Mah Nishtanah: The Four Questions Of Haredi Child Sexual Abuse

These four questions remain the same from last year. This highlights our lack of progress, despite tiny cracks being made in the wall of silence. 

 

Four Questions

These four questions remain the same from last year. This highlights our lack of progress, despite tiny cracks being made in the wall of silence. 

Survivors of sex crimes are still enslaved because of the abuse that continues in their beds, in their bunks and in their basements.  Survivors are still enslaved because their dangerous perpetrators are still at large in our communities.  And survivors remain enslaved because of the lack of outrage from a rabbinical leadership that cares more about our image than our children.  With a very minimal effort from our rabbinical leaders, so many lives could be saved.

Pesach celebrates our freedom from abuse.  That explains why it is an especially painful time for all those who are still enslaved by it.

Next year may there be no need for these type of questions anymore.


Mah Nishtana: The Four Questions of Our Children, Some of Whom Are No Longer at the Seder


Why is the molestation and sexual abuse of children treated differently than all other communal issues?


1) In all other areas of halacha (Jewish Law), the highest level of tznius (modesty) and morality is enforced, but in this area of halacha - the rape and destruction of children is ignored.


2) In all other areas of kashrus, the highest level of reliability, certification and supervision is demanded, but in the sanctity of our children's own bodies - no serious nor expeditious regard is given.


3) In all other matters, Halacha as interpreted by the poskim is followed, but when poskim such as Rav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv, Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and Rav Herschel Schachter give p’sakim urging survivors of sexual abuse to report their abusers to the police - these poskim are ignored and victims are vilified in favor of supporting the molesters.


4) In all other areas of a child's life, organizations fight and demand for their rights (e.g., lobbying for busing, textbooks, school lunch programs, tuition credits) but when it comes to the sexual abuse of children - some of the same organizations turn a deaf ear and lobby to protect the abusers of our children.


And a fifth question:


How many more Sedorim must we endure, how many more years must pass, how many more neshamas must we lose, before we are finally allowed to go Mavdous Lcheirus, from slavery to true freedom from our CHILDRENS' abusers?

Comments

[ah-pee-chorus]

this should be posted in every shul and yeshiva. good questions.

[corn popper]

The answer, my dear child, is, that real progress is slow and painful...but with Siyata Dishmaya, and with the help of those dedicated individuals who are helping to expose the evil within, education and eradication will occur!
May all who suffer merit a true redemption speedily.

[strivingfortruth]

Great idea! Post it wherever you can.

[steve]

FROM SURVIVORS FOR JUSTICE:

At the 54th Annual New York Emmy Awards this week, reporter Tara Rosenblum was awarded an Emmy for her piece, Suffering in Silence. This television report tells the story of former Kiryas Joel resident, Shlomo Weiss, who was sexually abused by his father from early childhood to age 16. Community rabbis covered up the abuse and protected his father.

We applaud Shlomo for having the courage to go public with his experience of abuse. When SFJ approached Shlomo and asked him if he would be willing to tell his story on television he didn't hesitate. "I have to protect my family and community," was his immediate response.

As a teenager, Shlomo tried to protect himself; he reported the abuse to his teachers in Nitra Yeshiva and also to the most prominent rabbis in his community. Instead of bringing the complaint to law enforcement, they sent Shlomo out of the country to keep him quiet. In sharp contrast, Shlomo's father was allowed to continue driving a school bus in Kiryas Joel and to this day has unrestricted access to children.

Shlomo's message to the community is that the only way we can put a stop to the ongoing cover-up of child sexual abuse and the community's protection of offenders is to report abuse directly to law enforcement.

Thank you, Shlomo, for your selfless courage. You've undoubtedly saved lives by telling your story.

Thank you, Tara, for patiently working with us and producing such a powerful report. Children everywhere are safer as a result of your work.

[moshe aron kestenbaum,williamsburg ,ODA]

Thank you tara .Your place among the righteous will be engraved in granit and your work to benefit klal yisroel will never be forgotten