Dani Lemberger

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Dani Lemberger
Born Daniel
31 May 1952 (1952-05-31) (age 71)
Haifa
Nationality Israeli
Alma mater Haifa University, INSEAD
Occupation Author
Known for Founder of the LifePower network & author of the LifePower books

Dani Lemberger (Given name "Daniel", born on May 31st, 1952) is the owner and manager of Wilbush Ltd, a real estate holdings company, founder of the LifePower network and author of the LifePower books. In 1992, Dani Lemberger founded, together with his wife Tami Lemberger, Dror Center in Haifa, Israel, of which he is the managing partner since its foundation.

Early Childhood

Dani Lemberger was born on May 31st 1952, in Haifa (Israel) to Ruth Lemberger (née Glasstein) and Jacob Lemberger. Ruth Lemberger was born in Berlin and fled Germany with her parents in 1934. Jacob Lemberger was also of German-Jewish origin. Ruth and Jacob married in Haifa in 1949. In 1950 the family had their first son, Yoram Lemberger, and two years later, in 1952, Dani Lemberger was born.

Lemberger´s maternal grandparents were Polish Jews from Lodz who fled Poland in 1917, when the Soviet Red Army invaded Poland. The Glasstein family sought refuge in Berlin where they lived until 1934. Ruth Glasstein was born in Berlin on April 17th 1923. In 1934, the family fled Nazi Germany to Italy and after a year-long journey the family arrived in Haifa, Palestine.

Jacob Lemberger, born July 11, 1914, in Lukow, Poland, visited primary school in the village of Zanub in Pomerania, Germany, where his parents moved when he was a child. He later attended a Jewish high school in Berlin. In 1932, when he was 18 years old, Jacob Lemberger emigrated to Palestine,together with his brother Hayim, influenced by Zionist ideology Zionist ideology (Zionism) and prompted by rising [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisemitism_in_Europe Antisemitism in Europe.

Jacob Lemberger fought with the British Army in WW II and after its end returned to Palestine. He joined the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in 1948, was a high-ranking officer and specialist in weaponry.[1] In 1957, Jacob Lemberger took his own life.

From 1952 until 1957, Dani Lemberger grew up in Haifa. Following the father´s passing, the family relocated to Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv, where Dani went to primary school. In 1962, the family moved to London as Ruth Lemberger got offered a job position there by her employer, Zim Shipping Company.[2] During the following four years, the family lived in England and Belgium. In London, Lemberger visited George Elliot Primary School for a year until the family relocated to Antwerp, Belgium. In 1963-64 Lemberger attended the Lycee d’Anvers school in Antwerp. Back in London, from 1964 until 1966, he went to the Sir Quintin Hogg Grammar School, St. John’s Wood, one of London’s outstanding schools at the time. Today this is the Harris Academy St. John's Wood, which got renamed in 2007. In 1966, the family returned to Haifa and Lembergercontinued his high school education at Municipal High School ’E’ until 1970. In his last two high school years, Lemberger majored in Social Studies, Economics and Philosophy. During this time, Lemberger was active in HaShomer HaTzair, a socialist youth movement. In 1970 Lemberger graduated high school.

University and Military Service (IDF)

From October 1970 until July 1973,Lemberger studied Economics and Statistics at Haifa University.[3] During these three years he worked as a research assistant at the Israeli Shipping Research Institute.[4] Lemberger graduated in 1973 witha Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Statistics. Upon graduation, he joined the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), right after the Yom Kippur War. Lemberger served as a personnel officer until September 1976.

In 1976, Lemberger was discharged from the IDF and went directly to the Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires (short title: INSEAD)[5], a reputable European business school in Fontainebleau, France, for his graduate studies in Business Administration (MBA program).

Study Years Abroad

In his MBA studies at [INSEAD], Lemberger majored in Economics and Business, driven by the idea to understand the world and how it operates.[6] He studied a variety of subjects, specifically business related subjects, such as statistics, marketing, finances, manufacturing and product costing. While in Fontainebleau, he experienced an enriching year, based on his engagement with his studies, the opportunity to meet people from around the world, as well as his travels within Europe. In June 1977, Lemberger graduated the MBA program with distinction.

Spirituality and Self Improvement

Throughout his years at Haifa University, military service and graduate degree at INSEAD (1970-1977), Lemberger was actively seeking to understand the meaning of self and life. He studied a variety of philosophies on self-awareness. This included Alan Watts’s books on Zen Buddhism, Carlos Castaneda’s Don Juan series and a variety of well-known philosophers and history books. During the years 1974 - 1979, Lemberger began his sessions with a psychoanalyst in Haifa, Dr. Hayim Gilan, an expert in so-called Free Association according to Freudian Psychoanalysis. This experience proved highly valuable for Lemberger as it greatly increased his abilities to communicate his emotions and to succeed in his relationships as well as to improve his performance at work. Towards the end of 1979, Lemberger realized his sessions with Dr. Gilan were about to end, having taken everything possible outof psychoanalysis and decided to continue his search for life´s meaning and purpose elsewhere. This search led him later, in April 1980, to San Fransisco and to the philosophy of Ron Hubbard.

Personal Life

Dani and his wife, Tami Lemberger ( maiden name - Wilbushewich) metin June 1976 in Haifa. At the time, Lemberger was about to finish his mandatory military service and depart to France for his MBA studies at INSEAD.Tami was born into a well-known Zionist family. Her father’s aunt, ; https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/shochat-mania-wilbushewitch Manya Wilbushewich-Shochat, founded the Hashomermilitia, the first armed Jewish movement in Mandatory Palestine, a group of fighters protecting the early Jewish settlers in 1910-1930. The Hashomer militia operated mainly in the Galilee.

Three months after Dani and Tami met, Lemberger began his studies at INSEAD. During his one-year stay in France, the two maintained their relationship and once Lemberger graduated in July 1977, they traveled through Europe for a couple of months. When returning to Haifa in August 1977, Tami continued attending the Hebrew Reali HighSchool while Lemberger worked as Manager of Economics Department for The Electric Cable Company, a major industrial corporation. In this job position Lemberger reported to Chairman of the Board, General (ret.) Dan Tolkovsky.

The couple married on October 31st 1979, in their hometown, Haifa. For their honeymoon, they embarked on a ‘Round-the-World’ trip by ship, which they began in December 1979. This trip took them to their destination, San Francisco. In San Fransisco the young couple got first introduced to Ron Hubbard’s philosophy, Scientology. After studying and practicing the philosophy of Ron Hubbard within the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology Church of Scientology (CoS) for over thirty years, Lemberger distanced himself from the CoS, making a particular distinction between the Scientology organization and Hubbard´s philosophy. This now serves as the basis of his established network and the so-called "Applied Spiritual Philosophy" LifePower.[7]

Between the years 1980 – 1992 the family resided mainly in the USA, divided into four periods: From 1980 – 1981 Dani and Tami Lemberger lived in San Fransisco. At the end of 1981, the Lembergers returned to Israel and moved to Tel Aviv. In 1986, their daughter, Carmel was born in Tel Aviv. During the years in Tel Aviv, Dani held senior positions for major Israeli corporations while continuing his studies at the local Scientology organization. In May 1986, Dani was relocated by his employer, Elscint, Inc. , to Boston, Massachusetts, to take on the job position of the company´s treasurer. The family moved in 1987 to New Jersey following Dani’s promotion to Business Director of Elscint, Inc. A year later, Dani became Vice-President Finance of Sharplan Lasers, Inc., in Allendale, New Jersey.

In 1989, their son, Adam, was born in New Jersey. In their last two years in the U.S.(1989-1991), the family lived in Clearwater, Florida, while Lemberger spent most of his time in New York, as Executive Consultant to Moishe Mana, owner of Moishe’s Moving Systems.

The Lembergers spent two years in Clearwater as it is the location of the highest Scientology Organization, Flag Service Org . They dedicated themselves to full-time studies, intending to become professional practitioners of the philosophy. These studies led them to open Dror Center in 1992, in Haifa, as a Mission under license of the Church of Scientology International (CoS). In 2012 due to the Lembergers` distinction between the CoS and Hubbard`s philosophy, they left the organization with their entire Dror Center group and they operate entirely independently of the CoS since.

Currently, Lembergerresides in Haifa, Israel with his family, is the manager of Wilbush Ltd., the family’s real estate company, Managing Partner of Dror Center and author of the LifePower books.

Dror Center

In 1992, the Lemberger family returnedto Haifa, both working for Haifa Wire Works, a company owned by Tami’s father, Yuval Wilbushewich (*1930-2011).Haifa Wire Works operated a factory which manufactured nails and steel wire for the Israeli construction industry. Following a family decision, the factory closed its operationin 2003 and turned into a real-estate holdings company, renting out spaces to approximately 20 tenants on the property where the factory once stood, an area of about 10,000 sq. meters.

While working for the family business, the Lembergers establishedDror Center in 1992, realizing an idea they already had when living in the United States. Following 12 years of practicing Hubbard´s philosophy and experiencing its benefits to himself, Lemberger aimed to share these positive achievements and the knowledge he has gained with others[8]. The Hebrew word “Dror” (דְרוֹר) means “freedom“, thus “Dror Center“ stands for “Freedom Center”. Dror Center started as a “Field Group“ licensed by the CoS, it expanded steadily and in 2009, Dror Center became a Mission under the CoS, which enabled it to deliver more services according to the Church’s regulations. By this time, Dror was a group consisting of six staff and about 50 clients who received services.

A year later, in 2010, Lemberger realized that the existing structure, whereby he was sole owner and the other five staff are his employees, was no longer suitable. Lemberger then created a partnership, establishing a non-hierarchial structure, which exists until today. Currently, Dror Center offers the entire technology following Hubbard´s philosophy.

Dror Center operates an academy for training professionals in the field. The Center offers all techniques as well as "auditing services"[9].

The Lemberger Lawsuit (COS)

In the years after the establishment of Dror Center, Lemberger remained active within the Church of Scientology (CoS). Dror Center, under license of the Church, paid monthly fees of 10% of its total income to CoS and both Lembergers continued their services at Flag Service Org, in Clearwater, Florida, where they spent 1-2 months every year between 1992 – 2011.

However, Lemberger noticed increasing differences between Hubbard´s writings and philosophy and the way the Church itself practiced it. These seem to differ from one another and raised growing concern in Lemberger. From his understanding, these differences appeared shortly after Hubbard’s death in 1986, when David Miscavige took over as the Church’s leader. In 2005, following 25 years of being an active member in the Church, Lemberger began to raise questions on its management[10]. Lemberger confronted the Church management with his concerns in various letters and in personal meetings with church officials at Flag. The Church’s response to this was to interrogate both Lembergers[11], Tami Lemberger got encouraged to divorce Dani who, they claimed, had become an “enemy“. Lemberger himself got threatened with being declared a “Suppressive Person“ by the Church, if he continues to raise criticism against the CoS. Nevertheless, the Lembergers decided to stay in the Church, due to their wish to keep their Dror Center Mission working[12] .

In January 2012, Scientology got challenged with the publication of a letter written by Debbie Cook[13], a former senior official at the Church, containing criticism on David Miscavige’s practices. Cook later testified she had been kept at The Hole. This letter rapidly spread among Scientologists as well as in the media and prompted Lemberger and his partners at Dror Center to look into possibilities to practice Hubbard´s philosophy outside of the CoS. They discovered there is a broad range of Scientology activity outside the Church, known as Freezone, Independent Scientology, Ron’s Org[14] and more. Lemberger contacted people who are part of the Freezone and in June 2012, the Lembergers travelled to the U.S. to meet with Marty Rathbun. Rathbun is a former deputy to David Miscavige. While spending a week at the home of Rathbun at Ingleside-on-Bay, Texas, the CoS issued a so-called "Suppressive Person Declare" on the Lembergers. This Declare was issued on June 23, 2012. However the Lembergers themselves never received the document of the Declare[15] .

The Lemberger’s soon after published their own letter detailing their decision to leave the Church and what they perceived as deviations committed by Miscavige. When they split from the Church, it was the first time in the history of the CoS that an entire mission left the main org[16]. The Lemberger´s letter got published on Rathbun’s blog[17] and in other media. Two days after their expulsion from the Church, Lemberger was interviewed by Tony Ortega who published the interview in the Village Voice on June 30, 2012.

The Lemberger’s were never given the Suppressive Person Declare, contrary to Church policy prescribed by Hubbard, while many of their friends were shown it to cause them to disconnect from the Lembergers and from Dror Center. According to Church Disconnection Policy[18] , people who have been declared “suppressives“ by the CoS are expelled from the Church and no Scientologist may remain in contact with a declared person. Thus, many friends of the Lembergers disconnected from them and those friends who remained in contact with them, lost their friends as well as family relations.

In July 2012, after the Lembergers‘ declare and seeing that Dror Center was continuing to run, the CoS launched a campaign to get Dror Center shut down. Representatives of the CoS visited Dror members suggesting to them to leave the Center and cut relations with the Lembergers. These efforts failed and Dror Center continues operating whilst focusing on LifePower and Hubbard´s philosophy without any connection to Scientology. The actions CoS undertook against the Lembergers and their center prompted them eventually to file a lawsuit against the CoS in the Tel Aviv District Court. The Lembergers filed the lawsuit on November 2nd, 2014. This lawsuit was published in the Israeli media[19][20] and on Ortega’s blog. As a result of the lawsuit, a court order was made to hand over to the Lembergers the original document of the Suppressive Person Declare. This lawsuit was finally settled out-of-court in March 2017, resulted in financial compensation and the ability of Dror Center to operate without any connection to the CoS.

Following the settlement of the lawsuit, Lemberger's focus was the long-term preservation of Hubbard’s philosophy, ensuring it remained in it´s original form and accessible for the broad public[21]. Lemberger elaborates that Hubbard’s books, notes and lectures are the only valid source of the philosophy. Yet applying the philosophy as well as getting an understanding of it remained difficult due to the complexity of his writings. Therefore, Lemberger facilitated the philosophy whilst re-writing it to create an accessible route to the basics of Hubbard’s philosophy[22] . Lemberger titled it LifePower. His efforts have so far resulted in four books, that have been published in seven langages(Hebrew,Russian, German, French, Latvian, Czech and Spanish).

Lemberger's Publications

  • LifePower. Your guide to achieving power in all realms of life a guide explaining the LP philosophy in depths.
  • Study Essentials focuses on Study Technology which seeks to overcome so-called "study barriers" and provides a variety of exercises to improve the personal study performance.
  • The Complete Communication Manual explores interaction and communication with others and seeks to improve a person´s communication skills.
  • The Story of C and I: Theory and Practice of Control and Intention engages with the themes control and intention in one's relations with his environment.

External Sources

Videography

  • Fedorov, M. (2020). Dani Lemberger lecture - Successful actions in creating and expanding Dror Center. Theta Flow - Online Conference. Duration: 2:32:51. Uploaded: 15.05.2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOelhmXX34I last accessed: 07.09.2020

Media

References

  1. https://www.izkor.gov.il/%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%A7%D7%91%20%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%92%D7%A8/en_e98d23f9fc6d067ebae6946b255ef43d
  2. https://www.zim.com/about-zim/company-overview
  3. https://www.haifa.ac.il/index.php/en/
  4. https://hms.haifa.ac.il/index.php/en/
  5. https://www.insead.edu/
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=bRi2N2VxdOM&feature=emb_logo
  7. https://life-pwr.com/
  8. https://backincomm.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/another-lawsuit-another-country-lembergers-vs-scientology/
  9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditing_(Scientology)#:~:text=In%20Dianetics%20and%20Scientology%2C%20auditing,from%20past%20events%20or%20behaviors.
  10. https://www.mikerindersblog.org/dani-lemberger-speaks/
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scientology_security_checks
  12. https://scnil.org/english/the-lembergers-vs-the-church-of-scientology/
  13. https://tonyortega.org/2017/01/01/five-years-later-debbie-cooks-indictment-of-scientology-under-david-miscavige-annotated/
  14. https://ronsorg.ch/
  15. https://scnil.org/english/suppressive-person-declare-dani-tami-lemberger/
  16. https://scnil.org/english/declaration-of-the-declared/
  17. https://markrathbun.blog/tag/dani-lemberger/
  18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disconnection_(Scientology)#:~:text=The%20Church%20of%20Scientology%20has,a%20constitutionally%20protected%20religious%20practice.
  19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIc8KAcs0Qw&feature=youtu.be
  20. https://13tv.co.il/item/entertainment/kobi-and-lital/season-01/episodes/h5ad3-2019968/
  21. https://life-pwr.com/
  22. https://www.forum.exscn.net/threads/dani-lemberger-of-the-independent-scientology-dror-center-introduces-lifepower-books-and-centers.50295/