The Israeli artist was accused of relations with the students. After the publication of the investigation, he committed suicide

On February 1, the Israeli edition of Mako published an investigation about the former teacher of the Telma Yelin art school from the city of Givataim, which is not far from Tel Aviv. The article said that the teacher of the educational institution, known in the local environment, artist Boaz Arad met with graduates of the school, and in one case maintained relations with a 16-year-old schoolgirl, who told reporters about this. Although 16 years is the age of consent in Israel, the legislation prohibits relations between teachers and minor students. The day after the publication of the material, 61-year-old Boaz Arad committed suicide.

What was stated in the article?

Boaz Arad, whose works were exhibited in galleries in many countries of the world, taught at the Telma Yelin art school from 1983 to 2006. Arad was considered one of the most famous and honored teachers, students loved him very much. He often invited schoolchildren to his home, painted them, talked closely with adolescents and was a moral authority for them.

With some students, he talked more closely. The woman who studied at an art school in the early 1990s told Mako reporters that she had had a relationship with Arad from 16; The schoolgirl fell in love with him during one -on -one conversations and drawing lessons at home. Once, during one of these lessons, the former student of Arad claims, he invited the girl to pose. Then the teacher asked her to undress; The girl agreed. “He could not draw, he said that he could not control himself,” she told reporters.

They have a romantic and sexual connection, which the couple carefully hid. Two years later, after the girl was 18, they began to meet openly. According to the former student of an art school, their relationship could not be called equal: Arad behaved aggressively, constantly taught her, criticized her college and teachers. The girl found out that Arad had met with the students of Telm Yelin before her; He did not deny it.

According to the former student of Arad, that the artist was starting relations with schoolgirls, rumors went throughout the school. It was also known about them to teachers; They did not take any measures.

The novel lasted a total of four years, after which the girl threw the teacher and left the city. The girl’s story confirmed several of her friends. One of the friends said that this relationship was difficult to call suspicious, they were more like a beautiful love story.

Mako journalists managed to find out at least three graduates of the Telma Yelin school, with whom Arad had a relationship - but there was no information that he had a sexual connection with them at a time when they studied at school.

What did the teacher answer?

The publication granted Boaz Arad the right to respond to charges against him. Journalists did not tell him what kind of girls are talking about in the material.

The artist said that he really had relations with former students, but he did not have sex with any of them until their age. He explained that all these relations took place without coercion and violence, they were sincere and mutual agreement.

Arad claimed that “never crossed the borders” in friendship with minors. During a conversation with journalists, he nevertheless admitted that with one of the girls they began a romantic relationship while she was studying at school, but there was no talk of sex.

“I had few relations in my life, but everything that was was of great importance for me,” he said. According to Arad, he met with one of the former students when she had already matured. She accused him of only having sex from her and used her. She “trampled him into the mud,” said Arad. The artist himself insisted that he was sincerely in love and dreamed that she stayed with him.

Arad threatened to commit suicide due to publication

In an interview with reporters, Boaz Arad repeatedly stated that if the article comes out, his life will be meaningless. He explained that he would not be able to defend his honest name in court and could not sleep peacefully at night, thinking that he ruined the life of a girl with whom he met until her age. “I am ashamed of this, I feel guilty. I have few friends, there is no family, I try to do everything for my students, to engage in art. If you take it from me, I can’t teach and exhibit anymore. I will not need to live, ”he said in an interview with Mako.

The publication turned to the police before the publication and asked to pay attention to the artist’s words about his intentions to commit suicide. The police visited him and decided that there was no threat to his life. On February 2, the day after the release of the material, Boaz Arad committed suicide.

Mako brought condolences to the artist's relatives and friends. At the same time, the publication defends its right to publish the investigation: it indicates reliable facts, and Arad continued to teach at school at the time of publication. “A journalist who has learned about the law prohibited - and repeatedly - a teacher’s relationship with students, and decided not to write about it - is to blame in the face of truth, the profession of a journalist and, first of all, in the face of victims,” the statement said in a statement.

Pavel Borisov