Nearly a month after she was allegedly assaulted by Rabbi Chaim
Seidler-Feller, freelance journalist Rachel Neuwirth filed suit in
Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday against Seidler-Feller and UCLA
Hillel.
Also named as co-defendants in the suit are the Hillel
Foundation for Campus Jewish Life, the largest Jewish campus
organization in the world, and Los Angeles Hillel Council, Southern
California’s regional Hillel center.
According to a statement from the office of Robert Esensten,
Neuwirth’s lawyer, Neuwirth is seeking damages against
Seidler-Feller for “battery, intentional and negligent
infliction of emotional distress.”
The lawsuit is the result of an incident that occurred on Oct.
21 between UCLA Hillel’s director and Neuwirth, 53, following
a presentation in Royce Hall by Harvard Law professor Alan
Dershowitz.
Police reports state Seidler-Feller allegedly kicked and grabbed
the wrist of Neuwirth. Eyewitnesses also said Neuwirth called
Seidler-Feller a “capo” ““ a derogatory term for
Jews who collaborated with the Nazis ““ at some point during
the incident.
Esensten had said at the time of the incident that Neuwirth
intended to file civil charges against Seidler-Feller. The city
attorney’s office dropped criminal charges against the rabbi
on Oct. 30.
After being informed of the lawsuit, Donald Etra,
Seidler-Feller’s attorney, said “(Neuwirth) blows this
incident way out of proportion” and that previous attempts to
“resolve the matter amicably” with Neuwirth were
unsuccessful.
“(Seidler-Feller) offered an apology and she just wants to
pursue politics,” Etra said.
The Hillel defendants are mentioned in the suit for
“negligent retention of Seidler-Feller.”
Esensten’s statement alleges that Hillel has “known of
(Seidler-Feller’s) violent temper and confrontational
behavior and have taken no disciplinary action against
him.”
Etra said Neuwirth’s account of the incident distorts what
actually happened.
“The press release neglects to state that it was Ms.
Neuwirth who accosted the rabbi, it was Ms. Neuwirth who confronted
the rabbi in an angry and belligerent manner, and it was Ms.
Neuwirth who spewed hateful and venomous words at the rabbi,”
Etra said.
Donald Graham, a senior law clerk in Esensten’s office,
said Neuwirth seeks “substantial” damages “in
excess of $25,000″ but would not disclose an exact
amount.
Neither Seidler-Feller nor the Los Angeles Hillel Council was
aware of the lawsuit when contacted. The national Hillel
organization could not be reached for comment.
A court date for a preliminary hearing has not yet been set.