TEL AVIV, Israel—Twenty-five years ago, an ambitious program to foster civil rights learning among Israeli lawyers was founded by an American. Today, the Israeli-U.S. Civil Liberties Law Program has 55 graduates and has won accolades from the human rights community in Israel, the United States, and beyond.
The organization celebrated a quarter-century of legal and nonprofit work with minority and children’s rights, disability law, religious freedom, the environment, and individual rights with its first annual achievement award on June 26. The international event drew a gathering of about 150 American and Israeli human rights lawyers and activists, including the U.S. ambassador to Israel, James Cunningham.
“The U.S.-Israel Civil Liberties Law Program has taken advantage of the civil rights history of the U.S.,” said Ambassador Cunningham, who added that for the United States, it hasn’t been an easy history. “In my country, the pursuit of civil liberties has been a long, painful road.”
The 25-year anniversary was celebrated by inaugurating the Human Rights prize in honor of the program’s founder, Professor Herman Schwartz. The prize will be given to one person every year who exemplifies the spirit of the program, and comes with a $5,000 cash prize.
“I set out one requirement [for program participants] and that was that of the two fellows we brought [to the United States] each year, at least one was a woman,” said Professor Schwartz. “It turned out to be a good hunch.” Schwartz presented Neta Ziv, the first recipient of the award, before the audience.
“My mother and daughter are here, so this is about woman power,” said Ziv, who is now director of Clinical Education Programs at Tel Aviv University Faculty of Law. In addition to being the first recipient of the Human Rights prize, Ziv was also the Israeli-U.S. Civil Liberties Law Program’s first participant in 1984.
The Israeli-U.S. Civil Liberties Law Program spans two years and includes one year of study at the American University (AU) Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. Fellows in the program spend a year in the United States at AU, followed by a year working with a public interest organization in Israel. The 55 past fellows hold prestigious, high-level positions in Israeli society. Representatives from AU were on hand to sing the praises of the program.
“What unites us here is a common language of human decency,” said Professor Claudio Grossman, dean of American University Washington College of Law. “[We share a common hope] that everyone will be equal through the law, that there will be due process.”
Among the Americans attending the celebration was Andreana Lefton, a fourth-year student at AU who is working with Ashoka, an organization that funds social entrepreneurship programs.
“I was really intrigued to find out about the AU connection,” said Ms. Lefton. “I think it needs to be more advertised.”
The organization celebrated a quarter-century of legal and nonprofit work with minority and children’s rights, disability law, religious freedom, the environment, and individual rights with its first annual achievement award on June 26. The international event drew a gathering of about 150 American and Israeli human rights lawyers and activists, including the U.S. ambassador to Israel, James Cunningham.
“The U.S.-Israel Civil Liberties Law Program has taken advantage of the civil rights history of the U.S.,” said Ambassador Cunningham, who added that for the United States, it hasn’t been an easy history. “In my country, the pursuit of civil liberties has been a long, painful road.”
The 25-year anniversary was celebrated by inaugurating the Human Rights prize in honor of the program’s founder, Professor Herman Schwartz. The prize will be given to one person every year who exemplifies the spirit of the program, and comes with a $5,000 cash prize.
“I set out one requirement [for program participants] and that was that of the two fellows we brought [to the United States] each year, at least one was a woman,” said Professor Schwartz. “It turned out to be a good hunch.” Schwartz presented Neta Ziv, the first recipient of the award, before the audience.
“My mother and daughter are here, so this is about woman power,” said Ziv, who is now director of Clinical Education Programs at Tel Aviv University Faculty of Law. In addition to being the first recipient of the Human Rights prize, Ziv was also the Israeli-U.S. Civil Liberties Law Program’s first participant in 1984.
The Israeli-U.S. Civil Liberties Law Program spans two years and includes one year of study at the American University (AU) Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. Fellows in the program spend a year in the United States at AU, followed by a year working with a public interest organization in Israel. The 55 past fellows hold prestigious, high-level positions in Israeli society. Representatives from AU were on hand to sing the praises of the program.
“What unites us here is a common language of human decency,” said Professor Claudio Grossman, dean of American University Washington College of Law. “[We share a common hope] that everyone will be equal through the law, that there will be due process.”
Among the Americans attending the celebration was Andreana Lefton, a fourth-year student at AU who is working with Ashoka, an organization that funds social entrepreneurship programs.
“I was really intrigued to find out about the AU connection,” said Ms. Lefton. “I think it needs to be more advertised.”
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