Addressing child sexual abuse inside Australian Jewish organisations
The Malka Leifer case, which involves the alleged sexual abuse of multiple female students by the headmistress at the ultra-orthodox Adass Israel School in Melbourne, Australia, has provoked global attention. In late January 2021, she was finally returned to Australia to stand trial after the Israeli Minister for Justice approved an order for her extradition.
That extradition order, following enormous legal delays, including 74 court hearings over more than six years, can be attributed at least in part to the actions of the high-profile Bring Leifer Back campaign orchestrated by three of her alleged victims – Dassi Erlich and her two sisters, Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper.
The campaign attracted almost universal support from the Australian Jewish community, which was incensed by the procrastination of the Israeli justice system, and ardently committed to achieving legal justice for the victims.
Much of the Australian Jewish discourse was vigorously critical of both the Israeli legal and political systems for failing to expedite the case. For example, an October 2019 editorial in the Australian Jewish News robustly censored the Israeli judiciary and the Israeli government.
The frustration of the grassroots community was also reflected in public protest petitions and alleged threats to withhold charitable donations to Israel.
This frustration was shared, and further expressed by national community leadership bodies such as the Zionist Federation of Australia, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, and state-based bodies such as the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, and the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies.
The first three groups forwarded a joint letter to Israel President Reuven Rivlin in March 2020, expressing outrage at what they labelled "notorious" aspects of the case.
Reference was made to allegations that the Israeli Deputy Health Minister had illegally intervened to block Leifer’s extradition; claims that Leifer had been fabricating an alleged mental illness; the strange reversals of testimony by the appointed court psychiatrist; and the never-ending round of psychiatric evaluations.
The letter demanded that the President personally communicate with the Chief Justice of Israel to advance a prompt legal resolution of the case and ensure justice for Leifer’s alleged victims.
What is the impact of the Leifer case on child safety standards within Australian Jewry?
By Philip Mendes and Marcia Pinskier
The evocative nature of the campaign, and indeed the overwhelming support it enjoyed among Australian Jews, did not occur in a vacuum. Rather, there's no doubt it was directly informed by the findings of the preceding Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual abuse (RCIRCSA).
The commission’s deliberations were widely reported within Australian Jewry, and seem to have significantly advanced Jewish communal understanding of factors underpinning institutional child sexual abuse, and generated a concern to prevent similar instances in the future.
The commission was established in January 2013 by the then Australian Labor government to investigate how public and private institutions such as schools, sporting associations, children’s services, and religious and cultural groups had responded to manifestations of child sexual abuse (CSA).
The public hearings included an examination of the abuse of boys within two ultra-orthodox Jewish organisations associated with the Chabad communities in Melbourne and Sydney (not connected), known as Yeshivah Melbourne and Yeshiva Bondi.
The final report, which was released in 2017, stated that 15 males had been subjected to CSA by males (mostly of adult age) within the two organisations. The majority of the perpetrators were teachers, but others responsible included rabbis and support staff or volunteers.
The commission presented four major findings pertaining to CSA within these Jewish organisations:
- The specific vulnerability of children in ultra-orthodox organisations due to an absence of sex education and associated patriarchal gender roles
- A reluctance to report CSA to secular authorities due to cultural and religious beliefs connected to elements of Halacha
- A failure to support survivors of CSA, and indeed a tendency to align with the abuser rather than the victim
- A lack of operational child protection policies and procedures for responding to complaints.
The royal commission proposed a set of child safety standards for all faith-based communities examined. Those standards have since been incorporated into the 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.
To date, there's been no research-based interrogation of whether and/or how the wide range of Jewish organisations – educational, religious, cultural and sporting – that actively engage with children have operationalised these standards within their core policies and practices.
One of the ironies of the community response to the Malka Leifer case is that the advocacy campaign focused almost solely on events concerning the extradition hearings in Israel. In contrast, there were very few references to the implications for child safety standards within Australian Jewry, even though the abuse was alleged to have occurred inside a Melbourne Jewish school.
One notable exception was a missive from the Modern Orthodox Rabbi Ralph Genende, who urged religious Jews within and beyond Australia to “learn the lessons of the royal commission”, and actively address “the reality of child sexual abuse in our midst”.
The Malka Leifer case highlights a need to facilitate grassroots child safety education across the Jewish community spectrum. The community education program should use the 10 National Principles to enable an upgrade of child safety standards, including particularly:
- Ensuring that all Jewish organisations have effective measures for preventing and responding to CSA
- That any instances of CSA are promptly reported to secular authorities such as child protection and/or the police
- That survivors of CSA are supported rather than being ostracised
- That governance and leadership structures are reformed to facilitate effective child protection protocols and processes
The impact of the Leifer case on child safety standards in Israel
By Amitai Marmor, Efrat Lusky-Weisrose and Dafna Tener
The Malka Leifer case shocked Israeli society and raised urgent issues related to CSA in the ultra-orthodox, with emphasis on CSA perpetrated by authority figures in the community.
In a study we conducted on public perceptions in Israel towards the Leifer case (accepted by the journal Sexual Abuse and to be published in the coming weeks), we describe the massive public criticism towards all those involved in the affair: the ultra-orthodox community and its leaders, law enforcement agencies, and Leifer herself.
In fact, most criticism has been directed towards the law enforcement authorities (the State Attorney's office, the court, and the police), perceived as bureaucratic systems, cumbersome and foot-dragging in regard to the extradition process – and even corrupt.
Beyond the public aspect of the affair, it's worth examining Israel's policy towards sexual violence in institutions in general.
This policy is enshrined in section 368(d) of the 1977 Penal Law (Amendment no.108, 2010), which regulates mandatory reporting of offences against minors under the maximum penalty of three months’ imprisonment. Mandatory reporting by professionals, including educators, is not limited in time, and the violator can be sentenced to six months in prison.
Ministry of
Education procedures regarding mandatory reporting and the actions to be
taken when it's suspected that a minor has been molested were
promulgated in 2008. Beyond that, the ministry promotes an environment
that facilitates treatment, early detection, and prevention programs.
Due
to political compromises within the ultra-orthodox community, only 2.5%
of its children study in official education institutions, 74.5% study
in an unofficial institution, and 23% in semi-official institutions,
according to an Israel Democracy Institute report.
The unofficial institutions are bound by the mandatory reporting law, but their supervision is more limited and doesn't include the reporting protocols that exist in the general education system. Therefore, it may be assumed that many professionals don't always know how to report, assuming they've overcome cultural difficulties in reporting to secular authorities.
However, during the past few years this situation has been changing, and the trend is reflected in the emergence of community organisations dedicated to the issue, and in growing collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
Our conclusions can be summarised as follows:
- Professionals working with closed communities or with distinct cultural systems need to acquire sufficient knowledge and training, and to be aware of community members’ unique cultural and spiritual needs. This is in keeping with the call to move beyond cultural descriptions and stereotypes towards attending to the meanings clients assign to their lives and their experiences within their unique life contexts. Working together and creating culturally-appropriate materials is critical.
- In the State of Israel, many changes to the intervention process have been made in recent years, from which it's possible to further learn and develop. For example, many welfare bureaus that operate in ultra-orthodox areas have a rabbi or a team of rabbis who work with the welfare professionals to mediate decisions and to help practitioners understand certain situations in order to provide culturally-adapted interventions. Another example is the exemption committee, which is authorised to respond to cases of sexual assault without contacting the police, but still under the supervision of the welfare system, and provide treatment tailored to the family’s needs.
- The Leifer case highlights the urgent need for prevention programs to raise the awareness of leading authority figures in the ultra-orthodox community, and encourage supervision and protection of children from future harm. Raising awareness may be achieved by providing training that includes advanced theoretical knowledge and practical tools for dealing with this phenomenon among caregivers and educators within the ultra-orthodox community, as well as training for rabbis to raise awareness of CSA and the role of community involvement. In this context, programs written specifically for closed communities are delivered throughout the country. The Haruv Institute, for example, is a leader in disseminating culturally adapted knowledge to various communities.
- The issue of sexual abuse by female perpetrators is significant and in need of greater public awareness. According to our findings, the fact that Leifer was a woman made it difficult for the public to believe the complainants. The case has contributed to raising awareness and promoting discourse on this type of abuse – momentum that needs to be maintained.
Dafna Tener, Amitai Marmor and Efrat Lusky-Weisrose work at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
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A 6th woman has come forward to level allegations of harassment / inappropriate conduct against Gov Cuomo, the Albany Times Union reports.
The woman, reportedly a member of the Gov's Executive Staff, told a supervisor in the Executive Chamber recently that the Gov inappropriately touched her last year during an encounter at the Gov’s mansion.
Last week, Cuomo said he “now understand I acted in a way that made people uncomfortable. It was unintentional & I truly, deeply apologize for it. I feel awful about it & frankly, I'm embarrassed by it.”
The Gov, apparently in response to earlier accusations of another aide, Lindsey Boylan, that he kissed her in his Manhattan office, also said: “I want you to know from me directly, I never touched anyone inappropriately.”
The new allegations by the 6th woman undermine that statement & are certain to intensify the pressure many lawmakers – including fellow Democrats – are putting on Cuomo to resign.
No big deal!
Cheder rebbis: They are the educators of the next generation of the Jewish People, respected members of our communities, essential pieces in our system. As news of coronavirus deaths continue to make headlines however, a disturbing trend is clear: Many cheder rebbis are taken young by COVID. Is it because so many of the Jewish world’s most beloved figures go into chinuch? Perhaps because the rebbis are exposed to such a high number of young children? It's impossible to know. What's not impossible, however, is seeing the tremendous loss that's come from so many Jewish educators leaving the world.
One melamed who made a massive impact on the community of Telzstone was Rabbi Yehoshua Lubar. “This very precious man was such a loving melamed. Everyone who learned with him as a rebbi loved him so much. He had a heart for all of Am Yisroel,” says Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi in a recent video.
Lubar recovered from COVID over 5 months ago, but unknowingly developed a blood clot during his illness. The rabbi collapsed during shacharis last week, dying instantly at age 55. He left behind a devastated wife & 5 children.
The Agudah desperately seeks an end run around UOJ's accurate shtoch that the Convention goers only comprise a few hundred families.
So they have launched a drive called Machatzis Hashekel where it costs only $1.50 to become a card carrying Fresser.
They have the major roshei yeshiva pressuring the oylam to reach for the pocket change & SIGN UP ON THE DOUBLE.
There is a PR blurb from Avi THE FERD Schnall, imploring that y'all listen to the roshei yeshiva to sign up pronto, because he wants when he gallops down to Trenton to put on his hundt & pony show for Gov. Phil Murphy, that he can impress Murphy by claiming even larger fake membership figures than he already does.
And yesterday they said --- TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR -- Moshiach tzeiten!
News from the Agudah:
Today, the CDC released long-awaited guidelines for the fully vaccinated here. As more individuals are vaccinated, and with Pesach just a few weeks away, individuals may wish to speak with their doctors about what vaccinated people can now safely do.
UOJ, shoyn gekoyft a membership?
For YOU, I'll even throw in - for free - a sports jersey with "FRESSER" emblazoned across the front!
For YOU, I'll even throw in - for free - a sports jersey with "FRESSER" emblazoned across the front!
FUNNY!
The Fressers are only touting the CDC guidelines now because they realized the guidelines are politically motivated & completely inadequate. The guidelines are all about economic pressures & pandemic fatigue.
It's still unknown if those vaccinated can spread residual virus (of all strains) to cause infections, even while not personally sickened.
What is known is that the vaccines are ineffective against the lethal South African strain. And it's suspected that those who are obese - say from hanging around too much at the Agudah Convention meat carving station - will require a 3rd shot as a booster.
Invasion of privacy are the least of the worries here. The Fressers will cross-compare the machtzis shekel rolls against enrollment at all their affiliate shuls, chadorim, BYs & yeshivos.
There will be a tight squeeze on whoever didn't splurge & automatic suspicion or outright accusations (with no proof) that you are blogosphere dissidents. And they will definitely pressure those whose rebbeyim have always poskened to not join Agudah, like the Brisker oylam.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Schwanitz
You can bet that either Philly or Chaim Berlin has already floated this idea at a meeting.
https://bshch.blogspot.com/2021/03/blog-post_188.html
R' Shmuel is against the whole concept, but I still think we should sell these as official Agudah issue to make a few more kopeks.
Letter chewing out a Chabad shaliach:
Dear Rabbi xxxx,
I hope all's well & that you & Mrs xxxx as well as xxxx & xxxx are on your way to a speedy & full recovery from Covid, b'H.
By way of this email, it pains me to respectfully express my profound disappointment at the way your office managed the pandemic, the very little attention & consideration for the health-safety of your employees, the potential impact to their respective families, as well as the community in general.
Out of concern for her parents in their 90s & for me since we're all high risk, my wife xxxx repeatedly pleaded that your office fully comply with Covid protocols established by various levels of govt. Unfortunately, her pleas fell on deaf ears & were not taken seriously. Members of your org continued to ignore the protocols & downplayed the seriousness of this pandemic. Through the negligence & recklessness of one of your infected rabbis, 5 others including my wife were infected by the virus. Sadly, this outcome was very predictable & inevitable. It's only by a miracle from Hashem none of our family became infected as it could've resulted in tragedy, G-d forbid. She unfortunately continues to suffer & we pray she fully recover. Needless to say, our lives have been turned inside out.
Your recent announcing a policy that a mask be worn at all times in the building, while welcome, unfortunately should've been sent a year ago & should've been respected by all.
I'm sorry to say this shameful behavior by individuals in your org is totally incompatible with the Torah, pikuach nefesh, the teachings of the Rebbe z'l & well below standards-expectations of a great org Chabad who do tremendous work throughout the world.
It's sincerely hoped lessons be learned from this very unfortunate event, that greater respect & consideration be given all concerned. Wishing you & your family good health.
Regards
Has anyone seen Zvi Belsky recently? Is this Telz Stoner or Street Corner Crazy Telz Stoner?
Israel Police raided a massive drug lab in a residential building in the heart of the chareidi yishuv of Telzstone yesterday.
Police found a massive operation spanning 2 residential units with 500+ marijuana plants, equipment & 10,000s of shekels cash.
Three suspects were detained, including a couple in their 30s who live in the building with their children & a man in his 20s who's a resident of Bnei Brak.
The suspects’ detainment was extended today by the court.
that all the Fresser insults against Cuomo & de Blasio will come back to bite the big talking windbags
Cuomo hasn't even gotten warmed up yet.
https://www.boropark24.com/news/doe-excludes-orthodox-jewish-zip-codes-from-eligibility-for-3-k-pre-k-funding-claims-not-hardest-hit-by-covid
Here's the first show across the bow from an ever sly Bill de Blasio, packaged in plausible deniability
https://www.boropark24.com/news/bobover-rebbe-promises-5-000-for-shadchan-of-older-single
Apikorsim!
Israel will not follow the the US CDC, which announced yesterday that fully-vaccinated Americans can gather indoors without masks or social distancing, Kan reports.
All Israelis must still wear masks in public, without exception.
Senior Israel Health Ministry officials tell Kan Israel doesn't support the measure as there's still lack of information if those vaccinated can still contract & transmit virus to others while asymptomatic.
Virus czar Prof. Nachman Ash told Kan: “For now, when we’re not yet aware how much protection vaccines provide, we want additional protection.”
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