Comments on: Child Abuse Scandal in the Melbourne Jewish Community Covered Up

By: Does the Jewish Community cover up sex scandals? | Bruce Llama

Does the Jewish Community cover up sex scandals? | Bruce Llama — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:29:14 +0000

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By: Bruce

Bruce — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:27:48 +0000

Thanks Malki, I said “religious people are more inclined to be concerned with their own reputation than the safety of the children entrusted to them.”. Sure, religious people are speaking up, and yet, here you are concerned with the reputation of religious people.

Generalisations abound, I admit it. I have little respect for religious belief.

By: Michael Barnett

Michael Barnett — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 08:44:47 +0000

Malki, you are correct. I did mean Rabbi Yitzhok Groner in my comment above. Yes, I was referring to his decision to deal with the allegation of abuse “internally” rather than immediately report the claim to the police. I find his actions completely reprehensible.

By: Malki Rose

Malki Rose — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 05:27:25 +0000

Mikey a correction. There is no “Rabbi Chaim Groner, principal at the time who has now died”.
You’ve merged a series of facts into one lump.
Just to clarify.
Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner was head of the community at the time. He has since passed away.
He was not, nor has he ever been the principal of the school.
His preference at the time, as leader of the community, was to deal with the issue internally.

There is much conjecture as to whether he would act differently were he alive today. Hard to know really, since he isn’t.

Thus far though, other Rabbi’s from the same community have not stepped forward with information. So this does not bode well for them.

Bruce,
I disagree with your opening remark, as it is an unfair generalisation. You have lumped everyone into one category by saying “religious people”.
Not fair to do that with any group. “black people”, “catholic people”, “gay people”.

As you already know, there are good and bad amongst us. Those who try and do right and those who persistently fail to do right.

Please note that there are many religious people who have spoken up, granted not nearly enough, but action is happening in the Jewish community because of decent and brave religious and non religious amongst us.

They all deserve our support, because this is a really tough road.

I do, however agree with you on your later remark, that the JCCV should be calling on leaders/those in positions of authority to step forward as well, not ONLY victims.

By: Michael Barnett

Michael Barnett — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 02:07:47 +0000

This is a truly shameful situation. Those who were complicit in covering up the abuse need to be punished under the law. Only pity Rabbi Chaim Groner, headmaster at the time the abuse occured, has since died. His involvement in not reporting the abuse to the police is disgraceful. Jail would have been most befitting for an individual as disgusting as him.