The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations has revealed it is working with police to prosecute an alleged child sex abuser. 

Speaking on behalf of the London Charedi umbrella organisation, solicitor Paula Jefferson disclosed the information on the opening day of an inquiry into abuse in religious communities on Monday. 

Answering claims that incidents of abuse were often kept within the Orthodox community, she said the Union was clear that “all allegations” should be reported to the appropriate authorities. 

A number of Jewish organisations have submitted evidence to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse which over the next fortnight will be examining the record of religious institutions. 

But Honza Cervenka, representing Kol V’Oz – the organisation founded by Australian Jewish child abuse victim Manny Waks to campaign against it -  took a  critical view of Jewish community efforts. 

He called for the introduction of new regulation powers to regulate religious organisations that would be able to “bypass the rabbis”. 

The role of Jewish organisations was due to have come under more detailed scrutiny next week but the inquiry was suspended after the first day because of the coronavirus threat. 

Speaking before the start of the hearings, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the inquiry sent “a clear message to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, that we live in a society which will not tolerate communal failing to deal comprehensively with this scourge”.  

It was, he said, "incumbent upon us all to recognise the need for constant vigilance in protecting children and the importance of listening to and supporting those whose vulnerability may make it difficult for them to speak out. 

“Any failure to protect young people is a complete abrogation of our responsibility to God and to one another. It cannot and will not be tolerated.” 

He added: “There may be hard truths and essential lessons to be learned from this investigation.

"If so, every one of us must be prepared, not only to hear them, but to use them as an opportunity to change ourselves and our organisations for the better.”