Multiple fraud-related charges against an Adelaide rabbi, related to state and federal government grants, may be dropped.
The case against Yosef Yitzchock Engel and his wife Chana Engel came before the Adelaide Magistrates Court today where the prosecution asked for the matter to be adjourned.
The court was told there was a possibility the allegations against the couple would be withdrawn.
The pair have each been charged with 39 counts of dishonestly dealing with documents.
The allegations relate to $50,000 in grants they received for providing religious studies to students at a school which prosecutors say did not exist.
In court today, Magistrate Alf Grasso adjourned the case until June 22 to allow for further negotiations.
The Engels were excused from attending on the next occasion.
Normally I would say that to take money for a public service you have not performed is less than ethical, far from Godly and outright criminal.
However, in this case the good Rabbi was supposed to perform instructions in religious studies. They obviously did not take place as the venue, the school does not exist.
Had he been the instructor of cooking, sewing or drama it would have been fraud, but in this case he was paid for poisoning the young generation with Talmudic venom.
In this perspective the court is showing courage by asking itself the logical question: What is worse: delivering venom or just charging for it without delivering it?
In this case the court is not to blame, neither is the Rabbi, who deserves an audience with the Pope, but the legislators, who committed hard earned public funds for the purpose of spreading venom.