Leon Charney

Leon Charney (July 23, 1938 – March 21, 2016) was an American real estate tycoon, attorney, author, philanthropist, political pundit, media personality and Jewish cantor. He lived in Manhattan in New York City, dividing his time between his residences in Tel Aviv and Boca Raton, Florida. In March 2012, Forbes listed Charney as No. 353 among the wealthiest Americans. He was a graduate of Yeshiva University where he participated in demonstrations to free Soviet Jewry, and Brooklyn Law School.

Charney was best known as a New York real estate baron, but his role as one of the backdoor players integral to sealing the Camp David Peace Treaty between Israel and Egypt later emerged. In 1979, Charney played an important role as the unofficial adviser to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, most well known for his behind-the-scenes role in the Camp David Accords which created the first comprehensive peace between Israel and Egypt in 1978 and 1979.

In 2008, some thirty years later, Charney, a major real estate owner in New York's Times Square, appeared for the first time on the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans, debuting at No. 321. The 2009 list – the first to reflect the world financial crisis, indicated Charney's net worth had fallen in the previous year, although his rank had jumped to No. 296, up 35 notches, indicating that while he lost wealth, he lost less than other fellow billionaires. For 2010, Charney ranked No. 308 on the Forbes 400.

Leon Harris Charney was born to a Jewish family in Bayonne, New Jersey, to Morris, a sewing supplies salesman who died at a young age when his son was young, and Sara Charney. He grew up poor. He attended Jewish day schools, worked as a counselor at Camp Winsokee, graduated from Yeshiva University in 1960, and from Brooklyn Law School in 1964. He paid for his education in part by singing in synagogues, and by selling sewing machines door-to-door.

He became a member of the bar in 1965, and with $200 in the bank started his own law firm representing sports and show-business personalities, including Jackie Mason and Sammy Davis Jr. As a young attorney, he was also a fierce advocate for the passage of the Good Samaritan Law after witnessing a man die in public when doctors refused to intervene out of fear of being sued.

Charney became counsel and adviser at age 36 to U.S. Senator Vance Hartke of Indiana, and was his special counsel for six years. Through Hartke, Charney became more involved in international politics and diplomacy. He became close to Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel, with whom Charney worked on Israel's initiative to free Soviet Jews and help them emigrate to Israel.

That effort saw the emigration of 1,000 Jews from Minsk in the Soviet Union to Israel. Later, United States President Jimmy Carter asked Charney to help advise him during the Camp David Accords. Charney refers to his efforts as using "back door channels", and he advised President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981. In a forward for one of Charney's books, Carter referred to Charney as "the unsung hero of the Camp David Peace Treaty."

In 1986 Charney went to Tunisia to meet with Yasser Arafat in the hope of a possible peaceful resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.