AUSTRALIA
J-Wire
February 4, 2015 by Henry Benjamin
Statements made by Sydney Rabbi Moshe Gutnick have reignited a commitment to Judaism for child sexual abuse victim Manny Waks.
Waks, who co-founded the child sexual abuse advocacy organisation Tzedek was present at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearings in Melbourne today when Rabbi Gutnick’s statements came under the scrutiny of counsel assisting the enquiry.
Waks told J-Wire at the end of the day’s proceedings: “Rabbi Moshe Gutnick has restored my faith in ultra-orthodox Judaism. Following his statements it seems that whereas more reform is urgently needed within the ultra-orthdox’s handling of what has happened to me and others, the reform seems closer. We need more like Rabbi Moshe Gutnick.”
Rabbi Gutnick is a senior rabbi and Dayan at the Sydney Beth Din. After learning that individual rabbis were in effect the spiritual head of the community in which they functioned, Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission Maria Gerace asked Rabbi Gutnick: “Is it accurate to say there is no overseeing body in terms of the way that that rabbi acts or operates within that community.” Rabbi Gutnick responded: “There is no overseeing body but any member of the Jewish faith has the ability to challenge that rabbi and to take him to Beth Din. [Jewish Court of Law].” When asked if a rabbi could refuse to attend, Rabbi Gutnick said: “If the rabbi didn’t want to attend he would have to give good reason why he doesn’t want to attend. Nobody is above the law.”
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