PETER KOHN

ADELAIDE’S Rabbi Yossi Engel and his wife Rebbetzin Chana Engel are due to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court this week to face charges relating to their application for educational funding.

The Engels have been jointly charged with 39 counts of dishonestly dealing with documents in relation to a Jewish school they founded in the South Australian capital.

They will appear for a committal hearing in the Magistrates Court on Friday September 11 after an earlier appearance on July 30 was postponed at the last minute when it was explained to the court that it would have fallen on Tisha b’Av.

The charges relate to allegations of faked report cards and other documents from the school, which was founded by the former Adelaide Hebrew Congregation (AHC) rabbi and his wife.

Police prosecutors said the Engels were charged under section 140 of South Australia’s Criminal Law Consolidation Act, which indicates a maximum penalty of 10 years jail if the charges are proven.

The charges followed a two-year South Australian Police investigation into the couple’s business affairs relating to the Spirit of David Adelaide Hebrew School, which has been disbanded.

Adelaide’s Criminal Investigation Branch interviewed more than 50 people in relation to the alleged offences.

US-born Rabbi Engel was the rabbi of AHC from 1998 until 2006, when he was informed his contract would not be renewed.

The Sydney Beth Din declared the rabbi’s contract ongoing, citing halachic law. However, a South Australian court declared his contract to be over. Rabbi Engel appealed to the Supreme Court, which later rejected his appeal.