Royal Commission

Both the Yeshivah in Melbourne and the Yeshiva in Sydney have welcomed February’s inviting further submissions of the current policies and procedures in place and the institution’s response to the Commission hearings and that took place in 2015. Read more

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: a modern orthodox rabbi’s point of view

Rabbi Yossi Friedman is a modern orthodox rabbi, currently spiritual leader of Sydney’s Cremorne Synagogue. Read more

On reflection – Manny Waks post the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse yeshiva and yeshivah hearings

Nearly four years ago, when I publicly disclosed the sexual abuse I endured as a child at Melbourne’s Yeshivah Centre, I did not envisage that today so many around the world would know exactly what had happened to myself and so many other children at that institution. Read more

Rabbi Kluwgant resigns from Jewish Care

In the wake of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse  hearings at which he gave evidence Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant today resigned as the General Manager of Cultural & Spiritual services at Jewish Care Victoria. Read more

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse : A statement from Chabad HQ

Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of Chabad-Lubavitch in New York has issued a statement in the wake of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse  hearing dealing with the Sydney Yeshiva and the Melbourne Yeshivah. Read more

At peace with the Groners

Manny Waks was a victim of child sexual abuse whilst attending Melbourne’s Yeshivah College when it was under the supervision of the late Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner. He has accepted an apology from Rabbi Groner’s children. Read more

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse : “He is attacking Chabad”

Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant, the current president of the Organisation of Rabbis of Australasia  was quizzed at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearing in Melbourne on Friday about a text he sent in which he wrote about Zephaniah Waks “He is attacking Chabad”. Read more

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse :

Rabbi Yaakov Glasman, president of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria between 2009 and 2012 when the RCV was seeking to shape community responses to the issue of child sexual abuse. Read more

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: Final Day – Rabbi Zvi Telsner

The final day of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse  saw Rabbi Zvi Telsner complete his evidence followed by appearances by Rabbi Glasman, Rabbi Kluwgant and Rabbi Smukler. Read more

Rabbi, I’m ashamed… you have lost me

An exchange of letters between Sydney’s Rabbi Levi Wolf and one of his congregants. Read more

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: Day 8

Day 8 of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse  hearing being held in Melbourne saw Nechama Bendet complete her evidence and former Chair Don Wolf give his. Read more

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse : Progressives have their say

The Progressive Rabbinic Council of Australia, Asia and New Zealand and the Union for Progressive Judaism have stated their position on statements made at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Read more

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse : Day 6

Rabbi Yossef Feldman completes his evidence…and another victim reads his statement. Read more

Feldman out on a limb

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry had distanced the community from Rabbi Yosef Feldman, the spiritual head of the Southern Sydney Synagogue who has completed giving evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse  hearing in Melbourne. Read more

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse : community reaction

Lay and religious leadership have reacted strongly to the hearings in Melbourne this week at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse  on matters pertaining to the Yeshiva in Sydney and the Yeshivah in Melbourne. Read more

Departing student was related by marriage

The Rabbinical Administrator of Yeshiva Gedolah,Bondi,  Rabbi Yosef Feldman, present at a July 2002 meeting with  name protected AVL and his father, Rabbi Pinchus Feldman, admitted that AVL, a student at the Yeshiva accused of inappropriate sexual behaviour, was a relative by marriage. Read more