Email from Mordechai Najmanovich
Dear Members of the Board of directors, members of Shivtei Israel and Friends
I’m so sorry you’re so mad at me. For 7 years as spiritual Leader of Shivtei Israel I have tried to serve the flock with fidelity and love. I have been available to all those who needed my prayers, visits, advice, and I have even carried stuff on my shoulders for brothers and sisters who needed to move from home. I have accompanied patients in hospital emergency when there was no one in the family available to do so, due to age or work. I have taught the word with the best intention of my heart, believing faithfully in what I have taught. I have helped my wife’s family, I have adopted my wife’s children to the point of Hod deciding to adopt my last name. I have given shelter in my house to people in need.
I recognize that I have made several mistakes, I have had to pay the consequences of past sins. I remember that at the beginning, when Soraya and Steve joined Shivtei, Elisheva and I, we visited them to share my past, my divorce from my ex-wife, due an adultery with a lady who had been part of my past and contacted me after 38 years. I have shared with them that I deeply repented of my sin. I shared with them that I had also written a confession letter for hundreds of people who knew me and they forgave me. I am convinced that God does not reject a repentant sinner.
I want to remind you of some events of the last weeks.
On Saturday, December 1, 2018, at the Board meeting, I shared that changes to the Board were necessary because Vicky was no longer active as a member of Shivtei and the Board and that Elisheva should no longer be on the Board once. that he was not in a position to administer the business of the Congregation for the lack of English. She also was not participating in Shivtei’s activities since I told her that I wanted to separate from her. (I want to clarify that she already knew that I was not going to divorce but only to separate myself from her)
Something very important that I shared with the Board that day was that I was broken emotionally and financially. I said that I did not have conditions to continue in that way standing in the pulpit and I also told you that I urgently needed to take a Shabbatic time for inner healing and rebuild my finances in order to pay my debts. I have really felt that nobody gave much importance to my cry for S.O.S. Everyone simply worried first about the financial rapport and then the PayPal account.
Maria Fernanda and Francine ran to quickly get the balance out of the bank as if I were going to steal that money.
The board made no decision about my desperate cry for help. It was decided to hold a new meeting on December 15 to analyze the financial report.
At that meeting on December 15, I broke down again to the point of crying like a small child. Maria Fernanda decided that I would not be paid until January 15th. That would mean that from November 20 when I received $ 1500 would be almost 50 days without salary. The argument was that I was paid in advance and had to be paid after the period was completed. (I remind you that I received that way since the beginning of Shivtei).
I shared with the board that to stay in Canada I would have to apply for the humanitarian visa and I needed $ 1,100 to pay the immigration fees.
Maria Fernanda decided that there is no money for me to get legal status in Canada and the argument was that Shivtei has to raise a reserve of money to be at least two months ahead of our expenses. (Sorry for my naiveté but Maria Fernanda began to treat as a personal business what should be a spiritual issue since a Church without a spiritual leader has no reason to be).
In that meeting Steven proposed to find a house for 1100 to reduce expenses. I was completely in agreement with that. I proposed to cancel my health insurance and I did It and also said to Jean that I want to only receive offerings in lieu of salary to reduce the legal deductions from the salary.
Sunday December 16 Jean and Sherri came to my house to bring some food (Thanks God) as soon as I was in Montreal. On Monday, December 17, Jean and Sherri invited me to dinner to discuss my emotional and financial situation. Again I cried in their presence asking S.O.S. I have shared that I had debts to pay and that I was not more willing to continue in debt. I said that I had a chance to enter into a partnership in a security company in Mexico that would allow me to pay my debts and be able to support my wife. I said I had to travel to sign contracts. I said that my biggest concern was taking care of my wife. Jean told me that the next day he would have a meeting by video conference with the board to decide about my resting time away from Shivtei. I told Jean that I would come every 6 weeks to be in Shivtei for two weeks. He agreed that I needed a time of restoration. The next day Jean informed me that part of the board would be traveling and that any decision would be taken after the holidays. (Remember that I was desperate, already in depression, with no resources to eat and pay my debts)
I want to tell you that on November 25 I decided to work making deliveries with my car. Loading lumber wood and 5 gallon paint buckets (Have pictures of that). I worked until December 21 from 5.30 am to 6 pm without even having money for lunch or coffee (My wife is a witness of that) Unfortunately after driving 5800 km I could not receive anything because the company demanded a number of GST as self-employed, which I did not had because of my religious visa that unfortunately also was expired since July 2018.
I spent money on gasoline borrowed from my son Hod, which I never recovered. the steering box of my car broken and began to enter smoke inside the cabin. It would be unnecessary to say in what state I was and how I felt. A friend gave me his car to pay for it in the future when I finally would start a job.
I decided to appeal to the closest friends for a love offering to pay for the immigration fees.
I received $ 650 by Interac and 200 in cash (Chris Lawson 200, Tracey Lahey 200, Paula 200, Francine 50 and 200 in cash from Rosa Maria). Viviane Ntumba sent 200 by Interac but it was impossible to get it for problems with the secret answer.
The 200 of Rosa in cash I gave to Elisheva so she can eat. As it was not enough to pay the fees, I made a purchase of 280 at Costco for Elisheva.
On December 27 at 4 pm, I left my house with three suitcases in my friend’s car. I was desperate, without receiving my salary, without having fees, without having a response from the board … etc.
At 11 pm I received a call from Mexico from Fabian, the brother who proposed to help me with work there, to tell me that the board, along with brothers from Zacatecas in Mexico, wanted to have a video conference with him.
Later I learned that they were considering that I have escaped from Canada to avoid paying my debts. They even knew that I had escaped with three suitcases. They wanted to know where I was, what I wanted to do, who paid my ticket in October for my trip to Mexico. Etc…
I ask all of you. Why nobody called me to know where I was?. Nobody wanted to know if I was okay or if some misfortune happened to me.
On Saturday, December 29, it was impossible for me to attend the Shabbat service in Shivtei Israel. I was very sick. I got an influenza and spent 10 days with a very high fever and a strong lung infection.
Interesting to say that nobody called me to know what happened, if I was okay, if I had an accident … nothing. As if I was dead. Sure … it’s understandable since the board thought I had escaped on Thursday.
On Saturday night I received information that Maria Fernanda went up to the pulpit crying to report that I had escaped from Canada. I do not know exactly what she said but at night I received a text message, the only one I received related to my lack of service. It was a message from James Absthorpe.
“You should be ashamed of yourself.
I have never been more disappointed in a person than I am right now. You left Shivtei.. Why you took everything of value from the church and not tell the congregation you are leaving”
May God have mercy on James
It is very late and this is very long … You probably do not feel like reading something so long sent by the Rabbi. For that reason I am only going to add a time line of events after my absence due to illness on Saturday, December 29th.
Dec 29 – I did not participate in the Shabbat service due to illness
Dec 29 – Maria Fernanda announced that I escaped from Canada
Dec 29- In the night I received a message from James
Dec 30- Maria Fernanda and Francine decide to break the rental agreement of my house and write to the owner a letter informing him that I must leave the house in two months.
Dec 31- Maria Fernanda and Francine withdraw the entire balance of TD Bank
Jan 05- The owner gives Elisheva a letter from Francine where he says he was handed over to the owner on Dec. 30, a rescission of the lease contract with Sabina’s signature as a Witness (The letter was not delivered in his hands as it says, but placed in the postal box of the house)
Jan 05- My son Hod is hospitalized in the emergency because of the letter to the owner
Jan 05- Soraya confirms to Elisheva by message that she knew nothing about Francine and Maria Fernanda had decided to break the contract of my house
Jan 05- Elisheva had a nervous breakdown upon receiving the owner’s letter.
Jan 05- I had a slight stroke because of that letter
Jan 11-. The Board decides to cancel the Shabbat service due to a false email received
Jan 11- I sent an email confirming that I am alive and asking everyone to attend the service on the 12th of January in which I confirm my presence
Jan 11- I received an email from Soraya saying that I am a disgrace to God
Jan 12- The owner of the Shivtei’s building sent a message saying that no one is going to enter the building because he changed the locks and keys because the Board had not paid the rent
Jan 12- Soraya writes in Shivtei’s Whatsapp that she is inviting everyone to know the truth about my past in a meeting in Shivtei to be held on January 19 where she will expose all my past.
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Final notes
1- Only two families have communicated with me until today. I confess that I am very sad about that
2- According to the By Law of Shivtei Israel since I am a Spiritual Leader and I could be expelled only by duly proven fault (with right to defend myself) if I do not regret it. Only a general assembly of active members called for that exclusive purpose can consider an expulsion of the spiritual Leader. The right to defend of the accusations is granted.
3- Any extraordinary or ordinary Assembly of active members must be convened at least 15 days in advance by the board president (Except for death)
4- Attendance at assemblies of members is prohibited for persons who are not registered active members. Visits or observers are not allowed.
5- You can only cancel the work contract of Rabbi Mordechai Najmanovich after the decision of an extraordinary assembly called exclusively for that purpose.
IRREGULARITIES COMMITTED IN THE LAST 30 DAYS BY THE BOARD OR BY SOME BOARD MEMBERS
1- Change Bank without notifying the president of the board
2- Open an account in the BMO bank without a decision of the Board or without notifying the president of the Board
3- Cancel the lease of the house of the Rabbi and his wife without any prior notice in writing to the Rabbi
4- Call an annual assembly of members without notifying active members in writing 15 days in advance and issue an invitation to people that have no connection with Shivtei or are not members but only curious
5- Declare in public that the Rabbi escaped from Canada without even calling Rabbi Mordechai to see where he is.
6- Do not pay the salary of the Rabbi on January 1 and until today, according to what was decided at the meeting of the board of directors on December 15.
7- Do not pay Shivtei’s rent on January 1 leaving people out of the congregation without informing them about that fact
8- Publicly accuse the Rabbi of having stolen the valuable things of Shivtei (The only thing that is with me is my personal computer, my personal Talit and my own Shofar)
I ask you finally to remember how I have served you for 7 years, Visits, counselling, hours of dedication, etc.
I beg all of you to pray and not to leave my wife, of whom I have not divorced, helpless until I can take care of her with my own work, since I have asked the Eternal to let me never again have to depend on offerings to live.
I beg you to remember that God forgives our sins when we repent and who brings the past to the present is the adversary
Count me 24/7 as always
With love
Rabbi Mordechai Najmanovich