Reform or die: Beleaguered WJC limps into new era

The brief conference of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) last week in Washington generated some discontent among attendants. The bagel and cream cheese meal was hardly indicative of an affluent organization, they complained. And yet, such minutiae tell the story of the gradual descent of the WJC into a new low in its history - a point marked by a plate of cheese.

Come June, the organization will elect a new president to replace Edgar Bronfman, the billionaire who presided over it since the late 1970s. The organization will never be the same once he is gone. And judging by its performance recent years, this is probably for the best. Prominent figures in the WJC regard the elections for the presidency as a defining moment in the organization's life - one that could mean either rejuvenation or collapse. There are two approaches one can take in examining the recent history of the WJC and Bronfman's resignation. The first is to trace the decline of the organization through the many intrigues within its ranks: the dismissals, power struggles, personal clashes, media leaks and so on.

The other approach is to take a bird's-eye view of the events - a perspective that would undoubtedly reveal an organization that has failed to find a raison d'etre. Instead of striving toward a cause, its activists focused on power struggles. Power over an organization that has been reduced to an empty shell. The resignation was followed by an ugly secondary affair, which involved an internal memo by WJC secretary general and Bronfman confidant Stephen Herbits, in which he describes the president of the European Jewish Congress, Pierre Besnainou, in racist terms. "He works like an Arab," Herbits wrote of the Tunisian-born Jew, adding he is not to be trusted since he was French. "Don't discount that," Herbits wrote.

The secretary general attempted to promote himself to a more prominent position and to promote Bronfman's son, Matthew, to take his father's place. Commentators believe Bronfman resigned after realizing that his son stood little chance of inheriting his position.

But the WJC has long been bogged down by internal struggles. It has suffered this affliction since before Herbits entered its ranks. Its New York branch was suspected of financial irregularities that involved Bronfman's right hand, Rabbi Israel Singer. This was followed by the nasty business of Singer's brutal and ugly dismissal. Each dispute is characterized by its distinct details. Put together, they mark the descent of the organization. But the 71-year-old organization nonetheless retains great power and prestige. Many of the wealthiest Jews in the world believe that after 30 years under Bronfman, the organization is now facing the most decisive juncture in its history, which could mean either reform or extinction.

Isi Liebler, one of Bronfman's opponents who recently resigned his post at the WJC, believes that the two leading presidential candidates - billionaire and prominent WJC activist Ronald Lauder, and chairman of the WJC executive, Mendel Kaplan - represent, respectively, two extremes: survival or demise. Kaplan as president would spell the WJC's death sentence, Liebler warns. According to him, Lauder offers a chance for survival - a chance that is by no means certain.

It remains to be seen who of the two will present a more compelling case for his election. Until now, they are mostly engaged in internal intrigues. However, regardless of the presidency, the organization must find a way to transcend the internal power struggle lest it cease to be of any interest to its public. And when that happens, the organization will itself cease to exist.