Jewish Federation: About Us

The Seattle Cardozo Society is an honor society for Jewish attorneys. The Society sponsors programs that integrate legal and Jewish concerns to demonstrate the unique contributions the legal profession can make to improve the Jewish community. Membership in the Society is open to any attorney who contributes a minimum gift of $1,500* to the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle's Community Campaign.

Programs sponsored by the Society are open to all attorneys and their guests and to others who share common goals or interests. Dinner events in the past have honored local attorneys with the Benjamin Cardozo Award for Outstanding Service. The Society has also sponsored Continuing Legal Education in topics such as "The Death Penalty: Biblical & Contemporary Perspectives" and "Gotta Get a Get: Jewish Divorce Law in the Civil Justice System."

The Cardozo Society also affords attorneys a unique opportunity for to network with their colleagues, as well as a chance to participate in the work of repairing the world through involvement in the Community Campaign with programming, peer solicitation, and phone-a-thons.

We encourage you to be in touch and fill out our Sign-Up reply form if you are not already on our mailing list.

For more information on the Cardozo Society, please email cardozo@jewishinseattle.org or call (206) 774-2259.

Past Events

Four Fascinating Jewish Trials that Changed History
Presented by Amy Hirshberg Lederman, Tuscon, Arizona

Dates: November 8, December 6, 2006 and January 17 and February 7, 2007
Time: 12:-1:30pm
Location: Preston, Gates & Ellis, LLP, 925 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2900, Seattle, WA 98104
CLE: Approved for 1.5 General CLE Credits per Session.

This series of four lunch time lectures on fascinating Jewish trials will include the Dreyfus Affair(France 1894 –1906), the Leo Frank Affair (1913 –1915), the Rosenberg Case (Espionage, 1951) and Goldman vs. Weinberger (Freedom of Religion, U.S. Supreme Court 1986). This exciting series will explore the historical, political and social contexts of these four cases that serve as benchmarks in the perception of the Jew in the modern world. This series will appeal to anyone who is interested in the origins of modern mass politics, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the right to a fair trial, and the role and impact of anti-Semitism on the legal system. Co-sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Region of the Anti-Defamation League, the Cardozo Society of Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, and the Washington State Bar Association.

Amy Hirshberg Lederman is a nationally syndicated columnist and author, Jewish educator, public speaker and attorney. She practiced law for 14 years before pursuing her passion of Jewish education. She has served as the Assistant North American Director of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-school and the Director of the Department of Jewish Education and Identity for the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona. For more information about Ms. Lederman please go to her website at http://www.amyhirshberglederman.com/Index.htm.

Taking the Battle Against Palestinian Terror to Court
An evening with Israel's leading anti-terrorism activist attorney

Learn about battling terrorism without guns- through the legal system. Enjoy a lecture and discussion session with Israel's leading anti-terrorism activist attorney, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner and her husband, Avi Leitner. They represent an effective, non-violent approach to combat world terrorism and its financial underpinnings.

Dates: December 7, 2006
Time: 7:30-10pm
Location: Finegold home (address provided with RSVP)
RSVP: SFinegold@FinegoldLawFirm.com
Kosher refreshments provided

For the past ten years Nitsana Darshan-Leitner has been leading the struggle to fight the Palestinian and Islamic terrorist groups in the courtroom. She represents hundreds of terror victims in lawsuits and legal actions against HAMAS, the Palestinian Authority, Iran, Syria, Islamic Jihad and the European Union. In addition, Darshan-Leitner and her colleagues have launched a series of cases against the banks and financial institutions that previously provided services to the terrorist groups.

Together with other activists lawyers in Israel she founded Shurat HaDin - Israel Law Center to help terror victims to fight back through the legal system. Ms. Darshan-Leitner has also worked on other Jewish rights cases, including representing Persian Jews who are being illegally held by the Islamic Republic of Iran, defending IDF soldiers who have been charged with shooting offenses and as counsel for Jonathan Pollard.

Bringing Professional Skills to the Developing World – An Ethical Imperative
Featuring Ruth Messinger
President of American Jewish World Service

When: Tuesday, April 24, 2007, 7:30am - 9am
Where: Law Offices of Perkins, Coie LLP, 1201 - 3rd Avenue, Suite # 4800
Cost: The event itself is free. We have applied for 1 CLE Credit with the WSBA. If you wish to receive CLE Credit, there will be a charge of $10 (payable at the event, cash or check only, please).
RSVP: Please RSVP to Gail Stagman at (206) 232-4867 or by email: Zedog@zipcon.com.

Ruth W. Messinger is the president of American Jewish World Service, an international development organization providing support to 300 grassroots social-change projects throughout the world. Prior to assuming this role in 1998, Ms. Messinger was in public service in New York City for 20 years. She is an active member of her synagogue and serves on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations. In honor of her tireless work to end the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, Ruth Messinger received an award from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs in February 2006. In tribute to her life’s work, she was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Hebrew Union College in 2005. For the past six years, she has been named one of the 50 most influential Jews of the year by the Forward. Ms. Messinger has three children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

American Jewish World Service
The American Jewish World Service is an international development organization providing support to 300 grassroots social-change projects throughout the world. AJWS is devoted to pursuing justice and alleviating poverty, hunger, and disease among people of the developing world. AJWS fosters civil society, sustainable development and human rights for all people, while promoting the values and responsibilities of global citizenship within the Jewish Community.

ADL Speaker Series : Legal Aspects of Counter-Terrorism and Respect for Human Rights under the Rule of International Law: Israel as a Case Study
With Professor Amos Guiora of Case Western Reserve University School of Law

The greatest challenge for liberal democratic societies in confronting terrorism is the balance between national security interests of the state and the civil liberties of the individual.

Date: Thursday, May 10, 2007
Time: 5:30 to 7:00pm
Location: Garvey Schubert Barer Law Offices, Second & Seneca Building, 18th Floor, 1191 Second Avenue, Seattle, Washington
CLE: 1.5 general credits, approved.
Light refreshments will be served

Professor Guiora is an international expert on the legal and policy aspects of national and international security and counter-terrorism. He will discuss the legality of counterterrorism methods and related ethical problems. Professor Guiora will compare Israel’s legal response to these challenges with the legal response in the US.

There is no charge to attend, but space is limited and pre-registration is required.

To register, click here and send e-mail: I will attend Prof. Guiora's Presentation on May 10

Co-sponsored by: Consulate General of Israel—Pacific Northwest Region, The Finegold Law Firm, Garvey Schubert Barer, Cardozo Society & YLD of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, WSBA International Practice Section