In the wake of the Royal Commission’s investigation into the decades-long child sex abuse scandal at Chabad’s Yeshivah Centre in Melbourne, Australia, Chabad announced in June that new constitution for the center and its related organizations would be written and that all trustees and members of the center’s interim committee of management (ICOM) would down by December 31. But now they won’t.
Chabad’s Leaders, Due To Resign Over Child Sex Abuse Scandal, Now Say They’re Not Ready To Go
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
In the wake of the Royal Commission’s investigation into the decades-long child sex abuse scandal at Chabad’s Yeshivah Centre in Melbourne, Australia, Chabad announced in June that new constitution for the center and its related organizations would be written and that all trustees and members of the center’s interim committee of management (ICOM) would down by December 31.
But now they won’t.
Chabad leadership told the Australian Jewish News there’s been a delay.
“The [Governance Review Panel] has been working hard to meet this deadline and although very close to finalizing the new structure, will not be in a position to release this to us and the public with enough time to implement the changes by [December 31]. We have recently been advised that they believe elections will take place in March, with the set-up of all structures, constitutions and associated announcements taking place before then,” Chabad’s trustees said.
“We are confident that the process is working and that the outcome will be very positive and enable the centre to move forward,” Chabad’s trustees concluded.
However, the ICOM – which was appointed by the trustees, who are some of the same people linked to decades of child sex abuse coverups –
will be disbanded as of December 31.
The trustees and the ICOM, which on installation earlier this year promised the Chabad-affiliated community they would be open and responsive to the community’s needs, shut out the largest and most important parents and community organization, Parents and Friends of Yeshivah Melbourne, shortly afterward and has not been transparent.
“We recognize and are genuinely appreciative for the privilege of having run the Yeshivah Centre over the last six months,” the ICOM reportedly said in statement this week without addressing the related issues that have angered many parents.
There have been persistent allegations by Chabad community members that some of Chabad’s disgraced nepotistic former leadership, including many who resigned at the time of the Royal Commission hearings or shortly afterward, are still running Chabad behind the scenes.
A meeting called by the ICOM earlier this month meant to heal the rifts between child sex abuse victims and their supporters one hand and Chabad’s current leadership on the other was attended primarily by peripheral community members while almost every Chabad rabbi and inner circle members chose not to attend.
Victims’ advocate and Chabad child sex abuse victim Manny Waks, who spoke at the event and promoted it over the objections of some of the other victims, did not speak to the lack of attendance by Chabad’s inner circle and its close supporters when speaking at the event and made no public mention of it afterward. Waks led the fight that prompted the Royal Commission to investigate Chabad.
The Royal Commission's formal findings are due to be released this spring.