UTTERLY DISGRACEFUL

I love Israel, where I lived for several years, and have always respected its legal system.

However, I – and many other Australians – have been appalled at the way former Melbourne school principal Malka Leifer has manipulated that system to avoid facing justice on charges of rape, indecent assault and sexual penetration of young students in her care.

Leifer, as outlined in the excellent December 6 piece (“How Malka Leifer has evaded justice for over a decade”) was head of Jewish studies at the ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel School in Melbourne.

This is a school where children are protected from the realities of life – particularly matters sexual – to a degree astonishing to people outside.

This makes them utterly vulnerable to possible abuse by people in authority.

Three incredibly brave young Australian women reported alleged grotesque abuse by Leifer to authorities here 10 years ago – whereupon within hours she fled to Israel, where she has avoided justice ever since.

These young women have been through hell. And they continue to endure it while Leifer apparently cheerfully leads a normal life in Israel – pausing only to claim she’s too mentally ill to face court.

My impression is Israeli police have done a sterling job – but they have been stymied right and left by political and religious figures.

Where is their compassion? How can they allow this disgraceful business to continue?

Where is the justice for the three incredibly brave, utterly vulnerable young women who have spoken out against a powerful figure, who enjoys a protection clearly not available to them?

HEATHER KENNEDY Melbourne

Where is the justice for the three incredibly brave, utterly vulnerable young women who have spoken out against a powerful figure?