Australia’s tight-knit ultra-Orthodox community is being roiled by allegations that the principal of a girls’ high school molested a number of her former students.
Malka Leifer, headmistress of Melbourne’s Adass Israel Girls’ School for the past five years, left the country within 24 hours of board members confronting her with allegations of sexual misconduct March 4, according to school board members.
Her departure is particularly controversial, due to allegations that she left with up to $100,000 borrowed from community members. A teacher at the school told the Forward that Leifer borrowed money from members of the community who were unaware of the impending furor.
From Head flees over school scandal
An Israeli principal at the centre of an alleged lesbian sex scandal at a strictly Orthodox girls’ school in Melbourne has fled the country amid allegations of molestation.
Malka Leifer, head of the Adass Israel Girls’ School for five years, flew home on March 5 — less than 24 hours after the school board confronted her with allegations of sexual misconduct.
She denied any wrongdoing, according to Binyomin Koppel, the president of the Adass Israel community.
At least three alleged victims are believed to have come forward to counsellors. The JC understands that they are recent graduates who became teachers at the school.
Mrs Leifer, who is in her late 40s and has eight children, is believed to have gone into hiding at her parents’ home in Bnei Brak.
The school has engaged a number of psychologists to counsel the 250 students, as well their parents, former students and staff.
It is also alleged that, before fleeing, Mrs Leifer borrowed up to $A100,000 (£46,000) from Adass members who were unaware of the scandal.
The school’s spokesman, Norman Rosenbaum, said he knew nothing about that allegation. But he strenuously denied any inference that the school paid for Mrs Leifer to flee.
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