Rabbi in the Dark on Abuse Law

By Pia Akerman
The Australian
February 7, 2015

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A RABBI who knew an accused child abuser might flee the country says he did not know at the time that it was illegal for an adult to touch a child’s genitals.

Yosef Feldman, the rabbinical administrator of Bondi’s orthodox Yeshiva centre, told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse yesterday that the prospect of criminal charges did not cross his mind when he spoke to the alleged abuser the day after a young boy’s mother notified Yeshiva College of her son’s allegation in 2002.

Rabbi Feldman said at the time he believed the allegation only ­related to the man, a rabbinical student and teacher’s aide known as AVL, lying down with the boy and massaging him.

“I didn’t know it could have been a crime,” Rabbi Feldman said. “I didn’t see that as necessarily being sexual ... (but) it could potentially be something which is highly inappropriate. I don’t know what the criminal code is and what’s a crime and what’s not a crime. A lot of things could be a crime (when) I don’t think it is.”