Profiting from the Horrors of Sexual Abuse – Nechama Bendet and Josef Feldman

 

Taking from the Yosef Feldman Playbook

Diminishing all of the Lies that were Swept Under the Chabad-Lubavitch Carpet

An Editorial: Lost Messiah, 22 August 2016

While Yosef Feldman has chosen to file suit against numerous institutions, with the “help of a benefactor,” “philanthropist” or whatever word Feldman chose, Nechama Bendet has chosen to toss her hat in the ring for a little financial compensation from one person, Bruce J. Cooke.  

At issue? Did Bendet discourage reporting of abuse to authorities? Did she call those who reported abuse “Moser”for reporting abuse? In other words, did she use seemingly Halachic arguments and commands to silence the abused and their families?

Our opinion, absolutely. That was the culture of her institution at the time. It was a culture of sweeping abuse under the rug. She was and is certainly no revolutionary. She is not the mother who cries for all of the children whose lives have been forever altered. Were she to be that mother, there would be no lawsuit. 

In reality, Ms. Bendet, why does it even matter? Why do the words of Mr. Cooke on his Facebook page even have any real relevance in your life? You were not nor have you been outcast? You still hold the same position in the higher echelons of the Chabad institution. Where have you been harmed?

From our perspective, you were doing what everyone else was doing; silencing victims.

Bendet claimed during her Royal Commission interview that there had never been discussions of payment to be made to victims (presumably to silence them). Letters dated before her testimony indicated that there were such discussions. Money was offered to some of the victims and their families.

Bendet claimed to the Royal Commission that the meetings that were taking place were taking place at her institution were “general meetings.” Documents from the time indicate that the meeting were specifically intended to be discussions regarding abuse and how to deal with it. She cannot honestly claim that she did not know the abuse was happening? 

Do claims like Bendet’s libel claim and Felman’s libel/defamation claims really do anything but aggrandize those Plaintiffs while diminishing the very victims of all of this, the abused?

Should these people even be permitted to raise these claims when they were in seemingly public positions within their institutions while children around them were being virtually destroyed?

Should they not have been held to a higher standard simply by virtue of their position within the community?

Would it not be appropriate for victims to be coming forward to hold these people accountable for their collective sins?

Feldman, by his very words on these posts has proven himself to be a despicable human being. His own words, typed on the pages of this blog speak louder than anything we could have written, any pictures we could have painted and any arguments made against him. In our view Feldman incriminated himself and proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he is was an will always be utterly and completely lacking a moral compass.

Bendet, by filing suit against Cooke for his scathing commentary on Facebook has, in her own dehumanizing and crippling way, further shredded the lives of children who could have been saved had action been taken by her and others at her institution sooner. She has not spoken on these pages and we would be willing to bet she is far the smarter and more conniving one than Feldman. She will likely say nothing. 

We would not put it past Feldman to add more fuel to the fire and comment further though, of course, not answer any of our questions to him.

Were either Feldman or Bendet interested in anything but themselves, from moment one until today, more would have been done to help the victims. These people would have been revolutionaries. The very lawsuits in which they are now engaged prove that both of these people, in our view, are simply opportunists.

TO THE VICTIMS OF ABUSE…. WE HOPE THAT WE CAN STOP THE DIRT FROM BEING SWEPT UNDER THE CARPET…

 

FURTHER READING:

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2015/s4178116.htm

February 11, 2015

The former general manager of Yeshivah College, Nechama Bendet, told the commission today it was a mistake that Yeshivah College had never apologised directly to Manny Waks.

His lawyer Melinda Richards cross examined her.

MELINDA RICHARDS: Do you acknowledge, Mrs Bendet, that Manny Waks did nothing wrong by going to the police…

NECHAMA BENDET: Absolutely.

MELINDA RICHARDS: …in 1996…

NECHAMA BENDET: Absolutely.

MELINDA RICHARDS: And again in 2011?

NECHAMA BENDET: Absolutely.

MELINDA RICHARDS: Do you acknowledge that he has done nothing wrong by speaking publicly about his abuse?

NECHAMA BENDET: Yes.

MELINDA RICHARDS: And you would agree that he has in fact done a great deal of good by speaking publically about his abuse?

NECHAMA BENDET: Yes.

MELINDA RICHARDS: Do you agree that his parents have done nothing wrong by supporting him in going to the police and speaking publically?

NECHAMA BENDET: Yes.

MELINDA RICHARDS: And his broader family have done nothing wrong and are not to be blamed by association?

NECHAMA BENDET: Yes.

MELINDA RICHARDS: Do you condemn ongoing harassment and intimidation of Mr Waks and his family?

NECHAMA BENDET: Yes.

http://www.mannywaks.com/blog/more-turmoil-at-melbournes-yeshivah-centre-part-2-new-public-statements

http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2016/02/chabads-international-leadership-tells-local-chabad-leaders-in-melbourne-that-democracy-and-true-power-sharing-forbidden-234.html

Mark S said…

And now they’re saying that when they said

“[I]t must be recognized that there cannot be any change in the overarching authority under which these institutions were established….. Lubavitch institutions are put in place and entrusted to ensure this hierarchical structure and they have neither the right nor the power to do otherwise. Unfortunately, the documents from the Governance Review Panel do not reflect this reality at all.”

And

“[A]ll Lubavitch institutions are, by necessity, under the Halachic purview of a Lubavitch Rabbinical body…”

What they really meant was:

“It was not our intent to interfere with the important restructuring process that you are engaged in. The Yeshivah Centre carries its own management responsibilities, and, as such, has the authority to determine what is necessary and what is best for the institution.”

And

“The purpose of our letter was to offer Merkos’ guidance in guaranteeing that the spiritual standards of Chabad-Lubavitch are maintained and safeguarded.”

So, basically, we’re here if you need us. Big backpedal. From http://www.mannywaks.com/blog thanks H.

Related Posts:

Chabad’s Top Australian Rabbi Tells Child Sex Abuse Victim He Was Wrong To Call Police Without Getting Permission From Rabbis.

How Serious Is Chabad’s Claim To Want To Help Its Victims Of Child Sex Abuse? Not Very, Emails Reveal.

Chabad Promised Help To Child Sex Abuse Victims But Then Failed To Help Victim In Time Of Intense Crisis, Emails Show.

An Open Letter To Chabad’s Yeshivah Centre Board And Committee Of Management From 11 Survivors Of Child Sex Abuse Calls For All Leaders To Resign Immediately.

All Australian Royal Commission Investigating Child Sex Abuse At Chabad Institutions Posts.

All Samuel David Cyprys Posts.

All Rabbi David Kramer Posts.

All Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Telsner Posts.

All Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant Posts.

All Rabbi Yosef “Yossi” Feldman Posts.

All Rabbi Pinchus Feldman Posts.

All Rabbi Moshe Gutnick Posts.

All Rabbi Boruch Lesches Posts.

All Daniel “Gug” Hayman Posts.