Statement from Chabad Malvern
13 February 2015
To our dear community,
We have watched and welcomed the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse over the past weeks.
It has given victims a platform to be heard and understood. Hearing their testimonies has been painful, heartbreaking and overwhelming for us, as it has been for the whole community. However the victims' words have been necessary and have given us all a window into the pain and suffering of\1ctims of child sexual abuse.
Unfortunate and inexcusable mistakes have been made in the past and we hope and pray that the Commission's findings result in recommendations that will strengthen appropriate institutional responses to child abuse and management of child protection.
During the hearings, many comments and statements have been made that are the antithesis of what we believe are the Torah values, ethics and morals which guide our community. Some of these comments unfortunately have misrepresented us as Rabbis and Rebbetzins. We follow the Halachic obligation to report any allegations of child abuse to the police and relevant authorities in accordance with Australian law. We stand by the victims and pledge to listen and provide support to anyone who turns to us.
We at Chabad Malvern have always prioritised child protection at all of our activities. Our creche, after school programs and camps all have child protection policies in place, policies to which our staff are strongly committed. We have all undertaken training in child protection and are totally committed to ongoing training.
As always, we welcome you all to speak to us with any concerns or questions you may have in relation to the above.
We hope and pray for personal and communal healing and wish all of you Shabbat Shalom.
Shimshon & Rivkah Yurkowicz
Reuvi & Menucha Cooper
Velly & Chanchkie Slavin
We have watched and welcomed the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse over the past weeks.
It has given victims a platform to be heard and understood. Hearing their testimonies has been painful, heartbreaking and overwhelming for us, as it has been for the whole community. However the victims' words have been necessary and have given us all a window into the pain and suffering of\1ctims of child sexual abuse.
Unfortunate and inexcusable mistakes have been made in the past and we hope and pray that the Commission's findings result in recommendations that will strengthen appropriate institutional responses to child abuse and management of child protection.
During the hearings, many comments and statements have been made that are the antithesis of what we believe are the Torah values, ethics and morals which guide our community. Some of these comments unfortunately have misrepresented us as Rabbis and Rebbetzins. We follow the Halachic obligation to report any allegations of child abuse to the police and relevant authorities in accordance with Australian law. We stand by the victims and pledge to listen and provide support to anyone who turns to us.
We at Chabad Malvern have always prioritised child protection at all of our activities. Our creche, after school programs and camps all have child protection policies in place, policies to which our staff are strongly committed. We have all undertaken training in child protection and are totally committed to ongoing training.
As always, we welcome you all to speak to us with any concerns or questions you may have in relation to the above.
We hope and pray for personal and communal healing and wish all of you Shabbat Shalom.
Shimshon & Rivkah Yurkowicz
Reuvi & Menucha Cooper
Velly & Chanchkie Slavin