ByHODAYA RAN

On Monday, the Lod District court sentenced four defendants in the severe child abuse case at the "Racheli" kindergarten in the Eizariya Moshav, including kindergarten teacher Diana Nasser, who was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, and David Legali, the son of the kindergarten owner, who was sentenced to two years in prison.

Additionally, two other assistants were sentenced to community service, and all the defendants were ordered to pay significant compensation totaling 350,000 NIS to the children's parents.

The abuse case came to light after the Central District Prosecutor’s Office filed a serious indictment against the four in November 2022, detailing a series of shocking incidents involving 12 toddlers aged two to three.

The kindergarten staff admitted and were convicted in a plea deal, each for their part, of dozens of offenses of child abuse, causing actual bodily harm, failing to fulfill responsibilities, and other crimes.

The indictment described harsh incidents: Nasser and Legali forcibly pulled the toddlers by their arms and legs, slapped them, pinched them, lifted them, and slammed them hard onto mattresses, floors, and chairs.

KFAR MAIMON children in the temporary ‘gan’ in Jerusalem’s center; the Foundation provided educational supplies for the kindergarten.
KFAR MAIMON children in the temporary ‘gan’ in Jerusalem’s center; the Foundation provided educational supplies for the kindergarten. (credit: JERUSALEM FOUNDATION)

In one case, they locked a 3-year-old child in a bathtub sink for 25 minutes while cursing at him, threatening him, and throwing objects at him. In other cases, they prevented the children from eating, simply because they cried at the dining table.

Parents left in the dark

The parents knew nothing. "Each charge describes another horrific day in the life of the kindergarten," said Attorney Tzur Falk from the Central District Prosecutor’s Office. "Parents send their children to kindergarten, kiss them goodbye, and cannot imagine the horrific abuse happening at that very moment."

Two other assistants, Daniel Bekhor and Diana Biok, who were convicted of less serious offenses, were each sentenced to nine months of community service. The conviction and sentencing represent a significant milestone in the fight to eradicate the phenomenon of abuse in early childhood educational frameworks.