A Significant Statement from the Justice Brandeis Law Society 9th JD

Executive Committee
Hon. Jeffrey A. Cohen, President
Hon. Joan B. Lefkowitz, Vice President
Faith Miller, Esq. Treasurer
Lisa Boslow Dorman, Esq. Secretary & Executive Director
Paul Adler, Esq.
Ari Bauer, Esq.
Daniel G. Ecker, Esq.
Hon. David Fried
Rita K. Gilbert, Esq.
Jeffrey Hersh, Esq.
David Lever, Esq.
Hon. Lewis J. Lubell
Hon. Steven Milligram
Steven M. O'Connor, Esq.
Hon. Mark Reisman
Gary Rosen
Hon. Forrest Strauss
Hon. Elaine Slobod
Michelle Tarson, Esq.
Hon. Barry Warhit
Russell M. Yankwitt, Esq.
Lisa Zeiderman, Esq.

“FIRST THEY CAME for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Socialist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Jews, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Jew.
THEN THEY CAME for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”
- Martin Niemöller (1892-1984)

"NEUTRALITY is at times a graver sin than belligerence."
- Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941)

We, the Justice Brandeis Law Society, 9th Judicial District, are committed to eradicating anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, sexism, and racism in all its forms. We are committed to a society of dignity and justice, where our rich diversity of religious and ethnic cultures and beliefs is never a divisive weakness but always a unifying strength. Recently, there has been an alarming increase in hate crime and hate speech, even to the point that, like an insidiouscancer, it has reached into and contaminated the very seats of our national and state governments. This cannot stand.

As a Jewish organization, we know that we are not the only people to face racism or intolerance, but we also know we can no longer simply step aside or look away; that is a response which accomplishes no more than to encourage and embolden the offenders. And we know that even the smallest and most subtle expressions of hate have a terrible, pernicious way of gathering quiet but ominous momentum. As Americans, as citizens of the world, we must be better if we truly deserve better. And as we have recently learned, it is sad and naïve folly to sit and wait for Washington to soundly and unequivocally act to reverse this trend.

We in the legal community are uniquely positioned to answer this calling, to stay vigilant, to raise our voices for the shared values that do make this country great, and combat this evil rising tide; to move against it in any and every form we can: in the courts, in government, in our legislature.

And we invite – we urge - all Bar associations to join us in this commitment to take action; as Brandeis and Niemoller both warned, the gravest wrong of all would be to do nothing.