The well-liked principal of Chabad’s Beth Rivkah school located in its Yeshivah Centre campus in Melbourne, Australia is reportedly about to leave the school after the school’s Committee of Management allegedly stonewalled needed changes highlighted by the horrific testimony about Chabad child sex abuse coverups at Australia’s Royal Commission investigating child sex abuse in Chabad institutions.
Above: Rabbi Yehoshua Smukler
Chabad Bosses Allegedly Refuse To Make Necessary Changes To Fully Protect Children, Prompting The Only Well-Liked Chabad Educator In Melbourne To Consider Leaving
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
The well-liked principal of Chabad’s Beth Rivkah school located in its Yeshivah Centre campus in Melbourne, Australia is reportedly about to leave the school after the school’s Committee of Management allegedly stonewalled needed changes highlighted by the horrific testimony about Chabad child sex abuse coverups at Australia’s Royal Commission investigating child sex abuse in Chabad institutions.
The principle, Rabbi Yehoshua Smukler is on the brink of leaving the school, the Australian Jewish News reported.
Smukler was one of two Chabad rabbis whose testimony before the Royal Commission seemed heartfelt and honest. He apologized for how child sex abuse victims were treated by Chabad and testified that the school should pay for the therapy of child sex abuse victims. He also detailed many good practices and newer procedures related to prevention of child sex abuse he instituted after taking over the school’s leadership and also spoke about areas where more changes needed to be made.
Parents, teachers and members of the Chabad community at large are reportedly gathering around Smukler to try to get him to stay.
But as word spread late yesterday and today that Smukler was likely to resign, several upset teachers contacted the AJN.
“He is the best thing that has happened to this school and he can’t leave,” one teacher reportedly said. “How did it get to this?” another asked. “He’s great and everyone loves him,” a third teacher reportedly said.
On Facebook, a parent lashed out at the Chabad Yeshivah Centre’s Committee of Management (COM).
“Given the stance taken by the COM and the compromised position he has been put in – who could blame [Smukler for leaving]? How can only a handful of people hold the entire YBR [Yeshiva Beth Rivkah] parent community and schools to ransom. We must do everything we can to show Rabbi Smukler our support and make sure he stays,” the parent wrote.
However, the AJN reports that talks between the Smukler and the school’s board, while still ongoing, deteriorated after mediation last week to resolve issues raised at the Royal Commission failed.
Neither Smukler or the Committee of Management would speak with the AJN about the situation, the paper reported.
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