This week Pegman takes us to Melbourne, Australia. Feel free to use the photo provided in the prompt, or seek out your own using Google’s street view or photo spheres.
Your mission: write up to 150 words inspired by the location. Once your piece is polished, feel free to share it with others using the link up below. Or, if you don’t have a blog to link to, you’re invited to post your story in the comments of this post.
Many thanks to Karen and Josh for facilitating this challenge for globetrotting writers. It’s the extra 50 words that keep me coming back. 😉
Adass Israel School in Melbourne
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Word Count: 150
WHO CAN FIND A VIRTUOUS WOMAN?
Tonight Mama locked me in the cupboard under the stairs. “Beyz meydl! Evil girl!” I could hear her rant all the way down the hallway. “What dybbik enticed you to venture outside the safe confines of Adass Israel? Ours is a sacred community.”
I only went to a bookstore in Melbourne. I want to read novels that don’t have half the sentences marked out. Why is this so wrong?
I hate the dark. When I’m there I see my principal’s hands. I can still feel them touching me under my blouse and skirt. She claims she’s performing a mitzvah and preparing me for marriage. Sometimes I think she might be the only person who has ever loved me. Other times I’m not so sure. If this is a good thing, why does Mrs. Leifer always close the door and lower the blinds? Why do I feel disgusting and rotten inside?
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Malka Leifer
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Well, that was horrible. Unfortunately, there are communities with very stringent codes of behavior where people hide their perverse natures and pretend piety.
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Dear James,
You mean the subject is horrible and not my story of course. 😉 So true though. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow, this is a powerful story. It seems to me that any fundamentalism is bad because it rejects anything vaguely construed as a threat.
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Dear Josh,
In a way it relates to my Carrie Nation story a couple of weeks ago. Extremism in any form…I’ve read a few horror stories beside this one about the Ultra Orthodox community. A good book to read on the subject is “UnOrthodox” by Deborah Feldman. At any rate, thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Mrs. Leifer looks like a very scary woman. What a great telling of horrific acts. Plus Mama doesn’t seem all that stellar either. Nicely done.
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Dear Lish,
No. Mama wouldn’t win any prizes for parent of the year. As for Mrs Leifer, only three women had the courage to come forward. Perhaps this was because they were sisters and knew they needed to do it for each other. Re my telling, thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I just read the article you attached to your story. Despicable woman! Ten children of her own? How could she? And what has she done to them? Oh! I’m on fire right now.
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And that is exactly why I went this direction. I hope they lock her up and throw away the key. Re Her own children, I wonder the same thing.
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Wow, powerful stuff. The voice gripped me, the story shocked me. Utterly riveting! So happy that extra fifty words lures you out!
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Dear Karen,
The fifty words are a lure and then when the Google trail leads me to such a story…nu? Who could resist. 😉 Thank you so much for your affirming words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such a sad tale that the child abused feels the shame and responsibility, and even sadder to know this it based on real events. A powerful story of horrific events and effects.
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Dear Sarah Ann,
The saddest thing to me is that the girls didn’t feel safe enough to talk to their parents, were ostracized by their community and they weren’t the only ones that monster molested. Thank you for reading and commenting in any event.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That poor girl. Abused at school, and can’t talk to her mother because her mother punishes her. Well told, Rochelle.
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Dear Penny,
The mother in question was herself a monster. The poor girl was definitely between the proverbial rock and hard place. My heart went out to her and her sisters.
Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You effectively communicate the confusion and self-blame of children put in this horrible situation — how terrible that there are real stories out there like this, I hope that the greater awareness and light being shed on such crimes means there will be fewer real life stories like this in later generations, but history does not make me overly optimistic.
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Dear Joy,
Sadly it’s easy for these predators to hide behind the veil of spirituality. I think of the rash of Catholic priests and pastors preying on children. It makes me grind my teeth. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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True. Too many of these types of organizations end up facilitating or at least covering up this terrible behavior, closing ranks against the “outsiders” to protect the adults, instead of protecting the children.
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😦
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Stuff like this goes on more than we’d like to believe. People need to listen to their children more and inspire confidence in them to report any attempt of an adult to pull that kind of business. It’s sick that this woman acted like that and still had a husband and ten children of her own. All children should be removed from contact with her. Good writing as always, Rochelle. —- Suzanne
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Dear Suzanne,
I couldn’t agree more. This monster needs to be locked away for good. I wonder if she did the same things to her own children? Thank you re my writing.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
This is an especially chilling story told brilliantly. Monsters come in all shapes and sizes and I swear the worst ones are the ones who hide behind religion. They are protected by their own too often.
You are the queen of this genre 😉
Lotsa love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
I found the truth behind my ‘fiction’ chilling so I’m particularly glad it came through. Thank you for your sweet comment. You may take your leave now, my loyal subject. 😉 ❤
Shalom,
Rochelle, Queen of Purple and Short of Height
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💜👸💜
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That story broke my heart when I first heard of it, and many times since, at the endless tribulations of the sisters and all who this woman abused, and all who continued her abuse by covering up and looking away and victimizing the victims further. There is much loss there that goes beyond the loss of innocence in the hands of (ugh for the pun) someone so perverted. Insulated communities create the perfect conditions for abuse of power. And the cost to those who speak up is often astronomical. I am proud of these young women for finding a voice and for being there for each other. May justice prevail.
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Na’ama Y’karah,
Your comment says it all. Some things need to be written and exposed to the light. I applaud those three sisters for sticking with it for a decade. I only hope this monster in “modest garb” gets the due she deserves. Who knows how much damage she’s done. How many other girls suffered the shame and still live with it? Thank you for adding your voice.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another must tell story, Having her thoughts and body raped and under control masquerading as love is so prevalent in a lot of “relationships” even now. Really enjoyed the honesty and cry for help in this one, Rochelle.
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Dear Kelvin,
Alas, this woman had many so called “relationships.” Thank you for your generous and affirming comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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