Sins of a father
Rabbi 65G overdue for child support
The randy rabbi is a deadbeat dad, according to court records obtained by The Post.
Marc Schneier, founding rabbi of the tony Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton who was forced out in 2016 after he cheated on wife No. 5 with the woman who would become wife No. 6, owes $64,594 in unpaid child support, the records indicate.
As of Sept. 15, 2018, the state of Florida has ordered the father of two to start forking over $5,000 a month for his son, Brendan, 19.
According to the young man’s mother, artist Toby Gotesman Schneier (wife No. 3), in the 2005 divorce, Marc Schneier was ordered by the New York state Supreme Court to pay $4,200 a month, increasing by $200 each year, until Brendan entered col- lege. At that point, the amount would be cut in half, to $3,200, until he is 22 or graduates college. The money is intended to cover his living expenses.
But Toby says that Schneier decided, without court intervention, to reduce the amount even further once Brendan enrolled in the University of Miami.
It’s gotten to the point where Brendan told his mom a few weeks ago, “‘I can’t even afford food,’ ” said Toby, 58.
In December, Florida requested that New York get involved. It has also asked the IRS to intercept any federal income tax refund Schneier might receive and for the State Department to deny his passport renewal.
That would be a big blow to the self-styled statesman, 60, who regularly globe-trots in the name of fostering Jewish-Muslim relations. This past week, he was in Abu Dhabi alongside Pope Francis and other religious figures at the Global Conference of Human Fraternity.
A spokesman denied that Schneier owes child support, saying: “The case in Florida has been closed for some time. These allegations are ridiculous.”
But the Florida Department of Revenue’s Web site shows the case is still active.
Barbara Zimet, a congregant acting as Schneier’s lawyer, sent a letter to Toby in August 2017 that read, in part, “It is crystal clear . . . that our client has been overpaying the monthly basic child support payments since July 2011.” It said he would begin paying $2,146 each month.
“You can’t legally go against a court order,” said Toby, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“As far as our relationship, there’s not much of one,” said Brendan of his father. “I’m just fine with that.” Still, he is hurt by what he sees as stinginess.
“There’s no excuse for not paying [child support] — all he has to do [to save some money] is not go to Cipriani.”
Schneier 30 years ago founded the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, which promotes Muslim-Jewish relations.
The foundation’s most recent available tax filing, from 2016, reveals a personal salary for Schneier of $395,303, plus additional compensation of $44,000.
Schneier also is said to still be making full child-support payments for his daughter, Brooke, 4, whose mother is wife No. 5, Upper East Side resident Gitty Leiner.