Aish UK / Aish NY (Part II)


I believe it was in 2011 that Nik Davidson's mother passed away in London leaving him an inheritance. At the time, that donation level of the Wolfson Foundation to Aish UK was approximately 60k per month. Nik Davidson who was aware of the monthly transfers to Aish UK, worked out with Naftali Schiff that he would donate his inheritance in the UK to Aish UK, and collect the funds through us, instead of us sending the Wolfson's donations to the UK. At the time, I was not aware of any of this, I was just told by Naftali Schiff not to continue and send the monthly payments to the UK, instead, just wait for further instructions.
After a few months, I was approached by Nik Davidson and was told that he is going to be telling me and direct me how and where funds should be disbursed, that was confirmed by Rabbi Schiff of Aish UK. Nik Davidson eventually received all his money.

I received no compensation nor any benefit whatsoever from this arrangement. For me, as Aish NY's accountant, this was just part of my typical duties.

Nik Davidson was let go in August of 2013 because of differences between him and Rabbi Greenman. He took Rabbi Greenman to rabbinical court and won a judgment of $150,000 to be paid to him as salary. Rabbi Greenman is disputing this judgment saying that Nik worked behind his back to benefit from this transfer of funds.

While I was the person that was wiring and recording the transfers, I was not responsible to any of these activities. Being that this arrangement was orchestrated by my superiors I had no input on any of the transactions.

At some point in 2012 Project Inspire was in a severe cash crunch. At that point, I understood and I was told by Nik that approximately $150,000 that was sitting in our accounts, presumably for Aish UK, was in fact belonging to him.  I discussed with Nik that Aish NY could not transfer the money to him. Eventually, I arranged for the funds to be "loaned" to Project Inspire and when funds came in to Project Inspire, the funds were forwarded to Nik. Every payment to repay Nik from Project Inspire was with the consent of Project Inspire Directors, Rabbi Sampson and Yossi Friedman.


Here is a full transaction history on that account:

		Incoming	paid out	Balance			Paid out
6/1/2012	W. Wire	$60,000.00		$60000	£ 39,008.00	1.54	£39008
5/15/2012	Cong. Beth Mikra 26401,2,3		$14,100.00	$45900			£39008
6/7/2012	Shaar Hashamayim 26420		$20,000.00	$25900			£39008
6/13/2012	Jonathan Kushner ck 26446		$1,000.00	$24900			£39008
6/18/2012	Jonathan Kushner ck 26459		$500.00	$24400			£39008
7/1/2012	W. Wire	$60,000.00		$84400	£ 38,193.00	1.57	£77201
8/6/2012	Bais Mikrah ck 26681		$26,400.00	$58000			£77201
8/6/2012	Ahavas Yisroel of Wesley Hills ck 26677		$300.00	$57700			£77201
8/6/2012	Shaar Hashamayim ck 26678		$3,000.00	$54700			£77201
8/6/2012	Bais Medrah Ateres Rosh ck 26679		$1,500.00	$53200			£77201
8/7/2012	Wire in	$30,000.00		$83200	£ 19,238.00	1.56	£96439
8/13/2012	Feldheim 26696		$10,625.96	$72574.04			£96439
8/16/2012	change to N		$1,000.00	$71574.04			£96439
9/1/2012	Wire in	$30,000.00		$101574.04	£ 18,983.00	1.5804	£115422
9/6/2012	Frank Adams 26791		$1,000.00	$100574.04			£115422
9/6/2012	David Sofer 26796		$420.00	$100154.04			£115422
9/6/2012	Leah Diskind Weisntein 26797		$525.00	$99629.04			£115422
9/13/2012	Yeshiva Tiferes Moshe		$5,000.00	$94629.04			£115422
9/24/2012	Cong. Ateres Rosh Gmach Fund 26872		$3,000.00	$91629.04			£115422
10/10/2012	Cong. Shaar Shashamayim #26913		$25,000.00	$66629.04			£115422
10/10/2012	Cong. Shaar Shashamayim 26914		$3,000.00	$63629.04			£115422
10/15/2012	Chaim Block 26937		$500.00	$63129.04			£115422
10/25/2012	Wire in	$45,000.00		$108129.04	£27880	1.614	£143302
11/13/2012	wire in	$75,000.00		$183129.04	46469	1.614	£189771
11/30/2012	wire in	$64,580.00		$247709.04	40229	1.6053	£230000
12/10/2012	Moved to Inspire		$150,000.00	$97709.04
12/12/2012	Guardian Life (S&A)		$15,260.00	$82449.04
12/12/2012	William Penn (S&A)		$665.00	$81784.04
12/12/2012	Frank Adams (S&A)		$1,000.00	$80784.04
1/31/2013	Settle up 2011 & 2012		$63,087.62	$17696.42
1/31/2013	Moved to Project Inpsire		$17,696.42	$0.00
TOTALS:		$364580	$364580	$0.00

Aish UK / Aish NY(Part I)

I wanted to explain the relationship between Aish NY and its Aish UK affiliate.


The following is exactly what happened. Approximately 5 years ago I was approached by Rabbi Greenman and told that Mr. Wolfson, a major philanthropist, was solicited by Rabbi Naftali Schiff, the head of Aish UK. I was told that the Wolfson Foundation did not want to transfer funds outside of the country, and therefor, I was told that the foundation will give the money to Aish New York and we would wire the funds over to Aish UK. I understood that the foundation would donate the funds to Torah U'Mesorah, a major Jewish organization, which used an account under the 'National Society of Hebrew day schools' to transfer $120,000 per month to Aish New York to be transferred to Aish UK. This worked for a number of years without a problem. The benefit for Rabbi Greenman and Aish New York to do this was because they were able to show that the total budget for the organization was far greater than it really was,thereby allowing them to solicit more funds from donors.

Dear All,



From early on in our arbitration process, in fact, right after the very first meeting (and the next 3...)  I felt something was very wrong. I should have protested to higher authorities. I didn't know my rights, ie that I can bring counsel, or a 'Toen'. I believed that the process will be fair and honest. Little did I know...

However, I should have known better. I have first hand knowledge of a previous incident which occurred a number of years ago where a female employee of Aish NY was fired. When she wanted to adjudicate this case for compensation, Aish NY suggested a specific rabbi in Monsey NY. She went to have the case heard by him and did not fare well. One day she came crying to me and told me about her situation and that she felt it was unfair. I informed her that I felt this Rabbi was biased since Aish NY  had been paying this Rabbi monthly honorariums, which in essence made him beholden to Aish . At the very next hearing, when she asked the rabbi outright if he was involved prior to this case with Aish, he quickly turned his prior decisions and made Aish pay her what she wanted.
In my case, it bothers me that the very first thing that Greenman mentioned to Rabbi Cohen was that he rented his synagogue for Aish programs on a number of occasions... I should have walked out right there and than. It was all done.

Dear freinds,

I am begging for your intervention.

I AM BEGGING for your intervention. No one stepped up and said - this is insane.  Stop the madness!

Rabbi Cohen - the arbitrator -

As I said all along - we got to see Rabbi Cohen because there was a lease question that arose. Here is a conversation with Rabbi Cohen where he directs me that bring all the parties to him to discuss the lease. Later, Aish used this opportunity and arbitration to make the accusations that I stole money from Aish.




The arbitration process was so skewed that every time I raised objections I was hushed by Rabbi Greenman, Aish attorney - Mr. Schabbes and Rabbi Cohen. Once I felt I needed help in my corner and I brought in an attorney, the arbitrator - Rabbi Cohen - decided to close the arbitration and issued a 'Psak' - an award of $20 million dollars against me, clear retaliation to me getting an attorney.

In our second meeting I was asked to give my passwords to personal accounts - I complied with Rabbi Cohen's request and shared the passwords on my accounts. When the meeting was over, I tried to gain access to my own accounts and was shocked and dismayed to learn that Aish used the time when I was with Rabbi Cohen and CHANGED the PW to my accounts. I was able to undo that by calling and complaining of this fraud. Aish complained to Rabbi Cohen and he was LIVID WITH ME - - not even understanding that Aish changed the PW to MY account!!   This was my fair and impartial arbitrator. I kept complaining that he was blinded by Aish - to no avail.

Rabbi Cohen called me and said that he has 'papers' for me -  just pick them up.. little did I know it was power of attorney documents that once signed I was completely in Aish control.

Rabbi Cohen played to the hands of Aish - without any proof decided that property I own - even property that was purchased BEFORE I EVER HEARD OF AISH, was "stolen" from Aish. Please listen to this conversation where Rabbi Cohen insists that I get him the papers Aish drafted in which I give them power of attorney over my property signed and delivered to him asap.