November 21, 2012

(JTA) — The head of the Zionist Organization of America’s Los Angeles office, who was critical of the organization for not coming forward with the revocation of its tax exempt status, was fired.

Orit Arfa was informed that she was fired on Nov. 19, according to the Forward.

At the same time, the Orange County chapter of the ZOA voted to disband after its president and vice president resigned, the Los Angeles Jewish Journal reported. 

Arfa had referred to herself as a “whistleblower” in internal ZOA memos, according to the Forward.

In an internal memo to her bosses, Arfa opposed the organization’s decision not to make public its loss of tax exempt status, according to the Jewish Journal. 

ZOA National Executive Director David Drimer told the Jewish Journal that a donor, who he did not name, offered to fund a new office if it was moved to San Francisco, and pay the salary of a new executive director.

ZOA had already closed the Los Angeles office and required Arfa to work from home.

In September, the Forward reported that ZOA lost its tax-exempt status eight months earlier after failing to file financial disclosures for three consecutive years. The organization reportedly only informed large donors of the loss. The organization cancelled its high-profile annual fundraising dinner, which usually takes place in November or December, due to its change in status. 

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