CHANTAL ABITBOL

WHEN Paul Leventhal moved to Australia with his family from Israel last September, he thought he was coming here for his dream posting as director and emissary for the Jewish National Fund (JNF) NSW.

But after only six months on the job, he was let go from his position.

Leventhal told The AJN this week he was unfairly dismissed “without due process or reason” and the contract he signed with JNF’s parent organisation in Israel, Keren Kayemet LeYisrael (KKL), was “harsh and unconscionable”, forbidding him to work in the field for the next three years and ordering him to return to Israel.

He is now taking both groups to the Industrial Relations Court (IRC) to seek 12-months remuneration. The hearing is set for October 8.

“I signed [the contract] in naivety,” said Australian-born Leventhal, who made aliyah in 1999.

According to JNF’s acting director, Zeev Bashan, Leventhal’s contract was terminated because his work wasn’t up to scratch, and it was done “according to the law”.

Technically, he added, KKL, not JNF, was Leventhal’s employer because he originally signed the contract in Israel with them.

As such, JNF is separately challenging the authority of the IRC to rule on the matter in the Federal Court on September 28.

“Paul didn’t perform his duties,” said Bashan, “and the fact of the matter is there is not even jurisdiction [in Australia] because he signed a clear contract with KKL in Israel. We didn’t even see the contract that he signed.”

Leventhal said he was first made aware that there was a problem when he received a call from KKL’s offices in February asking him to address some concerns about his “management style and interpersonal skills”.

He said they gave him a three-week deadline to deal with matters, but at no time indicated they were proceeding with plans to terminate his employment. But in late March, he received his termination notice.

“There was no process of dismissal. They’re saying there was one, but it just had nothing to do with me.”

He dismissed criticisms of his performance and argued his termination had more to do with “internal politics”.

“If they say I didn’t raise money, they have to prove it. [But] they can’t.”

Meanwhile, he is accusing the organisations of wasting donor dollars to pursue the matter in the courts.

“This whole legal war is costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. We were in touch with the Jewish mediation service, and they threw it in our face. They were not interested,” he said.

Bashan, however, sees things differently.

“It’s really a shame. It could have been finished in an amicable way if Paul had done the right thing by the contract that he signed,” he said.

At present, Leventhal is still residing in the Bondi flat that was part of his employment package, despite a notice to vacate the premises. He is seeking an injunction to remain there until the matter is settled.