Australia’s Tzedek joins in call to ban convicted teacher

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Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court has recently convicted and sentenced prominent Rabbi Motty Elon on two counts of forceful sexual assault upon a minor but he remains a teacher at Yeshivat Ohr Etzion.

Melbourne-based advocacy group Tzedek has teamed up with Israeli organisation Megan to deplore the decision of Rabbi Chaim Druckman, a senior leader within the global National Religious movement, to retain Rabbi Elon as a teacher at Yeshivat Ohr Etzion.

Rabbi Druckman’s statements in the media, in which he specifically questions the veracity of the Court’s rulings, undermine the judicial system and sends an ominous message to our community, especially the youth of the global B’nei Akiva movement – of which Rabbi Druckman is the spiritual head – that victims of child sexual abuse who speak up will not be believed by their rabbinical leadership.

The two organisations have launched a petition and in a joint statement said: ” We therefore call upon Rabbi Druckman to terminate Rabbi Elon’s employment in any capacity at the Yeshiva.

We also call upon Rabbi Druckman to retract his denunciation of the Court’s ruling, and we appeal to the National Religious political and religious leadership, both in Israel and around the world, to condemn Rabbi Druckman’s actions, which bring shame upon the National Religious sector, and the broader Jewish community.

We believe that the protection of our children and youth must be paramount for all educational and youth organizations.

www.tzedek.org.au / www.magenprotects.org

The petition can be found here…