The American Association of Jewish Lawyers & Jurists (AAJLJ) is a nonprofit association representing the American Jewish legal community.
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AAJLJ Board Member Harold Halpern on Israeli Law Politics
Click here to view Harold Halpern’s column in the Sarasota Herald Tribune
AAJLJ Updates
Mazel Tov ~ Hon. Merrick Garland
The American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists (“AAJLJ”) wishes a hearty congratulations and mazeltov to the nomination of Hon. Merrick Garland to serve as US Attorney General. This is yet another great step in the historic career that Judge Garland has forged, from a clerkship with Supreme Court Justice William Brennan to stepping out of private practice to serve as a federal prosecutor where he oversaw the federal response to the Oklahoma City bombing, which by all accounts was concluded with fairness and sensitivity to accused and victim alike. It was no surprise that Judge Garland was appointed to the bench of the D.C. Circuit Court with large cross-party support, where he proceeded to be further elevated to Chief Judge. We were all delighted when Judge Garland was nominated for the Supreme Court and were equally disappointed when his ascendancy was forestalled by political infighting. We hope that in his role as US Attorney General Hon. Garland will “Pursue Justice, Justiciably” in keeping with the motto of the AAJLJ, and continue to be a light unto the profession and the United States.
2019 Pursuit of Justice Awards with Baruch Weiss, Stuart Kurlander, and Alyza D. Lewin
Stuart Kurlander is a healthcare and life sciences partner in Latham & Watkins’ Washington, D.C. office and is Global Co-Chair of the Israel Practice. Baruch Weiss, after over 20 years in public service, is now a partner in Arnold & Porter’s D.C. office and has been an avid defender of the rights of Jews. Alyza D. Lewin, the immediate past president of the AAJLJ and current President of the Brandeis Center, is a founding and managing partner at Lewin & Lewin, where she and her father, Nat Lewin, advocate tirelessly for the rights of the Jewish people and their ability to practice freely in all aspects of life. Previous recipients include Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan, Justice Stephen Breyer, and this year’s attendees including Nathan Lewin, Seth Waxman, Robert Weinberg, Martin Mendelsohn, and Gabriel Groisman. See coverage of the event in the Washington Jewish Week POJ Recipients Bob Weinberg, Baruch Weiss, and AAJLJ President Stephen Greenwald Federal Judge with Past POJ Recipient Seth Waxman Former AAJLJ President and Past POJ Recipient Nat Lewin
POJ 2018
POJ 2018 (Hon. Robert Abrams and Mayor Gabriel Groisman)
Recent mission to Israel
In late June several AAJLJ Board members traveled to Israel for meetings with legal experts, judges, past and present government officials , and policy think tanks, to learn more about current issues and controversies in the legal sphere; issues that have generated disagreements and dissension within the American Jewish community and between some American Jews and Israel.
Harold Halpern (pictured on top row, second from right), retired Sarasota attorney and long-time AAJLJ Board Member, wrote a series of articles for the Sarasota Herald Tribune chronicling the trip and several important issues that were raised during discussions.