Meet the American on Israel’s Supreme Court
For only the second time in Israel's history, an American-born jurist will sit on Israel's Supreme Court. The New York Jewish Week has the profile:
[Neal] Hendel, who wears a knitted yarmulke, attended Yeshivah of Flatbush High School and in 1973 studied Talmud with Rabbi Yoseph Dov Soloveichik at Yeshiva University.
One of his best friends is Jack Nelson of Englewood, N.J. The two met as counselors at Camp Massad, a Zionist summer camp in the Poconos. They attended Hofstra Law School together and were law partners before Hendel made aliyah in 1983.
“He used to argue against the need to make aliyah and I would say, ‘How can you live as a Jew and not make it,” Nelson recalled. “Neal went to Israel on his honeymoon and when he came back, he said he wanted to make aliyah.”
“He is very modest and unpretentious,” Nelson said. “Nobody who loves Neal would be shocked that he has gotten to this position, because he has such depth of character, great intellectual skills and emotional depth. It can almost be said that his modesty and lack of political involvement made him such an attractive candidate [for the High Court].”
He pointed out that Hendel, who was born in 1952, has lived in Beersheva since he and his wife, Marcie, a native Long Islander, made aliyah.
Full story here.
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To Joe Schwartz et al.: I know his sister well and have met his brother (who per se is quite accomplished in various fields, including various aspects of mathematics and Jewish learning). The entire family is quite bright, but more importantly, they’ve utilized their respective talents for the betterment of the Jewish community and people.
Hey Joe, read what it says. It says that he attended Yeshivah of Flatbush High School and in 1973 (when he was 21) he was in the Rav’s shiur at Yeshiva University - a major accomplishment while he was in college!
Gee, “Mussa” let’s compare the Israeli justice system’s treatment of Arabs, who have at least some recourse and win some cases, to the ....oh yeah, there is NO Arab justice system that would EVER protect a Jew is Gaza, “West Bank/Jordan”, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc. In fact, many of those countries don’t even protect their own citizens who might not want to wear a certain style of clothing, espouse a certain political belief, etc.
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Joe Schwartz
08/28/09 05:50 PM
He was born in 1952 and graduated high school in 1973 (when he was 21?). That makes his appointment to the high court even more of an accomplishment!