Journalist's Estate Targeted by Criminals After Her Death
Following the death of veteran journalist Aliza Vach on August 6 at the age of 79, a series of audacious crimes unfolded at her Tel Aviv apartment. Her home was burglarized, her credit card stolen and used, her checks were forged, her car was stolen from her building's parking lot and resold twice, and unknown criminals attempted to seize her apartment, valued at millions of shekels. Some of these criminal activities were facilitated by a delay in government systems updating her death.
Vach, born in Poland in 1947, immigrated to Israel as a child. She was a respected political reporter for the Davar newspaper and its Washington correspondent. After the newspaper's closure in 1996, she worked as a book editor. She never married and had no children. Her apartment was located on Shenkin Street, a vibrant area of Tel Aviv.
The criminal spree began shortly after her body was discovered. Neighbors reported the burglary. On the day of her funeral, an individual posing as a relative, claiming to be observing mourning rituals, attempted to gain access to the apartment, allegedly to establish a presence and claim the property. Subsequently, approximately 15,000 shekels were stolen via her credit card, and tens of thousands were withdrawn using forged checks. Her mobile phone was also missing.
Her car was stolen from its parking space, sold twice within two days through an online process requiring government portal credentials, and was eventually recovered by the police. Two other suspects attempted to break into the apartment by tampering with the lock but failed and fled when police arrived. The bank has since returned the 15,000 shekels stolen from her account.
Vach's will, drafted in 2014, designates her entire estate to a foundation named "Vach - Love Your Neighbor As Yourself," which will allocate funds to various charities, including the Rabin Center and ALEH, an organization for autism. She appointed her childhood friend, attorney Yoram Mushkat, as the executor of her estate. Mushkat has taken steps to secure the apartment, including changing locks, installing cameras, and hiring a security guard. He filed complaints with the police, who have issued an order preventing the sale of the apartment and registered a caution note in the land registry.
A significant factor enabling the crimes was the delay in officially registering Vach's death. For at least eight days after her burial, her passing had not been updated in the Population Registry, a delay attributed to standard bureaucratic processes between the Ministry of Health, burial societies, and the Interior Ministry. This delay allowed the fraudulent sale of her vehicle. A legal question remains regarding whether the buyer, who reportedly acted in good faith, can claim ownership under the "market תקנה" (takanat shuk) law, which protects bona fide purchasers in certain circumstances.
The police stated that the investigation is ongoing. The article also provides advice on preventing such estate fraud, including making a will, appointing an executor, attaching a medical opinion confirming mental clarity, and depositing the will with the Registrar of Inheritance.
