Finally, Israel Safe Haven No More – Malka Leifer Extradited to Australia

Adass letter to community

Israel Extradites Teacher Accused of Abuse in Australia, Reports Say

Malka Leifer, who fled to Israel, faces 74 counts of sexual abuse related to her tenure as a principal at a Jewish girls’ school in Melbourne.

JERUSALEM — An Israeli woman accused of sexually abusing students at an Australian school where she was the principal has been extradited from Israel, according to reports in the Israeli news media, concluding a seven-year deportation process that had tested relations between the two countries.

Malka Leifer, 54, is accused of 74 counts of rape and sexual abuse that investigators say took place between 2004 and 2008, when she was the principal of a Jewish girls’ school in Melbourne.

Australian officials formally sought her extradition in 2014, but the process was repeatedly delayed after Ms. Leifer’s legal team at the time argued that she was mentally unfit to stand trial.

Photographs published Monday on an Israeli news website, Ynet, showed Ms. Leifer being escorted aboard a plane in Tel Aviv on Sunday night.

Ms. Leifer’s lawyer, Nick Kaufman, said he had not received official confirmation that she had been deported but had been told she would be sent to Australia this week.

Officials at the Israeli foreign and justice ministries, state attorney’s office, police force and prison service declined to comment, as did the Australian attorney-general’s office.

Ms. Leifer, an Israeli citizen, moved in 2001 to Australia, where she later became the principal of Adass Israel, a school for ultra-Orthodox Jewish girls, and then fled to Israel in 2008 after details of the assault allegations emerged.

The sluggish pace of the deportation process drew occasional criticism from Australian lawmakers. The case also embroiled an ultra-Orthodox Israeli government minister from the same sect as Ms. Leifer, Yaakov Litzman, after the Israeli police accused him of pressuring psychiatrists to report that Ms. Leifer was not well enough to be tried.

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Jewish Pedophiles Finding Refuge in Israel [VIDEO]

Abuse Victim Manny Waks – AUS $800K in Damages from David Cyprys

Abuse victim Manny Waks wins $800,000 in damages from paedophile David Cyprys

Waks, now an advocate for Jewish abuse victims, was one of a number of children Cyprys abused at Melbourne’s Chabad Yeshivah centre

 

The Manny Waks Newsletter, December 2019

Dear Readers:

We are subscribers to the newsletter published online by Manny Waks on his blog. We encourage you to subscribe as well. Interested readers should click here.

We are reposting this without obtaining his permission to do so and if asked, it will be taken down. We have chosen this particular printing of the newsletter to repost because we have covered so many of the stories independently.

We are admirers of Manny Waks’ work on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse and wholeheartedly support his efforts to prevent sexual abuse in the Global Jewish Community. We sincerely hope that one day his newsletter will be deemed unnecessary, obsolete and be relegated to the annals of history.

Until that happens, we remain steadfast in our efforts and our admiration.

LM

 

E-newsletter December 2019                                                                         View this email in your browser

Established in 2016, Kol v’Oz (meaning voice & courage/strength in Hebrew) – which combats child sexual abuse in the global Jewish community through advocacy, education & awareness  – is in a transitional period. We’re growing, and are taking this opportunity to review and strategise. As we’re a global organisation, one of the things we’re doing is changing the name to English. So, we’re reaching out to see if anyone has any creative and appropriate ideas – we’re looking for something short, appealing and memorable! Feel free to provide me with any feedback you might have – regarding a possible name or anything else of relevance. Thanks in advance, and I look forward to sharing with you the new name, logo, website and other changes in due course! For now, let me welcome our newly-appointed Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer, Ms Noga Shelleg. I look forward to what lies ahead! As always, below are items of interest – most importantly, details of the next Malka Leifer hearing (and the new live-blogging platform from court), as well as our new partnership with The Jewish Agency. Warmest, Manny

Jewish Agency and Kol v’Oz partner to protect children “We know of 60 convicted and credibly accused perpetrators of child sexual abuse who have made aliyah,” says Manny. By HANNAH WACHOLDER KATSMAN DECEMBER 4, 2019 “The concern is that Israel is viewed by many as an ‘ir miklat,’” according to Manny Waks, CEO of the international child protection organization Kol v’Oz. He is referring to the cities of refuge described in the book of Deuteronomy for those whose actions led to an accidental death, therefore protecting them from retaliation by the victim’s family. The case of Malka Leifer, whose ultra-Orthodox school helped her escape with her family to Israel, has sparked outrage in Israel and abroad because of the justice system’s failure to extradite her to Australia to stand trial for abusing three teenage sisters. Although Leifer was born in Israel, her case has called attention to immigrants who made aliyah in the wake of sexual abuse allegations. Keep reading Israeli Court OKs Evaluation of Australia Sex Crimes Suspect By The Associated Press Dec. 3, 2019 JERUSALEM — Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a former educator accused of sexually abusing students in Australia, paving the way for a new psychiatric evaluation to determine her fitness to stand trial for extradition. Australia wants Malka Leifer extradited to face 74 charges of abusing students while she was principal at a Jewish religious school in Melbourne. Prosecutors say she is feigning mental illness to dodge extradition. Keep reading Donate now The next Malka Leifer court hearing (#62!) details are as follows: Venue: Jerusalem District Court Presiding judge: Judge Chana Lomp Date: Tuesday 10 December (tomorrow) Time: 9am (Jerusalem), 6pm (Melbourne), 2am (New York) It’s expected to be a decisive hearing. The court will advise of the new psychiatric panel’s decision regarding Leifer’s fitness to face justice – whether she will finally face the ever-elusive extradition trial (she is wanted by Australia on 74 charges of rape and sexual assault against the three courageous sisters, Nicole, Dassi and Elly). Once a decision is made, it’s expected that both the Prosecution and Defense will have the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, etc. We are not sure of precisely what to expect and when – after 61 court hearings, we expect the unexpected! Please note that I will be live-blogging from inside the court-room on The Australian Jewish News website (their Home page will have a direct link to the blog before the start of proceedings). Hoping for some semblance of justice to finally prevail! HEBREW: This is one of the most disturbing stories of pedophilia in Israel. There is consensus that many children have been sexually abused in a religious neighbourhood in Jerusalem (Nachlaot). The rest of it is full of controversies and conspiracies. Tragic, in more ways than one. Hopefully this in-depth investigative journalism will lead somewhere – to justice, prevention and a better understanding of the issues. Watch story Articles of interest Shock at Yeshivah – The Australian Jewish News FBI arrests doctor who had sex with 14-year-old boy Sexual abuse survivor shares healing message at Orthodox synagogue in Delray Rabbi Greer headed to prison – New Haven Independent Utah nanny convicted of all counts in childhood abuse of rabbi Brooklyn man accuses Hasidic rabbis of child sex abuse in Hebrew ‘hell’ Paedophile synagogue security guard downloaded ‘more than 1,000 indecent child images’ UJA-Federation named in new suit filed under Child Victims Act

One Step Forward, Ten Steps Back… Australia, The Royal Commission and YCL

Shock at Yeshivah

Waks: ‘Goldhirsch is now effectively back in charge of the safety and wellbeing of children, which is a disgrace and yet another slap in the face to victims/survivors’.

THE appointment of former Yeshivah Committee of Management (COM) member Michael Goldhirsch to the Yeshivah Centre Limited (YCL) board has been met with shock by sections of the community.

Chabad Institutions of Victoria Limited (CIVL) announced this week that Goldhirsch is a new member of its board, and that it has nominated him as one of three representatives on the YCL board, which is the roof board of CIVL and Yeshivah and Beth Rivkah Colleges.

Goldhirsch was a member of the COM until soon after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2015.

During the time he was on the COM, children were sexually abused within the organisation and victims were re-victimised when they came forward.

Child sexual abuse victim Manny Waks said he was shocked by the announcement.

“Goldhirsch himself has never privately apologised [to me],” Waks said.

“We had hoped that a ‘new’ Yeshivah leadership would heed the message from the Royal Commission and internally hold to account those who disgraced their institution so badly and caused untold damage to many individuals and to the broader Jewish community.

“Astonishingly, Goldhirsch is now effectively back in charge of the safety and wellbeing of children, which is a disgrace and yet another slap in the face to victims/survivors and our families.”

Goldhirsch was part of the COM that was heavily criticised by Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission Maria Gerace, who stated that the COM hesitated when asked to support victims.

“Evidence shows that the Committee of Management sought advice from Robert Richter QC about the potential criminal liability of Rabbi Glick or others in respect of the (now convicted child sexual abuser) David Cyprys allegations and whether or not the COM should contact victims before writing to the community at large to publicly support victims and their families,” she said.

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Delays, Delays, Delays… Malka Leifer, Judge Lomp Do you Think Her Victims Get to Delay Their Nightmares?

Court orders new psych report for accused child sex abuser Malka Leifer

Jerusalem The Jerusalem District Court has ruled that a new psychiatric report is needed to assess if former Melbourne school principal Malka Leifer is fit to face an extradition trial over child sex abuse allegations.

Judge Chana Miriam Lomp on Monday presented a distant deadline of December 10 for the new assessment to be filed by three psychiatrists, in order for the court to decide if Leifer is truly mentally unfit, or faking her illness.Now at hearing 57, the case to try and bring the former principal of the Ultra- Orthodox Adass Israel school in Elsternwick in Melbourne’s south-east back to Australia to face 74 charges of rape and child sex abuse has met countless delays.

Judge Lomp in court said the evidence she had seen hadn’t reached a significant benchmark to automatically state that Leifer had been feigning her illness and therefore was fit enough to face justice.

Manny Waks, chief executive officer of the child sex abuse prevention group Kol v’Oz, said after the hearing that the decision was the “worst-case scenario”.

“It leaves the entire case in limbo and it’s just prolonging the pain and suffering to Leifer’s alleged victims,” Waks said.

Dassi Erlich, one of the survivors of Leifer’s alleged abuse who has been fighting to bring Leifer back to Australia for eight years, said the ruling left her feeling defeated.

In five years of court hearings, 30 psychiatrists have already been involved in determining if Leifer is fit to face extradition trial.

“How is this not enough? How many more psychiatrists need to weigh in? How much more emotional pain?,” Erlich said after the hearing.

“We are defeated but we will not give up.”Erlich and her two sisters intended to travel to Israel from Melbourne for the court hearing but cancelled their plans due to the continual and exhausting delays in the justice system.”We’ve decided to push off our trip to Israel and reserve our energy until there is more certainty regarding next steps in this long process,” Erlich announced earlier in the month.

Allegations of child sex abuse were first raised against Leifer in 2008.

The continual delays in court and the findings that Israel’s Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman acted to have medical assessments altered in Leifer’s favour has raised question marks around Israel’s judiciary.

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Kol V’Oz – Preventing Child Sexual Abuse in the Global Jewish Community

Special Thanks to the Contributor of this Newsletter

 

Dear Lost Messiah, I’m delighted to announce that Kol v’Oz has been granted Core Participant status in the forthcoming investigation into the UK Jewish community by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). This means that Kol v’Oz and I will be an active part of the Inquiry and will be able to testify, ask questions of witnesses, make submissions, among other benefits. A public hearing will be held in March 2020. Those of you who followed the monumental Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse would be aware of the significant positive impact this continues to have both in the broader Australian society and more specifically in the Jewish community. We hope and expect this to also be the case in the UK. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who has been sexually abused within a Jewish institution in the UK to contact IICSA to share your story. Please feel free to contact me as well (or alternatively, if contacting IICSA is an issue). Please also contact me if you have any information regarding cover-ups and/or intimidation within any UK Jewish institution. Our colleagues at Migdal Emunah have also received Core Participant status – please feel free to contact them as well. We will continue to work together with Migdal Emunah to ensure the Inquiry is well-equipped to investigate the Jewish community properly and to ultimately make appropriate recommendations to ensure justice is achieved for victims/survivors of child sexual abuse and to ensure the safety of our children today and into the future. Please share the above information with anyone you think may be interested. Obviously there are costs to participate in the Inquiry – and for our work more broadly – so if you’re in a position to support us financially, please do so by clicking here. There are tax deductible options available in the US and in Israel. We’re currently working on an Australian option as well. Thank you in advance! As always, I’ve shared below a range of relevant material. On this Tisha b’Av, I’d like to share a Kinah from a survivor of child sexual abuse. Warmest, Manny Waks Chief Executive Officer Debbie Wiener is the former Chair of the now-defunct The Jewish Taskforce Against Family Violence. This organisation has caused damage to many in the Jewish community. It has recently come to my attention that Debbie is on the board of a new Jewish organisation that deals with another vulnerable group of people. I feel compelled to protect this group by sharing publicly relevant information. Israel Police has recommended to charge Deputy Health Minister, Rabbi Yaakov Litzman, in the Malka Leifer case. Click: i24, Ynet, The Jerusalem Post, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Jewish Chronicle, J-Wire, The Australian Jewish News In response to the latest sexual scandal involving Chabad, I wrote an oped titled Chabad – a law unto itself. Subsequently, there was a further allegation in the same case, which ultimately prompted the Chabad rabbi to resign from his Rabbinic post (but not as director). Support our work Some quotes from a 2008 article, soon after Adass purchased plane tickets for Malka Leifer to evade justice immediately after allegations of child sexual abuse were made against her: [Adass spokesperson Norman] Rosenbaum said it was “categorically just not true” that the school purchased Leifer’s ticket to Israel after she resigned amid still unconfirmed rumours that she behaved inappropriately toward students. He denied the school had tried to cover up allegations, and said “the school has not yet received any complaints”. And a quote from a 2017 article: The group then told Leifer she would be stood down as the head of the Adass school. But then, in a fateful decision, it was agreed that rather than report Leifer to the police, the principal should be spirited out of the country. Rosenbaum was reportedly a part of the decision-making group. All those at Adass who were involved in the cover-up in any way must be held to full account – for justice and to ensure the safety of children today. The one-year look-back window for New York victims and survivors to sue their abusers or the institutions where the abuse took place commences on 14 August 2019. This was part of the New York Child Victims’ Act, which recently came into effect. We are proud to have been part of a broad coalition, over many years, who successfully lobbied for the archaic laws to change – in spite of fierce opposition from the Catholic Church, the ultra-Orthodox community and others. We encourage everyone who feels they can pursue some semblance of justice to do so. Please ensure to obtain proper legal advice. Click here for additional information.

More hypocrisy from David Werdiger… Werdiger’s ‘thought of the week’ to members of JBD – Jews of the (Melbourne) CBD tells readers of Hasidic teachings about the power of words which can be used to ‘hurt and to deceive’. Werdiger is especially concerned about ’choos(ing) our words even more carefully’ when it comes to social media. Yet an independent IT report has found that Werdiger, through Objectivewear Pty Ltd, a Company of which he was a Director and Shareholder, was behind the infamous anonymous blog site ‘The Fifth Chelek’ which was highlighted at the Australian Royal Commission for its anonymous attacks against victims of child sexual abuse, their families and supporters. This blog played a key role in the demonisation of victims/survivors and creating the culture that inspired it. To date, Werdiger has failed to accept responsibility for his involvement with this blog. Nevertheless, he has continued to preach on the Jewish perspective of using words carefully, decried the fact that because of social media ‘things people have written years or decades ago (privately or publicly) are hauled out to haunt them’ and the closest he has come to an apology is ‘acknowledging that there are things that I have said or done in the past that I would not say or do now’. He has also sought to play a leadership role in reshaping the Constitution of the Yeshivah Centre, notwithstanding his role in the events which led to the Royal Commission and the restructuring of the Yeshivah Centre. And to be clear, this was not Werdiger’s only infraction. It’s important for victims/survivors to hold to account those who have wronged them, especially when they continue to preach shamelessly. It’s important to us for the public to know that Werdiger, among others, is a hypocrite.