Inaugural Raphael Lemkin Human Rights Awards: Do What Is Just & Right/la’asot Tzedekah U’mishpat December 11, 2006

RABBIS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS-NORTH AMERICA, the only rabbinic association in North America dedicated to human rights for all, that represents more than 1,000 rabbis of every Jewish denomination across the U.S. and Canada, hosts this gala benefit evening honoring:

• RABBIS DAVID FORMAN, BEN HOLLANDER & DAVID ROSEN, FOUNDERS, RABBIS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (Israel);

• B’TSELEM: THE ISRAELI INFORMATION CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES (Executive Director JESSICA MONTELL will accept the award);

• CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS (President MICHAEL RATNER will accept the award).

Noted author, activist and Moment magazine founder LEONARD FEIN will serve as Master of Ceremonies. Special presentations will be made by leading Israeli feminist DR. ALICE SHALVI (Schecter Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem); longtime Jewish advocate RABBI DAVID SAPERSTEIN (Religious Action Center); and attorney, author and former U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN ELIZABETH HOLTZMAN. Acclaimed Klezmer musician ALICIA SVIGALS (formerly of The Klezmatics) will perform.

The Raphael Lemkin awards were named after attorney and tireless human rights activist RAPHAEL LEMKIN (1901-1959) who coined the word “genocide.” The event is taking place in conjunction with RHR-NA’s historic First North American Rabbinic Conference on Judaism & Human Rights that will be held in NYC Dec 10-12. More than 250 rabbis, cantors, rabbinic and cantorial students from every Jewish denomination will participate in the conference.

The Raphael Lemkin Awards are open to the public. Tickets are $150/regular and $75/limited income and available online at www.rhr-na.org.

Official Website: http://www.rhr-na.org