New Jersey rabbi faces sexual assault and harassment lawsuit

Miriam Malachi, an Israeli immigrant and mother of two, has filed a lawsuit against Rabbi Avraham Appel of Lakewood, New Jersey. The plaintiff alleges that the rabbi exploited his position of authority to sexually assault her at her home in the summer of 2022. According to the court documents, the relationship began when Malachi sought financial assistance for childcare from the rabbi. Malachi claims that Appel subsequently sent her unsolicited obscene messages and explicit photographs. The lawsuit further alleges that after she attempted to pursue legal action, the rabbi initiated a smear campaign against her. This purportedly included the creation of a website labeling her a threat to the community and the distribution of defamatory leaflets at her children's school. Additionally, Malachi asserts that she was offered 50,000 dollars to drop the legal proceedings. The legal case remains ongoing, and the accusations against the religious leader have received national attention.