Former ultra-Orthodox Jewish school principal - קראַנק הונט - Malka Leifer allegedly raped a former student and told her it would help her for her wedding night.

 

The 56-year-old former teacher and mother of eight is standing trial accused of sexually abusing Melbourne sisters Nicole Meyer, Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper when they were her students, or young teachers, at the city's Adass Israel School between 2003 and 2007.

 

Leifer, who was head of religious studies and later principal, has pleaded not guilty.

 

The charges comprise 10 counts of rape, 10 counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual penetration of a 16-year-old or 17-year-old child, five counts of an indecent act with a 16-year-old or 17-year-old child and one of rape by compelled sexual penetration.

A sketch of Malka Leifer in court on Wednesday.

The women, who are sisters now in their 30s, were raised in the ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community in which young girls were not taught about sex until after they were engaged to be married, prosecutor Justin Lewis told Leifer's County Court trial on Wednesday.

 

Former Melbourne ultra-Orthodox school principal Malka Leifer exploited the vulnerability of her victims and warned one of them that she would publicize the girl’s problems at home if she disclosed Leifer’s abuse, a prosecutor told an Australian court in his opening statement on Wednesday.

The girls came from a sheltered environment within Melbourne’s Hasidic community. The family did not have a television, newspapers, magazines or access to the internet at home. “It was not acceptable within the community to say anything against a person of high standing in the community, especially as a child,” Lewis said. “As a result of being raised in an ultra-Orthodox community, the three complainants did not have any knowledge or understanding of sex throughout the period of the alleged offending.”

A jury of 15 - comprised of eight men and seven women - has been empanelled for the trial which could run for up to six weeks.

 

According to Erlich, family life was extremely contained to ensure they were not influenced by cultures of the world outside the community, Lewis said in his opening address.

 

They had no newspapers, television, radio or access to the internet at home, and only had books that had been vetted.

 

Erlich had no significant interaction with males outside her family until she was introduced by a matchmaker to her future husband, he said.

 

"They were not taught anything about sex until engaged to be married," Lewis said.

Malka Leifer is a former principal of the Adass Israel School

Court documents reveal some of the alleged offending is said to have taken place during June school camps in 2004 and 2006.

 

Lewis told the jury Meyer was sexually abused by Leifer when she was a student and after graduating when she returned as a teacher.

 

On a high school camp, Leifer allegedly raped Meyer and told her "this will help you for your wedding night".

 

On a second occasion, Leifer allegedly fondled Meyer, before stopping and telling her "I'll leave that for your husband".

 

Lewis said Meyer was uncomfortable when touched by Leifer but because of her cultural upbringing didn't know any better.

 

Erlich was also allegedly abused at the same camp when sharing a room with her sister and Leifer.

Lewis said Leifer begun to spend more time with Erlich in the lead-up to the camp, when she was in year 11, and told her she was there for her.

 

Leifer allegedly asked her if she was "an innocent girl or if she'd like to find out things that weren't relevant" to her, Lewis said.

 

On another occasion, while Leifer was putting her baby to sleep, she allegedly kissed Erlich on the lips.

Lewis said Leifer then explained what kissing on the mouth meant because Erlich hadn't heard of it before.

 

The jury heard Leifer had Erlich over to her house for kallah lessons - in which young Jewish women are taught about family, purity and basic details about sex.

 

His opening address to jurors is expected to continue on Wednesday afternoon, before Leifer's barristers Ian Hill KC and Lucinda Thies open their case.

 

Wearing a long black skirt, a black and gold jumper and her hair in a black wrap, Leifer sat in the court holding a small book as Judge Mark Gamble addressed the jurors on Wednesday morning.

 

He told them to put aside any sympathy or prejudice they might feel toward or against any party and determine the case using their intellect, not their hearts.

 

Leifer is facing 29 charges, including 10 of rape, one of rape by compelled sexual penetration, three charges of sexual penetration of a 16 or 17-year-old child, 10 of indecent assault, and five of indecent assault of a 16 or 17-year-old child.

 

"Leifer has pleaded not guilty to each of these charges and so it is for you and you alone to decide whether she is guilty or not guilty of these crimes," Gamble said.

 

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