--- description: Find information about an amended complaint filed in the case of DC Rabbi Bernard Freundel. title: Amended Complaint Filed in Freundel Case | DC Lawyer canonical: https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2016/08/amended-complaint-filed-in-class-action-against-dc-rabbi-voyeur-religious-institutions/ date_published: 2016-08-22T23:35:00+00:00 date_modified: 2023-10-10T19:46:37+00:00 practice_area: blog --- - Amended Complaint Filed in Freundel Case | DC Lawyer [Back to CSCS Blog](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/) # Amended Complaint Filed in Class Action Against DC Rabbi Voyeur, Religious Institutions [Home](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/) » [Recent Posts](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/) » Amended Complaint Filed in Class Action Against DC Rabbi Voyeur, Religious Institutions [August 22, 2016](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2016/08/22/) - [Uncategorized](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/category/uncategorized/) Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. and interim class counsel Sanford Heisler, LLP have [filed an amended complaint](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/2014/12/cscs-files-class-action-lawsuit-in-rabbi-voyeurism-case/) in the pending class action lawsuit involving DC Rabbi Bernard “Barry” Freundel. Freundel is currently serving a 6 ½ year prison sentence for secretly video recording women as they used a ritual Jewish bath, or mikvah, in his Georgetown synagogue, Kesher Israel. The amended complaint was filed on August 16th in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by the team of https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/iStock-912151500-scaled-1.jpg and Sanford Heisler, LLP, the law firm named [interim class counsel](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/) of the class action litigation. This case is the only[pending class action lawsuit](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/2017/08/supreme-court-makes-it-more-difficult-to-bring-product-liability-class-action-lawsuits/) in the nation involving Rabbi Freundel’s misconduct and voyeurism. In addition to naming Rabbi Freundel as a defendant, the lawsuit also names several religious institutions that failed to prevent the victimization of women who trusted Freundel during their most personal religious moments: Kesher Israel, the National Capital Mikvah, the Rabbinical Council of America, and a newly added defendant, the Beth Din of America. **Key points about the case include:** - The amended complaint adds the Beth Din of America as a defendant in the lawsuit. The Beth Din of America is the rabbinical court which authorized Rabbi Freundel to conduct the Orthodox conversions during which he would secretly record victims as they were partially or completely naked. - The lawsuit brings claims on behalf of two classes of victims: (1) all women who used the National Capital Mikvah before Rabbi Freundel’s arrest, and (2) women who used the National Capital Mikvah as part of their conversion to Orthodox Judaism before Rabbi Freundel’s arrest. - The lawsuit details defendants’ alleged failures to prevent Freundel’s victimization of women. For example, the complaint alleges Kesher Israel overlooked complaints made by female congregants regarding Freundel’s inappropriate behavior and that the National Capital Mikvah endorsed the use of “practice dunks” and “re-dunks,” which were conducted by Rabbi Freundel as a means to secretly film woman while they bathed in the mikvah, despite having no connection to Orthodox tradition. Additionally, the complaint alleges the Rabbinical Council of America and the Beth Din of America broke their promises to ensure the “modesty” of women converting to Orthodox Judaism. https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/iStock-912151500-scaled-1.jpg will continue to pursue justice and just compensation on behalf of the women and families affected by Rabbi Freundel’s crimes and the failures of the religious institutions who should have taken steps to prevent them. As [Partner Ira Sherman](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/attorney-profiles/ira-sherman/) stated during a recent [Press Release](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sanford-heisler-and-chaikin-sherman-expand-class-action-against-rabbi-voyeur-and-religious-institutions-by-adding-beth-din-of-america-as-a-new-defendant-300313972.html), “the complaint accuses Orthodox religious institutions of sitting idly by as Rabbi Freundel committed his crimes,” and it becomes our role to work toward holding them accountable. You can learn more about the [Freundel class action](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/freundel-class-action/) by [contacting](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/contact-us/) our team. [Contact Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C.](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/contact-us/) by phone at (202) 659-8600 to get started with your personal injury claim. Find Something Interesting? Share This post Facebook X LinkedIn Email Print ## Get free advice about the compensation you deserve. At Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C., our car accident attorneys fight tirelessly to secure the compensation you deserve, handling every aspect of your case to protect your rights. Trust us to stand by you and advocate aggressively on your behalf. [Free Consultation](#) #### In This Post ## Contact Us Today! "*" indicates required fields Name* First Last Name* Last Email** Phone*Are you a new client?*Are you a new client? *Yes, I'm a potential new client.No, I'm a current existing client.I'm neitherCase TypeCase TypeMotor Vehicle AccidentSlip & FallAssaultMedical MalpracticeAbuseWork InjuryOtherWere You at Fault?Were You At Fault?NoYesUnknownWhere Did The Incident Occur?Where Did The Incident Occur?Washington, D.C.VirginiaMarylandOtherDid The Accident Occur In the Last Two Years?Did The Accident Occur In the Last Two Years?YesNoShare Brief Description of the Incident* ## Recent Posts [Allan Siegel](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/author/asiegel/)07/30/2026 Partner Allan M. Siegel represented two clients who were passengers... [Read More](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2026/07/cscs-wins-780000-settlement-for-two-passengers/) [Allan Siegel](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/author/asiegel/)07/29/2026 Partner Allan M. Siegel served on the faculty of the... 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