S.F. Rabbi Quits in Face of Sexual Harassment Allegations

SAN FRANCISCO — The rabbi of the largest Jewish congregation in Northern California resigned after being confronted with anonymous allegations of sexual harassment, a temple official confirmed Wednesday.

Rabbi Robert Kirschner, 41, resigned from Temple Emanu-El last month after allegations by four women were presented to him, according to Gary Cohn, the synagogue’s executive director.

The resignation was first reported in Wednesday’s San Francisco Examiner, which said Kirschner had denied the allegations.

“I believe that once these kinds of charges are brought against someone, particularly a clergyman, there is no way not to be dirtied by them,” Kirschner said.

He said he resigned “to try to minimize the public ordeal and pain this would cause to my family and to so many other people.”

Cohn said the board of directors of the 1,600-member temple met with Kirschner early last month to discuss the anonymous affidavits brought by the women.

Board members said they contained charges that Kirschner made inappropriate comments, said he wanted to have sex with the women, asked the women to fondle him and discussed oral sex with them.

Paul Matzger, a vice president on the board of directors, stressed that the allegations were unsubstantiated. Board members said they will not investigate the allegations now that Kirschner has resigned.

Kirschner, who became associate rabbi at the temple in 1982 and senior rabbi in 1985, said he has accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University and will leave immediately.