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Jay Ruderman | |
---|---|
Born | Jay Seth Ruderman March 16, 1966 |
Occupation(s) | Activist and philanthropist |
Spouse | |
Parent(s) | Morton Edward Ruderman, Marcia Jortner Ruderman |
Website | Official website |
Jay Seth Ruderman (born March 16, 1966) is an American lawyer, disability rights activist and philanthropist. He is the president of the Ruderman Family Foundation.
Early life and education
editJay Ruderman was born in Boston to Marcia and Morton Ruderman[1] He attended public schools in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, and received his undergraduate degree in 1988 from Brandeis University, where he served as president of the student body in 1986-1987.[2] He earned his JD from Boston University School of Law in 1993.[3]
Ruderman is married to Shira Ruderman. They live in the Greater Boston area and have four children.[4]
Career
editLegal
editRuderman began his career as Assistant District Attorney in Salem, MA[4] and also worked as deputy director of AIPAC in New England.
Israel-American Jewish relations
editRuderman served in the Israel Defense Forces[5] as the liaison between the IDF and Diaspora Jewry.[6] During his service, he discovered a gap between how Israelis and Americans think. He began working to bridge that gap[7][8] and strengthen the relationship between American Jewry and Israeli opinion leaders.[9]
Disability rights
editRuderman is the president of the Ruderman Family Foundation, which advocates for disability rights.[10] The foundation's first major project was inclusion of people with disabilities within the Jewish community, in Jewish day schools, summer camps and synagogues.[11]
In 2014, the foundation expanded to the Hollywood entertainment industry, working for the inclusion of disabled characters in TV shows and movies, and advocating for those roles to be acted by people with disabilities.[12][13] At the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020, Ruderman called for greater accessibility and the inclusion of people with disabilities and diversity.[14] In March 2020, he sponsored an event to present Peter and Bobby Farrelly with an award for hiring actors with disabilities.[15] Ruderman has also proposed such changes to the Israeli film industry.[15] In December 2021, he convinced four major Israeli broadcasting corporations to improve civil rights within the entertainment industry for people with disabilities.[16]
"All About Change" Podcast
editRuderman hosts the podcast, "All About Change" (previously "All Inclusive"), which focuses on social justice and inclusion.[17]
Philanthropy
editRuderman served on the board of directors of the National Organization on Disability.[18] He sits on the board of governors of the University of Haifa,[19] the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee,[20] IMPACT-se,[21] and is a member of the Brandeis University Board of Trustees,[22] and a member of the committee of the Jewish Agency for Israel.[23]
Awards and recognition
edit- Honorary doctorate from University of Haifa, Israel (2015)[24]
- One of the 50 most influential Jews of the year, Jerusalem Post (2016, 2022)[25] [26]
- Honorary doctorate from Brandeis University (2018)[27]
- Jacob Rader Marcus Award from the American Jewish Archives (2019)[28]
- Media Access Awards SAG-AFTRA Disability Awareness Award (2019)
- Top 100 Most Influential Bostonians, Boston Magazine (2021)[29]
- Boston Common Magazine, "Power List" (2022)[30]
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Jerusalem Post (2022)[31][32]
References
edit- ^ Negri, Gloria (October 31, 2011). "Morton Ruderman, 75; devoted life to helping others". The Boston Globe.
- ^ "Jay Ruderman '88 – Commencement – Brandeis University". www.brandeis.edu.
- ^ "Class of 1993 – School of Law". www.bu.edu. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ a b Linde, Steve (September 29, 2016). "Jerusalem Post 50 Most Influential Jews: Number 46". The Jerusalem Post.
- ^ Sullivan, Paul (September 11, 2015). "When Family Members Run Foundations, Scrutiny Never Ends". nytimes.com.
- ^ Amouyal, Noa (October 20, 2023). "Jewish leader dismisses far-left criticism of Israel as 'politically insignificant.'". israelhayom.com.
- ^ Honorable Menschion: Jay Ruderman, Sharon Shapiro, and Shira Ruderman
- ^ Klein, Zvika (June 15, 2023). "Influential philanthropists view Israel as a vehicle for bolstering American Jews' identity". jpost.com.
- ^ Ahren, Raphael. "Joe Lieberman: US-Israel relations about to become 'very productive'". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ^ Shalev, Asaf (February 26, 2021). "The Jewish world's biggest donor to disability inclusion is pulling its funding". timesofisrael.com.
- ^ Cohen, Debra Nussbaum (February 10, 2020). "How the Rudermans helped bring disability awareness to the Oscars". jewishinsider.com.
- ^ Buckley, Cara (February 5, 2020). "For the Disabled in Hollywood, Report Finds Hints of Progress". nytimes.com.
- ^ "Ruderman Family Foundation expands disability work beyond Jewish world". timesofisrael. April 11, 2017.
- ^ "Sundance Partnership Extends Accessibility for Attendees With Disabilities". The Hollywood Reporter. January 16, 2020.
- ^ a b Gray, Tim (March 5, 2020). "Farrelly Brothers Saluted for Inclusion and Activism". Variety.
- ^ Linde, Steve (September 25, 2022). "Jay and Shira Ruderman: Jews combining philanthropy and advocacy". jpost.com.
- ^ Bolton-Fasman, Judy (February 1, 2022). "Jay Ruderman Leads the Way in Disability Advocacy and Jewish Values". jewishboston.com.
- ^ "Our Board". National Organization on Disability. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
- ^ "Mrs. Shira and Mr. Jay Ruderman (Israel/USA), Philanthropists". bogcms.haifa.ac.il. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
- ^ "Officers & Board Members". JDC. December 26, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
- ^ "Israeli NGO finds hopeful signs in first report on Indonesian curriculum". jns.org. January 12, 2023.
- ^ "Leadership & Trustees | Brandeis University". www.brandeis.edu/.
- ^ "Members Of The Assembly Serving On BOG Committees". The Jewish Agency. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ University of Haifa (June 2, 2015). "Jay, Shira Ruderman" (PDF). University of Haifa.
- ^ Linde, Steve. "Jerusalem Post 50 Most Influential Jews: Number 46 – Jay and Shira Ruderman – TRENDING STORIES – Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
- ^ "Jay and Shira Ruderman: Jews combining philanthropy and advocacy". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
- ^ Jocelyn Gould. "Jay Ruderman ('93) to Receive an Honorary Degree from Brandeis University – School of Law". www.bu.edu. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Green, Suzanne (September 19, 2019). "Jay and Shira Ruderman receive Jacob Rader Marcus Award". Jewish Journal. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
- ^ Bernstein, David (April 27, 2021). "The 100 Most Influential Bostonians".
- ^ "BOST June 22 Page 108". digital.modernluxury.com. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Rosenbaum, Alan. "Jay and Shira Ruderman receive Jerusalem Post Lifetime Achievement Award". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
- ^ פרס מפעל חיים של הג'רוזלם פוסט 2022 הוענק לג'יי ושירה רודרמן, retrieved September 15, 2022
External links
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