AUSTRALIA
ABC News
The head rabbi of Melbourne’s Yeshivah Centre has announced he is stepping down, after months of pressure to resign over his handling of child sex abuse.
Rabbi Zvi Telsner appeared before the royal commission into child sex abuse in February, and while he denied shunning victims, he admitted he was complicit for not speaking out against it.
He has also told the royal commission he believed paedophiles and gay people could be “cured” by therapy.
In a letter sent to the “Yeshivah community members, friends and supporters” on Tuesday night, Rabbi Telsner apologised the way he had treated victims of child sex abuse.
“As a senior Rabbi at the Yeshivah Centre I acknowledge and endorse its values, policies and message of continued support and compassion for victims of child sexual abuse, their families and all of the community,” Rabbi Telsner wrote.
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