Manny Waks, who last year revealed he had been abused by two perpetrators as a child at the ultra-orthodox Yeshiva College in Melbourne, accused the Executive Council of Australian Jewry of doing "everything it can to downplay this scandal".
Appearing before a Victorian parliamentary inquiry, Mr Waks detailed fresh claims of abuse that had emerged in the ultra-orthodox community since he went public with his allegations.
The cases include the suicide of a former Yeshiva student potentially linked to abuse he endured at school; allegations against a man connected to Sydney's Yeshiva community now in Israel getting psychiatric treatment; an ultra-orthodox family forced to leave Melbourne under pressure from rabbis after going to police; and cover-ups in Perth's ultra-orthodox community. "There are still people out there who are committing these crimes," Mr Waks said.
"We have got no way of stopping them because of this culture, this climate of fear."
Mr Waks, a former vice-president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, was particularly critical of the stance taken by the current leadership. While the council had issued press releases and made a submission about the terms of reference of the federal royal commission into child sex abuse, "it is quite clear they do not regard this as a pressing issue," he said.
Council president Danny Lamm said while allegations of abuse at Yeshiva College were being dealt with by the courts and other allegations had been made in connection with at least two other organisations, there was no evidence of endemic abuse within the community.
"If the allegations are proved, then it would be fair to say that there have been instances of abuse and cover-up in those specific organisations, but it would be more than a stretch to allege that this is endemic across the entire Jewish community," Dr Lamm said. "There is simply no evidence to support such a blanket generalisation."
Mr Waks has teamed with labour lawyer John Bornstein to establish Tzedek, an advocacy group for child sex abuse victims within the Jewish community. Mr Waks said the progress of the organisation, which presently represents 16 victims of abuse, was being followed by ultra-orthodox communities overseas, particularly the US.
Manny Waks, who last year revealed he had been abused by two perpetrators as a child at the ultra-orthodox Yeshiva College in Melbourne, accused the Executive Council of Australian Jewry of doing "everything it can to downplay this scandal".
Appearing before a Victorian parliamentary inquiry, Mr Waks detailed fresh claims of abuse that had emerged in the ultra-orthodox community since he went public with his allegations.
The cases include the suicide of a former Yeshiva student potentially linked to abuse he endured at school; allegations against a man connected to Sydney's Yeshiva community now in Israel getting psychiatric treatment; an ultra-orthodox family forced to leave Melbourne under pressure from rabbis after going to police; and cover-ups in Perth's ultra-orthodox community. "There are still people out there who are committing these crimes," Mr Waks said.
"We have got no way of stopping them because of this culture, this climate of fear."
Mr Waks, a former vice-president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, was particularly critical of the stance taken by the current leadership. While the council had issued press releases and made a submission about the terms of reference of the federal royal commission into child sex abuse, "it is quite clear they do not regard this as a pressing issue," he said.
Council president Danny Lamm said while allegations of abuse at Yeshiva College were being dealt with by the courts and other allegations had been made in connection with at least two other organisations, there was no evidence of endemic abuse within the community.
"If the allegations are proved, then it would be fair to say that there have been instances of abuse and cover-up in those specific organisations, but it would be more than a stretch to allege that this is endemic across the entire Jewish community," Dr Lamm said. "There is simply no evidence to support such a blanket generalisation."
Mr Waks has teamed with labour lawyer John Bornstein to establish Tzedek, an advocacy group for child sex abuse victims within the Jewish community. Mr Waks said the progress of the organisation, which presently represents 16 victims of abuse, was being followed by ultra-orthodox communities overseas, particularly the US.
News for council downplaying yeshivah abuse scandal
The Age- Council 'downplaying Yeshiva abuse scandal'
The Australian - 8 hours agoA VICTIM of child sex abuse who blew the whistle on a culture of cover-up among ultra-orthodox Jews says new allegations are emerging ...
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