The Lies Of Rabbi Yosef Feldman

Rabbi Yosef Feldman, the head rabbi of Sydney, Australia and a leading figure in Chabad in Australia, told the world that his assertion that people should call rabbis, not police, when children are sexually molested was an academic exercise that did not reflect his true views. But Feldman was lying.

Rabbi Yosef Feldman

Originally published at 10:43 pm CDT 8-27-11.

Rabbi Yosef Feldman claimed leaked emails showing he strongly believed that reporting child sexual abuse to police was wrong, and that rabbis should decide how these cases are handled.

He had been outed asserting that Jews MUST violate Australian law and report child sex abuse to rabbis, not police – and he was vulnerable to prosecution as a result.

He got some of his rabbi colleagues to lie for him, and he threatened to sue the Australian Jewish News and other media that reported on the leaked emails under Australia's draconian libel laws, claiming his emails were only theoretical, part of a discussion on Jewish law – not actual policy or an actual assertion of what policy really should be.

Feldman was, as I wrote at the time, lying.

After two heated weeks, the the AJN and Feldman issued a joint press release that was almost, but quite, an apology from the AJN, and almost, but not quite, an apology from Feldman.

But we now we have even more proof that Feldman is a profoundly dishonest man who should not be employed by Chabad or by any other Jewish organization as a rabbi (or as anything else, for that matter).

By chance (or hashgacha pratit, depending on your view), Rabbi Nuchem Rosenberg, who works as a mikva construction and repair expert but who is better known as an activist working to stop child sexual abuse, was in Sydney early last week.

On Monday, he was in a synagogue with Feldman, and he had a discussion with Feldman about reporting child sexual abuse to police.

Feldman insisted that police should not be called and that calling police risked hurting innocent people.

Rosenberg explained that police are trained to ferret out false accusations and that they're experts in doing so – rabbis are not.

Feldman then asserted calling police is mesira, informing, a severe prohibition in Jewish law.

Rosenberg asked him why you call the police when someone robs your house or kills your wife? Maybe rabbis should handle these cases as well?

Feldman said that the difference between those cases and child sexual abuse is retzicha, murder – meaning that false reports of child sexual abuse are like murder.

Rosenberg explained to Feldman that he could only make that claim if he didn't understand the damage sexual abuse does to children, the lives it destroys or permanently scars. (And also that the number of false reports of child sexual abuse outside of divorce cases is miniscule, 3% or less, and that even in divorce cases the number of false accusations is lower than the number of real cases of child sexual abuse.)

Feldman refused to back down from his position and told Rosenberg that what he was doing – giving speeches in Sydney telling people to call police when child sexual abuse is known or suspected – is wrong, and that he should stop doing it immediately.

Feldman "didn't change his mind. He told me again and again and again that I was wrong with my policies, and with giving speeches" in Sydney about reporting child sexual abuse to police, Rosenberg told me.

This was NOT a theoretical discussion of Jewish law.

It was Feldman telling Rosenberg to shut up, and Feldman saying loudly and clearly that the halakha, Jewish law, was that cases of child sexual abuse MUST be reported to rabbis, not police.

So much for Feldman's claims of being taken out of context by the media.

As I wrote last week, Chabad needs to distance itself from Feldman in every way possible.

Its international headquarters should release a statement signed by Rabbis Krinsky, Shemtov (if he's still in the the triad) and Kotlarsky condemning Feldman's behavior and his position on reporting child sexual abuse.

Chabad's rabbinic organization, headed by Rabbi Dovid Schochet in Toronto, should do the same.

And Feldman should be removed from any list of Chabad rabbis or representatives.

None of this will happen, though, because the men who lead Chabad are, like the Catholic Church was in the 1990s, far more concerned about their physical assets and Chabad's reputation than they are about the lives of children.

Rabbi Rosenberg gave several speeches in English on child sexual abuse while he was in Sydney. Currently, one of them is on his hotline – 1-951-262-3714 box #30. He hopes to add more of those speeches later this week.

Update 11:30 am CDT 8-29-11 – I received the following email from Rabbi Yosef Feldman this morning:

BS"D

Dear Shmarya

I tried to post this but it didn't go through...

This is Rabbi Yosef Feldman.

I don't know whether you'll have the decency to post this. I'll be brief for now,

 1) The AJN clearly reported even in their first article that I advocated Rabbis, only when legally allowed and never when it goes against the law.

2) I've stated that a Rabbi ONLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN EXPERT, as is the view of the Agudah, could make a decision re the veracity etc. of a complaint. This was omitted by the AJN initially which is one of the reasons they apologized and with what was reported re Rabbi Rosenberg.

3) Maybe you should better be exposing the proponents of running to the police, that when it comes to their own family members (as we Jews should consider each other), how they actually come running to Rabbis for (references and) help and certainly have tried and try to cover up.

I've had 2 people who lashed out against me publicly and when I reminded one how when his son was involved in an armed robbery approx 10 years ago he came running to me for a reference and for general help and didn't just rely on the police, he then apologized profusely to me and the other a Rabbi who didn't realize that I knew that he actually covered up real child sex abuse with someone in his extended family and didn't report it to the police when a family member of his congregation complained to him on behalf of the victim, and acted strongly in covering up the abuse... and then after I made a fool out of him, he had to explain to me that Poskim hold differently today than a few years ago...

Re Rabbi Rosenberg I don't know what he reported or even what he or someone in his family may have been up to in the past that he may be trying to cover up, being such a proponent... but besides the many discrepancies reported, one vital thing that was omitted (as was with the AJN) as mentioned above was me asking him that just as police get experts to verify etc., what's wrong if a Rabbi also involves experts initially as principals do, according to the law, before they're required to report abuse, to which he had no response. I actually was quite surprised when he told me that he immediately reports abuse to the police before hearing  details from the victim. I just wonder if a son of his was accused of molesting a child whether he would immediately report it. Actually maybe I'll accuse a son of his (as many may do when they have an issue with someone...) and let's see if he'll go running to the police... LOL.. I don't understand how he's taken so seriously...

I never told him to stop giving speeches and I actually allowed him to talk to teachers and others in Yeshiva of the good he has achieved and the importance of vigilance in this area etc.

The reported lies in my case really reflect the lack of integrity of your site which its motto is supposed to be exposing the truth and this is actually my issue with always immediately reporting etc. and I expect an apology from Failed Messiah and if not I will consider all my options and very quickly...
 
Awaiting your prompt response...

Comments

[ben]

Why did Emmanuel Althaus turn against
Zephaniah Waks

[Clever in Hungarian]

Shemtov can't distance himself ..... His son is married to yosdis sister

[Aussie]

Shmayra....Does the AJN(Aussie Jewish News) know about this??....
If not then I hope you will tell them....

[Aussie]

Why did Emmanuel Althaus turn against
Zephaniah Waks

As I posted weeks ago when the Cyprys story broke....This is all about money....
No doubt the victims will sue and Yeshivah in Melbourne and maybe also Sydney could end up bankrupt over this....

Why on earth would Chabad distance themselves from Feldman? He is a skiled practitioner of Chabad obfiscation and double talk.

Too bad this blog didn't stick to exposing Chabad instead of attacking all Hareidim and other Orthodox Jews.

From what I understand many of them hate Feldman's type more than you guys hate them and have better dirt on him then you'll ever have access to without going deep undercover.

[ben]

But Mulek Gurevitch and Emanuel Althaus sent out a email to the community endorsing Zephaniah Waks, I can't understand it?

[ADDeRabbi]

Aren't Rabbis SHemtov and Feldman machatunim?

[ADDeRabbi]

If R. Feldman were the only rabbi to speak this way, or to say one think minei darkhei sholom and something else in private, you'd have a legit claim. As it stands, the worst you can accuse him of being is wrong in this one - indeed egregious - instance. I've never me R. Feldman, but I knew his parents and I've met some of his kids - all fine, wonderful people.

[Shmarya]

If R. Feldman were the only rabbi to speak this way, or to say one think minei darkhei sholom and something else in private, you'd have a legit claim. As it stands, the worst you can accuse him of being is wrong in this one - indeed egregious - instance. I've never me R. Feldman, but I knew his parents and I've met some of his kids - all fine, wonderful people.

Posted by: ADDeRabbi | August 28, 2011 at 01:09 AM

Feldman held reporting to rabbis only was the halakha and he still holds that way.

His claim that his emails were theoretical is false, just as his claim that he doesn't hold that way is false.

He advocated and believes breaking Australian law is the right and only thing to do, and he holds and believes Jews MUST report child sex abuse to rabbis, NOT to police.

He's a liar and his position hurts children.

[Shmarya]

But Mulek Gurevitch and Emanuel Althaus sent out a email to the community endorsing Zephaniah Waks, I can't understand it?

Posted by: ben | August 28, 2011 at 12:48 AM

Perhaps Althaus got nervous when he realized Feldman had successfully lied his way out, and that Yeshiva College's ongoing deception was working with a portion of the community.

The wind blows and shifts, and perhaps Althaus decided to shift with it.

But somehow I think you knew this already, and it it isn't a search for truth that causes you to repeatedly (and often illiterately) ask these questions.

[Jemima Puddleduck]

And that's the truth Shmarya. I know what was said to me when I tried to report abuse to the police. I was forcefully stopped by Yosef Feldmand and yankel Leider, another idiot at yeshiva.
I am prepared to swear at a Din Torah regarding these facts.
Yosef Feldman DOES believe that we should not contact the police, he IS a liar, and he should be removed from all positions of authority and have his title rabbi taken from him.

[Steven]

Well I know for sure that someone is lying.

I'm not sure who yet, but I am sure we will all find out soon enough. And there is no better way to turn people, espcecially the young, off Yiddishket than finding out a Rabbi is a lying hypocrite.

And if Rabbi Feldman was lying then the Rabbonim who recently supported him in the media releases are probably lying also.

And about what? Molesters! Shame.

[Steven]

Todays Chumash. Tzedek Tzedek Tirdoif lmaan tichye vyorashto es ho'oretz. And the palestinians want to take it away next month in the voe.

Maybe we should try to pursue justice and kindness.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

Lies?

By him it's ok, since "minhag yisroel deen"!

[Aussie]

He advocated and believes breaking Australian law is the right and only thing to do, and he holds and believes Jews MUST report child sex abuse to rabbis, NOT to police.

This is the bottom line....All the rest is BS...
Feldman MUST be prosecuted for this....

[felder]

emmanuel and muliks statement was regarding a completely different issue. the issue of the new building. what is the connection to this?

[Ozlet]

Shmarya I actually love you for this. I think I've told you that before, but anyways I'm telling you again. Thanks for writing the truth, we don't get to hear it too often in Sydney.

[drek busters]

the only place you dont hear thruth in syd is 36 flood st go to penkivel st or any other shule and u will hear truth

[Joe in Australia]

Aussie, why do you think he advocates breaking Australian law? There's no legal requirement for most people to report suspected child abuse. As for prosecuting him, I don't believe you can prosecute people for urging others to break the law unless there's a close connection between the speech and the act (i.e., "Let's go and break some windows!")

He was wrong; he was smacked for it; and he's been allowed to save some face after effectively saying that people should ignore what he said. He won't advocate this position (publicly) again and that's good enough for me.

[Shmarya]

He was wrong; he was smacked for it; and he's been allowed to save some face after effectively saying that people should ignore what he said. He won't advocate this position (publicly) again and that's good enough for me.

Posted by: Joe in Australia | August 29, 2011 at 03:50 AM

Except that he's still advocating his position and trying to get others to follow it.

And that hurts children.

[Joe in Australia]

I thought he publicly retracted? Where is he still advocating it?

[Steven]

How many 'Joe in Australia' s are there? You are contradicting yourself.

[Shmarya]

I thought he publicly retracted? Where is he still advocating it?

Posted by: Joe in Australia | August 29, 2011 at 08:45 AM

Please.

He told Rabbi Rosenberg to stop telling Sydney Jews to call police for child sexual abuse.

He told Rabbi Rosenberg what he doing by advocating calling police was halakhicly wrong, and told him he had to stop it.

He didn't tell him that as some guy on the street.

He told him that as the Chief Rabbi of Sydney and the rabbi of the community they were standing in.

You have some delusional belief that as long as Feldman doesn't make a public statement to Jews telling them not to call police, he is therefore not telling Jews privately and as a rabbi of his community and the as the Chief Rabbi of Sydney not to call police.

BUT YOU ARE WRONG.

How you could even ask the question you asked after what I reported in my post calls any pretense you may make of objectivity and of concern for child victims highly suspect.

[Joe in Australia]

Please. He's the chief rabbi of Sydney like I'm the mayor of Melbourne. He's just the current chairman of the local rabbinic gabfest and he has no authority outside his kehilla - which isn't very large or very black-hat. See a picture of it here.

As for him privately advising people not to go to the police (and we don't know that he's doing this) I can't imagine that it would have much effect. I mean, what would the story be - "I was sacked as chairman because of what I said, so I lied about it so I could be chairman again, but this time I'm telling you the truth"?

[Shmarya]

Perhaps you're occupying a different world that the rest of us, Joe.

He just told a person last Monday to stop instructing Jews to call the police about sex abuse cases. He said calling police is mesira.

What in the world makes you think he will confine his orders only to advocates, but he will lay off victims?

Only someone with little to no concern for victims and for future victims could possibly hold like you.

[Aussie]

Aussie, why do you think he advocates breaking Australian law? There's no legal requirement for most people to report suspected child abuse. As for prosecuting him, I don't believe you can prosecute people for urging others to break the law unless there's a close connection between the speech and the act (i.e., "Let's go and break some windows!")

He was wrong; he was smacked for it; and he's been allowed to save some face after effectively saying that people should ignore what he said. He won't advocate this position (publicly) again and that's good enough for me.

Posted by: Joe in Australia | August 29, 2011 at 03:50 AM

Which part of "Mandetory reporting" you don't understand Joe?????....

Which part of "You can't sweep child abuse under the carpet like the Catholic church did" you don't understand Joe?????....

Which part of "he STILL DOES advocate this position" you don't understand Joe?????...

On the up side....Nice to see that you haven't changed a bit in 30 years since we were in the same school together....
You still a meshiganeh....))

[Joe in Australia]

Aussie, as a matter of law mandatory reporting in NSW only applies to certain categories of people. Here's a link.

Your suggestion that I want child abuse swept under the carpet is contemptible.

[PATRICIA]

By the way does anyone know what is going on in the Cyprys case?

[יאנקול]

מפני מה הנני לא מבין צה שהולך פה,הרי עמנואל אלטהויז הוא בטבעו מסור ,תראו האיך הוא התייחס לאבא של נכדותיו שלא נותן לו לראות את בנותיו וזה אומר כבר הכל

[SpeakOutAboutAbusers]

An Open Question:
What would you do if you were told that a average Joe, and respected person in the community sexually molested his daughter until she was in her late teens - physically assaulted his wife for many years? The victim is now an adult. What would you do? You are told that you cannot say anything as it will damage the grandchildren’s chances of marriage in the future. You see this person all the time. In the street, in shule, in Glicks, at functions etc. He has grandchildren that he has access to. Should other members of the family know of the possible risk? Even if the initial victims continue to protect him. What would you do?

[Aussie]

By the way does anyone know what is going on in the Cyprys case?

Posted by: PATRICIA | August 29, 2011 at 10:15 PM

Yes I do....

And anyone with info on Cyprys or any other pedo's(in Sydney or Melbourne)should contact the Moorabin Police SOCIT Unit(Sex abuse & Investigative Unit)..
Call them on 03 9556 6128....
No matter if you live in Melbourne or interstate or USA, Israel or anywhere else in the world they want to hear from you and they will fly to your home town to interview you if your information is of value to them....

[Aussie]

An Open Question:
What would you do if you were told that a average Joe, and respected person in the community sexually molested his daughter until she was in her late teens - physically assaulted his wife for many years? The victim is now an adult. What would you do? You are told that you cannot say anything as it will damage the grandchildren’s chances of marriage in the future. You see this person all the time. In the street, in shule, in Glicks, at functions etc. He has grandchildren that he has access to. Should other members of the family know of the possible risk? Even if the initial victims continue to protect him. What would you do?

Posted by: SpeakOutAboutAbusers | August 30, 2011 at 07:08 PM

You do what any decent person would do....
You pick up the phone and ring the number in the post above...

Anyone who fails to report and co-operate with the Moorabin task force is complicit in the crime....

[Joe in Australia]

SpeakOutAboutAbusers: If you have a legal duty to report sexual abuse then you should seek legal advice. Otherwise, my opinion is that if you have actual knowledge of the events or observe what appears to be grooming behavior you should report it to the police. Otherwise, you should let other family members know if you think your information is credible. Anything in between is, in my opinion, a judgment call.

Incidentally, NSW has what seems to be a good guide for people with a duty to report suspected sexual abuse. I think it can also help claify risks for other people. The link is here.

[SpeakOutAboutAbusers]

Joe/Aussie,

This is not about the current cases of abuse.

The disclosure has had a serious impact on my life.

This news devastated me to the point of having to seek professional counseling on the issue.

The survivor of the abuse, now an adult, assures me that Rabbi/s had dealt with the behavior some time ago (The abuse was both physical & sexual) and I had to trust that it had stopped and further precautions were being undertaken to protect individual children at risk.

My question did not come from a place of ignorance. I was posing a real life scenario and would appreciate, an open conversation about where our personal responsibility rests.

I have looked at several websites and I'm under no legal obligation to disclose this abuse. Whatever the personal moral obligation I may feel. Moreover, the survivor of the abuse would not be willing to give any evidence of abuse to protect the family name.

[Aussie]

My question did not come from a place of ignorance. I was posing a real life scenario and would appreciate, an open conversation about where our personal responsibility rests.

I have looked at several websites and I'm under no legal obligation to disclose this abuse. Whatever the personal moral obligation I may feel. Moreover, the survivor of the abuse would not be willing to give any evidence of abuse to protect the family name.

You have no legal obligation unless you're a teacher or in health care etc....
But you do have a moral obligation....
You also need to make the decision to do what will allow you to sleep at night....

As I understand your position it's a similar position I found myself in years ago....
The decision I made to "leave it to the Rabbi's" rather then take the matter to the police or take the victim(s) to the police is a decision that I have deeply regreted and which has haunted me for 25 years....

My advice is to make the call....Even if the victim never talks to the cops in which case nothing can be done at least your concience will be clear and you will sleep at night....

[JJ]

Yesterday as I was driving thru Bondi, I spotted Yosef Feldman. He was being chauffered around by someone, wearing his long black coat, walking like an arrogant full-of-himself dude.
Feldman... you got a lesson coming mate. You have the nerve to lie and walk around like your King Shit.... well let me tell you man there's people out there HURTING and you are a LIAR and everyone KNOWS It. The Jewish News knows it, the community knows it, your family back you up because they lie all the time.
Fuck you all you hypocritcal lubavitchers.

[Steven]

You can't be chauffered and walk at the same time.

[Steven]

Not all lubavitchers are hypocritical.

I wonder if the ratio of arrongance amongst jews is the same as goyim.

[friend]

rosenberg probably dosent even know who rabbi feldman is rabbi feldman is a wonderfull man who helps hundreds of people someone leaked his emails which was for only rabbonim and was changed by people who want to put him down

[Aussie]

rosenberg probably dosent even know who rabbi feldman is rabbi feldman is a wonderfull man who helps hundreds of people

Shmayra probably doesn't....But I do....

Yossi Feldman is scum....Just like his father is scum...

Yossi is walking talking proof that the apple never falls far from the tree....

[Jemima Puddleduck]

Correct, Aussie.

[yossi]

Emmanuel Althaus is crook robbed hundred of shareholders their savings