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	Jewish School 'Devastated' By Beck Eleven The Age March 14, 2008 http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/jewish-school-devastated/2008/03/14/1205126174610.html A spokesman for the Jewish school at the centre of an alleged student molestation case said the community was "devastated". The scandal erupted after the principal of the Adass Israel Girls' School in Elsternwick fled Australia facing accusations that she sexually molested some of the students. Outraged parents claim that the private Jewish girls' school paid for Malka Leifer, a mother of eight, to return to Israel before reporting the complaints to the police. She left Melbourne on Wednesday last week, 24 hours after being investigated and sacked by the school's board. The Adass community is a small, ultra-orthodox and reclusive group of about 150 families based in Elsternwick and Ripponlea. Barrister Norman Rosenbaum spoke on behalf of the school outside its grounds today. He would not discuss the allegations, citing legal bounds and respect for the confidentiality of those affected. "People are devastated because even the mere allegation is something which goes to the very core of the principles and the morals and ethics which this school intends to inculcate in its students," he said. "Certainly we have the best interests of those affected at the forefront and we are fully cognisant of the other issues, legal and otherwise, which go with that. He said he would not comment further. other than to provide assurance that issues were being addressed by qualified professionals. He would not comment on the number of victims and said he was not aware of the school demanding parents not discuss the allegations to media. However, a security guard was employed by the school today and one parent who stopped to say she was shaken by the story, was quickly ushered away by another staff member. Mr Rosenbaum said neither he nor the school, to the best of his knowledge, had spoken to the former principal since she left. "I don't know first hand but there is popular rumour around that she went back to her home of origin."
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