Groner ‘not aware of shunning’

RABBI Chaim Tzvi Groner, who is a member of all three Yeshivah Centre boards, told the Royal Commission that he was unaware of any victims of child sexual abuse that are still shunned by the Yeshivah community.

But The AJN can reveal that only a week before the Royal Commission, one of the Centre’s boards was sent a letter from the wife of a victim stating that she and her husband were still being victimised.

“With the passing of time, certain individuals … appear to have become more resolute in their feelings of animosity towards my family and this is apparent each time I walk past them,” the victim’s wife wrote.

“Every time I go to shul, every time I go to a function or even to the sheitel macher (sheitel maker), I am confronted with those people who retain those feelings of animosity and work so hard to discredit my family.”

She applauded the efforts to restructure the Yeshivah Centre, but said that rumour and innuendo still cast a shadow.

“The attitudes and disposition of those who caused the issues for myself and my family which were articulated at the Royal Commission, remain unaltered.”

Several other victims have contacted The AJN in the last week and said they are still being shunned by members of the community.

When Rabbi Groner was asked at the Royal Commission if he was aware of any shunning by the community he said, “at this present moment, no”.

When asked again, Rabbi Groner repeated his answer and then said that he would regard shunning as completely unacceptable.

One victim told The AJN he was shocked by Rabbi Groner’s evidence.

“I am aware of several victims that feel shunned by the Yeshivah and its leadership,” he said.

The Yeshivah Centre board was asked by The AJN if they stand by Rabbi Groner’s comments that victims are not being shunned, however they did not answer by the time The AJN went to print on Wednesday afternoon.

Full coverage in this week’s AJN.

JOSHUA LEVI