TORONTO — York Regional Police and Jewish Family & Child – the children’s aid society for Toronto’s Jewish community – are investigating sexual abuse allegations against Avichai Zehavi, a former shaliach at the Anne and Max Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto
Zehavi was arrested in Israel last month for alleged sexual abuse of a 14-year-old male student at a religious boys’ high school there. He denied allegations of sodomy after his arrest.
The 41-year-old father of four taught Tanach and rabbinics at TanenbaumCHAT’s Richmond Hill campus from 2000 to 2005, then spent 10 months as a cantor at Shaarei Shomayim Congregation, where he also led youth programming and ran the synagogue’s bar mitzvah program.
He also volunteered in programs run by the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) – the youth organization affiliated with the Orthodox Union – during the first three or four years that he was at TanenbaumCHAT. Zehavi participated in programs such as Shabbat dinners, sometimes leading the singing, when he lived near NCSY’s Thornhill offices, Rabbi Glenn Black, NCSY Canada’s CEO, told The CJN.
Det. Chris Coleman, of York Regional Police’s crimes against children unit, who is in charge of the investigation, told The CJN last Thursday that no victims had come forward to him at that point, but that there had been second-hand allegations.
He anticipated an extensive investigation that would last a couple of months, he said.
Paul Shaviv, TanenbaumCHAT’s director of education, told The CJN last week that the school had completed its initial investigation and that “the matter is now in the hands of Jewish Family & Child and the local police.”
In a CJN ad last week in the form of an “open letter to the community,” JF&CS wrote that further allegations had come forward in Israel and in Toronto “with reference to a number of Jewish institutions. We understand… that numerous people may be affected by these allegations.”
The ad noted that the agency has dedicated resources to assist, in confidence, those who were affected directly, as well as parents, teachers, faculty members or friends.
“Any and all allegations of this kind are really taken seriously,” said Richard Cummings, executive director of JF&CS.
Anyone who thinks that a line may have been crossed “should certainly be in touch,” said Cummings.
Adults have a responsibility under Ontario’s Child and Family Service Act to report suspicions of child abuse to a children’s aid society, he noted.
Anyone with information about the case should call Coleman at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 6045, or JF&CS at 416-638-7800.