ABOUT
Manny Waks is a consultant, advocate, author and public speaker, currently hosting the PTSD Nation podcast series. He has extensive experience in social entrepreneurship, communications, advocacy and leadership. Manny is a sought-after speaker and consultant who has presented internationally in various settings on a number of topics such as his personal and professional journey, child protection, effecting change, public advocacy and leadership. In 2024, he was appointed as a member of the Global Jewry Advisory Board.
Manny founded VoiCSA (formerly Kol v'Oz) in 2016 to prevent child sexual abuse in Jewish communities globally. In 2011 Manny publicly disclosed his personal experiences of child sexual abuse within the Jewish community and subsequently undertook extensive work as a victim advocate. In 2012 he formally established Tzedek, an Australia-based support and advocacy group for Jewish victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, and was its inaugural President. Manny subsequently held the position of Tzedek CEO until the end of 2014 when he commenced work on establishing Kol v'Oz. Manny featured in the 2014 ABC documentary, Code of Silence (which won the Walkley Award), and the 2015 sequel Breaking the Silence, which covered his personal story of the abuse and its aftermath. In October 2016 Manny launched his memoir Who Gave you Permission? in Australia. In 2013, Manny's second abuser, David Cyprys, was sentenced to eight years for sexually abusing Manny and eight other boys. In 2017, Manny confronted his first abuser (click here for Hebrew), Velvel Serebryanski, in New York. In 2018, Manny reached a confidential financial settlement with Melbourne's Yeshivah Centre, and in 2020 he won a civil case against Cyprys.
Manny successfully advocated for a Royal Commission public hearing into Australian Jewish institutions that were involved in multiple cases of child sexual abuse, cover-ups as well as intimidation of victims and their families and supporters. This public hearing was a watershed moment for the Australian Jewish community and the impact has been felt globally, leading to ground-breaking and ongoing changes within Jewish communities worldwide. Manny also successfully lobbied for a UK Government Inquiry into the local Jewish community, and he has been designated as a core participant at the UK Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
Manny was born in Israel but raised mostly in Melbourne, Australia. He was born into a Chabad (ultra-Orthodox Jewish) family, and is the second oldest of 17 siblings. At the age of 18 Manny returned to Israel where he voluntarily served in the Israel Defense Forces. He subsequently returned to Australia and obtained a degree in International Relations from La Trobe University. During this time, he undertook a prestigious internship at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney. In 2006 Manny was appointed Executive Officer at the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission. In 2009 he was appointed to an Executive Level position within the Australian Government's Office of Transport Security.
Manny was Founder and President of the Capital Jewish Forum and a Founding Director of the Online Hate Prevention Institute. He is a past President of the Canberra Jewish Community, former Vice President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and former Governor of the New South Wales Jewish Communal Appeal Board of Governors. In 2009, Manny presented at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne and in 2011 he was Convenor of the Australian Association of Jewish Studies Conference. He was a member of the PresenTense 2012 Global Institute Committee, and is also an alumnus of the Nahum Goldmann Fellowship (2011) and the PresenTense Global Institute (2010). Manny is a member of the ROI Community. In 2020, in honour of April Fool's Day, Manny was appointed President of the Rabbinical Council of Australia & New Zealand.
Manny is the recipient of the 2016 Blue Knot Day Award (Blue Knot Foundation) and the 2016 Public Witness Award (In Good Faith Foundation). In 2007, Manny received a plaque from Victoria Police for his contribution to the Inaugural Victoria Police Jewish Community Dinner, which is now an annual event.
Manny is the father of three boys and a Carlton supporter.
Follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
Manny founded VoiCSA (formerly Kol v'Oz) in 2016 to prevent child sexual abuse in Jewish communities globally. In 2011 Manny publicly disclosed his personal experiences of child sexual abuse within the Jewish community and subsequently undertook extensive work as a victim advocate. In 2012 he formally established Tzedek, an Australia-based support and advocacy group for Jewish victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, and was its inaugural President. Manny subsequently held the position of Tzedek CEO until the end of 2014 when he commenced work on establishing Kol v'Oz. Manny featured in the 2014 ABC documentary, Code of Silence (which won the Walkley Award), and the 2015 sequel Breaking the Silence, which covered his personal story of the abuse and its aftermath. In October 2016 Manny launched his memoir Who Gave you Permission? in Australia. In 2013, Manny's second abuser, David Cyprys, was sentenced to eight years for sexually abusing Manny and eight other boys. In 2017, Manny confronted his first abuser (click here for Hebrew), Velvel Serebryanski, in New York. In 2018, Manny reached a confidential financial settlement with Melbourne's Yeshivah Centre, and in 2020 he won a civil case against Cyprys.
Manny successfully advocated for a Royal Commission public hearing into Australian Jewish institutions that were involved in multiple cases of child sexual abuse, cover-ups as well as intimidation of victims and their families and supporters. This public hearing was a watershed moment for the Australian Jewish community and the impact has been felt globally, leading to ground-breaking and ongoing changes within Jewish communities worldwide. Manny also successfully lobbied for a UK Government Inquiry into the local Jewish community, and he has been designated as a core participant at the UK Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
Manny was born in Israel but raised mostly in Melbourne, Australia. He was born into a Chabad (ultra-Orthodox Jewish) family, and is the second oldest of 17 siblings. At the age of 18 Manny returned to Israel where he voluntarily served in the Israel Defense Forces. He subsequently returned to Australia and obtained a degree in International Relations from La Trobe University. During this time, he undertook a prestigious internship at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney. In 2006 Manny was appointed Executive Officer at the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission. In 2009 he was appointed to an Executive Level position within the Australian Government's Office of Transport Security.
Manny was Founder and President of the Capital Jewish Forum and a Founding Director of the Online Hate Prevention Institute. He is a past President of the Canberra Jewish Community, former Vice President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and former Governor of the New South Wales Jewish Communal Appeal Board of Governors. In 2009, Manny presented at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne and in 2011 he was Convenor of the Australian Association of Jewish Studies Conference. He was a member of the PresenTense 2012 Global Institute Committee, and is also an alumnus of the Nahum Goldmann Fellowship (2011) and the PresenTense Global Institute (2010). Manny is a member of the ROI Community. In 2020, in honour of April Fool's Day, Manny was appointed President of the Rabbinical Council of Australia & New Zealand.
Manny is the recipient of the 2016 Blue Knot Day Award (Blue Knot Foundation) and the 2016 Public Witness Award (In Good Faith Foundation). In 2007, Manny received a plaque from Victoria Police for his contribution to the Inaugural Victoria Police Jewish Community Dinner, which is now an annual event.
Manny is the father of three boys and a Carlton supporter.
Follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.