BishopAccountability.org

In their own words....

Manny Waks
January 27, 2015

http://www.mannywaks.com/blog/in-their-own-words

The following are statements that have been attributed to some key figures within the Jewish community (or about them) - both within Australia and globally.

Rabbi Manis Friedman
· Senior Chabad official
· World-renowned author, lecturer and philosopher; and co-founder of Bais Chana Institute of Jewish Studies in Minnesota
· Served as simultaneous translator for the live televised talks by the late Lubavitcher Rebbe

"Do I have to tell that I was molested? Do you have to tell that you once had diarrhoea? It's embarrassing, but nobody's business."
1 February 2013

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
· Prominent rabbi, author, TV personality

In responding to allegations of child sexual abuse directed at his friend Alan Dershowitz:

Rather my purpose is to ask, Where are the Jewish leaders to rise to Mr. Dershowitz’s defense?

Here is a man of sterling character who has been a champion of the Jewish people and Israel his entire life. He is America’s best-known defender of Israel.
5 January 2015

Rabbi Haim Druckman
· Israel Prize laureate
· Senior leader of National Religious movement
· Rosh Yeshiva of Or Etzion
· Spiritual leader of Bnei Akiva
 
In response to the conviction of his friend and colleague Rabbi Mordechai “Moti” Elon, also a senior leader within the National Religious movement, Rabbi Druckman said that the conviction was a mistake and invited Rabbi Elon to continue teaching his young students.
23 December 2013

Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum
· Satmar (Hasidic sect) Rebbe 

In reference to the victim of senior Satmar official Rabbi Nechemya Weberman: “A Jewish daughter has descended so low… There hasn’t been such a disgusting saga in (the history of religious) Jewry.
10 December 2012

Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum
· Satmar (Hasidic sect) Rebbe 

Rabbi Teitelbaum personally affixed a mezuzah to the doorway of a new company intended to supplant that of a victim of child sexual abuse’s father, who was driven out of business by the Satmar community because his daughter took legal (and ultimately successful) action against her molester, Rabbi Nechemya Weberman.
22 January 2013

Rabbi Boruch Lesches
· Senior Monsey (New York) Chabad rabbi
· Former senior Sydney Yeshiva Centre rabbi

Rabbi Lesches said he told the man that both he [the perpetrator] and the boy [the victim] would be forced to leave the Yeshiva community if he [the perpetrator] could not control his urges. ''If not, both of them would have to leave,'' he said.

In the conversation, Rabbi Lesches suggested one of the man's victims, who was aged about 11 at the time of the abuse, may have been a consensual partner. ''Everyone was telling different stories and trying to put the blame on someone else,'' he said.

''We are speaking about very young boys … everybody says about the other one that 'he agreed to this'.''

When challenged on his position that young boys could give consent, Rabbi Lesches replied ''you would be surprised'' and added that some non-Jewish boys, who he termed ''goyims'', began acting or thinking sexually ''from the age of five''.

He said teenagers from poor backgrounds had ''nothing else to do in life, only thinking 24 hours about sex'' with each other, members of their own families and even ''dogs''.

Rabbi Lesches also said reporting the alleged abusers to police so many years after incidents occurred would ''destroy them and their children'' and cause pain for victims. 

''Do not talk this way … when it is such a long time ago, everybody suffers,'' he said. ''If you start to do something about it will not be productive and not be good for nobody.''
23 June 2013

Mr Don Wolf - Melbourne Yeshivah Centre Chairman, Committee of Management
Rabbi Zvi Telsner - Melbourne Yeshivah Synagogue Rabbi and son-in-law of the late Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner
Rabbi Yehoshua Smukler - Melbourne Yeshivah College Principal

Despite their clear knowledge that child sexual abuse and cover-ups occurred at Yeshivah: “We understand and appreciate that there are victims who feel aggrieved and we sincerely and unreservedly apologise for any historical wrongs that may have occurred.” (emphasis added)
20 August 2012

Rabbi Avrohom Glick
· Melbourne Yeshivah College Principal at the time of much of the confirmed sexual abuse of many students, and their subsequent cover-ups
· Chair of the Melbourne Yeshivah Centre Spiritual Committee (arguably the most senior current position within the Yeshivah Centre)

Rabbi Glick has not issued any statement regarding the sexual abuse of many of his students, and their subsequent cover-ups, most of which transpired while he was the Yeshivah Principle and therefore ultimately responsible for the students’ welfare.

Magistrate Luisa Bazzani
· Magistrate at the David Cyprys Committal Hearing

Magistrate Bazzani referred to Rabbi Glick’s evidence at David Cyprys’ Committal Hearing as “unfathomable”.
21 May 2012  

Ms Nechama Bendet
· Melbourne Yeshivah Centre General Manager
· Co-chair, Australian Council of Jewish Schools
· Sister of Rabbi Avrohom Glick

My understanding is that it [the abuse] was prior to mandatory reporting. I can't speak for why the victims didn't step forward at the time.
22 June 2011

Rabbi Zvi Telsner:
· As above

In his weekly public sermon at the Yeshivah Synagogue (directed to my father, Zephaniah Waks): “Who gave you permission to speak to anybody?
9 July 2011

There is no obligation to grant someone an Aliyah [an honour by being called up to the Torah in synagogue]. The decision is made in our congregation by the rabbi and the gabais [those in charge of the call-ups]. To give Mr Waks an Aliyah was not deemed appropriate.
13 June 2012  

Mr Harry Cooper
· Melbourne Yeshivah Centre Chairman, Committee of Management (prior to Mr Wolf)
· Senior lawyer

At the request of the parents, we shipped him off. I remember it vividly.

"It was a different world then. But we didn't give him any references. When a school in Israel asked for one, we told them of the allegations."
16 July 2011

Detective Senior Constable Lisa Metcher
· Investigating Officer, Victoria Police

They [Yeshivah Centre] failed to act in any way to protect children and the matter has been swept under the carpet.

Detective Metcher’s allegations regarding Yeshivah are based on the “lies that have been told [by Yeshivah Centre officials] to police and information that has been twisted and covered up.

The accused [David Cyprys] is still connected with people who would probably make it possible for him to leave the country if that was what was required for him to do.
6 September 2011

Mr David Werdiger
· Senior member of Melbourne Yeshivah Centre community
· Brother of Mr Shlomo Werdiger, long-standing member of the Yeshivah Centre Committee of Management (and President of United Israel Appeal Victoria)
· Relative of Rabbi Avrohom Glick (as above)
· Cousin of my first abuser, Mr Velvel (Zev) Serebryanski

“Zev, on the other hand, will now be branded a pedophile for life when more likely he's just harmless & messed up [as opposed to David Cyprys]”
19 February 2012 (by private message to me)

David also wrote to me that he considers me to be “vindictive” because “[y]ou consider yourself a victim of Yeshivah as much as a victim of Cyprys” and I am apparently “inflicting additional damage on people or organizations with links to the perpetrators”. [Indeed, I and many of the other Yeshivah victims regard ourselves as victims of both our abusers and the Yeshivah Centre.]
31 May 2012 (by private message to me)

Rabbi Sholom Mendel Kluwgant
· Senior Melbourne Yeshivah Centre official
· Brother-in-law of Rabbi Avrohom Glick (as above) and Ms Nechama Bendet (as above)
· Father of Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant (who holds various senior leadership positions within the Australian Orthodox community) 

“Manny Waks has all the right to demand justice for the appalling things that happened to him, however, going to the well known anti semitic paper that relishes any news that can damage the Jewish people is not justified.”

“No other paper took up his story, and I suspect that the AJN [Australian Jewish News] is being hassled by a member of the family to put it all to print.”

“He can go to a Din Torah [Jewish Court], and demand that police be involved to bring the perpertrators to justice.
Under the circumstances he would have gotten a lot of support.”

“People here in crown heights have been questioning Waks' motives for going public to the press. They have also questioned his qualification as a leader in the local Jewish community, and they are wondering if this is a publicity stunt.”

12 and 14 July 2011 (by private message to one of my supporters)

Rebbetzin Pnina Feldman
· Head female Chabad Emissary to NSW (Sydney)
· Wife of Head Chabad Emissary to NSW, Rabbi Pinchos Feldman
· Matriarch of many senior Chabad emissaries in NSW and the ACT (Canberra)
· Sister of Rabbinical Council of Victoria President Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick
· Executive Chairperson of Queensland Bauxite

“Hi Manny,

Why do you keep highlighting Yeshiva?! Before the pedophile issues you went running to The Age re BER issues [I have no idea what this refers to]. There's always something with you and Yeshiva. Get over it already- whatever it is that makes you think that attacking Yeshiva justifies your not being frum [religious]. There is something very ugly and personal about your antiYeshiva campaign. Just because a security guard molested you don't blame Yeshiva! A principal in [A PROMINENT JEWISH SCHOOL - REDACTED FOR LEGAL REASONS] College (who is not Jewish) once molested nearly half the girls in the school! NONE of whom have ever blamed the school! Get over it! You need counselling! I haven't met a person yet with one nice word to say about you. Most people consider you a lowlife- not because of any molestation,which wasn't your fault, but because of your malicious blame game which is unjust, unwarranted, undeserved and wicked. The person you hurt most by that is yourself and your own psyche and spiritual and emotional wellbeing. I realise you may go on hate campaign against me now, but like yourself, I have no fear in saying it as it is when I feel passionate about something.

Erev [eve of] Yom Kippur. Get the pedophiles. That's fine. But get the hate out of your heart or at least try to control it. That hate is very bad for you personally as it doesn't allow you peace of mind or any form of internal harmony or happiness.

Words from the heart.

A Gmar Tov to you and yours,

Rebzn Pnina Feldman”
3 October 2014 (by private message to me)  

Rabbi Yosef Feldman
· Senior Sydney Yeshiva Centre rabbi
· Son of Head Chabad Emissary to NSW, Rabbi Pinchos Feldman and Rebbetzin Pnina Feldman
 
"I really don't understand why as soon as something of serious loshon horo (evil talk) is heard about someone of even child molestation should we immediately go to the secular authorities (sic)," Rabbi Feldman wrote.

"One must go to a Rov (rabbi) who should firstly investigate the veracity of the complaint and if thought to be serious, warn the culprit etc. and act in a way that could scare him by threatening him with publicity by internet to the whole community.

"I personally feel that if we as a Jewish leadership can't deal with this and other issues bifnim (internally) we are showing ourselves to be impotent."

He also argued anyone who reported a paedophile would be responsible if the paedophile was raped in prison.
31 July 2011

Dr Shyrla Pakula Werdiger
· Wife of Mr Shlomo Werdiger (as above)
· Medical practitioner

I don't defend the Grand Most High Pooh-bah Rebbetzin [Feldman] in any way but I do believe that this was a private email to Lord High Executioner waks, which he chose to publicize. They are all damaged deranged and generally vindictive and destructive individuals who all bring a chilul hashem [desecration of God’s name] to the name of Judaism in general, Orthodox Judaism in particular. I could go on but I won't. And yes, poor timing perhaps. But so what.
5 October 2014

Mr Pini Althaus
· Yeshivah alumni
· Son of Mr Binyomin Althaus, member of Melbourne Yeshivah Centre Board of Trustees
· Nephew of Mr Emmanuel Althaus, senior Melbourne Yeshivah Centre official

"The rare cases that did transpire were dealt with swiftly," Mr Althaus said. "Rabbi Groner gave them the choice to leave the country immediately or face criminal action. In retrospect, perhaps the latter would have been more appropriate; however, this was not the 'culture' at that time to turn someone in to the authorities."

Mr Althaus alludes to another individual he says should have been barred from the school grounds. "We all knew growing up then, one doesn't get into a car with this person, spend time alone with this person, etc. This was a given to us all."

16 July 2011

Dr Danny Lamm
· Immediate Past President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry
· President of the Zionist Federation of Australia

In response to a journalist claiming that he had been contacted by “many” within the Melbourne Orthodox community indicating that there are still rabbis who are currently advising their congregants not to disclose abuse allegations to the police, Dr Lamm said “I refute those comments" without being able to substantiate this.
14 November 2012

Mr Sam Tatarka
· President of the Zionist Council of Victoria
· Brother of Mr Ron (Reuven) Tatarka, former head of Chabad Youth who has been implicated in the Melbourne Yeshivah Centre cover-ups

Apparently Mr Tatarka leant over to where Mr Cooke was sitting and yelled in his face to “fuck off”, “go fuck yourself long and hard”, and the tirade continued from Mr Tatarka as he walked out of the synagogue.
3 October 2012

Mr Alex Lewenberg
· Prominent Jewish Australian lawyer

'"I am not exactly delighted that another Yid [Jew] would assist police against an accused no matter whatever he is accused of and that is the reason why I was very disappointed," Mr Lewenberg, who was defending Cyprys at the time of the conversation, told the victim.

"Because there is a tradition, if not a religious requirement that you do not assist against Abraham and I was concerned about that … moser principle. Moseris well known.
"'
2011


Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant
· Senior member of the Melbourne Yeshivah community
· Yeshivah alumni
· Senior rabbi at Jewish Care Victoria
· President of the Organisation of Rabbis of Australasia
· Past President of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria
· Victoria Police Chaplain
· Victoria Police Multifaith Council
· White Ribbon Day Ambassador
· Shochet (Kosher slaughterer)
· Nephew of Rabbi Glick and Ms Bendet
· Cousin of Rabbi Yaakov Glasman (see below)
· Son of Rabbi Sholom Mendel Kluwgant
· Related to Mr Max New, member of Melbourne Yeshivah Centre Board of Trustees
· Related to Mr Chaim (Harry) New, member of Melbourne Yeshivah Centre Committee of Management
· Related to Mr Emanuel Althaus, member of Melbourne Yeshivah Centre  founding family and senior Yeshivah official
· Wife is employed as teacher at Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah Colleges
· (Allegedly a salary-earner from Yeshivah – unconfirmed so Rabbi Kluwgant would need to confirm this himself)

After Victoria Police decided not to charge Rabbi Glick regarding the allegations of sexual abuse against him, Rabbi Kluwgant, as then President of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria (RCV), effectively called on me to resign from Tzedek (4 April 2014). Of course this didn't happen (the Board issued a statement dismissing Rabbi Kluwgant’s comments). I had apologised for allowing someone to post on the Tzedek website that Rabbi Glick had admitted guilt and for writing things that apparently caused some people to believe I was attributing guilt to Rabbi Glick.

It is important to emphasise two points:

1. Since the RCV’s founding it has never (a) become involved publicly in a dispute between two community members (b) called for the resignation of anyone, and (c) called on anyone at the Melbourne Yeshivah Centre to resign.

2. Rabbi Kluwgant has never commented publicly on the actions of his uncle (Rabbi Glick) or the Yeshivah Centre.

Recently Victoria Police advised that Rabbi Kluwgant “has had no identifiable contact with members of Victoria Police in respect of any investigation into child sexual abuse within the Melbourne Jewish Community.”   

Rabbi Yaakov Glasman
· Senior member of the Melbourne Yeshivah community
· Yeshivah alumni
· Senior rabbi of St Kilda Hebrew Congregation
· Vice President of the Organisation of Rabbis of Australasia
· Past President of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria
· Nephew of Rabbi Glick and Ms Bendet
· Cousin of Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant
· Nephew of Rabbi Sholom Mendel Kluwgant

“Manny, your silence on this issue [domestic violence] is a huge stain on your campaign and is widely spoken about by both religious and non religious Jewish and wider communities.”
7 November 2014 (in a Facebook comment on my public account, which he later deleted)

Importantly, Rabbi Glasman has never commented publicly on the actions of his uncle (Rabbi Glick) or the Yeshivah Centre.

Rabbi Dovid Freilich
· Senior Perth rabbi
· Former President of the Organisation of Rabbis of Australasia
· Not affiliated with the Chabad/Yeshiva(h)-dominated Orthodox Rabbinate in Australia

But in an interview with The AJN, he elaborated on some of those experiences that had left him “despondent” and “disillusioned”.

The most recent incident was last winter when the mainstream press revealed the police were investigating claims of child abuse at Melbourne’s Yeshivah College in the 1980s and ’90s, and spoke of a code of silence among the communal leadership.

The news sent shockwaves throughout Australian Jewry. “I felt it needed a response immediately,” said

Rabbi Freilich. “I didn’t want the general public to think we were going to keep silent on this. I took the bull by the horns, I wrote a piece saying straight out this type of behaviour is not only unacceptable, it’s abhorrent and anybody who perpetrated such acts and anybody who covered up such acts should be immediately reported to the authorities.

“I thought it was a KiddushHashem [the sanctification of God’s name]. I thought I came out with a statement we should all support, and I got it out immediately. It shouldn’t have even been a thought.”

But when his statement was published, he only received two letters of support. The rest of the feedback was negative. “What really riled me was that I was questioned why I sent it out without consulting them, that I was somehow casting disfavour on certain sections of the community.”

The ensuing arguments that engulfed rabbis across the country left him “disheartened”. “I thought, I cannot go on with these colleagues.”

As with a previous incident, he said, “I was made to feel uncomfortable over statements that I felt were necessary to come out with.” He did remain, however, to avoid media speculation that the rest of the rabbinate didn’t share his views on dealing with child abuse. “I didn’t want the general community even thinking that.”
3 February 2012

Mr Charles Hynes
· Former Brooklyn (New York) District Attorney

Mr Hynes said the victim intimidation in that community is worse than what he's seen in organised crime and police corruption cases over his nearly two-decade career.

"I haven't seen this kind of intimidation in organized crime cases or police corruption, and the reason for that is in organized crime cases, I can get witness protection," Hynes said. "In police intimidation cases, I can protect them as well."
30 May 2012

And sadly, this is just a sample of easily available material….




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