It appears that the anti-Putin, pro-democracy forces within the Russian Jewish Congress are attempting to take back the RJC from Vladimir Slutsker, a Chabad supporter and friend of Vladimir Putin. The JTA reports:
A leading Russian Jewish organizations has been roiled by unrest in its leadership.
Several top members of the Russian Jewish Congress voted Thursday to oust the group’s head, Vladimir Slutsker, but Slutsker refused to step down, saying that only the group’s presidium could vote him out. Some leading RJC donors accused Slutsker of helping the Russian government deny Moscow’s chief rabbi, Pinchas Goldschmidt, entry to the country earlier this month, a charge Slutsker denies. Some RJC lay leaders who attended the meeting also claimed Slutsker has provoked a controversy with the Moscow Jewish community over property.
A meeting of the RJC presidium to address the matter is scheduled for Nov. 10. Mikhail Fridman, a prominent business tycoon and the main donor to the RJC, suggested that Vyacheslav Kantor, a chemical magnate, should replace Slutsker. Kantor, who divides his time between Switzerland and Russia, is chairman of the European Jewish Congress’ board of governors.