HaGaon Rav Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron and a member of Degel HaTorah’s Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, has spoken out directly and publicly for the first time about the phenomenon of abuse in the Chareidi community.
Rav Cohen made the remarks during a meeting with Rabbanim from the Mafteach Le’Asid organization, headed by Yedida Goldberg, which works to promote safeguarding in Chareidi society. The organization, under the leadership of Raav Yehoshua Eichenstein, has implemented the “Safe Environment” safeguarding program of the Social Platform nonprofit in dozens of Litvish chedarim in Jerusalem, after HaGaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch gave the initiative the green light.
“There have been many cases of abuse that I have become aware of over the years, and I have presumably encountered only a small portion of them,” HaRav Cohen said. “Every person who was abused — it is as though they were murdered.”
“By my estimate, every single year there are dozens, and perhaps more than dozens, who are abused, and they are destroyed spiritually and emotionally. We cannot tolerate this anymore. We cannot tolerate it. Unfortunately, there were periods when abusers were protected — including educators.”
Amazing to watch the evolution over the decades
ReplyDeleteFirst there was denial. It isn't happening at all. "Muckraking bloggers" who hate Torah and Torah Jews are inventing all this!
Then there was evasion. Might be happening but before you go to the police, you must speak to a rabbi who will tell you you're wrong and forbid you.
Now suddenly it's admitted!
My impression that major announcements like this one are made every few years, only to die into obscurity after a few weeks. A sort of pressure valve. Years ago, the US Yated devoted a screaming article to the topic. Was there any followup? I don't follow the paper regularly enough to know, but I would guess the answer is no.
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