10 Manitou Road

                                                                                                                                      Westport, CT  06880

                                                                                                                                      Jan. 28, 2009

World Jewish Congress Foundation                                                    203-454-3193 (1783f)

501 Madison Avenue          (petition sent to                    susantitusglascoff@hotmail.com

New York, NY 10022              P.O. Box 90400

                                                                            Wash. D.C. 20090-0400)

Executive Director Herbert Juh:

I received your plea for a signature & funding to protect Jews from renewed onslaught of anti-Semitism.   Discrimination  must be stopped, but I feel more focus has to be right here because no one can lead without setting a good example.  We keep touting democracy, yet we’re witnessing severe turmoil because we have too few checks and balances re appropriate pay, adequate healthcare, and among other items a legal system that has become primarily about who can win and not justice.  These imbalances affect mothers & children more harshly.   I would like you to address the widespread mistreatment of Hasidic Jewish women, especially those divorced or seeking to be.   In my opinion the courts are being influenced to insure most receive highly inequitable settlements & some inappropriate loss of custody.

You have probably heard about the case of Chana Taub, a gentle Hasidic Jewish mother in Brooklyn, who has been trying to get a divorce for over 3 ½ years from Simon Taub,  a leader in his religious sect, & yet about whom credible evidence exists that he has been abusive to his family in numerous heinous ways for years.  I have been attending the case for 2 yrs at the request of the National Coalition for Family Justice (NCFJ) – we only attend when unfair practices are suspected.   Four children testified at the trial about his abuse.   A renowned expert witness wasn’t allowed to testify that from 7 hrs of interviews he determined that Chana exhibits all the classic symptoms of abuse.   There is an ongoing pathetic sexual libel suit re a stepdaughter.  Simon simply took custody of their youngest son.  He was arrested for prostitution.  He had 3 federal fraud convictions in 1998-9.   Judge Carolyn Demarest has refused to recuse even though she has hardly enforced any of her own orders such as maintenance, getting the home out of foreclosure, allowing Chana to collect rent from her own properties, ETC.,  BUT she has noted his wealth!    Chana is now in bankruptcy court where good judge has noted Simon is worth at least $41M!  This makes a mockery of our system & costs all taxpayers.   A retired NYC judge prepared an estimate that it costs $4,500 to operate one courtROOM for ONE day.

Chana asked Atty. Nat Lewin who has worked in civil rights to help, but he refused.

NCFJ has asked administrative judges to intervene or change venue- refused.  Legal bills $3M to date!  Many media persist presenting case as “he said, she said,” despite credible data to the contrary. NYTimes interviewed Chana, her twin sister –who attends everything- & me for 7 hours at my request.  NYT assured me they'd be fair, but their Oct. 5 article in quarterly real estate Key Magazine was very misleading (see comments of others on my blog- www.advocateforlegalaccountability.com, also read my web press release,  “Respected Advocate Calls for Legal System and Media Accountability,”which mentions this case as well as a general plea for legal & media accountability, no matter the topic, as it is part of our entire financial crisis since the legal system increasingly controls every aspect of our society, including with excessively high bills).   The  NYT mentioned the sexual libel suit, but with no details so as to mislead- and that’s a real estate issue- right?   They also gave no credentials for me, not even mentioning I was requested to attend by the NCFJ  & had never met the Taubs before.   I met with a Rabbi & several Hasidic divorced or divorcing women who all lament that they rarely get equity & often lose their kids.

What is going on?   I have 3 sons, 2 stepsons, & have been remarried 16 years, so I’m surely not anti male, just pro-human!   The US hasn’t even passed CEDAW, the int’l  bill against discrimination against women.   Our 2000 Census reported that divorced women’s lifestyle drops 45%.   Brandeis U. reported that divorced women 63  & older are among our poorest.   The NYT reported that 51% of women are not married, that the average marriage age has increased 10-20 yrs & that professionals are high among those marrying & having kids latest, if at all, & that pediatricians are reporting more rude kids.   What will this do to the balance of our society?   Do you think women just might be too determined to remain financially independent because scared, & then some become insensitive, & worse, to women of “lesser status”- like Judge Carolyn Demarest in Taub case?  Could kids be getting too little attention from  parents because of lack of time?   Why is report from Pres. Task Force noting abusers are twice as likely to seek custody, & another study finding about 70% of them get it being ignored?   That’s legalized torture!!  Just how do you think those kids mostly turn out?  Tennessee Voices reported inattention to child abuse cost Tenn. $676M  (substance abuse, health issues, delinquency, lost potential, etc.)  in 2007 & that $1 prevention saves $4.   “Judicial hellholes” exist across US.   IL said they import lawsuits, export jobs.   FL said 1 in 3 small businesses have excess costs & 1 in 10 have/will go out of business due to legal abuse.  Doctors practice defensive medicine.  We must clean up our legal system- starting at home! ! We need more K-12  & societal programs re conflict management & challenges of good partnering & parenting.    How else can we lead?      OUR KIDS KANT WAIT !

[ I’m not donating, but ask you to pick some matching # in my name- it costs about $100 every time I go to Brooklyn  court & I pay $250/mo. to NCFJ.   Note I was 1^st married to very high-powered atty. for 23 yrs. ]

Most sincerely & respectfully, Susan Titus Glascoff, 4 Who’s Whos, Exec. Dir. Nat’l Advisory Bd. to NCFJ, Masters- Health Advocacy & Math, 40 yrs public advocacy