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Alleged Victims of Malka Leifer Say Senior Rabbi "Betrayed" Them by Helping with Custody Release

By James Oaten
Australian Broadcast Corporation
March 8, 2018

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-08/malka-leifer-alleged-victims-criticise-senior-israeli-rabbi/9528514

PHOTO: Alleged victims Dassi Erlich, Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper say they feel betrayed. (ABC News: Guy Stayner)

The alleged sexual abuse victims of Malka Leifer have slammed a senior Israeli rabbi for "betraying" them, after he helped the former Melbourne school principal secure release from custody.

Ms Leifer has been in an Israeli prison since February and is fighting extradition back to Victoria where she is wanted on 74 charges of child sexual abuse, including rape.

But she is set to be released into home detention on Friday after senior Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, who is a recipient of the prestigious 2004 Israel Prize, told court that prison was "humiliating".

In Melbourne, alleged victim Dassi Erlich said she felt "absolute outrage" that Ms Leifer's "humiliation" trumped the feelings of the alleged victims.

"As a religious person myself, I find it quite a betrayal," Ms Erlich said.

PHOTO: Senior Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman says he will monitor the former principal in case she leaves house arrest. (ABC News: Sophie McNeill)

"I feel that as a rabbi he should investigate a case completely before he takes the support of someone who [allegedly] abused so many women in Israel and in Australia."

There were angry scenes outside a Jerusalem court after Judge Ram Winograd agreed to release the former principal of the Addas ultra-orthodox girls school.

He set bail for Ms Leifer at $37,000.

After the decision, former Melbourne resident Adam Segal confronted Rabbi Grossman, questioning his motives.

PHOTO: Tensions were high as Malka Leifer was granted home detention. (ABC News: Sophie McNeill)

Leifer a flight risk, alleged victims say

Alleged victim Dassi Erlich spoke to the media in Melbourne alongside her sisters Elly Sipper and Nicole Meyer and called on Rabbi Grossman to withdraw his support for Ms Leifer.

"We are trying so desperately to hold onto hope and trying to desperately see justice," Ms Erlich said.

"We want to hold onto the fact that we will see her back in Australia one day."

In 2008, Ms Leifer fled to Israel when allegations were first levelled against her and avoided extradition hearings for three years due to claims she was too mentally unwell to face court.

"She is definitely a flight risk," Ms Erlich said.

"She spent the last four years evading justice in Israel. How is she not a risk?"

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who lobbied Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to look into the matter, said the current court proceedings were a matter for the Israeli justice system.

"At the end of the day, this person needs to come back to Victoria and face up to what she's done," Mr Andrews said on Thursday.

"Anything less than that is a betrayal of every single victim who alleges that she's behaved in an abhorrent way."

 

 

 

 

 




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