AJC LOS ANGELES 43 RD ANNUAL LEARNED HAND AWARD DINNER
Luis Li
Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Welcome from AJC Leadership
Since its founding in 1906, American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) mission has been anchored by a fundamental conviction that the safety and well-being of the Jewish people are inextricably linked to the human rights and dignity of all people — from every culture, religion, and ethnicity.
AJC stands up for the Jewish people, the State of Israel, and the democratic values that unite us all. AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. We work to shape a brighter future by taking on the toughest challenges and pursuing the most transformative opportunities. Through our unparalleled global network of offices, institutes, and partnerships, AJC engages with leaders at the highest levels of government and civil society to counter antisemitism, open new doors for Israel, and advance democratic values.
Following the horrific October 7 Hamas attack upon innocent Israeli civilians — women, men, children, babies, the elderly and infirm — AJC’s advocacy in support of Israel’s right to self-defense has never been more urgent. In memory of the 1,200 beautiful souls murdered that day, and in support of the 100 hostages still being held in Gaza as of this moment, we appeal to all people of good conscience to rebuke the evil of Hamas terror and to stand with Israel.
The Judge Learned Hand Award is the highest honor AJC bestows upon members of the legal profession. The Award was established in memory of the Honorable Learned Hand, Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1924 to 1951, widely admired as a dean among American jurists.
The Award is presented to distinguished members of the legal profession who embody AJC’s values of promoting social justice, advancing human rights, and building mutual respect and understanding. This evening, we are privileged to confer this honor upon Luis Li, a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a law firm that has represented technology pioneers associated with virtually every milestone innovation, as well as life sciences trailblazers shaping the future of
Welcome from AJC Leadership
continued
healthcare. At Wilson Sonsini, Luis has represented prominent corporate and individual clients in their most high-stakes legal matters.
Luis has a deep commitment to serving others. He launched his career by spending ten years as a government prosecutor, first as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California, and later as Chief of the Criminal Branch at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. In private practice, Luis has represented universities and cultural institutions, from the University of California to Harvard University, from the Getty to the Art Institute of Chicago, guiding them through complex legal challenges to advance their missions of enriching society through education and the arts. His pro bono work includes assisting individual artists in protecting the visual integrity of their creations. One of Luis’s most notable cases involved representing Vanessa Bryant in a landmark invasion of privacy and federal civil rights lawsuit. Throughout the years, he has been a dedicated mentor to young lawyers and has served on the boards of various nonprofits, including Bet Tzedek, the Norton Simon Foundation, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
Building a more just society is at the heart of AJC’s goal to advance human rights, democratic ideals, and mutual respect. Through his dedication to public service and commitment to the underserved in our society, a crucial component of democracy, Luis is a passionate advocate for ethical leadership and a pioneer in the community. Luis’s contributions to bettering our society reflect the kind of leadership we value most. We are honored to recognize Luis’ lifetime of achievement this evening.
Russell Schwartz Regional President
Richard S. Hirschhaut Regional Director
Who We Are
American Jewish Committee (AJC) is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. AJC stands up for Israel’s right to exist in peace and security; confronts antisemitism, no matter the source; and upholds the democratic values that unite us.
For over a century, AJC has raised its voice in defense of those who cannot, fighting oppression with unflinching advocacy, intolerance with unwavering commitment. …
That voice is more vital than ever.
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE
What We Do
In the wake of Hamas’ October 7 attack—the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust—AJC has mobilized its global network to tackle the unprecedented threats facing world Jewry.
From world capitals to college campuses, AJC works with leaders across society to support Israel and combat surging antisemitism, and we leverage strategic communications to educate, counter misinformation, and shape public opinion.
Who We Engage
• Presidents, prime ministers, and diplomats
• Officials in national, state, and local government
• University, college, and high school administrator
How We Advocate
• Business and tech leaders
• Interfaith and intergroup partners
• Emerging Jewish activists
Advance policy through diplomacy, political advocacy, and engagement with leaders worldwide
Build coalitions with interfaith and intergroup partners to counter threats to democracy
Train leaders to effectively respond to antisemitism and anti-Zionism
Educate and empower through strategic communications
Where We Work
Wherever
Where We Work
AFRICA
Based in Johannesburg, AJC’s Africa Institute partners with African governments, civil society, and diaspora communities to build coalitions on issues of common concern, and facilitates cooperation between African countries and Israel.
ASIA
AJC’s Asia Pacific Institute (API) engages leaders in the region and their representatives in the U.S., making them more aware of the Jewish people and Israel, and fostering political alliances, economic links, and dialogue on AJC’s priority issues. Headquartered in New York, API has representation in Southeast Asia, Tokyo, and Washington, and an advisor in New Delhi.
EUROPE
AJC’s offices in Berlin, Brussels, Paris, and Warsaw, and representatives in Budapest, Prague, Rome, and Sofia, promote cooperation among Europe, the U.S., and Israel, and partner with local Jewish communities.
ISRAEL / MIDDLE EAST
With offices in Israel and the Arab Gulf, AJC works to reimagine the Middle East. AJC Jerusalem forges relationships with Israeli leaders and members of the diplomatic community. It also hosts all delegations visiting Israel through AJC Project Interchange. AJC’s office in Abu Dhabi strengthens ties between Israel and Arab nations and promotes understanding among Arabs and Jews.
LATIN AMERICA
AJC’s Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs (BILLA) strengthens ties among the Jewish community; U.S. Latino communities; and the countries of Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. BILLA is headquartered in Washington, with staff in Miami and São Paulo.
UNITED STATES
With offices across the U.S., including headquarters in New York and a government affairs office in Washington, AJC advocates with policymakers and leaders across society on issues affecting the global Jewish community.
How We Advocate
Advance policy through diplomacy, political advocacy, and engagement with leaders worldwide
AJC works with leaders across society to counter antisemitism and stand up for Israel’s right to exist in peace and security. We maintain enduring ties with government officials in more than 110 countries, as well as with influential institutions like the UN, the European Union, and the Organization for American States. AJC engages senior officials in the U.S. Administration and members of Congress, working across the aisle to advance our advocacy priorities. We also collaborate with civil society leaders in areas ranging from business to academia.
Build coalitions with interfaith and intergroup partners to counter threats to democracy
AJC creates powerful coalitions with diverse faith and ethnic groups around the world to combat antisemitism, advance democratic values, and support Israel. For more than a century, AJC has led the charge in developing intergroup relations— and we remain the foremost leader today. With the Jewish people facing record levels of hate, AJC’s unique ability to form partnerships based on shared concerns and priorities has taken on new urgency.
Train leaders to respond to antisemitism and anti-Zionism
AJC is training leaders across society to effectively address antisemitism. Whether it’s law enforcement agencies, entertainment and media companies, sports franchises, or top colleges and universities, AJC is helping these institutions understand how antisemitism masked as anti-Zionism manifests itself and how they must respond.
Educate and empower through strategic communications
Our expansive online presence—which includes the largest social media following of any Jewish advocacy organization—has become an essential part of our advocacy. We provide millions of people worldwide with swift access to trusted information they need to understand and respond to the latest on Israel, antisemitism, and more. Social media, together with our op-eds, expert analysis, informative videos, and award-winning podcasts, help educate the public and shape opinion across the globe.
The Judge Learned Hand Award
The Judge Learned Hand Award is the highest honor that American Jewish Committee (AJC) bestows on members of the legal profession. Named in memory of Judge Learned Hand, one of America’s great jurists and humanitarians, the award is given to outstanding members of the legal profession in recognition of how their professional and community activities have played a significant role in the betterment of the community. Since the establishment of the award in Los Angeles in 1980, each honoree shares a common bond; their careers, ideals, and achievements mirror the high principles and noble tradition associated with Learned Hand.
Learned Hand Recipients (In Chronological Order):
Martin Gang* – 1980
Joseph A. Ball* – 1981
Herman Selvin* – 1982
Samuel L. Williams* – 1983
Chester I. Lappen* – 1984
Irwin Buchalter* – 1985
Shirley* & Seth Hufstedler – 1986
Maynard J. Toll* – 1987
Robert S. Warren – 1988
Ronald L. Olson – 1989
John C. Argue* – 1990
William W. Vaughn – 1991
Leonard S. Janofsky* – 1992
Alan I. Rothenberg – 1993
John J. Quinn* – 1994
Kenneth Ziffren – 1995
Howard I. Friedman* – 1996
Maria D. Hummer – 1997
Arthur N. Greenberg – 1998
Richard S. Volpert – 1999
Lisa Specht – 2000
Barry A. Sanders – 2001
Marshall B. Grossman* – 2002
Morgan Chu – 2003
Jerome L. Coben – 2004
Bruce M. Ramer – 2005
Alan V. Friedman – 2006
Martha Jordan – 2007
John A. Schulman – 2009
Wayne Barsky – 2010
Howard B. Miller – 2011
Don Passman – 2012
Brad D. Brian – 2013
Joseph A. Calabrese – 2014
Scott A. Edelman – 2015
Nancy L. Abell – 2016
John A. Rogovin – 2017
Nina L. Shaw – 2018
Marc M. Seltzer – 2019
Stanley P. Gold – 2021
Debra Wong Yang – 2022
Manny Abascal – 2023
Luis Li – 2024
“Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it; no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the minds of other men and women; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which weighs their interests alongside its own without bias; the spirit of liberty remembers that not even a sparrow falls to earth unheeded; the spirit of liberty is the spirit of Him who, near two thousand years ago, taught mankind that lesson it has never learned, but has never quite forgotten; that there may be a kingdom where the least shall be heard and considered side by side with the greatest.”
— Judge Learned Hand
HONOREE
Luis Li
Luis Li is a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he advocates for corporate and individual clients involved in high-stakes, high-profile trials and other matters. He launched his career by spending ten years as a government prosecutor, first as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California, and later as Chief of the Criminal Branch at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
In private practice, Luis has represented universities and cultural institutions, from the University of California to Harvard University, from the Getty to the Art Institute of Chicago, guiding them through complex legal challenges to advance their missions of enriching society through education and the arts. His pro bono work includes assisting individual artists in protecting the visual integrity of their creations. One of Luis’s most notable cases involved representing Vanessa Bryant in a landmark invasion of privacy and federal civil rights lawsuit after the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of her husband, Kobe Bryant, and their daughter. The favorable verdict and settlement not only provided some solace to the Bryant family but are also expected to drive reforms in how first responders manage sensitive information, highlighting the need to safeguard victims’ privacy and dignity.
Throughout the years, he has been a dedicated mentor to young lawyers and has served on the boards of various nonprofits, including Bet Tzedek, the Norton Simon Foundation, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. A child of immigrants, Luis believes deeply in our institutions and works to defend them.
As a Learned Hand honoree, Luis joins an esteemed group of leaders who exemplify Judge Learned Hand’s commitment to individual and human rights and democratic values. These core values have been at the forefront of AJC’s global mission since its founding in 1906.
REMARKS BY Erwin Chemerinsky
Erwin Chemerinsky became the 13th Dean of Berkeley Law on July 1, 2017, when he joined the faculty as the Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law.
Prior to assuming this position, from 2008-2017, he was the founding Dean and Distinguished Professor of Law, and Raymond Pryke Professor of First Amendment Law, at University of California, Irvine School of Law. Before that he was the Alston and Bird Professor of Law and Political Science at Duke University from 2004-2008, and from 1983-2004 was a professor at the University of Southern California Law School, including as the Sydney M. Irmas Professor of Public Interest Law, Legal Ethics, and Political Science. From 1980-1983, he was an assistant professor at DePaul College of Law.
He is the author of nineteen books, including leading casebooks and treatises about constitutional law, criminal procedure, and federal jurisdiction. His most recent major books are Worse than Nothing: The Dangerous Fallacy of Originalism (2022) and Presumed Guilty: How the Supreme Court Empowered the Police and Subverted Civil Rights (2021).
He also is the author of more than 200 law review articles. He is a contributing writer for the Opinion section of the Los Angeles Times, and writes regular columns for the Sacramento Bee, the ABA Journal and the Daily Journal, and frequent op-eds in newspapers across the country. He frequently argues appellate cases, including in the United States Supreme Court.
In 2016, he was named a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2024, National Jurist magazine again named Dean Chemerinsky as the most influential person in legal education in the United States. In 2022, he was the President of the Association of American Law Schools. He received his B.S. at Northwestern University and his J.D. at Harvard Law School.
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
The Singers of Soul
Deemed by the LA Times as “the wall of sound powerhouse gospel choir,”
The Singers of Soul are an award winning vocal ensemble comprised of singers of all styles, ranging from Broadway to the Metropolitan opera.
AJC LOS ANGELES 43 RD ANNUAL LEARNED HAND AWARD DINNER
TRIBUTE CHAIRS
Manny Abascal
Wayne Barsky
Morgan Chu
Scott Edelman
Jeff Finkelstein
Stanley Gold
Bruce Ramer
Marc Seltzer
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
TRIBUTE
COMMITTEE
Andrew Galker
Caz Hashemi
Dan Levin
Nora Manella
Steve Olson
Fred Rowley
David Schindler
Jim Spertus
Bart Williams
Thank You for Protecting Our Future
American Jewish Committee (AJC) Visionaries are those whose generosity and commitment to the mission of AJC inspired them to include AJC in their estate plans. We gratefully acknowledge the following devoted supporters from the Los Angeles Region whose legacy gifts help ensure that AJC will remain strong and be prepared to meet the many opportunities and challenges of our time for generations to come.
Jonathan Adelman*
Judith Altenberg
Harriett Bay
Marcia Burnam*
Doris Chasin
Bela Citron*
Fred Cowan*
Betty Dasteel*
Anita Fricklas
Richard Fricklas*
Howard Friedman*
Mae Friedman*
Julia Gelfand
Jay Geller
Edward Gerson*
Buff Given*
Arthur Greenberg
Jonathan Gregory
Marshall Grossman*
William Hochberg
Diane Hochstadt
Robert Hochstadt
Robert Horning
Robin Jacobson
Roy Kaufman*
Solomon Leftin
Kenneth Leventhal*
Lawrence Levin*
Myra Lieblich*
Ronald Mankoff*
Lucille Melcher*
Ray Merenstein
Joel Mogy
Bruce Plotkin
Bruce Ramer
Lawrence Ramer*
David Rousso
Lori Rousso
David Seserman
Michelle Sholkoff*
Kenneth Simon*
Ilana Steinberg
Frances Stern
Ralph Stern
Adelaide Suplin
Lisa Taussig
Stephen Weinstein
Donald Yale
For more information about AJC’s Visionaries Society, please contact Associate Director of Development Alexandra Morris at morrisa@ajc.org or 310.405.7565.
List includes gifts through November 22, 2024
Sponsors
AMBASSADOR
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
DELEGATES
Gibson Dunn
Gang,Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman
DIPLOMAT
Jenny and Luis Li
Proskauer
Manny and Jane Abascal
Wayne Barsky
Helen and Morgan Chu
Susan and Scott Edelman
Patti and Jeffrey Finkelstein
Stanley Gold
Bart Williams
Bruce Ramer
Marc M. Seltzer
Sponsors
ADVOCATES
Bird, Marella, Rhow, Lincenberg, Drooks & Nessim, LLP
Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation
Irell & Manella LLP
The Walt Disney Company
Lakers Youth Foundation
Latham and Watkins
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Warner Bros. Discovery
Louise and John Bryson
Andrew Cowan
Andrew Galker
Caz Hashami
Daniel Levin
Fredrick Levin
Nora Manella
Steve Olson
Fred Rowley
Carol Johnson David Schindler
David Senft
James W. Spertus
EMISSARIES
Bobb & Dang
Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka
Finkelstein Lezcano
Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP
Norton Simon Museum
Westmount Asset Management
Ronald Dykhuizen
Paul Hastings
Bob Horning
Carol and Glenn Pomerantz
Russell Schwartz
Mark Siegel
Karen Wolfen
ALLIES
Law Offices of Bradley W. Hertz
City National bank
Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP
Brad D. Brian and Claire Spiegel Brian
Michael and Laura Wallace
“The American Jewish Committee has earned national and international recognition and respect for its longtime commitment to the noblest of our cherished American ideals.”
FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UN ZALMAY KHALILZAD
“The American Jewish Committee is unique — in its dynamism, its credibility, its consistency, its breadth and reach, and its influence. I admire its work in America, in the Middle East, in Europe, and around the world. Indeed, I rely on AJC’s truly vital work.”
ANA PALACIO, SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER (2002-2004)
Congratulations on receiving this distinguished award.
Quote — Attribution
We are so proud of you and all you have accomplished!
Caption
“AJC has fought for the core values that make this country great—equality and religious freedom, civil rights and women’s issues, a freer, fairer nation.”
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE
“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
— Elie Wiesel, Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor
Freedom Sunday, December 1987 — Soviet Jewry March organized by AJC’s Washington Director, David A. Harris.
SCOTT AND SUSAN EDELMAN AND GIBSON DUNN & CRUTCHER
“AJC was the first Jewish organization to seek contact with Germany after the Holocaust, and AJC remains today an important partner for Germany both in terms of dialogue with America Jewry and transatlantic relations in general.”
— Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
First Jewish broadcast from Germany, produced by AJC and NBC. October, 1944.
BART WILLIAMS
“ Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so, we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom.”
— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, second from the right, participating in the first day of the five day march.
“Thank
you AJC for your principled and consistent leadership on a wide range of critical issues: we notice it; we welcome it; we appreciate it.”
AMBASSADOR
SUSAN E. RICE
“Education is the key to the golden door of freedom.”
— George Washington Carver,
American Botanist and Inventor
AJC’s David Harris teaching at Moscow School No. 45, Fall 1974
CONGRATULATIONS TO LUIS LI ON THIS VERY WELL-DESERVED TRIBUTE – MARC SELTZER
“Where after all do universal human rights begin? In small places, closest to home — so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any map of the world….Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt, Former First Lady of the United States
Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States, photographed with The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. AJC successfully advocated for the inclusion of an human rights provision in the U.N.
IRELL & MANELLA LLP
Ballpoint pen • Polio vaccine • Cabaret
Instant cameras
Google • Genetic engineering • Pacemaker • Defibrillators
control • Shopping cart
Iron dome • Krav Maga
reality
Barbie
Lipstick
Jeans
Aspirin
Instant coffee
Drip irrigation
Guess Who?
Starbucks
Traffic lights
• The weekend (Shabbat) • Capitalism • Rugrats
• Pawn shops • Valium • Prozac
Fiber optic cable
Laser
VCR
Gap
Pager
Sabra
Blimp
Batwoman • Monotheism • West Side Story
Batman
• Hollywood • Color TV
USB flashdrive
Camera phone • Laser keyboard
Stainless steel
Teddy bear
Scotchgard
Death of a Salesman
Chemotherapy
Video games • TV remote
Pressure bandage
The Giving Tree
Communism
White Christmas
Adding machine
Psychoanalysis
Waze
Contraceptives
Theory of relativity
Cherry tomato
Epilator
Nanowire
Flexistraw
VoIP
Virtual
Cheesecake • Challah
Microphone
Flashlight
Fax machine
Häagen-Dazs
Circumcision
Insulin
Cafeterias
Calvin Klein • Carburetor
• Bagel • Marvel • Pill-cam • Mr. Potato Head • Blood groups discovery • Sewing machine • Fiddler on the Roof
control pills • Quantum mechanics • Bulletproof glass
Photo booth
• Southpark • Pregnancy test • E.T. • Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire • Seinfeld
• Heart rate monitor watch • Smart card • OpenAI
Microphone
Ten Commandments • Power Rangers • Scratch off lottery ticket
Vaccinating needle • Ralph Lauren • All in the Family
• Streptomycin
Plastic condom
Spider-man
Covid-19 vaccine
• Theory of relativity • Rhapsody in Blue
Mobileye
Plague vaccine
Birth
Walkie-talkie
Model railroads • Superman
ChatGPT
Hallelujah • Waze
God Bless America
Hepatitis-B antigen
Tootsie Roll
Wix
JEFFREY AND PATTI FINKELSTEIN
Bar code
Heimlich maneuver
Oracle
“Just as modern mass production requires the standardization of commodities, so the social process requires standardization of man, and this standardization is called equality.”
— Erich Fromm, German social psychologist
Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States, presents Milton Krents, Director of AJC Radio and TV, with award for AJC’s film, “The Trophy,” a drama on social discrimination.
DAVID SCHINDLER AND CAROL JOHNSON
DANIEL LEVIN
“None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody — a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns — bent down and helped us pick up our boots.”
— Thurgood Marshall, Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Thurgood Marshall on the steps of the Supreme Court. AJC sponsored research in the landmark decision Brown v. Board of Education.
“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.”
— Lyndon
Baines Johnson, 36th President of the United States
October 5, 1965 — U.S. Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach, Morris B. Abram, AJC President; William T. Coleman, Jr., second African American to serve in the U.S. Cabinet and civil rights attorney; President Lyndon Baines Johnson in the Oval office.
“We have observed that, in society and the world in which we live, selfishness has increased more than love for others. Men of good will must work, each with his own strengths and expertise, to ensure that love for others increases until it is equal and possibly exceeds love for oneself.”
— Pope Francis
Meeting with Jewish Scholars and Theologians at AJC- March 31, 1963 (front) Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel; Cardinal Augustin Cardinal Bea. (rear) Rev. Stephen Schmidt; Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum, AJC Director of Interreligious Affairs.
LOUISE AND JOHN BRYSON
“The AJC has been the place of leadership and excellence not just for preserving the rule of law, but for protecting human dignity. You have been a leader in the world; you have been a beacon for many of us.”
LOUIS J. FREEH, DIRECTOR, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
(1993-2001)
“As a Jew, I am aware of how important the existence of Israel is for the survival of us all. And because I am proud of being Jewish, I am worried about growing anti-Semitism and antiZionism in the world.”
— Steven Spielberg
The opening of AJC Berlin was the first time that any national American Jewish organization had permanent representation in the Federal Republic of Germany. L-R: Steven Spielberg; Bruce Ramer; Eugene Dubow
“Human rights, of course, must include the right to religious freedom, understood as the expression of a dimension that is at once individual and communitarian- a vision that brings out the unity of the person while clearly distinguishing between the dimension of the citizen and that of the believer.”
— Pope Benedict XVI
In 2011, AJC Los Angeles engaged with LAAAJC, the Los Angeles African American Jewish Connection, through a program called Seder for Our Peoples.
CAROL AND GLENN POMERANTZ
“ Freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent and debate.”
— Hubert H. Humphrey,
38th Vice President of the United States
Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and AJC leaders in the Oval Office.
WESTMOUNT PARTNERS PROUDLY SALUTES LUIS LI AND AJC LA FOR THEIR IMPACTFUL WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
“Israel
has created a new image of the Jew in the world — the image of a working and an intellectual people, of a people that can fight with heroism.”
— Nnamdi Azikiwe,
1st President of Nigeria
Dottie Bennett, AJC lay leader and long time BOG member, holding the 2003 AJC Global Forum Israel advertisement that ran in the NY Times.
LUIS – CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS WELL-DESERVED HONOR COWAN AND GALKER
“All major religious traditions carry basically the same message; love, compassion and forgiveness. The important thing is that they should be part of our daily lives.”
— His Holiness, The Dalai Lama
Interfaith and intergroup partners gather together at the AJC LA Chanukah celebration.
NAOMI ZAHAVI AND BOB HORNING
“ We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community…..Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others for their sakes and for our own.”
— Cesar Chavez,
American civil rights activist
AJC delegation arrives at the Montgomery airport to join the civil rights march in 1965. Marvlous Harrison, Charles Wittenstein, Murray Raim, Theodore Ellenoff, Orin Lehman, Irving Levine, Harry Fleischman, and Eleanor Ashman.
KENDALL BRILL & KELLY, LLP
MARK SIEGEL
It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
— Chinese Proverb, Motto of the Christophers
German-Yazidi journalist Duezen Tekkal and her niece lighting the Chanukah candles at AJC Berlin’s annual Chanukah reception 2016.
“Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it.”
— Bill Bradley, Former U.S. Senator and Basketball Hall of Famer
PAUL HASTINGS
During the 1960’s, West German educators visited the U.S. to observe American methods of teaching democratic values, a program sponsored by AJC.
“ Freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent and debate.”
— Hubert H. Humphrey,
38th Vice President of the United States
Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and AJC leaders in the Oval Office.
RUSSELL SCHWARTZ
“Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”
DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. AMERICAN ACTIVIST AND LEADER, CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
“I am a judge born, raised and proud of being a Jew. The demand for justice, peace, and for enlightenment runs through the entirety of Jewish history and Jewish tradition. I hope, in my years on the bench of the Supreme Court of the United States, I will have the strength and courage to remain constant in the service of that demand.”
— Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Guided by her Jewish values, worked to uplift the most vulnerable in society. Her efforts to enhance women’s rights in the U.S. will forever be one of her crowning achievements.
PROUD TO HONOR LUIS LI AS 2024 LEARNED HAND AWARD RECIPIENT
MICHAEL AND LAURA WALLACE
“ How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
— Anne Frank
AJC anti-hate campaign
MITCHELL SILBERBERG & KNUPP LLP
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
— Nelson Mandela,
Long Walk to Freedom
To confront a resurgence of hate groups during the early 1990s, AJC launched a ‘No One Is Born Hating’ campaign, featuring an original poster distrusted by the chapters and displayed in fullpage newspaper ads. [Pictured, the campaign run in the Chicago Tribune, July 12, 1999]. The message was well received.
HELEN AND MORGAN CHU
“ We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community…..Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others for their sakes and for our own.”
— Cesar Chavez,
American civil rights activist
AJC delegation arrives at the Montgomery airport to join the civil rights march in 1965. Marvlous Harrison, Charles Wittenstein, Murray Raim, Theodore Ellenoff, Orin Lehman, Irving Levine, Harry Fleischman, and Eleanor Ashman.
BRAD AND CLAIRE BRIAN
“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
— Edward Everett Hale, Author and Unitarian Minister
The AJC delegation on its way to the Selma Civil Rights March, 1965.
LAW
OFFICES OF BRADLEY W. HERTZ
AJC Los Angeles Leadership
Russell Schwartz
President
Marc Graboff
Chairman and Immediate Past President
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Vivian Alberts
Honey Amado
Jonathan Anschell
Wayne Barsky
Meir Bartur
Julie Bram
Steve Bram
Martin Caan
Mark Caplow
Josh Diamond
Eva Dworsky
Scott Edelman
Bryan Ezralow
David Ficksman
Jack Fine
Jerrold Fine
Jeffrey Finkelstein
Judith Forman
Mindy Freedman
Bonnie Fuller
Ron Galperin
Jay Geller
Allison Gingold
Susan Glass
Marcie Goldstein
Marc Graboff
Robert Gross
Marlene Grossman
Dennis Gura
Doris Haims
Priscilla Halper
Ira Handelman
Bradley Hertz
Harriet Hochman
Nathan Hochman
Nancy Hochman Ross
Robert Horning
Eli Ibrahimzade
Jody Kasten
Aaron Kollitz
Fredrick Levin
Mark Louchheim
Gusti Lowenberg
Phyllis Massing
Carol Petschek
Liora Powers
Bruce Ramer
Lee Ramer
Bruce Resnikoff
Hon. Vicki Reynolds
Shelley Rivlin
Wendy Ruby
Debbie Saidoff
Naty Saidoff
Russell Schwartz
Marc Seltzer
Cookie Shapiro
Eric Simon
David Soloway
Howard Soloway
Glenn A. Sonnenberg
Fred Stern
Jack Sussman
Michael Umansky
Richard S. Volpert
Jonathan Waxman
Richard Weiner
Sherry Weinman
Karen Wolfen
Adele Yellin
Marshall Zolla
Rachel Horning
Alex Sleisenger
AJC Los Angeles Staff
Richard S. Hirschhaut
Regional Director
Alexandra Morris
Associate Development Director
Alissa Bernstein
Assistant Director
Odin Ozdil
Assistant Director
Noah Schlossberg
Alexander Associate
Anna Bell
Senior Office Administrator
Dan Wentzel
Senior Advocacy and Communications Coordinator
AJC National Leadership
Ted Deutch Chief Executive Officer
Michael L. Tichnor President
AJC LOS ANGELES 43 RD ANNUAL LEARNED HAND AWARD DINNER
HONORING
Luis Li
Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati