Posted to Chabad News on

Yeshiva Apologizes to Victims of Abuse

The Australian

Yeshiva College in Melbourne, Australia.

An Orthodox Jewish centre in Melbourne has apologized for “historical wrongs” that might have occurred, more than a year after allegations were raised of abuse of children at Chabad Yeshivah College.

A statement posted to “friends” of the Yeshivah Centre said that children were entitled to protection and vigilance in eradicating abuse.

“If mistakes were made in the past, they must be dealt with and we must ensure, to the extent possible, that mistakes are not made, or do not continue to be made, in the way in which allegations of abuse are dealt with,” the statement said.

It ended, “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.”

Manny Waks, a vice-president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry who last year identified himself as a victim of repeated molestation at Yeshivah College, said last night the apology was “an important milestone, but only a first step”.

“On behalf of some of the victims who were abused as a result of the actions and inactions of the Yeshivah Centre, I commend the current Yeshivah leadership in finally taking the moral position in apologising, unreservedly, to all of us, and for recognising the profound impact abuse has on children,” Mr Waks said in a statement.

“It has now been well over a year since this scandal has been in the public spotlight. Yeshivah’s behaviour to date has been unacceptable — their attitude and actions have caused additional significant pain and suffering to the past victims and their families.

”The other past victims and I sought recognition of the ongoing and serious abuse we suffered from the very institution that we hold partly responsible for that abuse. Today’s statement by the Yeshivah leadership is an acknowledgement of the abuse we suffered.“

Mr Waks told The Australian last night the Yeshivah Centre had treated him in a ”despicable“ way since the allegations were raised. He said while 12 alleged victims had taken their allegations to police, he believed that ”dozens” of children had been abused by several perpetrators.

Victoria Police launched an investigation last year into allegations of pedophile activities at Yeshivah College.

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11 Comments

  • from 770

    why Mr. Wax apologize the yeshiva hope they did support yr complaint years ago when also others and a nice number were abused, where is the point??

  • FED UP

    I will write my comment in English. In spite of the public position mr. wax holds, I get the extremely strong feeling that his entire purpose in exposing this situation (which may very well be exagerated way out of proportion) is only to placate his own feelings of guilt for abandoning his own religious way of life. What better way than to blame the very institution that taught him right from wrong and gave him whatever education he has, just to redeem his soul for the wrong path he decided to take.

  • Awake

    # 4 you are an ignorant human being ! brain washed and evil…how dare you say these things about a man who put it all on the line, just to expose the wrong doings of these monsters ?!

    Get a life

  • Dont Judge a Fellow Abused

    No yeshiva or spiritual leader can say we taught right or wrong after abusing an inoccent child. Is rare but happens. Is not the majority of G-d fearing teachers and doesn’t represent the views of judaism however happens. Is embarrasing and uncomfortable to think you walk in a shul and dance on simchas torah by the arm of a pervert or being at the mikva with a guy that looks at you weird.Klipa always exist and will be erradicated until Moschiach comes speedily but no mercy for perpetrators that ruin lifes this way. Only G-d should forgive them because he is the only ONE with RAV CHESED but this teachers or abusers should be put in a cell no questions even if they have done good or great deeds.
    These are not BAIS DIN issues to report this is NYPD,LAPD, French Police or any other authority in the world.

  • menachem w

    #4 That is so insensitive of you. you make up an excuse to put him down and make yourself feel good, people frie out because of people like you. If a person frie’s out he doesn’t feel bad he is happy because he doesn’t need to listen to ….heads like you anymore, he did what he did because he is in a position to be able to change something, and is.

  • So sick of the diatribe.

    So so many “facts” of this case are ludicrous. But just as the mainstream media will write nothing good about republicans, online media loved to bash religious organizations with little knowledge of the case. If manny Fried out because of abuse as school, what about the other twelve of his eighteen siblings who are not frum? We’re they all molested? Maybe at home but they weren’t all messed up at school.

  • Rabbi Loshon horo

    THis is all loshon horo and i am disgusted that jewish people can be arguing about this this is why the bais hamikdah is not here so stop fighting and moshiach will come

  • Gd is not playing!

    Apologize all you like. There will be no favor of Gd again until there is accompanying restitution!