Chief Rabbi condemns sex offender’s ‘disturbing’ Torah scroll stunt
Convicted abuser Mendy Levy criticised for trying to “seek public acclaim” by donating a scroll to Chabad in Golders Green
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis
Menachem
‘Mendy’ Levy was criticised by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis for trying to
“seek public acclaim” by donating the scroll, which was subsequently
rejected.
Last week there were celebrations in Golders
Green after the completion of the Sefer Torah.
According to a press
release published — and then removed — from the crownheights.info
website, “well over 1,000 men, women and children” joined in with
“joyous dancing and celebration which was heard several streets away.
The new Torah made its way slowly to the local
Lubavitch shul, Hechal Menachem, where it was greeted by the other
existing Torah scrolls.”
After the ceremony, there was celebration at
Levy’s home, where, again according to the press release, “Rabbi Yossi
Simon presented Levy with a thank you from Chabad of Golders Green.”
Levy was jailed for three years in 2013 for
two counts of sexual assault against Yehudis Goldsobel, who waived her
right to anonymity to encourage others to speak out against abuse.
Yehudis Goldsobel
On her Facebook page this week, she wrote: “A
Sefer Torah dedication is a lovely thing, but how can a community of
people ignore the fact that the person donating it is a convicted sex
offender? Does this not somehow tarnish this mitzvah? I would think so.”
She said she had not known about the
dedication until she was approached by a reporter, and that she
continued to be shunned by members of the Chabad community in which she
had grown up.
A spokesman for the Chief Rabbi told Jewish
News: “The very idea that a man convicted of sexual abuse should seek
public acclaim in this way is extremely disturbing.
“The Chief Rabbi has met Yehudis Goldsobel on a
number of occasions. and knows her to be a brave and tireless
campaigner against the scourge of abuse. It is impossible for us to
appreciate the kind of pain that this episode must have caused her.
“What is essential is that a clear message
goes out to all concerned that these kind of antics will never find
support within our community. It’s also fair to say that everyone we
have spoken to on this matter is in agreement with this position.”
On Sunday, Rabbi Simon issued a statement
saying “an individual” — Levy — had “chosen to turn the completion of
the sefer Torah into a public event, organising all the details, down to
the production of the flyers and post-event publicity”.
Rabbi Simon said Levy had offered Golders
Green Chabad the scroll, on loan, when Chabad moved into premises in the
area. But in light of the nature of the celebration, it had decided
against housing it, he said.
“We have also asked news outlets that publicised the donor’s article to remove it from their sites.
“We can only imagine the further anguish this matter has caused the victim, and our hearts go out to her and her family.”
Board of
Deputies Vice President Marie van der Zyl said Chabad were correct to
not accept the scroll, saying: “Sexual offences are extremely serious
and, while we should give people the opportunity to express remorse and
change their behaviour, care should be taken not to honour people who
have committed these sorts of terrible crimes.
I am therefore reassured
to note that Chabad has decided not to accept the scroll. No one in the
Jewish community must ever give the impression that sexual abuse
perpetrators are to be accepted until it is clear they have genuinely
repented.”
A spokesperson for the Jewish Leadership
Council said: “We can only imagine the further pain that this event has
caused Ms Goldsobel and her family and were encouraged to read of the
strong action Rabbi Simon has taken. We continue to encourage our member
organisations to have robust policies in place regarding safeguarding
and work to ensure that victims of abuse are protected and respected.”
http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/chief-rabbi-condemns-sex-offenders-disturbing-torah-scroll-stunt/