Former Yeshiva Principal Admits Abuse Cover-up Was a "Big Mistake"

By Sarah Farnsworth
ABC News
February 12, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-12/former-yeshiva-principal-admits-abuse-cover-up-was-big-mistake/6089116

A former principal of Yeshivah College in Melbourne has reluctantly admitted that covering up abuse at the Yeshivah centre was a "big mistake", but he denies knowing about it.

Former teacher and principal Rabbi Abraham Glick worked closely with the head rabbi of the Yeshivah Community Rabbi Dovid Groner in the 1980s.

At the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Rabbi Glick was read a list of extensive offending by convicted paedophile David Cyrprys between 1983 to 1992.

Counsel assisting the commission, Maria Gerace challenged Rabbi Glick's statement that children did not tell their parents what Cyrprys was doing.

Ms Gerace said a parent of a victim told Rabbi Groner of the abuse in 1984 and Cyrprys went on to abuse three other children, before another parent reported abuse in 1986.

"It's very difficult for me to criticise Rabbi Groner. I just have enormous respect from him and the work he did for the community," Rabbi Glick replied.

"I am prepared to say that if he were alive today I believe he would agree that was a mistake, a big mistake."

A victim of abuse has told the inquiry that Rabbi Glick sent him to the head rabbi about abuse as early as 1986.

Despite being principal at Yeshivah at the time, Rabbi Glick said he could not recall sending the student to Rabbi Groner, nor could he recall the head rabbi telling him about the abuse.

"All I can say is Rabbi Groner dealt with many sensitive issues. He dealt with them in strict confidence and discretely," he said.

"I can't say why he didn't tell me."

David Kramer abuse cover-up

Rabbi Glick also could not justify why those involved in helping convicted child abuser David Kramer leave Australia did not keep a record of it.

The first reports of abuse against Kramer were made in 1992, days later he was sent to Israel and then America, where he was later convicted of abuse.

The inquiry heard four senior leaders within the community knew about the "Kramer affair" but the leaders of Yeshiva did not make any records of it.

"I can't really justify that, I suppose we really should've," Rabbi Glick said.

But he said it was not an attempt to cover it up.