The trial of Malka Leifer opened in the Melbourne court on Monday morning, with the former principal being accused of 74 counts of child sexual abuse and rape.
Leifer escaped to Israel in 2008 after being accused of child sexual abuse and rape in Australia.
In 2012, Australia requested that she be extradited, and the process began in 2014. Leifer was arrested but claimed she suffered from mental illnesses which would prevent her from facing trial and the case was dropped until 2018 when she was arrested for faking her mental illness to avoid extradition.
The extradition was finally confirmed in 2021, and Leifer was flown back to Australia at the end of January.
"That Leifer was allowed to escape justice for so long was a travesty," said Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler.
In May, it was announced that former Housing Minister Ya'acov Litzman will be prosecuted for allegedly pressuring the Jerusalem district psychiatrist to falsely rule Leifer mentally unfit for trial.
Now that the 55-year-old is back in Australia 12 years after escaping, she will face trial behind closed doors in Melbourne.
Testimonies will be heard throughout the trial from doctors, psychologists and other witnesses close to three sisters she is accused of sexually abusing.