Court ruling9/2/2026

Dance Teacher to Pay Former Student NIS 705,321

The court ordered Kirill Chaikin-Shahaf, known by the trade name “Kirill Art,” to compensate his former student, Yuval Raz, for the harm caused to her after he raped her when she was a minor. At this stage, he was ordered to pay NIS 705,321, as well as legal expenses and attorney’s fees.

Key facts

•Compensation payable now: NIS 705,321
•Total damages assessed: NIS 1,268,128
•Amount frozen: NIS 400,000
•Criminal sentence: seven and a half years in prison
•Compensation in the criminal proceedings: NIS 100,000
•The case number and date of the judgment are not specified in the source

The Criminal Proceedings

Under a plea agreement, the teacher was convicted of two counts of raping Raz, who was not yet 16 at the time, two indecent acts, unlawful intercourse by consent, and an act of sodomy. In an additional charge, he was convicted of committing an indecent act against another student. The Haifa District Court sentenced him to seven and a half years in prison and ordered him to pay the girl NIS 100,000.

How the Damages Were Calculated

In the civil proceedings, Judge Moti Cohen assessed the total damages at NIS 1,268,128. Of this amount, NIS 700,000 was awarded for pain and suffering, approximately NIS 452,000 for future loss of earning capacity, and approximately NIS 116,000 for pension losses, expenses, and third-party assistance. The compensation awarded in the criminal proceedings and the National Insurance Institute benefits were deducted from the total amount.

Why Part of the Money Was Frozen

An additional sum of NIS 400,000 was frozen pending a final decision by the National Insurance Institute regarding the victim’s future entitlements. Therefore, at this stage, the defendant must pay NIS 705,321; Raz may later also receive part of the frozen amount. In addition, legal expenses and attorney’s fees were awarded, but their amounts are not specified in the source.

The Lawsuit Against the Studio Owner Was Dismissed

The court did not impose liability on the owner of the “Tza’ad VaHetzi” studio, where the defendant taught. The offenses were committed secretly, in his apartment and outside working hours, and no evidence was presented that the owner knew about them, deliberately ignored warning signs, or could have foreseen them.

A Regulatory Gap for Dance Studios

The judge noted that private dance studios are not necessarily included in the definition of a “sports organization.” Therefore, the rules concerning training and measures to prevent sexual harassment may not apply to them. The judge called on the legislature to consider oversight of such studios and mandatory training for teachers and instructors.

What this means for you

The decision shows that after criminal proceedings, a victim may separately seek compensation for various types of harm in civil proceedings. In calculating the final payment, the court takes into account the compensation already awarded in the criminal proceedings and National Insurance Institute benefits. At the same time, the decision exposes the absence of uniform, binding regulation for preventing sexual abuse in all private dance studios.

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