THE HERALD SUN:
Jewish college director sues over sex abuse claims on Facebook
A SENIOR administrator of Yeshivah College is suing for libel, claiming she had been accused of pressuring child sex abuse victims not to pursue their complaints with police.
The orthodox Jewish school’s former general manager, Nechama Bendet, has lodged a writ in the Supreme Court seeking damages over five Facebook posts by Bruce James Cooke, whom she describes as a “vocal member of the Jewish community”.
Now the school’s director of development, she claims Mr Cooke suggested she had sought to ostracise two victims by calling them “mosers” for going to police and had thereby tried to pressure them not to pursue their complaints.
“Moser” is an offensive Hebrew term for one who breaks a code banning Jews from informing on one another to secular authorities.
This year, Ms Bendet told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse that the college had never discussed investigating claims of a cover-up after a former Yeshivah guard, David Cyprys, was accused of child sex crimes.
In 2011, it approached Robert Richter, QC, who advised it on public relations and dealing with victims, she said.
In her statement of claim, she says Mr Cooke’s posts suggested that she knew of abuse but did not report it to police; that she had shown complete disregard for victims by asserting the school had no legal obligation to report their abuse; that she condoned not reporting child sex abuse and rape to police unless there was a legal requirement to do so; and that there were reasonable grounds for police to investigate whether she had engaged in criminal conduct in relation to abuse.
Ms Bendet claims he also suggested she bullied and intimidated teachers and staff at Yeshivah and at Beth Rivkah Ladies College; that she abused her position by terminating a security contract for personal reasons; and that by her behaviour she was destroying the Yeshivah Centre and must be immediately removed.
She claims the posts were published without an honest belief in their truth or with reckless indifference, that her feelings, credit and personal and business reputation had been gravely injured, and that she had been humiliated and embarrassed.
Ms Bendet is also seeking a permanent injunction restraining Mr Cook from making such publications.
Mr Cooke’s lawyer, Chris Stakis, said his client would defend the case because he believed the publications were part of a legitimate debate on matters of importance.
LOSTMESSIAH 
I almost hope it gets to court, because what the defence brings out will no doubt be very interesting, & the reporting in the media of the case will almost certainly cause “her feelings, credit and personal and business reputation” to be even more “gravely injured”, as well as her being additionally “humiliated and embarrassed”.
The last time I was in contact with her was at the time of the Royal Commission, after she “apologised” to my son Manny. When I asked her about an apology for me, she said she would think about it. I guess it’s only been a year & a half, & she’s probably a very deep thinker…
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Zephaniah Waks,
” what the defence brings out will no doubt be very interesting”
It appears plenty of information in support of Mr. Cook is already publicly available.
And she sues because Mr Cook feels that there were reasonable grounds for police to investigate whether she had engaged in criminal conduct in relation to abuse? If she’s free of guilt, then she should welcome an investigation.
What did she, as a high ranking official of Yeshiva Centre, apologize for on day 7 of the Royal Commission?
According to Manny:
“one of the most senior officials at the Yeshivah Centre apologise profusely for everything – not just for the sexual abuse, not just for the cover ups – but for the way the Yeshivah Centre has treated me over the past few years.”
Her case will deteriorate as more details emerge. Yosef Feldman has only soiled his own name with his litigation, and she will likely do the same.
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Please tell me what I’m missing here. , I am unbiased.
Last I heard, Australia is a free country. This lady claims she was unfairly maligned terribly numerous times on a widely publicized media outlet.
She is doing something well within her legal rights.
She is suing him
I assume both sides have proof to their versions or sides. And it will all come out in court.
As it should.
If he made untrue, libelous accusations that damaged her character then he should be made to suffer the consequences. If not, she will
Why in the world is this a “disgrace”
Why are you not merely reporting the news again, rather acting as judge and jury?
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Because she has an outrageous chutzpah. Bendet was right in the middle of it all. She is a living disgrace as a Human Being. She calls herself religious but her only God is money
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@Howard, yes… it is a free country. That has always and continues to be an argument. The issue here, however, as we see it (yes. as judge and jury) is the children. By claiming defamation/libel or whatever other bs term she chooses, it is simply another road to take to silence the children and their families. Bruce Cooke and others like him become the heads held up on poles – this is what happens when you talk about the abuse. This is what happens if you say the wrong thing. It is our hope that Cooke destroys her in court. It is our similar hope that the entities that Felman has chose to try and fry will similarly destroy him and his reputation. Both did a tremendous disservice to the children who are the ultimate victims in all of this. We report the new, this is after all also a blog and we do reserve the right to give people something to think about. And we hope to have done so here. It is unfortunate that you cannot see past the “legal rights” of these people for the realities: that they are hoping to profit off the backs of abused children and their shamed families. That is the tragedy.
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