Edgar Bronfman resigned as president of the World Jewish Congress on Monday at a WJC steering committee meeting in New York. The billionaire businessman’s resignation, after quarter of a century in the role, came as a surprise and followed a bitter struggle in the WJC (as reported HERE on YW) between the organization’s New York headquarters and the European Jewish Congress over funding and management practices. 

The Israeli branch of the WJC has also been at loggerheads with the New York headquarters for the same reasons. The steering committee meeting was convened to discuss the leadership crisis within the WJC following these clashes.

Pierre Besnainou, head of the European Jewish Congress, said he backed Mendel Kaplan, as Bronfman’s likely successor.

(Ynet/JTA)