The trial of Rabbi Frederick “Ephraim” Karp, the Ohio rabbi charged with sexual abuse of a minor and related charges in Baltimore County, has been set for October.
Although he was arrested in January and extradited to Baltimore County then, the case was postponed so that the defense could have additional time to review evidence and prepare for the trial, Karp’s attorney Marc Zayon said.
Karp remains at the Baltimore County Detention Center in Towson. A motions hearing, in which the defense could litigate the collection of evidence, is set for Oct. 7, and a trial date is set for Oct. 28.
According to the testimony of Lisa Dever from the state’s attorney’s office, the alleged victim came into contact with Karp through a close relationship between the rabbi and her family. The abuse took place over the course of five years, starting when the girl was 7 years old until Karp’s arrest, the attorney said. Two of the victim’s sisters have since accused Karp of inappropriately touching them as well, Dever said.
In Ohio, Karp, 51, was director of spiritual living at Menorah Park Center for Senior Living in the Cleveland suburb of Beechwood. He was suspended from his post when the facility learned of his arrest. He was also suspended from Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC), which he founded and served as its president.
Baltimore County Police said there was no evidence that any incidents of abuse took place at any local Jewish facilities.
Prior to joining Menorah Park in 2008, Karp was the community chaplain for the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County in New Jersey for seven years.
He was arrested on Jan. 15 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, where he was headed to the annual NAJC conference in Jerusalem.
