Israeli ultra-Orthodox society breaks silence on sexual abuse

Ultra-Orthodox author Chaim Walder was found dead Dec. 27 in a cemetery in the city of Petah Tikva, an apparent suicide. His death came after several Israeli publications accused him of sexual abuse of girls, of boys and of women who sought his help and counsel. More specifically, it came one day after the rabbinical court in Safed reportedly heard 22 testimonies describing alleged sexual assault by Walder over a period of more than 20 years. Following the media investigation last November, Walder resigned from his job as a senior correspondent at the opinion newspaper Yeted Ne’eman, and apparently committed suicide last week by shooting himself over the grave of his son. 

The affair has sent enormous shockwaves through the ultra-Orthodox society. Contrary to other such cases, this time it wasn’t possible to sweep it under the rug. Within ultra-Orthodox society, Walder was  among the most eminent authors. Over the years, he had written about 80 books, which appealed to all audiences: men and women, adults and children. 

And children grew up with him. He was perhaps the first writer who succeeded in touching the hearts of ultra-Orthodox children and inspiring emotional candidness. He established the Center for the Child and the Family in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak and was behind many children's summer camps that carried his name. His initiatives won fame and success just because they had the “Walder” brand. Indeed, even a program that introduced — for the first time in history — the topic of protection from sexual abuse to ultra-Orthodox schools was formulated and implemented by him.

In this situation, it’s no wonder that the entire ultra-Orthodox public is experiencing trauma. It has never confronted a similar situation. Paradoxically, in this affair, Walder’s voice was missing, the voice that could have made sense of the picture or at least guided parents in responding to children’s questions.