think of those who suffered at Joel Braverman's hands and never recovered.

I've found this all to be interesting. Frankly, as someone who went to one of the "less Zionistic" schools in Brooklyn and always looked upon YOF wistfully and with pangs of regret for not being able to attend, I must say I'm shocked. I always believed this behavior to be consistent with Charedi schools and not progressive Modern Orthodox ones. That being said, the performance in Calc 101 of YOF graduates who had a years AP calculus under their belt, compared to this yeshiva bochur who had last seen a math book 2 years prior, left a lot to be desired. Same with the Hebrew skills for the average YOF graduate. So it seems I've come full circle - I really didn't miss out on anything, and actaully have some form of gratitude for the yiddishkeit I absorbed in the more traditional settings. Could have done without the rulers on the hand though.

I must quibble with your analysis of your decsion to write Body Double. Would you suggest to a young religious woman who's entire life dream is to be an actress, to get on the casting couch or to do a role that required nudity in order to get that "first part" in order to be established? would you have her run around all naked during an entire movie - like Melanie Griffith did in an Israeli film she did as a teen, before Body Double and before she could choose movie parts? would you suggest to an up and coming restauranter who desparately desires to become the next haute coutre cuisine chef that he cook (and taste) treif in order to catch the big break? There's a bit of the Ari Goldman "I wrote in pencil on shabbat" bit here. Sorry, it may have been a good career decsion, set you up financially and professionally and allowed you to choose what you wrote or didn't. But religiously it was the wrong thing to do. YOF is still part of who you are - it's a careerist, driven high school environement that pushes kids into putting career first - even when it conflicts with traditional Judaism. That being said, having read bits of your blog, I'm not at all certain you would have done today what you did 20 years ago. The fact that you even agonize over it somewhat lends itself to this conclusion. Your average Modern Orthodox Joe would just justify these things and move on

There is no denying that there are some compromises you have to make to get into the career you desire. That is different than eating treif or being mechallel shabbos. It is a question of material and the audience I address. This is very different than my personal practice. On the other hand, your choice of film material and your obvious familiarity with "Body Double", reflects your personal practice.

I have never seen Body Double. Beyond what I read on this Blog and on Rotten Tomatoes I know nothing of the film. I admit to having seen The Garden on late night TV in Israel. It was actually a good story. If it took Melanie in the buff to sell a few tickets then why not? It's not treif or chilul shabbat, right?

What I do is not relevant - I'm not setting a communal norm and I admit that certain things I do might be against "normative" halacha. However, in certain cricles a "group ethic" has taken hold; that certain things are OK if everyone does it - mixed swimming is the best example. For more on Compartmentalization vs. Synthesis see the debtae between David Singer and Shalom Carmy in the 1985 Tradition Journal, where they discuss the issue of "kosher vacations and club med".

I have no problem if you or anyone else makes compromises - be it for career or personal pleasure. I DO have an issue if this becomes a communal norm that permeates the educational system. Personally, I would make less compromises for parnasa issues than I would for personal choice issues - but that's just me.

BTW, prior to WWII it was very common to see religious jewish shopowners sitting behind their registers on Shabbat studying gemara with a kippa on after returning from shabbat morning davening - the standards of compromising for a "career" (basically parnasa - the term career lends itself to sometime of higher value) most definitely included chillul shabbat back than. Most religious Jews who were told "if you don't come in on Saturday, don't come in n Monday", came in on Saturday. It's the extreme exceptions that made the official Artscroll History books. It was considered perfectly normal and acceptable in most religious circles to go to work on Saturday in America order to feed the family. So basically it's a slippery slope.......

Hi,
I found this site by accident, I'm in a nostalgic mood. I have my own memory of Joel Braverman. I went to Y of F for 1st and 2nd grade, 1960-61. I made my parents take me out of there after watching JB drag a kid down the hall, on the floor, by his ear. I am getting a chill thinking about it almost 45 years later. I can't quite
remember what he did, but I think the poor kid just said "no" when JB wanted a "yes." I was truly horrified when they named the HS after him.
Thanks for giving me a chance to write about it.
Best wishes,
Mitch (Meir)

Just the revenge is made up--as I wrote.

DOB:

How can any of these stories be true? Well, I have about 20 witnesses. My classmates glimpsed what happened through the open doorway.

And if you read other comments on this blog you will find plenty of othet adults who were abused by Braverman. Are they lying too?

It's a terrible thing to have to face that adults can be so cruel. You're lucky that you have led such a sheltered life that you can so easily call me a liar.

Before I say anything I am not trying to play devils advocate or start anything. You say you have 20 witnesses all of whom we have seen nor heard anything from. secondly, your story seams to be a bit harsh. im sure you were hit by JB but to an extant. When other adults read your story I think they remember things about JB but in a distorted way because of the way you speak of him. im not trying to defend him or any of his wrong doings if that’s the way this comes off. One more thing. I don’t think you can refer to me as having a sheltered life when in fact you know zero about me. it seams that you’ve known me for years to be able to say that I have "led a sheltered life". No need to get bitter. And not once did I call you a liar.

after i read what i wrote i kind of feel like a dic so im just gna apologise from now because i always end up saying something stupid that hurts someone. im sure whenever some one tells you that your story is bogus you feel the same way i do when i tell my principal what really happend and they tell me its bogus. not the best feeling, its actually the most annoying thing in the world. sorry... please respond

DOB:

Why on earth would you assume that I or anyone would remember JB's beatings in a distorted way?

By what evidence?

The same evidence that I just called you sheltered?

None.

Just dumb assumptions. Because we believe what we want to believe.

Look, I wrote one blog a looong time ago. I moved on a looong time ago. I have a very successful Hollywood career. I am not a victim. I'm not in therapy. Definitely not bitter. Mostly confused by people who doubt a story that's absolutely true.

I hope you don't do the same to women who are raped.

Believe what you makes you happy.

P.S. Bogus stories = Liar. At least in my interpretation of the English language. If that is not your intention. My apologies. But then please explain the word bogus for me.

DOB:

I just found your apology.

Relax.

I always got in trouble for shooting my mouth off too.

But I did not have your courage or good graces to apologize.

If you want to have some real fun, read my series called: "How I Married Karen." It's about what a complete dork I was and how I fell in love with my wife in 4th grade in YOF and she ignored me for 16 years. but I just hung in there like a total maniac.

It'll make you smile.

We'll be friends.

You have my word.

Okay?

Much more important than JB.

ok pretty much i lost that argument...badley. it seams like a offended or piss you off mayb not i didnt mean to sorry if i did. your a smart man and i think i just realized how stupid and naive i am. i would like to mayb throw you an email or chat please respond thank you

just got the response to the apology. so that other thing i said about pissing you off was answerd...thanks. my hole school career iv been getting in trouble for saying dumb garbage to teachers and i mean very dumb. you really are a very kind and smart person thank you for answering everything

DOB:

You're welcome.

You and I, we're probably a lot alike. Or I was when I was your age. You can write to me privately anytime you want.

Dear Robert, Thank you for posting this. It helps to know that I wasn't the only one. I believe I was in both your 5th and 6th grade classes, and I was also terrified of Braverman.If I saw him in the hallway I was out of there, but as you said, there was nothing anyone could do about his surprise visits. My problem was that he didn't like my older brother, and it trickled down to me. I remember that one time he came into Gev. Linnick's room and went up and down the rows, asking her about how each (very frightened)kid was doing. When he got to me, even though she said I was doing fine, he started pulling on my pony tail very hard, and then he gave me a pinch which ached for hours. He also repeated my surname in a condescending manner, which he did to others as well. I hated him and hated the school. Many of the teachers also abused the children mentally because they took their cues from him. I won't even get into the other teachers now. He once slapped my brother, and BOTH my parents went to see him, and made him apologize to my brother's face. One small victory. I left after the 6th grade, I begged my parents to let me leave. I'll never forget how happy I was running out of that school on the last day. My feet barely touched the ground. I went to public school. Ironically, I'm the only one of my 5 siblings that stayed Orthodox. Of 4 nieces & nephews that are already married, only one has even married a Jew. My siblings that stayed in Flatbush ended up hating so much about Judaism; a lot of which they attribute to their years at Flatbush.

Mailbx:

No, you were not the only one. Braverman was a one-man wrecking crew--a truly terrible man if he had it in for you, and many of us suffered years of abuse at his hands. I never told my parents. I probably should have. I have been told that things are much better now at Flatbush. Let us hope so. Thanks so much for writing.

It wasn't me, I swear! Unfortunately anyone Googling me will see your website listed under or near mine, where people can learn "...the truth about Joel Braverman..."

Ouch.

Joel Braverman
http://www.joelbraverman.com

Joel:

Very sorry. No, it was most certainly not you. You are obviously a talented composer and have nothing in common with the Joel Braverman I was writing about.

The blogosphere is a wonderful place, except when it is not.

Hi,

I am the mother of Joel J. Braverman and I can tell you I am soooo sorry his namesake was so horrid. He must have had a terrible history at home, himself to have become such a bitter person.

Before I was married, I heard that name from a friend who knew someone by that name. I thought it was the most lovely, most musical sounding thing.

Years later when my son was born I blessed him with that. He is a wonderfully kind person and gave me much joy when he was in our care. A couple of years ago I read comments such as yours and was shocked to see how someone whose life was obviously wrecked can cause pain for millions of others by choosing the wrong profession. (Perhaps Mr. Braverman Sr. would have been a fine person (like my son) if he had more love in his early years. He was obviously disgusted with life)

Dear Suvilla:

Thanks so much for writing to us.

Mr. Braverman of Yeshiva Flatbush was, ahem, a real meanie.

Your son, Joel, is quite clearly his exact opposite.

The universe gives and the universe takes away.

Do stay in touch:)