By 5 Towns Central Staff

LAWRENCE, N.Y. (Aug. 19, 2026) — A poignant personal encounter has brought renewed focus to one of the area’s most harrowing and enduring sagas of family loss, systemic corruption, and the relentless search for truth. Community advocate & blogger Michal Weinstein recently reunited with renowned defense attorney Benjamin Brafman, revisiting the historic legal battle that helped bring resolution to her family following the tragic disappearance and murder of her father, diamond dealer Israel Greenwald.

Community advocate and blogger Michal Weinstein recently reunited with renowned attorney Benjamin Brafman to reflect on the legal case surrounding the disappearance and murder of her father, diamond dealer Israel Greenwald, and the eventual resolution that followed. Mr Brafman… pic.twitter.com/Mj8kp0tnzx

— 5TownsCentral (@5TownsCentral) August 20, 2026

Greenwald vanished without a trace in February 1986, leaving behind a young family and plunging them into an agonizing nineteen-year period of uncertainty. The unresolved mystery persisted until the spring of 2005, when forensic teams uncovered his remains buried beneath a concrete slab in a Brooklyn garage. A comprehensive federal investigation ultimately revealed that two rogue New York City police detectives, acting as enforcers for organized crime figures, were responsible for his abduction and execution-style murder. Both former officers were subsequently convicted and handed lengthy prison terms for their involvement in multiple mob-related killings.

During the intense legal proceedings that accompanied the discovery and trial, Brafman stepped in to represent the Greenwald family on a pro bono basis, providing crucial counsel and steadfast advocacy as they navigated the harrowing judicial process. Weinstein, who began meticulously documenting her feelings and daily life in personal journals as a ten-year-old following her father’s sudden absence, saw those childhood accounts become powerful tools of perspective during the legal proceedings, culminating in an emotional courtroom impact statement at sentencing.

May the Neshama have an Aliyah.