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Harvard Hillel places Orthodox rabbi on leave
Harvard Hillel placed the rabbi and his wife on administrative leave pending an investigation into “serious violations” of HR policies.
The Harvard Hillel placed its Orthodox rabbi and his wife on administrative leave on Friday, citing “credible allegations of serious violations” of its HR policies.
The move, which The Harvard Crimson first reported, occurred just before the start of Shabbat last week and leaves students without an Orthodox rabbi as the semester comes to a close.
In a statement to Boston.com, a Harvard Hillel spokesman confirmed that Ethan and Bella Fried were placed on administrative leave while an investigation is pending.
“We regret that this had to happen so suddenly at the end of the semester,” the spokesman said. “No matter what happens with our investigation, Harvard Hillel has a longstanding, unwavering commitment to support Harvard’s Orthodox community.”
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Harvard Hillel has implemented a plan to bridge the Orthodox community until the end of the year. The organization has removed Ethan Fried’s profile from its website.
According to Ethan Fried’s LinkedIn profile, he began the position at Harvard about five months ago.
Fried graduated from Harvard in 2016 with a major in applied mathematics, before continuing his graduate studies at The Heiden Institute and Ner Israel Rabbinical College.
His wife, Bella Fried, does not list Harvard Hillel on her LinkedIn.
The Harvard Crimson reports that Ethan Fried served as a teacher, worship leader, and adviser to Orthodox students, while his wife, Bella, advised students in a part-time role.
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Harvard Hillel did not share any details on the allegations.
Boston.com was unable to contact Ethan and Bella Fried for comment.
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