Comments on: Rabbi Lesches: more reaction

By: Walter

Walter — Sun, 07 Jul 2013 11:35:11 +0000

Yes it is imperative, in the interest of equality, that all Jewish institutions are given much greater scrutiny and investigation about child sex abuse. The Australian Royal Commision must investigate these allegations thoroughly as we cannot tolerate this kind of behaviour in our progressive society. These rabbis must be re-educated in how they are expected to behave in the modern world. Rabbi Lesches obvious disdain for the ‘goyim’, or non-jew, also cannot be tolerated.

By: Yisroel

Yisroel — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 22:22:11 +0000

The following is the complete statement from Rabbi Boruch D. Lesches in response to recent media reports about him as published on his community’s website: http://www.monseychabad.com

I would like to inform the public that statements I made in a private telephone conversation have been spliced and twisted to present opinions that are not my own and are offensive to members of the greater public.

I would like to make my position absolutely clear: Without any reservation, I endorse the rabbinical rulings encouraging victims of abuse to report to the police.

I was saddened to see an edited audio clip released by the Australian media regarding the personal phone conversation I had with an alleged victim of child abuse. I am troubled by the unprofessional conduct of the reporter who did not call me to verify the facts. Had he called me, I’m sure the information I would have provided would have produced a dramatically different article.

As I clearly told the caller in a subsequent phone conversation: I had no knowledge of the alleged assault claimed to have occurred some twenty-five years ago and discussed in the news report.

In the conversation, I was discussing a separate incident concerning inappropriate sexual conversations where I was under the impression that both alleged parties were similar in age, twenty-one years old. I was never informed of any allegations involving minors prior to this call.

In retrospect I am shocked to hear of these allegations, because I often entrusted my own young children to the care of the alleged perpetrator, without hesitation. I would never have done so had I known of these allegations.

I am firmly committed to doing everything necessary to eradicate child abuse in all communities. If the caller had mentioned present abuse, I would have advised him to contact the proper legal authorities.

In my present community, where I am the Rabbi, there is no reticence to contact the police. We do not hide from or cover up criminal behavior. In our schools this is a known fact, and one of the reasons we, may G-d protect us, have to date not been afflicted with the evil disease of child sexual abuse.

Baruch Dov Lesches
June 23, 2013

By: Otto Waldmann

Otto Waldmann — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 08:57:00 +0000

We need clarity.
With due respect, condemning one specific person for statements attributed to the person by a source NOT directly involved with the case, a newspaper, goes beyond the objectionable.
From information publicly available, Rabbi Lesches refered to ADULTS being involved in a certain type of relationship, both age 21. IS THIS CLEAR !!
What is to condemn here by all those in our community !!
The Tzedek statement, by far the longest, engages once again in extended commentary and criticism of Rabbi Lesches beyond the decent acceptance of any criticism. Tzedek ignore facts which do not relate in Rabbi Lesches publicly known utterings to anything akin to the grave issue of child abuse.
The absurd ramifications of a farcical representation is totally unacceptable.
Seemingly terrified by extended criticism, Rabbinical bodies, both in Victoria and NSW, excell in caution onto the side of blatant unfairness to Rabbi Lesches.
I am yet to be given unquestionable evidence that Rabbi Lesches has committed anthing of which he is being accused by all and sundry.