JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In an almost surreal twist, the Rabbi arrested last month on child molestation charges is the father-in-law of Malka Leifer, who is currently awaiting trial in Australia on dozens of charges, stemming from her work as a principal in Melbourne.
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Baruch Leifer, Rabbi in the Khust Chassidus, has been accused of multiple indecent acts against a 12 year old female relative, in addition to inappropriate acts against other children. According to media reports, many of the alleged acts happened too long ago to be prosecuted, due to the statute of limitations.
Although Baruch Leifer was arrested last month, a gag order prevented his name from being released, until a request was made by Kan News to make it public. That request was granted on Monday.
Leifer’s daughter-in-law Malka is slated to stand trial on 70 charges of extreme immorality against children at an Australian Charedi school, taking place between 2004 and 2008.
Leifer had fled to Israel after the allegations surfaced in 2008. She was extradited to Australia in January 2021.
Last month, MK Yaakov Litzman pled guilty to breach of public trust in the Leifer matter. He is suspected of stalling her extradition to Australia by pressuring a top psychiatric official to falsely declare her mentally unfit to stand trial.
It might be time to acknowledge there’s some kind of systemic dysfunction in our community.
When you see a cockroach in the kitchen corner you know there are more behind the walls. Stepping on it won’t accomplish a thing.
We’re finding too many of these sick people in our midst for us to sit back and ignore this any longer. I’m not going to point fingers at the educational system or other societal constructs. This is complicated and needs attention from professionals, possibly outside the community.
Covering our eyes in horror might be the instinctive reaction but if we continue to hide from this terrible reality the infestation will spread and we’ll have only ourselves to blame.
So who is the bigger problem? The molesters (like Leifer and perhaps Leifer Sr)? Or their enablers (like the politician who pressured a therapist to let Leifer off the hook)?
I would venture to say that the enablers are the bigger problem. In every case of a long-term molester, the enablers were the reason they lasted so long and did so much damage. I don’t know if VIN will allow me to give examples, so I’ll leave that for another time or venue, but even the latest big story with cw was because so many people knew or strongly suspected but looked the other way for so many years
“Statute of Limitations“!!!
Trauma survivors can take 5, 10, 20, 30+ years to break out of their prison and report the perps.
Who wrote that shameful law, someone related to Cuomo?
As long as the molester’s childrens Shidduchim (because they’re not guilty) are more important than victims and potential victims, nothing will change.
oiy, what a plague to hit the frum velt….
and one more “detail”: mk yaakov litzman’s plea deal will allow him to run in the next election, so he can continue to represent the utj “religious party”.
No surprise here. Abuse runs in families. Abused children become abusive adults. More than likely she was taught by her husband who was taught by his father.
This will only end if we stop teaching this in our schools.
These are leaders of the hyligeh Nadvorna Chasidis.
How dare anyone accuse them of anything?
You know how many Nadvirna Rebbes there are? Bus(es) can be filled with them.
They have the most Rebbes of any Hasidic sect perhaps. Although many operate under different names, as in this case.