Jewish leaders accused of covering up sex abuse
The Australian
Pia Akerman
3 February 2015
THE royal commission into child sexual abuse has been urged to call for a criminal investigation into some of Melbourne’s most prominent Orthodox Jewish leaders, amid claims of cover-up and harassment aimed at enforcing a “code of silence”.
In its first hearing examining Jewish institutions, the royal commission yesterday heard leaders from the Yeshivah communities in Melbourne and Sydney would be challenged over what actions they had taken when allegations of abuse were made. Manny Waks, who was abused in the late 1980s by pedophile David Cyprys while Cyprys was working for the Yeshivah Centre in Melbourne, told the commission he had not received a direct apology from any Yeshivah leader since telling its senior rabbi, Yitzchok Dovid Groner, of his abuse in the early 2000s.
“Had Yeshivah Centre been forthright, honest, apologetic, showing contrition and that they ... work with victims and support them, there’s no way I could possibly have been so antagonistic towards them,” Mr Waks said. “But all I have seen from Yeshivah for the last few decades has been initially (to) ignore the abuse, then cover it up, and then be involved in intimidation and harassment.”
Mr Waks said he hoped the hearings would prompt resignations among Yeshivah’s leadership and said criminal liability should be considered for people in positions of authority who had knowingly turned a blind eye or helped a perpetrator flee.
“The fact that not a single person from the Yeshivah leadership has ever been held to account in any way, shape or form is astounding,” he said.
He urged the royal commission to ask police to consider a criminal investigation into the Yeshivah Centre to examine whether leaders had broken any laws. Cyprys worked as a martial arts instructor, security guard and locksmith at the Yeshivah Centre until 2011, the year he was arrested. He is currently serving an eight-year sentence for rape and indecent assault.
Another of his victims, known by the pseudonym AVA, testified about the effects of being abused over a three-year period from the time he was 14 years old, often at the Yeshivah Centre’s mikveh (religious bath).
His mother rang Groner, who was the senior rabbi and director of the Yeshivah Centre from 1958 until his death in 2008, when she first learnt of the abuse in 1986.
“Oh no, I thought we cured him,” Groner said, according to an affidavit from the mother. “Don’t worry about it. I will take care of it. It will be fine.”
AVA told the commission Groner had called him into his office after that phone call and said he would “look after” the situation. “There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the Yeshivah Centre and some of the rabbis were aware of David’s penchant for young boys,” AVA said. “The Yeshivah Centre and Yeshivah College knew that David was molesting me and it went on for two years.”
The hearing is due to run in Melbourne for the next two weeks, with nine rabbis expected to give evidence.
Originally published at The Australian.
In its first hearing examining Jewish institutions, the royal commission yesterday heard leaders from the Yeshivah communities in Melbourne and Sydney would be challenged over what actions they had taken when allegations of abuse were made. Manny Waks, who was abused in the late 1980s by pedophile David Cyprys while Cyprys was working for the Yeshivah Centre in Melbourne, told the commission he had not received a direct apology from any Yeshivah leader since telling its senior rabbi, Yitzchok Dovid Groner, of his abuse in the early 2000s.
“Had Yeshivah Centre been forthright, honest, apologetic, showing contrition and that they ... work with victims and support them, there’s no way I could possibly have been so antagonistic towards them,” Mr Waks said. “But all I have seen from Yeshivah for the last few decades has been initially (to) ignore the abuse, then cover it up, and then be involved in intimidation and harassment.”
Mr Waks said he hoped the hearings would prompt resignations among Yeshivah’s leadership and said criminal liability should be considered for people in positions of authority who had knowingly turned a blind eye or helped a perpetrator flee.
“The fact that not a single person from the Yeshivah leadership has ever been held to account in any way, shape or form is astounding,” he said.
He urged the royal commission to ask police to consider a criminal investigation into the Yeshivah Centre to examine whether leaders had broken any laws. Cyprys worked as a martial arts instructor, security guard and locksmith at the Yeshivah Centre until 2011, the year he was arrested. He is currently serving an eight-year sentence for rape and indecent assault.
Another of his victims, known by the pseudonym AVA, testified about the effects of being abused over a three-year period from the time he was 14 years old, often at the Yeshivah Centre’s mikveh (religious bath).
His mother rang Groner, who was the senior rabbi and director of the Yeshivah Centre from 1958 until his death in 2008, when she first learnt of the abuse in 1986.
“Oh no, I thought we cured him,” Groner said, according to an affidavit from the mother. “Don’t worry about it. I will take care of it. It will be fine.”
AVA told the commission Groner had called him into his office after that phone call and said he would “look after” the situation. “There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the Yeshivah Centre and some of the rabbis were aware of David’s penchant for young boys,” AVA said. “The Yeshivah Centre and Yeshivah College knew that David was molesting me and it went on for two years.”
The hearing is due to run in Melbourne for the next two weeks, with nine rabbis expected to give evidence.
Originally published at The Australian.