Safed, Israel – Leaders of the Bratslav Hasidic community in Safed have been covering up instances of physical and sexual abuse of children at school in the community, ostracizing anyone who wants to deal with the issue, several community members said recently.
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Speaking on condition of anonymity, they said that in some cases families have been ripped apart, with the ostracized parents forced to cut off ties with their children.
“Everything blew up after seven children left heder [religious elementary school],” said one community member. “At first we didn’t understand why, and then it turned out that they had been sexually abused. The parents wanted the matter to be dealt with, but they were warned that if the abuse became known it would harm their children’s chances of finding a match. The parents got quiet and the children remained damaged because no one defended them.” He and a former community member also said one of the teachers beat the children. Accusations of child abuse within the Bratslav community in Safed were first made public nine months ago.
One former community member said his family was forced to leave the community after his son was sexually harassed by a male teacher at his religious school. He said his son was receiving psychiatric help and taking medication to ease his mental distress, but refuses to go to the police and said he wants the issue resolved only by an ultra-Orthodox rabbinical court.
“Whoever goes to the establishment is a moser,” he said, referring to the Talmudic term for informer. Jews who passed information to the authorities about other Jews have traditionally been treated harshly by persecuted Jewish communities, since in such cases denunciation could lead to death and destruction.
this is truely a serious matter however we can not jump the gun untill one is proven guilty as we have done here in ny blaming an innocent for crimes he was proven not to have done.
Hashem Yerachaim… this is ridiculous. We are worried more about a shidduch than the damge we are doing to our kids.
Many abused children grow up to become adults who substances (drugs and alcohol), G-d forbid abuse kids, wind up in dysfunctional relationships, or they leave the fold. Is that fair?
This is more damaging to our people than if Chaim Yankel or Sarah Rivka is not the perfect match for your little princess or prince.
This is not just a Chareidi problem. We have to vomit out this garbage from the black hat yeshivish and modern orthodox communities too.
All of a sudden it’s Meseira? These parents are as guilty as the animals who did this to their kids. They are, in effect, molesting other kids in the future by not doing anything to stop it now.
Any accusation must be investigated. If the accusations are false, then they are false and we must figure out what is behind these false accustaions and why they are being brought forth. (Could be another reason)
*** But if there is even a shard of truth, then what is being done to help these children who were molested and what will be done to prevent silmilar situations in the future. Don’t we have this obligation, along with making nice shidduchim and eating haimishe hechshers, not going to Lipa concerts?
This is a wonderful opportunity for our heilega Rabbonim to come forth with a proclaimation stating that it not only permissable for to inform the authorities but a requirement in order to save the children.
But have no fear, it will never happen.
The whole story is sickening. If true, these people and the school administration are sick. The only ones who will have to give din v’chesbon are they, not the “mosrim.”
The parents also had to consider whether they wanted to publicly let the world know their child was sexually molested. Do not take this lightly – it is not about shidduchim alone. I had a friend who was almost molested in 7th grade by a boy her age. The friend told her mother and the boy was brought to the police. What they did I cant remember. The molestation did not even take place but none the less my mother did not want me to remain friends with the girl. She was scared for me for whatever reasons and felt bad for the girl and eventually time passed and the girl and I are still friends (30 yrs ago this happened). But I learned a very big lesson – the mere association with a person who has been molested is a scary prospect for a parent. Would you want your child to be influenced by a child who has been molested and may have “other issues”. Remember these kids often turn to drugs and do poorly in school.
Many of these people (parents and teachers) are not “stam” Breslovers, but “NaNachs”. The majority of the “Na Nachs” that I have seen (I live in EY and go to Mekomos HaKedoshim often) have never had the benefit of yeshiva, not as kids, not as BT’s. They come to Tzfas, in many cases, still with drug habits or recently over them. It is a seriously troubled community even before the molestation begins.
HaShem Should watch over the innocent children of these folks so they can have a chance of being normal frum Yidden.
(rply to #5 ) its people like you who have caused much damage to klal yisroel by accusing as guilty before any solid proof. jealous am i of the oilam haboh of those falsely accused of molestation. its your oilam haboh (if any) that they will inherit
People who use drugs often do it for a reason.
to cover up pain.
a person who has been hurt that deeply, and knows what it has done to him, will not want to do it to someone else.
it’s the people who are living in denial, who are “coping” by telling themselves it wasn’t so bad, who are dangerous to the next generation.
You gotta be from a Learned background to be able to “explain” that child molestation is not so bad.
ba’alei teshuva aren’t learned enough to come up with such stupidity.
People who use drugs do it for one reason. It feels good. So what if it’s only temporary. People who use drugs can’t be bothered to think more than two minutes ahead.
Many people have pain and don’t use drugs because this only causes them more pain.
Here’s a good antidote to emotional pain. Get professional help and build a bridge and get over it.
The picture here is not anyone that is a part of The Breslov community, they are wearing NA NACH kippot. Na nachers never set foot in the Breslov Shul in Tzfas or any other city I know of in Israel, or the USA for that matter. In fact 90% of the na nachs I have ever connversed with REJECT Breslov Rabbomin and all other Rabbomin for that matter. In fact they say that anyone that does accept their “miraculous” petek is an Apikorsus.
Breslov Chassidim and The Na NAch “movement” are two seperate entities, the only thing they have in common is the “name” of Rebbe Nachman.
To say that Na nachs are the same as Mainstream Old Fashioned Kollel learning Chassidim is like comparing a crack addict on a $65 walmart bmx bike (because he has too many D.U.I. ‘s to drive a car) to a professional bicycle racer such as Lance Armstrong who won the Tour de France 7 times, simply because they both have two wheels.
What have we come to? Parents are protecting the rabbis before their children? Chilul Hashem! Shame!
The teacher involved was sent out of the school and doesn’t live in Israel anymore. There was no real proof, just rumers.
This is why we need a new Sanhedrin. These monsters (any proven child molester) should be made to swallow molten lead, the actual meaning of “burning”.
Lance Armstrong? Isn’t he the tinko shnishbo from the Greek Roman hot dog eating Sports Illustrated readers who thinkg about Bar Rafaeli while they are davening at Shea Stadium when they should be in the Bais Medrash or throwing rocks at Egged busses? oops, sorry, wrong VIN article.