Teacher Admits Assaulting Students, Back After 1 Day

A teacher at a Talmud Torah in Bnei Brak admitted to physically assaulting two fifth-grade students but returned to his classroom after being suspended for just one day, according to a report Monday by Mordechai Halperin, Galei Tzahal's haredi affairs correspondent.

The incident has sparked outrage among parents and raised serious questions about disciplinary standards in haredi educational institutions, particularly as Israel's ultra-Orthodox school system faces mounting scrutiny over teacher conduct and student safety.

According to the report, the teacher justified his actions by claiming the students had "been disrespectful" toward him and that he believed it necessary to "teach them a lesson." Following the incident, school administrators conducted a clarification meeting with the educator, after which they decided to suspend him for a single day before allowing him to resume teaching.

"He Pinched Him Hard"

The mother of one of the assaulted students described the incident to Kikar HaShabbat in disturbing detail. "The child told me that he pinched him, pinched quite hard and twisted his hand, so it became... it could be that he (the teacher) was a bit nervous," she stated.

Despite her evident concern, the mother indicated she felt pressured to maintain normalcy. "The principal spoke with him, but I sent him to class. What am I going to do, keep him home? I was a bit scared, but I spoke with the principal, and I hope they'll deal with it," she said.

The school's principal told Galei Tzahal that he made clear to the teacher such behavior was unacceptable and would not be tolerated in the future. "This won't happen again. I understood that this was truly an exceptional act that won't occur with us. I suspended him for one day. He tried to justify himself, but I said there's a limit to everything. He didn't think it would lead to such severity," the principal stated.

Pattern of Inadequate Response

The principal acknowledged he is now considering whether to continue employing the teacher for the upcoming academic year. "I'll manage it so that he doesn't continue," he said, referring to the possibility of not renewing the teacher's contract for next year.

The incident comes amid growing concern over teacher misconduct in haredi educational institutions. Recent cases have included a rabbi sentenced to seven and a half years for systematic abuse of eight students over six years, and the arrest of a 65-year-old haredi teacher in Safed on suspicion of sexual offenses against minors.

Educational experts have long warned that brief suspensions following admitted physical assault send a dangerous message about accountability in schools. The one-day suspension in this case — despite the teacher's confession — raises questions about whether haredi educational networks maintain adequate safeguards to protect students from abusive educators.

The Bnei Brak Talmud Torah administration has not issued any public statement regarding additional measures being implemented to prevent future incidents or to ensure student safety in the classroom.