Battle for Flood Street escalates

THE war between the Feldman family, who previously ran Yeshiva in Bondi, and Rabbi Dovid Slavin, the new Yeshiva general manager, has exploded.

Last week it hit a new low when Harry Triguboff, who owns Yeshiva’s property, banned Rabbi Yossi Feldman, son of former Yeshiva spiritual leader Rabbi Pinchus Feldman, from stepping foot on the property.

It followed a wedding celebration in Dover Heights on December 20 last year for a member of the Feldman family which Rabbi Slavin attended.

It has been alleged that at the function Rebbetzin Pnina Feldman, Rabbi Pinchus Feldman’s wife, took a sip of Coke and spat it in Rabbi Slavin’s face.

Rabbi Slavin contacted the police and asked for an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) to stop her doing the same again.

An AVO is an order made by a court against a person who makes you fear for your safety, to protect you from further violence, intimidation or harassment.

Rebbetzin Feldman, who was interviewed by the police, told The AJN that she will be fighting the AVO.

“I did not spit at him and I had no intention of spitting on him,” she said.

“The fact is that I was sick and some Coca Cola got on the bottom of his trousers and I’m happy to pay for his dry cleaning if he likes.

“I’m not sorry for what happened because it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.”

She also said she is looking froward to her day in court.

“When the court hears what he has been up to, he’s going to regret the day he started up with me.

“I know I can talk, but I have no history of any sort of violence.”

On Wednesday this week, after The AJN went to print, the matter was due to be heard in a Downing Centre court.

Three days after the incident between the families, Rabbi Yossi Feldman told some people who were attending a Mincha service at Yeshiva that Rabbi Slavin would sell his mother if he was told to by Triguboff, along with a number of other inappropriate comments.

Astonishingly, Triguboff was alerted to the incident by Rabbi Feldman himself, who sent the property tycoon a detailed account of what happened.

Triguboff’s general counsel Joseph Callaghan wrote to Rabbi Feldman last week and said that his behaviour is “totally unacceptable” and that he has no choice but to forbid him from entering the premises.

“What you said is complete nonsense and grossly offensive to be spoken about loudly in a synagogue.

“If you are on the premises after the date of this letter (January 8), you will be trespassing and all necessary steps will be taken to prevent you from doing so, including security guards and/or police attendance,” Callaghan wrote.

In response, Rabbi Feldman first apologised and said he was “actually trying to defend Dovid [Slavin]” but then went on in a later response to call Rabbi Slavin a fake rabbi.

Rabbi Feldman then threatened to take Triguboff and Rabbi Slavin to a Din Torah (Jewish court).

“I hope that you realise that I mean all of this for your own good as I really hope and wish that you come to realise and see the truth.”

Rabbi Slavin, who didn’t want to comment on the Pnina Feldman incident, said that Triguboff invited the Feldman family to pray at the shule after he defeated them in court.

“In his lawyer’s letters, Mr Triguboff insisted that the Feldman family members maintain a solemn and respectful demeanour at all time whilst at the Flood Street premises,” Rabbi Salvin said.

“As a consequence of a disruptive incident within the synagogue, Rabbi Yossi Feldman has been barred from the premises.”

JOSHUA LEVI