Former Jewish School Principal Malka Leifer Found Guilty of Child Sexual Abuse in Australia

Malka Leifer, a former principal at an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Australia, was found guilty of sexually assaulting two sisters there, including rape and indecent assault. Leifer had fled to Israel 15 years ago to escape arrest. The verdict came after a years-long struggle to have her extradited from Israel, during which a court determined that she had feigned mental illness to avoid facing justice. The trial put a strain on relations between Jerusalem and Canberra. The sisters had an isolated upbringing in Melbourne’s ultra-Orthodox community and received no sexual education.