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Aug 21, 2020, 12:39 PM

A blight on the UK communal and religious leadership

Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis. (Credit: Chief Rabbi's Office)

Last week, the UK Government's Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), concluded its public hearings into Child Protection in Religious Organisations and Settings. The Jewish community and other faith communities were investigated in terms of how they addressed the...

May 26, 2020, 8:04 AM

An open letter to sisters Nicole, Dassi and Elly, alleged Malka Leifer victims

epa07416674 Three of the alleged abuse victims, Australian Citizens from Melbourne Elly Sapir (L), Dassi Ehrlich (C) and Nicole Meyers (R), all former students of Malka Leifer, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman, attend the evidence stage of the Malka Leifer trial at the District court of Jerusalem, 06 March 2019. Israeli media reports that former Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman was questioned by the police on suspicion of breach of trust and obstruction of justice on suspicion of attempting to prevent the extradition of ultra-Orthodox Jewish citizen of Australia Malka Leifer, a former Melbourne school principal wanted in Australia on suspicion of sexually abusing students. EPA/ABIR SULTAN

An open letter to sisters Nicole, Dassi and Elly, former students at Adass Israel's school for girls in Melbourne, Australia, who were allegedly abused by its principal, Malka Leifer. Dear Nicole, Dassi & Elly, After 66 hearings to date, today's much...

Oct 30, 2019, 12:39 PM

The pedophile who abused me is home from jail

David Cyprys. (The Australian Jewish News)

From those triggered because David Cyprys is not behind bars to his family to the community at large, we must all navigate his return with caution and humanity

Aug 1, 2019, 1:34 PM

Chabad — a law unto itself

Worldwide, it seems the personnel involved in the running of Chabad institutions act as if Chabad is a law unto itself. The sect has a widespread reputation for both wilfully flouting and cleverly sidestepping local laws and planning regulations and...

Mar 4, 2018, 3:23 PM

Child sexual abuse, cover-ups and intimidation — a global Jewish community snapshot

Rabbi Steven (Shmuel) Krawatsky, formerly of the Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School in Baltimore (via The New York Jewish Week)

A global Jewish community snapshot in light of revelations in Baltimore, and an ongoing Australian case

Jan 15, 2018, 1:10 PM

When Chabadniks danced with a convicted sex offender

When Chabad accepted a tainted Torah scroll it ignored victims of abuse -- that's par for the course

Sep 29, 2017, 4:50 PM

Chabad’s hollow statements on child sexual abuse

The report of a new public statement by seven (seemingly random) Chabad rabbis calling for the immediate reporting to state authorities of reasonable suspicions of abuse is welcome news, especially their unequivocal announcement that prior rabbinic advice is unnecessary....

Nov 10, 2016, 9:51 AM

It’s time for institutional accountability for victims of child sexual abuse

On Rosh HaShanah this year, I launched my book, Who Gave You Permission?. The timing was coincidental, not deliberate – it was proposed by my publisher – but the fact that I didn’t care, is a reflection of just...

May 2, 2016, 8:31 AM

New York’s statute of limitations must be eliminated

It is widely accepted that around 1 in 5 children – 20% of the population – experience some form of sexual abuse before they turn 18. We also know that a very small proportion of victims ever disclose their...

Oct 23, 2014, 11:44 PM

Raped at a mikvah, then abandoned

Joey Diangello, a former Hasidic Jew and outspoken victims advocate, is dead -- where's the outcry?

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About Me

Manny Waks is an author, consultant, advocate and public speaker. He is the founder and CEO of Kol v'Oz, an Israel-based international organisation which addresses the issue of child sexual abuse in the global Jewish community. He is also an abuse survivor in an Australian Chabad-run institution. His published memoir is titled ‘Who Gave You Permission?’.

Contact Me