Child sexual abuse must be addressed: Orthodox rabbis
Twenty-one
rabbis in Canada are among 300 Orthodox rabbis who have signed a
strongly -worded warning of the necessity to respond in a forthright
manner to sexual abuse of children in the Orthodox Jewish community.
Released in August, the proclamation was
prompted by victims’ suicides “committed as a direct result of child
sexual abuse,” as well as other physical, emotional, psychological and
spiritual consequences.
Ignoring abuse allegations, shaming accusers and not
bringing suspected incidents to the attention of secular authorities is
immoral and contrary to Jewish law, they say.
The rabbis, who are mainly from the
United States and Israel, acknowledge that perpetrators include family
members, teachers, counsellors, youth leaders, professionals and rabbis.
“This abuse has caused and continues to
cause immeasurable harm to the victims, their families, and our entire
community; it can destroy lives,” they state.
The signatories recognize that their
communities “could have responded in more responsible and sensitive ways
to help victims and to hold perpetrators accountable.”
“Reasonable suspicions” of all forms of
child abuse and neglect should be reported directly and promptly to
civil authorities, they say. There is no need to seek rabbinic approval
first.
“We decry the use of Jewish law or the
invocation of communal interests as a tool to silence victims or
witnesses from reporting abuse,” the proclamation reads. “Regardless of
the standing of the abusers, accusers and their family members must be
treated in an accepting, nonjudgmental manner so that they feel safe and
can therefore speak frankly and fully.”
Rabbi Michael Whitman of Montreal’s Adath Israel Synagogue told The CJN
that he hopes the proclamation will send a clear message that this is
an issue the community must take very seriously and be open about. He
wants this unprecedented statement to give victims the confidence to
come forward.
“I have been very vocal about this for
many years,” he said, but added that protecting the confidentiality of
victims means that usually many cases are never made known.
In his 15 years in Montreal, Rabbi
Whitman said he has publicly spoken out about two or three cases. “I’ve
been involved more privately, through Batshaw [Youth and Family Centres], [Agence] Ometz and other professionals, helping one on one.”
The main point is that “we should never hide abuse, never excuse it.”
The signatories call upon all synagogues
and schools to adopt sexual abuse prevention policies. These may include
screening potential employees, ensuring that an adult is not alone with
children unless there is a “reasonable and immediate possibility of
being seen,” and establishing rules on unacceptable touching.
The rabbis also want children to be
taught about sexual safety, “even though no child is responsible for
preventing sexual abuse; that is the responsibility of every adult and
the entire community.”
The other Canadian signatories are, from Montreal, rabbis
David Kadoch; Mark Fishman and Mordechai Zeitz, respectively, rabbi and
rabbi emeritus of Congregation Beth Tikvah; Moshe Jablon, rabbi emeritus
of Congregation Beth Ora, and Howard Joseph, rabbi emeritus of the
Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue; and from Toronto, Yechiel Goldreich;
Seth Grauer, rosh yeshiva of Bnei Akiva Schools; Charles Grysman,
Zichron Yisroel Congregation of Associated Hebrew Schools; Benjamin
Hecht, Nishma; Elie Karfunkel, Forest Hill Jewish Centre; Daniel
Korobkin, Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto; Moshe Stern, rabbi emeritus,
Shaarei Tefillah Congregation; Chaim Strauchler, Shaarei Shomayim
Congregation, and Mordechai Torczyner, Yeshiva University Torah MiTzion
Beit Midrash Zichron Dov; Nevo Zuckerman, Beth Jacob Congregation of
Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.; from Ottawa, Reuven Bulka, Congregation
Machzikei Hadas; Howard Finkelstein, Congregation Beth Tivkah; and
Ari Galandauer, Young Israel of Ottawa; Daniel Friedman of Beth Israel
Synagogue in Edmonton; and Yakov Kerzner of Congregation Beth Israel in
Halifax.
Among the prominent signatories are:
Rabbis Elchanan Adler and other roshei yeshiva of Yeshiva University’s
theological seminary; Eli Ciner, principal of the Frisch School in
Teaneck, N.J.; Mark Dratch, executive vice-president of the Rabbinical
Council of America; and Menachem Genack, CEO of the Orthodox Union’s
kosher division.