Forest Hills Yeshiva Ignored Teacher's Inappropriate Touch: Suit

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — A Forest Hills Yeshiva educator says she was accused of lying and fired after reporting a substitute teacher had inappropriately touched a kindergarten boy, a new lawsuit contends.

Roza Tachalov filed a civil suit this month in Brooklyn federal court against Yeshiva Sha’arei Zion at 75-24 Grand Central Parkway, contending two principals ignored the report she made last January, according to court records.

The principals never told parents of the abuse report, but accused Tachalov of "making up stories" and ultimately fired her, the lawsuit contends

The yeshiva didn't immediately respond to Patch's request for comment but an attorney denied the claims to the New York Post.

“We’ll let the courts decide the baseless nature of these charges,” attorney Michael Miranda reportedly said.

Tachalov saw a substitute teacher touching the boy in an "inappropriate manner" while the class was watching a movie on January 12, 2021, the lawsuit reads.

The educator then confirmed what she saw by reviewing video footage, according to the lawsuit.

At the advice of another teacher, Tachalov reported the incident to Rabbi Ephraim Ben Mordechai, a school principal and the director of Jewish studies, the lawsuit contends.

Tachalov then brought her concerns to another principal, Rabbi Avraham Fridman, who is also the director of Sha’arei Zion's English department, according to the suit.

The next day, Ben Mordechai confronted Tachalov for talking with Fridman, saying she was "making up stories" and "destroying his position in the eyes of the Board" while refusing to watch the video footage, the lawsuit contends.

The confrontation brought Tachalov to tears, the lawsuit states.

Fridman said he would handle the situation in accordance with school protocols and notify the parent about the inappropriate touching, according to the suit.

Tachalov realized the school never contacted the family in April, when the kindergartener's parent told her the boy was having problems at home and asked if something unusual had happened at school, the suit contends.

Meanwhile, Ben Mordechai and Fridman were pushing Tachalov to consider a teaching position at Sha’arei Zion's sister school for girls, according to the lawsuit

Tachalov met with the girls' school principal, who told her if she didn't take the new position — which would require her to teach twice as many daily classes for significantly less pay — she would "walk out of the school year with no position at all," according to the suit.

Tachalov was fired the following day — a termination that she believes is in retaliation to her raising concerns about possible child abuse, the suit states.

Tachalov is now seeking a jury trial in the civil lawsuit, and looking to be compensated for damages, according to the suit.