The Jewish American Insurance & Legal Professionals Association (JINLAW) has launched a nonprofit to combat antisemitism. Founded by Peter Hecht and Glen Bronstein, JINLAW aims to leverage the collective expertise of its members to protect Jewish rights and promote tolerance. It will establish chapters nationwide, offering networking, professional development, advocacy, and mentorship. Membership is open to all legal and insurance professionals, with fees waived for the first year. JINLAW also plans to collaborate with law schools to support students. The organization seeks to create a supportive community and eradicate antisemitism through education and advocacy.
PHILADELPHIA, May 21, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Jewish American Insurance & Legal Professionals Association (JINLAW), a 501(c)(4) nonprofit paving the way for unity and collective expertise across Jewish legal and insurance professionals throughout the world, celebrates the launch of its highly-anticipated membership program and website on May 20, 2024. Founded by Peter Hecht and Glen Bronstein and led by an esteemed Board of Directors, JINLAW's kickoff announcement during Jewish American Heritage Month is a testament to the nonprofit's vision of leaving a positive, lasting impact on Jewish professionals and the wider community.
To protect the rights of Jewish individuals and communities, JINLAW's mission is centered on leveraging the collective expertise of its members while promoting tolerance and understanding in society. Ultimately, the nonprofit strives to eradicate antisemitism in all forms and ensure a world where every person can live free from discrimination and hatred.
"Many in the Jewish community lack an organizational entry point to pursue the objectives we intend to focus on," said Glen Bronstein, Chairman and Co-Founder of JINLAW and Executive Vice President for Sompo, North America. "Our goal is to distinguish JINLAW as that entry point and establish a genuine sense of community for our members. First and foremost, we're a grassroots foundation looking to bring people together in meaningful ways."
Sparked from a desire to make a positive difference for Jewish communities, JINLAW began as an idea from Peter Hecht, Co-Founder and President of JINLAW and Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Magna Legal Services. "I was inspired to start JINLAW while watching the news and feeling helpless," said Hecht. "Realizing there must be many others sharing this same feeling, I saw an opportunity in my industry to leverage attorneys, insurance professionals, and litigation support providers to come together in shining a light on antisemitism."
From the beginning, JINLAW will establish chapters across each state, strengthening major locations to host services both in-person and virtually, ranging from networking events, professional development, advocacy, mentorships, and more. The Board is now strongly encouraging motivated professionals to reach out if interested in leading a chapter in their area.
"It's imperative that we understand what causes hatred based on religion, race, color, nationality, sexual orientation, etc. and eliminate it through education, experience, and kindness," said Aileen R. Schwartz, Board Member for JINLAW and Senior Vice President, General Counsel Americas and Chief Privacy Officer at Hill International. "I joined JINLAW's Board of Directors to support this goal and stop antisemitism because hatred for one group negatively impacts everyone."
As JINLAW grows, the Board is determined to leverage support from law schools to establish a student and university support committee, further backing the needs of students throughout the industry. All JINLAW's programs will additionally provide indirect education opportunities by casting a wide net on membership, allowing unique groups to stand together against antisemitism.
"We're offering membership to anyone in the legal and insurance industry," explained Hecht. "Being Jewish isn't a requirement. We welcome others to join so we can build bridges and shatter stereotypes together."
Looking ahead, Hecht announced JINLAW's ambitious goal to acquire 1,000 members within their first year. To support this, all types of memberships, including attorneys, insurance professionals, paralegals, legal administrators, and students will have membership fees waived for the first year. All interested professionals can access the website to learn more and register.
"In the end, for many of us, our passion stems from something personal," said Joseph O'Neill, Senior Partner with Marks, O'Neill, O'Brian, Doherty & Kelly. "We are often called to action because we ourselves, someone we love, or some institution we cherish has been harmed. I have too many Jewish friends who feel the spoken or unspoken sting of antisemitism."
"My interest in serving on this board is simple," continued O'Neill. "How can I, in any small, microscopic way, help stem this odious tide?"
Review The Jewish American Insurance & Legal Professionals Association website.
Additional Board of Directors members include Barry Gerstein, Senior Vice President at Aspen Insurance, Elior D. Shiloh, Partner, National Chair of the Labor & Employment at Lewis Brisbois, David M. Stark, Chief Legal Officer (Former CLO at Teva Pharmaceuticals), Jonathan Ackerman, Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Magna Legal Services Record Retrieval Services, Michael Ackerman, Partner at Paris Ackerman LLP, and Staci Hecht, Court Reporter, RPR.
The Jewish American Insurance & Legal Professionals Association (JINLAW) is dedicated to empowering Jewish American lawyers and insurance professionals to combat antisemitism through legal, advocacy, education, and community engagement. By providing a platform for networking events, educational seminars, and mentorship programs, JINLAW fosters connections that enhance professional development while simultaneously creating a sense of belonging within the larger community.
Media Contact
Peter Hecht, Jewish American Insurance & Legal Professionals Association, 1 732-331-2410, [email protected], https://jinlaw.org/
SOURCE Jewish American Insurance & Legal Professionals Association
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