Lawsuit Increases Scrutiny of World Jewish Congress
By NATHANIEL POPPER
January 20, 2006
While the World Jewish Congress continues to be under investigation by the New York attorney general, a separate lawsuit in Israel is bringing further scrutiny on two top figures close to the organization.
Israel Singer, chairman of the WJC, and Zvi Barak, a consultant to the organization, are coming under fire in a lawsuit filed by Vera Keller, the widow of a former WJC supporter. Keller's late husband, Leslie, set up a foundation in 2000 that is now run by Barak and Singer's son, Elie, and also an Israeli relative of Keller whose role in the case is unclear.
The case is being pursued by Vera Keller's grandnephew, Menachem Kahn, who has her power of attorney. The complaint alleges that since Leslie Keller died in early 2003, the $1 million foundation has given out grants with no accountability to Vera Keller and her family.
Kahn's affidavit also says that Israel Singer attempted to wrest control of Keller's will in the months before Keller died.
The lawyer representing the foundation's trustees, Elad Mann, said the case "has no standing on the procedural grounds or on its merits. It will be dismissed in a short time."
Calls to Israel Singer were directed to the secretary general of the WJC, Stephen Herbits. Herbits said that the WJC had no role in the case. However, Herbits has compiled a report on it, which says that the allegations involved "are scurrilous and completely false."
Singer and Barak, a Tel Aviv attorney whose offices are the mailing address for the foundation, are also at the center of a dispute over transfers to and from the WJC's Geneva bank account.
That dispute arose after Singer transferred $1.2 million from a Geneva bank account to a custodial account controlled by Barak in London. Barak had no official role in the WJC at the time, but he has since become a consultant to the organization. The case in Israel involves criticism of Barak and Singer from persons outside the circle of critics who have been hammering at the WJC over the Geneva controversy.
Some of the charges in the Keller case involve Singer. Two of Keller's grandnephews state in their affidavits that Singer tried to convince Keller to sign a will that would have made Singer the executor of Keller's will, along with another associate of Keller, David Moskovits.
One of the grandnephews, Kahn, told the Forward that a few weeks after Leslie Keller died, in March 2003, Moskovits and Singer came to Vera Keller's house and presented the will naming them as executors as a done deal — a deal from which Kahn says they later backed away.
Singer's son, Elie, told the Forward: "This is false and the suggestion is preposterous. These outrageous accusations do not merit a response."
Kahn's version is also refuted in an affidavit written by Moskovits. He states that Keller became good friends with Singer in his last 15 years, and it was Keller who asked Singer to sign the will and become his executor. According to Moskovits, Singer turned down the request multiple times.
Moskovits states that the lawsuit was brought by "a few of Keller's relatives who seem to have misrepresented the intentions of Mr. Keller... because it seems they think they could benefit financially from doing so."
A lawyer for Vera Keller said the lawsuit came about only after the foundation trustees refused to release basic financial information about the foundation to Vera Keller — particularly information about where the foundation's grants were going.
"We came into this extremely innocently, thinking we would ask for information and get it," said a lawyer in the office of Menachem Harutz, which is representing the Kellers. "We had no idea how complicated everything would be."
The foundation did present financial documents for 2003 and 2004 in its response to the lawsuit. Most of the grants in 2003 — after Leslie Keller died — went to Jewish research projects. But the first grant after Keller's death, for $5,000, went to the WJC office in Buenos Aires.
The foundation was created in 2000, with the goal of aiding "study and research of the Jewish heritage."
When the foundation was created, Israel Singer was listed as a trustee along with two WJC employees. When those two left the WJC in 2003 and 2004 Barak and Elie Singer were chosen to replace them at the foundation.
The grandnephews have asked the court to allow the family to appoint new trustees who will carry out Leslie Keller's original wishes. The case is scheduled to open February 8 in Jerusalem district court.
Thieves breed thieves, like sex abusers breed molesters.
UOJ
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22 comments:
Wonder if ass-wipe sruly will wear his black hat to the trial.
Here is a guy that has never held down an honest days work in his life, mooching off bronfman and nebech, re-directing money earmarked for long-suffering holocaust survivors.
Wouldn't be the least bit surprised if some of these holocaust survivors, if they only had the physical koach, wouldn't like to re-arrange the pockmarks on srulys face.
What a piece of Drek.
Singer gives low-life a whole new meaning. His greatest defender is Nosson Sherman...maybe we get a book deal out of this.
You think maybe sruly was the "brains" behind the recent Lakewood Chinese Auction?
Nossen Scherman obviously never learned that "Brevity is the Soul of Wit".
Amazing how he can say so little in so many lengthy convoluted paragraphs.
OUJ
I'm the one who sabatoged your last web-blog domain.
I'm almost finished wrapping up my program ;) for this newer address. Writing a few scripts, and sourcing at the moment...have to get paid first.. before anything is finalized with this newer address....
I'm actually enjoying this (this is all true).
I just would like for you to know that I have no personal agenda with you. In actuality I could care less about your positions or reportings on this blog.
I am a computer programmer and technician by proffession (I work for a major IT company)and a comp. geek as a passion.
I was reffered to my new customer through a mutual associate. This new customer is the guy with the axe to grind. He is the one who is paying me to make your blogging life a living hell, so that you wil ultimately go under or have to incorporate new urls again and again to keep yourself afloat (another way of killing your readership...)
I'm sorry pal I'm just trying to earn a living...hey I aint even Jewish...
Figured I'd get a kick outa writing this to you and your remaining few readers.
Whether you do or don't believe the veracity of my claims is entirely up to you.
Watch your back :))
Hmmmm. Let's see:
1. Leslie Keller, Singer's friend of 15 years set up a foundation and appointed Singer and other WJC employees as trustees.
2. The goal of the foiundation was "study and research of the Jewish heritage."
3. Documents disclosed by foundation show that the moneys were in fact going to "Jewish research projects."
4. Keller's grandnephew is now claiming that a new trustee needs to be appointed to "carry out Leslie Keller's original wishes", whatever those are.
What exactly is the scandal?
Krum,
The problem is that Singer has no credibilty. Spitzer is still on this after Bronfman paid off the IRS on Singer's behalf, because Singer never declared it as income, and owes the state a big one if it was income.
Barak was the straw man for the WJC, holding on to funds questionable in its origins.
Singer is a snake, and Bronfman is just starting to figure it out.
There is a lot more of"holocaust" money that wound up in Swiss accounts that is under the control of Barak & Singer.
Spitzer is no dummy, he's figured it out.
More to come.....
Why does swiss automaticall mean its bad?
why dont we just wait until Spitzer finishes his investigation before passing judgement?
Swiss means bad when money disappears from the WJC and nobody knows about it other than Singer & Bronfman.
which money disappeared? how can no one know if they have had more than one outside audit?
So why hasn't even see fit to enpanel a grand jury? Even Gary Rosenblatt, who has been following this like a dog after poop has indicated that the AG's report will not find any criminality. This investigation has been goign on for over a year and is going nowhere.
Krum,
Gimmmmeeeeaaabbbbreak!
Spitzer is a New York politician afraid of being accused by Bronfman of being anti-semitic.
If it was Singer alone, his fagele ass would be in jail by now.
"Spitzer is a New York politician afraid of being accused by Bronfman of being anti-semitic."
Ummmm.........Spitzers a jew too. Anti-semitic how exactly? And I highly doubt that if Singer belonged in jail that somehow working with Brinfman would save his ass. If Spitzer finds something, well all find out about it, jew or not.
Spitzer, first and foremost is an opportunist. Won't let a "jew" stand in his way of becoming NYS Gov.
Check today's news - you owe Rabbi Singer a public apology.
Crier,
In a sort of plea-bargain with Spitzer, he admitted wrongdoing to the tune of $300,000.
He's a piece of drek hiding behind Bronfman's skirt.
"Following his retirement as Secretary General, Singer received in installments a total of $308,000, which was characterized variously by [The WJC's] American Section's bookkeeper as accrued vacation and unused sick time. The American Section's bookkeeper calcualted a payment of $176,000 based on 35 weeks of accrued vacation time. In the absence of any documentation such as an employment manual or other written policy such aasan emplyment manual or other wiritten policy, or tuime and attendence recortds, the additional $132,000 is not reasonable compensation under N-PCL 202(a)(12)."
Singer transferred 1.2 million dollars without the authority do do it.
All the Johnny come lately bookeeping was created to cover their tracks.
Spitzer was not going to knock heads with Bronfman, so Singer got a slap on the wrist.
If not for Bronfman, Singer would be sitting in the can.
How come you know all this and nobody else does? where do you get your information from?
Deep Nose knows!
This blog is PATHETIC. I guess no one really has any interest in listening to your warped views so this is your only outlet. No wonder it was shut down once before...I think it should be shut down again.
I have personal information on the lawsuit by Vera Keller. Not only did Singer present her with a(n unsigned) will giving him and his son Eli control over Keller's finances, he tried to get Keller to sign it on his death bed in a hospital in Hungary. When Keller's relatives (they are childless) flew to Hungary to visit him in the hospital, Singer managed to keep them from seeing Mr or Mrs Keller. When Mr Keller died, Sruly Singer forcibly detained the 80+ yr old widow (who is also not well) and prevented her from attending her husband's funeral in Israel or speaking to her frantic relatives for several weeks.
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