An Israeli court has adjourned the case of a woman accused of sexually abusing her students at a Jewish religious school in Australia.
Former principal Malka Leifer is accused for up to 74 charges of sexual abuse of schoolgirls at a ultra-Orthodox Jewish religious school in Melbourne.
The 54-year-old fled to Israel in 2008 and was arrested following an undercover investigation at Interpol's request and suspected of obstructing Israeli court proceedings by attempting to hide evidence.
The Australian authorities had also sought extradition.
Three complainants - sisters Dassi Erlich, Nicole Meyer, and Elly Sapper - had flown in from Australia to attend the court hearing in Jerusalem.
But they expressed their frustration that the accused was not in court herself.
Malka Leifer, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman, seen handcuffed, as she brought to Jerusalem District court by the Israeli prison service guards Source: AAP
Leifer was not present at the closed-door session, with her defence team arguing she was mentally unfit to stand trial.
The Jerusalem District Court adjourned proceedings until January 2019 when two more psychiatrists will be called to give evidence.
By then, the case will have been running for 11 months without any resolution on the question of whether Leifer is mentally able to face an extradition court.
If the Jerusalem District Court deems her well enough to face those proceedings, she is likely to be sent to Australia, where she will face charges.
She remains in prison.
