Melbourne, Australia – FAMOUS people get their names pasted to planes and trains, sporting stadiums and halls. But an unpleasant spat in the Victorian Supreme Court has shone a light on the elusive prestige that attaches to the naming rights on a synagogue.
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Just weeks after the Sydney-based Jewish businessman and former jailbird Rodney Adler met the leader of the Catholic Church – yes, at the Vatican, in Rome – the Adler family has been accused of trying to resurrect Mr Adler’s reputation by garnering ”billboard” presentation of his name on the front of a building that houses a Melbourne synagogue.
The Victorian Supreme Court yesterday heard that in mid-March a sign was erected in front of the small synagogue in East St Kilda, proclaiming it the ”Lyndi and Rodney Adler Sephardi Centre”.
That sign inflamed tensions between the Sephardi Association of Victoria, which runs the synagogue, and Dan Horesh, the executor of the estate of the late multi-millionaire Albert Sassoon Yehuda.
Mr Horesh launched legal action last year claiming Mr Yehuda, and later his estate, paid for and continues to own the exclusive, perpetual naming rights over the synagogue.
Yesterday, Mr Horesh asked the Supreme Court for an injunction forcing the Sephardi Association to remove the latest version of the ”Lyndi and Rodney Adler” sign before Saturday, when the synagogue is due to dedicate its Hekhal, the small room that houses the Torah.
Rodney Adler and wife Lindy. Photo: Fiona-Lee Quimby
Chief Justice Marilyn Warren sitting in the Practice Court yesterday heard that Melbourne businessman David Bardas, who is not a party in the case, donated tens of thousands of dollars towards the construction of the Hekhal, and the ceremony is likely to attract dozens of people.
Mr Horesh’s counsel, David Sharp, told the court that the Adlers were trying to ”re-establish themselves in society, particularly Jewish society”, and part of that involved ”being seen as significant benefactors to the synagogue”.
”They had a setback in that Rodney Adler is a criminal, and a significant one,” Mr Sharp said. He argued that each day the Adlers’ name remained on the building, the estate of Albert Sassoon Yehuda lost the benefits of the naming rights it had purchased. ”But what is particularly unconscionable is the Adlers are getting a benefit every day that sign remains,” Mr Sharp told the court.
Mr Adler pleaded guilty in February 2005 to four criminal charges related to his HIH dealings, including disseminating false information, obtaining money by false or misleading statements, being intentionally dishonest and breaching his duties as a director of HIH. He served 30 months of a 4½-year jail term.
The Adlers are not parties to the case. Rodney Adler last year told The Age the donation was made with good intention, and he suspected ”my name is being used as a pawn in a larger dispute” between the estate and the association.
The court heard the original asking price for the naming rights to the building was $450,000, and the price of naming rights to the hall, $125,000.
Just as Chief Justice Warren was about to deliver her decision yesterday, lawyers for Mr Horesh and the Sephardi Association agreed to a formal mediation to try to resolve the matter.
this shul is in melbourne nor sydney
The Adler’s already have a shul in Sydney: double bay Chabad.
It’s funny that the previous name on the building can get replaced every now and then, and also that rich people need to have their name signposted before they give money. The concept of giving anonymously has disappeared.
I used to think that giving anonymously was a “better” way to give. Then my son told me his Rebbe explained it was a good thing to have your name put on buildings, etc.so that your future generations will see what a Bal Tzeduka you were. Sounds good to me.