Recent antisemitic attacks in Boulder, Colorado and Washington, D.C. are a chilling reminder that violent hatred toward Jews is not a relic of the past. These alarming incidents underscore the urgency of confronting antisemitism in the courts to hold wrongdoers accountable.
The murders of Yaron Lischinsky and his fiancée Sarah Milgrim in Washington in May brought home just how severe the antisemitism crisis has become. @yaron_li/XThis belief is what ultimately reshaped my own career. I was a litigator at Miami’s oldest law firm, specializing in employment law for nearly a decade. But after Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, I felt an overwhelming need to do more. I reached out to several legal organizations that fight antisemitism, offering my services pro bono. One of them, StandWithUs, quickly responded and sent me a case involving workplace harassment.
In that case, the employee was consistently harassed by coworkers and third parties solely because she is Jewish. I guided her through the administrative process of filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which put her employer on notice of the hostile work environment. I also helped connect her with local counsel in her state. It was so empowering to help someone who was being unlawfully harassed in the workplace because of her religion. After helping her, I realized that I needed to make this type of legal work—fighting antisemitism as a lawyer—my new career. If there ever was a time to take a stand, it was now.
Shortly thereafter, I joined the StandWithUs legal team as Senior Counsel and Director of Pro Bono (while remaining Of Counsel at my law firm). I did not realize how many egregious cases of antisemitism nationwide would soon be under my purview. I had no idea just how many remarkable pro bono lawyers we would partner with in nearly every aspect of the law — including employment law, civil rights litigation, defamation, constitutional law, and criminal law.
In just the last year, pro bono lawyers have joined StandWithUs’ legal team by providing legal help to an identifiably Jewish man who was punched outside of a restaurant while waiting for his Uber; a Jewish waitress repeatedly called “Anne Frank” at work by her supervisor; a Jewish medical professional denied her professional license renewal because she is Israeli; a Jewish employee who questioned Hamas’ statistics and was stalked online by a menacing social media account; a visibly Jewish man thrown out of a store because he is a Jew, and so many more.
In all of these cases, StandWithUs turned to its pro bono attorney network for legal representation or consultation, while lawyers provided critical legal assistance in their areas of expertise. We guided Jews and/or Israelis who had been unlawfully targeted for antisemitism.
For instance, a Jewish high school student reached out for legal help when students and administrators relentlessly harassed him at school because of his religion. StandWithUs promptly connected him with a local, passionate pro bono lawyer eager to help. Working alongside StandWithUs legal staff and his firm’s legal team, the lawyer represented the student, sought and won legal redress for the harassment the student experienced. That one lawyer’s efforts not only helped the student feel safer and supported, but, most importantly, achieved a positive resolution for the student with the school and an end to the antisemitic harassment.
The site of the antisemitic torching incident at a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, CO.In my role as pro bono director, I have learned that there are many lawyers or law students nationwide who want to help but aren’t sure where to start. Pro bono work with organizations like StandWithUs can provide lawyers and law students with compelling and meaningful legal projects and cases to help combat antisemitism in communities, workplaces, and schools. Lawyers can support victims of antisemitism with legal remedies, empowerment, and invaluable support.
In October 2023, just weeks after Hamas’ attack on Israel, Jewish students were unable to enter their classrooms at the Cooper Union in New York City. X / @JakeyKlugerIf you’re a lawyer or law student asking yourself, “What can I do?”—this is your answer. Lend your skills. Use your voice. Join the growing network of pro bono attorneys who refuse to stand by in the face of rising antisemitism. The law is a powerful tool, and when placed in the hands of dedicated advocates, it becomes a force for protection and justice. Every pro bono lawyer who steps forward sends a powerful message: that hate will be met with courage, and injustice with action.
Deedee Bitran is Director of Pro Bono at the StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department
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