International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists
Encyclopedia
The International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists strives to advance human rights
everywhere, including the prevention of war crime
s, the punishment of war criminals, the prohibition of weapons of mass destruction
, and international co-operation based on the rule of law and the fair implementation of international covenants and conventions.
The Association is especially committed to issues that are on the agenda of the Jewish people
, and works to combat racism
, xenophobia
, antisemitism, Holocaust denial
and negation of the State of Israel
.
IAJLJ was founded in 1969. Among its founders were Supreme Court Justices Haim Cohn of Israel
, Arthur Goldberg
of the United States
and Nobel Peace Prize
laureate René Cassin
of France
. Membership comprises lawyer
s, judge
s, judicial officers and academic jurist
s in more than 50 countries who are active locally and internationally as the need arises. Membership is open to lawyers and jurists of all creeds who share the organization's aims.
The Association has Category II Status as a non-governmental organization
at the United Nations
, enabling it to participate in the deliberations of various UN bodies. In this capacity, the representative of the Association has been actively involved in the work of the Commission on Human Rights
in Geneva
and of related bodies, and as of 2007 will be engaged with the work of the United Nations Human Rights Council
, which has replaced the Commission on Human Rights.
The Association also publishes Justice, which examines a variety of relevant issues and current topics and is mailed to thousands of lawyers and jurists throughout the world.
In 2006, the Association held its inaugural Justice Haim H. Cohn Lectureship in Rishon LeZion, Israel
. The lecture, on Human Rights in a Constitutional Framework, was delivered by William M. Treanor, Dean
of the School of Law at New York’s Fordham University
.
and to mark their contribution to the legal systems of their countries. Conferences have been held in Salonika (Thessaloniki), Berlin
, Warsaw
, and Budapest
in November 2006.
In January 2000 the Association held a conference in Strasbourg
under the auspices of the Council of Europe
and with the participation of high ranking officials of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights
. Discussions were held on cooperation between IAJLJ and the Council of Europe on ways to combat racism, anti-Semitism and denial of the Holocaust.
In August 2000 the Association convened its first conference in North America
. “Pursuing Justice in the Global Village” was the theme of this conference, held in Toronto
, Canada
. Among the participants were several Canadian judges and federal and provincial government ministers, as well as Judge Thomas Buergenthal
of the International Court of Justice
in The Hague
; Jerome Shestack, former United States
Ambassador
to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and former President of the American Bar Association
; and Neal Sher
, Chief of Staff, International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims
and Immediate Past President of the American Section of IAJLJ.
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
everywhere, including the prevention of war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s, the punishment of war criminals, the prohibition of weapons of mass destruction
Weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
, and international co-operation based on the rule of law and the fair implementation of international covenants and conventions.
The Association is especially committed to issues that are on the agenda of the Jewish people
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, and works to combat racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, xenophobia
Xenophobia
Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."...
, antisemitism, Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
and negation of the State of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
IAJLJ was founded in 1969. Among its founders were Supreme Court Justices Haim Cohn of Israel
Supreme Court of Israel
The Supreme Court is at the head of the court system and highest judicial instance in Israel. The Supreme Court sits in Jerusalem.The area of its jurisdiction is all of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. A ruling of the Supreme Court is binding upon every court, other than the Supreme...
, Arthur Goldberg
Arthur Goldberg
Arthur Joseph Goldberg was an American statesman and jurist who served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor, Supreme Court Justice and Ambassador to the United Nations.-Early life:...
of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
and Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
laureate René Cassin
René Cassin
René Samuel Cassin was a French jurist, law professor and judge. A soldier in World War I, he later went on to form the Union Fédérale, a leftist, pacifist Veterans organisation...
of France
Court of Cassation (France)
The French Supreme Court of Judicature is France's court of last resort having jurisdiction over all matters triable in the judicial stream but only scope of review to determine a miscarriage of justice or certify a question of law based solely on points of law...
. Membership comprises lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s, judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s, judicial officers and academic jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
s in more than 50 countries who are active locally and internationally as the need arises. Membership is open to lawyers and jurists of all creeds who share the organization's aims.
The Association has Category II Status as a non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, enabling it to participate in the deliberations of various UN bodies. In this capacity, the representative of the Association has been actively involved in the work of the Commission on Human Rights
United Nations Commission on Human Rights
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights was a functional commission within the overall framework of the United Nations from 1946 until it was replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006...
in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
and of related bodies, and as of 2007 will be engaged with the work of the United Nations Human Rights Council
United Nations Human Rights Council
The United Nations Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations System. The UNHRC is the successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights , and is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly...
, which has replaced the Commission on Human Rights.
The Association also publishes Justice, which examines a variety of relevant issues and current topics and is mailed to thousands of lawyers and jurists throughout the world.
In 2006, the Association held its inaugural Justice Haim H. Cohn Lectureship in Rishon LeZion, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The lecture, on Human Rights in a Constitutional Framework, was delivered by William M. Treanor, Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the School of Law at New York’s Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
.
Conferences
The Association holds its triennial international congress in Jerusalem, as well as conferences and seminars in many other countries. It holds international conferences in European cities to commemorate Jewish lawyers and jurists who perished in the HolocaustThe Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
and to mark their contribution to the legal systems of their countries. Conferences have been held in Salonika (Thessaloniki), Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, and Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
in November 2006.
In January 2000 the Association held a conference in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
under the auspices of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
and with the participation of high ranking officials of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
. Discussions were held on cooperation between IAJLJ and the Council of Europe on ways to combat racism, anti-Semitism and denial of the Holocaust.
In August 2000 the Association convened its first conference in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. “Pursuing Justice in the Global Village” was the theme of this conference, held in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Among the participants were several Canadian judges and federal and provincial government ministers, as well as Judge Thomas Buergenthal
Thomas Buergenthal
Thomas Buergenthal is a former judge of the International Court of Justice. He resigned his post as of 6 September 2010. Buergenthal is returning to his position as Lobingier Professor of Comparative Law and Jurisprudence at The George Washington University Law School...
of the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
; Jerome Shestack, former United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and former President of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
; and Neal Sher
Neal Sher
Neal M. Sher is an American lawyer who is the former head of the Office of Special Investigations and former executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee . Since 2002, he has been a solo practitioner in New York City....
, Chief of Staff, International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims
International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims
The International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims was established by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in August 1998 to identify, settle, and pay individual Holocaust era insurance claims at no cost to claimants....
and Immediate Past President of the American Section of IAJLJ.