Melbourne Australia – A senior staff member at an Elsternwick Jewish school’s girl’s campus has left amid allegations of “misbehaviour” involving students.
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The head of campus for Jewish studies at Adass Israel Girls School, Malka L… was forced to resign last week and left for Israel shortly after, school committee member Issac Benedikt told The Age.
“It came both at the same time, she was told she can’t be at the school, she said in that case I’m resigning,” Mr Benedikt said.
“We are investigating it at the moment. At the moment we don’t have any conclusive evidence,” Mr Benedikt said.
“We can’t really say what happened and what didn’t happen.”
He said professionals including psychologists had been hired to conduct the investigation, but would not say whether the matter had been reported to police.
According to AJN: On Shabbat morning last week, the spiritual leader of the Adass Israel community, Rabbi Avrohom Zvi Beck, addressed the small community and said they should not consider Malka guilty of any crimes because there has been no investigation. He also told congregants that they are forbidden to discuss the matter and if they do, it will be considered lashon hara (malicious gossip).
A number of parents from the school contacted The AJN this week. Their attitudes ranged from disgust to disappointment some parents want the principal’s behaviour to be investigated, others are more concerned that the school has not been forthcoming in providing counselling for those students who claim to have had inappropriate contact with Malka.
Parents of present and past students told ‘The Age’ that Mrs Malka had molested students at school, at her home and possibly at school camps. One girl had attempted suicide.
There are claims that Mrs Malka left Australia with up to $100,000 borrowed from a family in the community two days before she flew to Israel, The Age said.
She was also alleged to have taken about $20,000 from a pool she managed of money earned by students in part-time jobs to loan to people in need.
Anon 10:16: Thank you for your comment. being a survivor of sexual abuse by a very respected woman-teacher, I am glad that there are some pple with open eyes. Even a few years ago, noone was willing to hear.
Anon 10:16 – This is not what the world has come to. This is the world as it has always been.
What has changed is that we’ve stopped sticking our heads in the ground and pretending these things don’t happen.
Obviously these crimes are usually committed by men but she is not the first woman to do these things.
We finally have the brains to say it DOES happen by frum men and now we will have to admit that it is done once in a while by frum women.
THERE IS NOTHING NEW IN THE WORLD.
All the perversions we have today we had a thousand years ago too. It may happen more often now but I’m not entirely convinced of that either.
Remember that virtually everywhere the ghetto gates were opened the majority of yiddin ran and never looked back, r”l.
Who knows what was festering below the surface of European society.
OK, I’ve put on my kevlar vest and combat helmet. Fire away.
8:38″Exposure of these topics..”
It is imperative that every parent warns their child(ren) of these things! (obviously according to their age and understanding). If something was ch”v done to them would you want them to think that’s okay and not tell their parents?
Hashem Yishmor! What has this world come to?
the age article spells it out pretty well. we are talking of an extremely rare case of 1 sick woman that has taken advantage of innocent girls. No one else is to blame. Exposure of these topics to other children is not healthy.
4:47-sorry, I mis-read your post
3:59 YOU DID NOT HAVE TO CALL HER NAMES MAYBE SHE HAS DAUGHTERS AND IS
CONCERNED. LET US NOT PUT EACH OTHER DOWN SO QUICKLY. PLEASE FORGIVE ME I AM NOT JUDGING YOU EITHER.
WITH LOVE
A FELLOW JEW
Rabbi Beck in Australia is nothing like his brother who is involved in Neturei Kata. How dare you!!!! Do you even know him??!!
I would like to see a comment from Neturei Karta leader Moishe Ber Beck, the brother of the Rov involved.
none of your chazarisha business…yenta
What exactkly happened?
Maybe this situation will help expose that there are some “misbehaving” woman teachers out there. Not only men. Parents be careful.