Dear Rabbi Freilich
I humbly beseech you to respond to my email.
- It is understood that your involvement was used by the writer Kate Legge – whose husband is Geoffrey Robertson – to add gravitas to her bizzare article making the Nazi corollary in her attack on Yeshivah people.
- When you remonstrated against being quoted by Legge – you sought to impeach her version.
- Reading what was published in The Shunned and what you plainly wrote in your letter to editor of the magazine 2 weeks later claiming to have been misquoted – yet claiming the reason was your being ‘’emotional’’ – was strange in that it does not read well.
- Indeed you plainly missed my humour at your expense in using the classical phrase ‘'tired and emotional’’ – in that you sought to tell me in our conversation that you were not ‘’tired’’.
- I guess your hapless language was irresistable for me......
- I NOW CAPITALIZE THIS: WACHS WAS CLEARLY COMPLICIT IN THE NAZI COROLLARY!!! UNDERSTATEMENT!!
- Both Lette and Wachs are guilty of being sickening.
- Furthermore, at no stage has Wachs apologized in public for his violent attack on Rabbi Telsner on Shavuot [Jewish Holyday a few short weeks ago in Yeshivah Synagogue in public on a MAJOR HOLYDAY.
- This attack was ‘provoked’ by Rabbi Telsner merely wishing him ‘GUT YOM TOM’ [Jewish greeting]
- I now I ask you again: if you think you have a version of events that can shed light on these pathetic matters – send it to me. I have a yearning to set the record straight. If I need to add something official from you that corrects matters germane to this saga – set the record straight now.
- It is not good enough for you to allude to conversations with various people who ‘’know’’ – you need to appreciate that this will be your opportunity to explain what appears inexplicable to me: THAT IS YOU WERE MORE CONCERNED WITH YOUR MINOR INVOLVEMENT AND DEPICTING IT IN A WAY THAT ATTEMPTS [TO MY PERSON] TO RECONFIGURE EVBENTS!
- YOU EVEN CONGRATULATED THE WRITER FOR HER ARTICLE!! WHY, RABBI DID YOU NOT READ IT TO THE END? DID YOU NOT SEE THE OBSCENITY THERE?
- Your comment that everyone is attacking Wachs is disingenuous – as is Wachs’ claim in his article that ‘’He's threatened defamation action against two bloggers stirring up hatred...’’
- Note ye all: I invite Mr Wachs to sue me if he thinks I have in any way written or said something that warrants serving me with a suit for defamation!
- I further advise that no attempt has been made by me to debunk anything else in the Shunned article. If Wachs is serious in taking legal action against me – then he should invite me to put my humble mind to work, He may have more information to go to ‘war’ with.
- In the interim I want it known that he plainly suffered and whatever his level of suffering it is not my intention to detail what a certain couple suffered over the years; no quid pro quo / sine quanon– or any oblique comparison is implied.
- I mention this because Wachs modus vivendi is such that he will inevitably suggest some irrelevant comparison...... Do not go there Manny Wachs – not a good look ....
My dear Rabbi – please pass this on to Wachs – I know not his email address.
He can reply on my blog – or direct to me at g87@optusnet.com.au
Indeed our correspondences will be on our blog soon: you mobile ph no will be removed.
Regards
Geoff Seidner
13 Alston Gr East St Kilda 3183
''Manny hasn't felt the cold shoulders directed at his father. He's threatened defamation action against two bloggers stirring up hatred. "I get either dirty looks or thanks for what I've done. It has had a significant impact on my family but I have got no regrets. It is something I had to do." As for critics who say he's done it for the money and the publicity, perhaps they should visit his office and take tea with his father. Zephaniah's burden is the one that weighs heaviest. "It has harmed my father's health, causing him sleepless nights and the loss of decades-old friendships as people go around the community saying, 'Don't have anything to do with him'," Manny says. "A lot of people say, 'Why doesn't
heleave?'"
heleave?'"
Geoffrey Robertson
Nominations: British Academy Television Award for Best Single Drama ############################################################# ############################################################### ################################################################# |
Dear Rabbi Freilich
I am pleased to have spoken with you around midday today; I am recovering rapidly from my second cataract operation.
You told me you were misquoted – and an apology from The Australian exists somewhere.
I told you about the shameful Nazi corollary – which I put to you should have been noticed by you. The words are reproduced below for your convenience.
IT IS SHAMEFUL.
I also told you other things of various import. I disagreed with your assertion that ‘’no one is on Wach’s side.
Au contraire – Wachs the perpetual media performer should behave himself with professional deference .. as entries in my blog.
It bemuses me that you have not informed or seen my blog.
That scenario is also not to your advantage, methinks.
You should ask them – the writer, the editor? for an apology for this – and from Wachs – they – THE WRITER et al .... are a disgrace.
Again I suggest you inform yourself of what is out there - it is not a good idea to not know things.
I confirm my request for documents so I can set the record straight. It is also in your interest to do so; I have no material....
All the best
Geoff Seidner
‘’On the wall of the Waks' living room hangs a photo of Zephaniah's father Leo, a dashing character in a fedora, without any of the sartorial garb favoured by contemporary orthodox men. "That guy there," he says of his father, "was an engineering student in Berlin when Hitler came to power. His degree has a swastika on it. He knew what was going on but he refused to buckle as he watched the salute rising higher and higher, and a little of his determination sits inside me. I'm not moving out of here until I want to move.
The pressure mounts. "It's very unpleasant. You can't believe this is 2013 in Australia. You can't believe it," he says. I ask, what has hurt him most? Not the sudden withdrawal of the old friend he once accompanied to study sessions. "He's always been a weakling.I'm not surprised he buckled to pressure. The thing that bothers me most about this is seeing good people doing nothing." He nods at the portrait of his father and the consequences of allowing evil to thrive.
When he walks me outside to my car, the Yeshivah Centre looms across the street and I almost expect security to arrest Zephaniah for refusing to shut up. But the shunning works in subtler ways. Despite the warmth of the sun, I feel a shiver up my spine.’’
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From:Rabbi
From:Rabbi
Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2013 1:19 PM
Subject: Article
Dear Mr Seidner
Rabbi Freilich has asked that I write to you to let you know that if you wish to discuss the recent article in the Australian Magazine, he is very happy to talk to you about it. He can be contacted on ......
With best wishes
Madeleine Ausbruch
Rabbinic Office Administrator
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Dear Madelaine, Rabbi Freilich
I am having cataract surgery tomorrow am.
I will surely phone you on Thursday.
Perhaps you should be aware of my position – since my letter to you I have made a new posting on my blog – and it is not friendly to you.
I send you latest postings.
Our incipient conversation should be with you having knowlege of my position: you made a real mess of things – and should rectify it.
it is up to you to consider how you do this – if at all.
Our conversation may help: I certainly am an easy – going arguably good – natured person.
Regards
Geoff seidner
Dear Mr Seidner
Rabbi Freilich has asked that I write to you to let you know that if you wish to discuss the recent article in the Australian Magazine, he is very happy to talk to you about it. He can be contacted on .
With best wishes
Madeleine Ausbruch
Rabbinic Office Administrator
#####################################################
Dear Mr Seidner
Rabbi Freilich has asked that I write to you to let you know that if you wish to discuss the recent article in the Australian Magazine, he is very happy to talk to you about it. He can be contacted on ...........
With best wishes
Madeleine Ausbruch
Rabbinic Office Administrator
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Dear Rabbi Freilich
I refer to your letter in The Australian Magazine published yesterday. And article in the AJN 7 days or so earlier. [enc below]
Could you please elucidate as to how you were misquoted in view of your last sentence about being tired and emotional?
Kol Tuv
Geoff Seidner
East St Kilda
Firstly let me congratulate you on your article. However, I would like to clarify a statement attributed to me that is misleading. The article gives the impression I am of the view that 95 per cent of the rabbinate believe that child sexual abuse should be dealt with in-house. In fact I believe that the vast majority of rabbis in Australia firmly support the immediate reporting of child abuse to the police. This was always the official stance of the Organisation of Rabbis of Australia. This misinterpretation may have arisen because my abhorrence of child sexual abuse is such that when I am interviewed about it I become emotional, and as a result my expression may not be as clear and precise as it should be.
David Freilich OAMChief Rabbi, Perth Hebrew Congregation
ORIG ARTICLE RE YOURSELF:
Perth rabbi Dovid Freilich estimates that 95 per cent of Australian rabbis believe these matters should be dealt with internally. He was president of the Organisation of Rabbis of Australasia at the time the Yeshivah scandal erupted and resigned after his call for full co-operation with police drew criticism from the membership. "I was castigated by other rabbis. They don't talk to me anymore. I regard it as a compliment... The law of the land is the law of the land," he says, dismissing the idea that victims should go to a priest or a rabbi rather than use the courts.
Rabbi misquoted on abuse cover-up
THE Australian is expected to apologise this weekend after it claimed that former president of the Organisation of Rabbis of Australasia (ORA) Rabbi Dovid Freilich said that 95 per cent of Australian rabbis believe child sexual abuse charges should be dealt with internally.
Rabbi Freilich praised the article, “The Shunned”, that appeared in Saturday’s edition of The Australian, because he said that whatever can be done to stamp out the scourge of sexual abuse of children in society is to be commended and encouraged, but said that being misquoted was disappointing.
“I believe that the vast majority of rabbis in Australia firmly and categorically support the immediate reporting of child abuse to the police,” Rabbi Freilich said in a letter toThe AJN and The Australian this week.
“This was always the official stance of the ORA.”
Senior writer at The Australian Kate Legge apologised to the rabbi when she was contacted by Rabbi Freilich this week.
“We will clarify the comment on the letter page next week,” the journalist said to Rabbi Freilich.
But in response to the article, which caused concern throughout the community because of the claim, the Rabbinical Council of Victoria (RCV) restated its policy on child sexual abuse to the community.
“The RCV has stated on numerous occasions that all cases of child abuse must be reported immediately to the police. The council’s resolution to this effect was adopted by the rabbis of Victoria unanimously and bears the name of each rabbi,” the statement read.
“The RCV’s widely publicised position that any and all cases of child abuse must be reported immediately to the police and relevant authorities has appeared numerous times in Jewish and wider Australian media,” RCV president Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant said.
Rabbi Kluwgant said there is no basis to the claim that 95 per cent of Australian rabbis prefer child sexual abuse cases be dealt with internally, and he said he was expecting a full and swift retraction by those responsible.
JOSHUA LEVI
Rabbi Dovid Freilich.