Bet Tzedek News | Spring 2008

Spring Enewsletter \| March 26, 2008

IN THIS ISSUE: Bet Tzedek Featured in USA Today Legal Division Dinner--BT Board member honored Profile: Catherine Benkaim New Board Chair, Alejandro Mayorkas News Flash! Honors & Successes Bet Tzedek Featured in USA Today The March 20th edition of USA Today featured Bet Tzedek’s groundbreaking effort to help German Holocaust survivors. Last year, Germany created a new reparations program that offers 2,000 euro (approximately $3,000 US dollars) to survivors who performed work in Nazi-controlled ghettoes. Bet Tzedek’s Holocaust Services team of Lisa Hoffman, Celia Kirlover and Volker Schmidt worked with Pro Bono Director Elissa Barrett to develop an innovative clinic model. The clinics use trained volunteers to offer one-on-one assistance to survivors who qualify for the program. Since November, Bet Tzedek staff and volunteers have helped more than 300 survivors. “The program is incredibly important to survivors, who otherwise would struggle with very complicated forms,” said Wendy Marantz Levine, Deputy Director of Litigation and the Holocaust Services Project supervisor. “Our staff and the hundreds of volunteers will hopefully help survivors in Los Angeles receive more than $1,000,000 in reparations.” Bet Tzedek now is expanding this program to more than a dozen cities across the country, with Board member and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP attorney Stan Levy leading the national outreach effort. The article can be viewed at www.usatoday.com, and it includes photos of two Bet Tzedek clients. Bet Tzedek and The Federation’s Legal Division: A Close Partnership Bet Tzedek is proud to be an affiliated agency of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Bet Tzedek’s close ties to the Federation’s Legal Division will be highlighted once again on Wednesday, April 9th, when long-time Board member John Schulman is honored with the Bruce I. Hochman Maimonides Torch of Justice Award at the Legal Division Dinner. “Schulman is one of the greatest mensches in the legal field, and he richly deserves this honor,” said Mitch Kamin, Bet Tzedek’s President/CEO. “Bet Tzedek is extraordinarily fortunate to have him on its Board for over 20 years, and it has been my tremendous personal privilege to work with him.” As Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Warner Bros. Entertainment, Schulman is responsible for the legal affairs of one of the world’s largest entertainment companies and oversees a legal staff of more than 100 attorneys. The Dinner is the Legal Division’s major annual fundraiser, and will draw more than 600 lawyers, judges, advocates and community supporters. For more information about the Dinner, contact Gwenn Drucker-Flait at 323-761-8297 or gdrucker-flait@jewishla.org or visit www.jewishla.org Catherine Benkaim: Honoring Those Who Give of Themselves Catherine Benkaim’s late husband Ralph volunteered at Bet Tzedek throughout the 1980s. “Ralph loved Bet Tzedek. He often mentioned how grateful the clients were to be able to talk to somebody who could solve their problems,” Catherine said. In honor of Ralph’s commitment, Catherine decided to sponsor Bet Tzedek’s annual Evening of Volunteer Recognition for the next decade. The Evening attracts more than 200 volunteers for a dinner and awards presentation to the Volunteer of the Year, Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year, and Pro Bono Attorney of the Year. After attending last year’s Evening, Catherine’s appreciation for Bet Tzedek’s work grew. “I felt an enormous amount of true spirit that night. Bet Tzedek is an organization in which people’s intent for doing good can be realized,” she said. “We’re so pleased that Catherine chose this outstanding gift as a way to honor Ralph. Volunteers are essential members of Bet Tzedek, and the evening is a wonderful chance for the organization to thank them,” said Pro Bono Director Elissa Barrett. Bet Tzedek Welcomes New Board Chair Alejandro Mayorkas, a Partner at O’Melveny and Myers LLP and former U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, became Bet Tzedek Board Chairperson on March 19. Mayorkas will serve a two-year term. “We’re thrilled that Ali agreed to deepen his commitment to Bet Tzedek, and we look forward to his leadership over the next two years,” said Sandy Samuels, Executive Managing Director and Chief Legal Officer of Countrywide and the outgoing Board Chair. At O’Melveny, Ali represents clients in their most significant and high-profile lawsuits and leads their most sensitive internal investigations. His extensive trial experience includes serving as lead attorney for numerous Fortune 500 companies in matters ranging from shareholder class actions to antitrust cases. Ali also is active in professional organizations. He is a Senate appointee to the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice, and co-chairs the American Bar Association’s Committee on Ethics and Professionalism. Ali said, “Bet Tzedek is a preeminent organization fighting for justice in our communities, and I hope that I can serve the organization well in this new role.” News Flash! New Staff at Bet Tzedek Thanks to our supporters, Bet Tzedek continues to expand its staff to meet increasing community needs. Over the past few months, Bet Tzedek has welcomed: Philip Bertenthal, Self-Help Clinic Coordinator, oversees Bet Tzedek's expanding project assisting individuals in conservatorship and elder abuse proceedings at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles and is working to expand it to three additional courts later this year. Phil has been a staff attorney at MFY Legal Services in New York and Evergreen Legal Services in Washington state and also has served as Supervising Attorney at the Youth Law Center in San Francisco and as Litigation Director of Contra Costa Legal Services Foundation. Michelle Kezirian, the Sydney M. Irmas Housing Conditions Project Director, focuses on slum housing litigation and housing policy. Michelle previously served as a Staff Attorney with the Inner-City Law Center. Amy Peckner, the Individual Giving Officer, connects Bet Tzedek with individual supporters. Amy grew up in Los Angeles and recently returned after a decade in Boston as a fundraiser and teacher. Ileana Prado joined Bet Tzedek as Human Resources Director this month. She has more than a decade of experience, and most recently worked at PainePR. Peter Ramirez, Housing Attorney, specializes in protecting families from eviction. Peter previously worked as a staff attorney at the Eviction Defense Center of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA). Bet Tzedek At “Pathways to Justice” Conference This year’s annual State Bar Conference, to be held in Los Angeles on June 5-7, features Bet Tzedek staff and Board members in key roles. Deputy Director of Litigation Wendy Marantz Levine serves on the Planning Committee. The number of presentations by Bet Tzedek advocates reflects our staff’s innovation and expertise: Yolande Erikson and Phil Bertenthal will present on Bet Tzedek’s new Self-Help Conservatorship Clinic model. Kim Williams will participate in a panel discussion on alternatives to nursing home placement. Jody Spiegel will co-deliver a presentation on “Resolving Client Problems in Nursing Homes or Assisted Living Facilities.” Pro Bono Director Elissa Barrett and Board member David Lash co-present on “Pro Bono Best Practices” and Lash discusses “The Future of Pro Bono From the Law Firm Perspective.” Thank You to Our Supporters Bet Tzedek gratefully acknowledges the following supporters who made significant gifts over the past three months: Foundations California Community Foundation Jewish Community Foundation UniHealth Foundation Individuals Barbara Bergen Joseph Lumer Shelley Resnik Valerie Salkin Yaniv Tepper Daniel Weiss Cy Pres Donations Ameriquest The Law Offices of Craig T. Byrnes Kesluk & Silverstein, P.C. 20th Annual Dinner Gala a Great Success On January 22nd, Bet Tzedek hosted more than 1,200 guests at its 20th Annual Dinner Gala. The evening raised more than $2.25 million in support of Bet Tzedek’s mission, and featured a special performance by Tom Waits. Kevin S. Marks, O’Melveny & Myers LLP, and staff attorney Anna Burns received awards for their outstanding contributions to justice. The Justice Ball 12 on July 19, 2008 Join us on Saturday, July 19th for The Justice Ball 12. Everything you love about this legendary night of fun returns for another year—music, dancing, the VIP lounge, the swag bags, the silent auction... Honors & Successes Volunteer Liaison Theresa Rodriguez and Deputy Director of Litigation Grant Specht were honored by the L.A. Pro Bono Council for their leadership of the community-wide program to serve the legal needs of evacuees following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Staff Attorney Matt DeCarolis successfully defended a family of five from an illegal eviction. Litigation and Training Supervisor Ed Elsner protected the SSI benefits of a young man suffering from schizophrenia. Conservatorship Attorney Yolande Erickson, with help from Anna Burns and our litigation secretaries, obtained a restraining order against a client’s abusive neighbor and gained conservatorship over both the person and estate for our client.	DONATE NOW >> Your contribution means justice for a Holocaust survivor... Upcoming Events: The Justice Ball 12 7.19.08 Job Openings: Attorney I or II, Family Caregiver project more Time-limited, Family Caregiver Project: Elder Law Social Worker more Time-limited, Family Caregiver Project: Probate Litigation Paralegal II or III more Employment Rights Project Volunteer more Academic Year 2007-2008 Accounting Volunteer Internship more Academic Year 2007-2008 Marketing Assistant (Development Department) more Academic Year 2007-2008 Volunteer Development Intern more Academic Year 2007-2008 Computer Helpdesk Internship more Summer 2008 Law Clerks more College Internship and Volunteer Opportunities (Fall, Winter & Spring) more
Bet Tzedek is an affiliated agency of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles