Page 12 - Jewish News_January 2022

12A January 2022 FEDERATION NEWS

Volunteer Spotlight
Where

The “write” person to keep us informed about Israel Where

vice Award at the Buffalo Jewish Your Your
By Sandy Chase
etired lawyer Harold Halpern judges, professors, think tanks and always color his talks and writings.” ‹ The Benderson Community Ser-
has proved repeatedly that his past/present Knesset leaders. Harold has made in-person and

Dollars
Rpassion for Israel makes him To celebrate his 87 birthday, Har- Zoom presentations to synagogues, Federation for his many years of
th
the “write” guest columnist for The old’s wife Susan is compiling his arti- Hadassah and other Jewish organiza- service to the board, including Dollars
Jewish News and Sarasota Herald- cles into a book tentatively titled My tions, including the American Jewish chairing several committees and
Go
Tribune (H-T). “Write” Career at Age 85. Noticeably, Committee (AJC) West Coast Chapter, being Vice President and President
Fostering The Jewish Federation is his impartial treatment of any issue, where’s he’s been a board member for of the Bureau of Education and Go
of Sarasota-Manatee’s mission of reflecting how Harold’s renowned ca- six years. “I favor public speaking. A Kadimah, the Jewish Day School
promoting support for the Jewish state, reer prepared him to present all sides. ‹ Community Relations Award from
Harold shares his knowledge with our An introduction to the book from the American Jewish Committee,
community. past H-T Executive and General Man- Buffalo
Sarasota-Manatee and Buffalo (his ager Matthew Sauer says it all: “I was ‹ Jewish Philanthropies Community
prior home) colleagues, friends, read- most impressed when Harold proposed Service Award for his communal
ers and seminar attendees endorse Har- a column about Israel and about Amer- activities, including establishing
old’s informative, unbiased accounts ica’s relationship with its most import- the Buffalo archives project (his- Jewish Burial Fund
of Israeli issues. All testimonials ant Middle Eastern ally.” tory of Buffalo Jews) and the
highlight Harold’s passion for Israel Harold says that he gravitated to- successful ad hoc committee for
gleaned from his analytical, engaging, ward writing because it’s a continua- restructuring and visioning the
insightful and detailed commentary on tion of his upbringing. “We debated Susan & Harold Halpern Buffalo Jewish community
Israeli politics, legal system and secu- issues during dinner. My parents, ar- role model, my father was a great or- Charlotte Gendler, past Controller
rity; U.S.-Israel relations; and the his- dent Zionists; frequent Israeli trips; ator, encouraging me and my brother for Buffalo’s Jewish Federation, says,
tory of the land. discussions with many Israeli cousins, Ralph to enter speaking contests.” “Harold’s grounded by the law and by
As Federation’s former Sr. Direc- including Shlomo Nakdimon, author Harold spent about half his time the ethics found in the Talmud. He’ll
tor of Communications & Marketing and retired political analyst for the Is- over more than 55 years in courtrooms, stubbornly defend the truth. I would al-
Marty Katz attests, “We’re fortunate raeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth – all both trial and appellate. ways want him on my side of an issue!
to have Harold as one of our volunteer have inspired me.” He loved the challenge. “I repre- He’s a real mensch.”
commentators in The Jewish News. He That inspiration has also benefited sented various clients, including real He has also volunteered in Saraso-
educates our 15,000 readers monthly. Harold’s legal associations. President estate developers, mostly on commer- ta since relocating in 2007, serving on
We thank him for his dedication and Emeritus of the AAJLJ Stephen Gre- cial and tax issues; and Native Amer- the Temple Beth Sholom (TBS) board
sacred work of education and commu- enwald endorses Harold unequivocal- ican tribes, protecting their rights as and an antisemitism committee at the
nity service.” ly: “Participants in AAJLJ seminars sovereign nations.” Federation.
Harold launched both columns af- and webinars, and readers of AAJLJ Proud of his memorable profes- Past TBS co-President Molly Bal-
ter returning from a one-week trip to publications have been enlightened by sion, Harold couldn’t let go entirely low says, “We were classmates in a
Israel in 2019 as a board member of the Harold’s extensive knowledge and un- when he retired in 2015. “I transitioned Melton course at the Jewish Commu-
American Association of Jewish Law- derstanding of Jewish law and Israeli to my second ‘career’ as a paralegal for nity Center of Greater Buffalo, and
yers and Jurists (AAJLJ), where he politics. Augmenting his intellectual my successor until I was 85.” our friendship continues in Sarasota.
and other lawyers held a series of dis- prowess is Harold’s sense of humor Recognizing Harold’s beneficence, Harold is passionate about educating
cussions with retired Supreme Court and zest for life and learning that Buffalo has bestowed the following: continued on next page

Where YOU belong

The Larry & Mary Greenspon
Family Campus for Jewish Life will be a
gathering place for the entire Sarasota-

Manatee community to enjoy. Modern spaces

for meetings and special events; programs that
educate, entertain and inspire; over 16 acres for

day camp, aquatics and tennis — this is the place
WHERE YOU BELONG.

To learn how you can get involved in our reimagined
campus, please visit JFEDSRQ.org/ProudStrong.

McINTOSH ROAD, SARASOTA