Apologetic Yeshivah is reborn
The new Yeshivah Centre has been officially reborn more than 18 months after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
THE new Yeshivah Centre has been officially reborn more than 18 months after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) accepted the new structure of the Yeshivah Centre last week, and as a result membership is now open for two new organisations, Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah (YBR) Schools Limited and Chabad Institutions of Victoria Limited (CIVL).
Every YBR parent is entitled to become a member and nominate for the first board.
Members of Yeshivah Shule, Kollel Minyan, Young Yeshivah, Daminyan and all Chabad adherent community members can nominate for the CIVL board.
The significant step, which will see parents elect a majority of YBR board members for the first time, also triggers the immediate resignation of the Yeshivah Centre trustees.
The news comes the same week that the Yeshivah Centre revealed that nine out of 10 people who applied had received payments from the Yeshivah Centre Redress Scheme.
“One applicant was deemed ineligible in accordance with the scheme policy, however a separate arrangement was facilitated outside the scheme,” Yeshivah said in an email last week, adding, “Ongoing counselling and psychological support has been provided to five applicants.”
The email also said that three applicants requested and have received verbal or written apologies from the Yeshivah Centre.
One of those apologies was to Manny Waks, who was the first person to publicly disclose that he was sexually abused at the Yeshivah Centre.
“The Yeshivah Centre deeply regrets its failure to protect those who were victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by people in a position of trust in the Yeshivah Centre and its schools,” the apology said.
Accepting the apology, Waks told The AJN that it indicated that the Yeshivah Centre has learned a great deal over the last few years.
“The apology seemed comprehensive and came across as genuine,” Waks said.
“When something is said from the heart it goes to the heart.”
The Redress Scheme will remain open until the end of the year, with applications being accepted until December 31.
Yeshivah said it encourages anyone who has experienced sexual abuse at Yeshivah to contact the scheme on 1800 059 064, email yeshivahredress@gmail.com or go to www.redress.yeshivahcentre.org.
“All calls and emails received are treated in strictest confidence,” the centre said.
JOSHUA LEVI
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