Menachem Mendy Kiwak was arrested in May for allegedly repeatedly sexually abusing a former client of his. According to the criminal complaint filed against him, Kiwak grabbed the victim’s breasts, rubbed his penis over her vagina without her consent. The alleged victim also alleged in an NBC New York article that Kiwak had groomed her over the time she was his client by slowly escalating his inappropriate sexual advances.

At the time of the alleged abuse Kiwak was working as a therapist in private practice, as well as a professor at the Touro University School of Health sciences. Touro was notified about the allegations against Kiwak over two months before his arrest, but refused to take any action at the time. Kiwak’s mother in law, Faye Walkenfeld, is the chair of the department he was working in. After coverage of Kiwak’s arrest by NBC New York, however, he has been removed from Touro’s website.

Kiwak was also unlisted from OkClarity, an online directory for therapists in the Jewish community founded by Jewish Matchmaking participant Fay Brezel.

Kiwak is represented by Michael Farkas, son of George Farkas, who unsuccessfully represented Nechemya Weberman against allegations that he repeatedly raped a 12 year old client. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 26th in Kings County Criminal Court.

Kiwak is charged with forcibly touching, sexual abuse in the third degree, and harassment. Kiwak was unfortunately ineligible for felony charges due to a loophole in New York State law that exempts Licensed Mental Health Counselors from felony charges for engaging in sexual activity with a client.