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Rabbi Yosef Feldman Sets the Record Straight

Sydney, Australia [CHI] – On 27 July 2011 and on 29 July 2011, a series of false and defamatory allegations were published by the Australian Jewish News concerning Rabbi Yosef Feldman . The article, published under the byline of the AJN’s senior Sydney journalist, Joshua Levi, imputed that Rabbi Feldman was in favour of covering up acts of paedophilia by not reporting those acts to the police. Those statements in the Australian Jewish News were false and are highly damaging to the Rabbi’s high reputation. The Rabbi is presently considering the commencement of legal proceedings against the Australian Jewish News, its editor Zeddy Lawrence and Joshua Levi for defamation.

Rabbi Yosef Feldman has, at all times, publicly endorsed the unanimous view of the Rabbinical Council of New South Wales under his Presidency – that all acts of abuse must be reported to the police.

It would appear that the AJN obtained, by means unknown, an internal email exchange among Rabbis in which there was academic discussion of a range of views held by international scholars on how to deal with situations not subject to mandatory reporting. The AJN took extracts from that exchange and constructed a story and an editorial which attributed to the Rabbi views and opinions which he simply does not hold.

The Rabbi does not wish to speculate upon the AJN’s motivation in publishing such a scandalously false piece of journalism. His only concern is to repair the damage done to his good name.

The true position is that Rabbi Feldman, like all other right thinking Australian citizens, believes that acts of paedophilia should and must be reported to the police for investigation and, if warranted, prosecution. It is not, and has never been, his view that criminal conduct of this kind should be covered up. The Rabbi’s stance is that suspected paedophiles must face the Australian legal system.

There is no suggestion that any abuse has occurred in any Jewish establishment in New South Wales. However, the unanimous view of Rabbi Feldman and the Rabbinical Council of New South Wales is that suspected paedophiles must, if discovered, be reported to the police.

Statement by the Rabbinical Council of NSW

1 August 2011

1. Notwithstanding Rabbi Yosef Feldman’s assurance of his full endorsement of the RCNSW position on child abuse as outlined in paragraph 2, we accept with respect his decision to step aside at this time as President to clear his name.

2. In addition to our support and endorsement of the published statements of other major Rabbinic bodies of Australia on this matter, the RCNSW unreservedly and emphatically condemns all forms of child abuse and protection of perpetrators. We encourage all victims to report directly to the Police (or relevant authorities).

3. This statement has the full support and endorsement of Rabbi Yosef Feldman.

4. The RCNSW distances itself from the alleged views ascribed to Rabbi Yosef Feldman by the AJN.

5. The RCNSW condemns unreservedly the Chilul HaShem (desecration of G-d’s name) perpetrated by the AJN as a result of its reckless and sensationalist portrayal of Rabbi Yosef Feldman’s views and a prominent photograph with peremptory caption on the front page. Sensitive matters were distorted and presented out of context with damaging effect. We also reject the AJN’s unjustified excoriation of the RCNSW. It is a sad day for the Jewish community when the largest Jewish newspaper in Australia has stooped to the level of a cheap tabloid.

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28 Comments

  • Intresting

    Can anyone shed some light on about 10 years back were a “Bucher Shliach” brought out by Yossi Feldman was accused for molesting young boys…

    What ever happened?

    What did Yossi Feldman do?

    No one seems to know, as within 24 hours the guy was back in Crown heights were he is till today.

    Yossi your original “statement” you claim is false sounds very much like it came from you. You seem to know how to rid these situations. Then your brother Eli is quoted saying the Sydney Chabad community has never had abuse, nor are you covering anything up.

    How are you considering legal action against the media? Do you think the victims are not going to come forward?

  • Lets not forget

    David abused kids, what was done about it?
    the same year a shliach/smicha bocher abused kids, what was done about it?

  • Sydney Jewish News a JOKE

    The Sydney Jewish News is a complete joke. Most intelligent people have stopped reading it, for this very reason – inaccurate rubbish being ‘reported’. They seek sensationalism instead of integrity. This is what happens when people do not live up to the values found in Torah.

  • Our Big Kitchen

    Dear Yossi,
    Why haven’t you or your peers ever come forward about the known child abuser David S?He was in the same camp your kids were in yet you choose to have this abuser work in the same moisid as you. Please get over your fear and report him. I know hes a scary and powerful man, but once hes locked up he wont be able to harm you.

  • mendy

    we can all thank Leiby Kletzky Z“L for finally bringing Rabbonim and laymen to realize that pedophilia and molestation is a serious crime and spiritual & emotional murder of a helpless defensless innocent child simply for the sick pleasure of twisted evil human beings disguised as members of our society.
    i feel so sad that Leiby A”H suffered what he did- but he surely will save hundreds of children from being molested- as ppl are begining to report and pedophiles will be locked up or seek help and stop ruining children & families….may no child ever be molested! please HaShem. and if someone feels the need to do something…..get help…if you were molested- get help…there is so much therapy today and there is no need to continue the vicious cycle of pain and abuse …..besuros tovos….

  • zev

    what about BL – EP – YC
    we need a team of dedicated honest people who should interview these people and investigate and see if there is a threat. if there is we need to know, if there is no threat they should have their names cleaned. some did stuff 20-30 years ago but got help and may lead a clean life, some are still abusing kids today. if the rabbonim wont do it who will?

  • SHIMON L.

    That’s it? This Rabbi can explain it so simply and get off SCOTT FREE? Great. I’ll go in and rob a convenience store. The cops will catch me outside. I’ll say I really wasn’t thinking at the time. They say, ok buddy, this is a warning. Have a nice day. Sheesh.

  • No Loshon horoh

    Number 7, don’t put people’s names out there just because you have a vendetta. That is Loshon horoh

  • shameful!

    I don’t know how u can have the audacity to print names ppl put up in comments?? Even if it means nothin-ppl draw conclusions and ur responsible for the slander without proof. What is wrong with u????

  • shameful

    what is wrong with you!? How can you post names of people – in this context!?!? PPl draw conclusions and you post them based on stupid comments?!?! that is defamatory, loshon horo?!? i dont understand how you can do that!?!? even if its true about people, how can you post it…even if it doesnt explicitly say they have done anything wrong – by posting names in this context you are implying things that are just so wrong1?!

  • to number 5?

    Be careful what you imply….unless you were inappropriately touched or someone has told you personally that he was inappropriately touched you cannot say “known child abuser” about anyone..there is a lot of politics..people with vendettas and you should be really careful.
    Im not saying its not true…but you should be more careful than that..
    the Psak Din of reporting pedophiles means reporting them to authorities to investigate and only when you have credible information or are a victim yourself…

    it doesnt allow blatant defamation and loshon hora…

  • Wow!!! Such hate!!!!

    Such hate!!! I know yossi from my years in Sydney (as a boucher)
    At times he might say some thing that sound foolish and dumb, but there is no doubt in my mind that if he knew there was someone abusing children in his moised he would take action!!!

    And for all the people who sit across the world and want to curse him out, i tell you this. He is one of the kindest people in Sydney. Iv seen a few times him give a boucher some money to buy some new clothes or some more food or laundry money. A true mentch!!!

    And maybe everone could cut him some slack For the dumb comment he made!!!!

  • TO THE ONE ABOVE

    I LOVE YOSSI AND I AGREE WITH HIM.
    WHAT HE WAS SAYING IS THAT WHEN THERE IS A DOUBT THAT SOMEONE ABUSED A KID, FIRST GO TO THE RABBIS TRY AND CLEAR IT UP, MAYBE THEY HAVE HEARD OF OTHER CLAIMS THEREFOR TAKING AWAY THE DOUBT AND GOING STRAIGHT TO THE AUTHORITY

  • Agree with 17 and 18

    As a former Sydney bochur (2009), I can say that Yossi is one of the most caring Rabbi’s around. If he did indeed say that, then I believe that he is wrong. The police should be called right away, without waiting a moment!!

    However, to turn a theoretical discussion between rabbis into a whole defamatory thing against him is just so wrong. I can’t see Yossi standing by and letting some sicko cause harm to a child CH”V.

  • Whoa. Vitriole

    whoa. the vitriole by some of the commenters can be quite scary.
    Additionally, some people have posted names and made accusations. If you have real information, go to the cops, if you like rumours…keep it to yourself before you destroy people. Innuendo and rumor can do that.

  • ash

    Thanks crownheights info for putting the TRUTH out! sick of those Lies and rumors. All the best to Kvod haRov Feldman.

  • I just don-t get it???

    Rabbi Yosef Feldman was not discussing the case that was reported in Fairfax Media in regards to Menny Wax. Rabbi Feldman was simply discussing a theoretical case within a series of emails in a private Rabbinic forum which was totally taken out of context. To simply prove this, Rabbi Yosef Feldman was the President of the Rabbinical Counsel .Any Counsel especially a Rabbinic Counsel (to which abides by The Code Of Jewish Law) Would not put out a statement without the approval of their leading authority!!, what bigger proof is there than this that the Emails were Taken truly out of context and Rabbi Feldmans opinion is rather the one that the counsel came out with BEFORE these emails were published in the AJN???

  • NUMBER 22

    Excuse me 25! WE DESERVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON! AS A MOTHER OF 3 IN CROWN HEIGHTS I THINK WE KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT WHO TO STAY AWAY FROM BUT OTHER PLACES DONT! CROWNHEIGHTSWATCH SHOULD ALSO IN AN INTERNATIONAL SECTION!

  • Nosson Tannenbaum

    To number 25, it isn’t loshon hora if it is true! Ask your brother/cousin what comment 22 is about…