Yeshivah could face legal action over abuse
REVELATIONS that Melbourne’s Yeshivah College knew about child abuse within its walls and did nothing could prove costly, with news that the school could be sued.
REVELATIONS that Melbourne’s Yeshivah College knew about child abuse within its walls and did nothing could prove costly, with news that the school could be sued.
The family of a boy abused by paedophile David Kramer in the US told The Herald Sun last week they were considering legal action against the school in light of details that emerged during recent court proceedings for abuses Kramer committed at the college.
It was claimed that Yeshivah paid for Kramer to leave Australia in 1993 despite his admissions to then principal Rabbi Avrohom Glick that he had abused several boys. During Kramer’s plea hearing, it was alleged Glick did not report the matter to police or stand Kramer down because he was concerned for the child abuser’s welfare.
“If [this] is true, we arrive at the inescapable conclusion that the blood of our child … rests upon the head of those complicit in Kramer’s escape from justice,” the boy’s family told The Herald Sun.
“We call upon the Yeshivah Centre to do the right thing: Not by offering hollow, meaningless platitudes of ‘we’re sorry’, but to take concrete action by releasing from its employ all who were responsible for Kramer’s escape from justice.”
Yeshivah College was contacted by The AJN for comment, but failed to return emails and several phone messages.
Founder of victim’s advocate group Tzedek, Manny Waks, said he was “aware that civil action against the Yeshivah Centre is currently being discussed at various levels,” and called for Rabbi Glick, now the head of Jewish studies at Yeshivah College, to be sacked.
“We strongly believe that Yeshivah and its leadership team must be held to full account, including through the provision of compensation. The position of Rabbi Glick … and others who were aware of the abuse and failed to respond appropriately is untenable.”
He said the Yeshivah Centre should establish a fund for victims who suffered abuse at the institution and questioned the sincerity of its apology issued. “Not a single victim/survivor whom we are in contact with has said that they accept Yeshivah’s apology – in fact, the few we have spoken to since the apology have rejected it.”
ADAM KAMIEN
Paedophile David Kramer.
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