Nine Baltimoreans to be Honored at Baltimore Jewish Hall of Fame

Nine Baltimoreans to be Honored at Baltimore Jewish Hall of Fame

Many of us think about changing the world, and then there are those who go above and beyond to make a lasting impact. These individuals spend years in service towards the nourishment and betterment of the community and every other year at the JCC we recognize their achievements.

On Wednesday, May 24, 2017, the Baltimore Jewish Hall of Fame celebrates the lives of nine outstanding leaders, Jewish Baltimoreans who have contributed to Baltimore and the world at large, and have made the world a better place.

The Hall of Fame (HOF), created by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore in 2008 and celebrated at the Gordon Center for Performing Gordon Arts, honors exceptional Jewish Baltimoreans who have made significant contributions to the community through their life’s work in fields such as science, education, business, medicine, law, politics, community service, sports and the arts. 

Harry Attman*
An immigrant and founder of a century-old business synonymous with Baltimore whose life served as a role model of hard work, entrepreneurship and community support. He immigrated to the US from Russia. Like many immigrants he started out with nearly nothing. Establishing a small confectionary shop and deli in 1915, Attman’s Deli has become synonymous with Baltimore’s “Corned Beef Row” and is the oldest deli in the US still operated by the original family.

Senator Ben Cardin
A venerable politician who has represented Baltimore and the State of Maryland for over 5 decades, Ben Cardin has been a national leader on health care, retirement security, the environment and fiscal issues. He currently serves as the senior Senator from Maryland and is only the second Jewish US Senator from Maryland. He has represented the Baltimore Jewish community since he was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1966. 

Howard E. Friedman
A dedicated businessman who has been involved with local, national and international organizations serving the Jewish community and Israel for many years, Howard Friedman is a past Chair of the Board of The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore and has also served as chairman of the annual campaign. Through his involvement, he has encouraged others in the Orthodox community to participate in the federation. He currently is Chairman of the Board of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

Jonathan W. Kolker
A talented leader who has made a positive difference for Jewish communities both locally and throughout the world. His positions of leadership in Jewish organizations include: Chairman of the Board of the Associated; President of Levindale, and President of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee from 1996-2000. He has also helped support and served as a Board member of 1 the Jewish Museum, Baltimore Hebrew University, Sinai Hospital, Taub Center for Social Policy in Israel, HIAS, UJA and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Professor Susan Leviton
An ardent legal professor who has championed the rights of children, families and the disadvantaged. Professor Leviton is Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland School of Law. She is Founder and Honorary Chair of Advocates for Children and Youth, a statewide child advocacy organization. In the past, she was the chairperson of the Maryland Human Relations Commission. Presently, she is on the Board of the Open Society Institute, Baltimore, the Aaron and Lillie Straus Foundation and FreeState Legal Project, which provides free legal services for low income LGBT clients. Her areas of expertise include child abuse and neglect, special education, and juvenile delinquency 

Rabbi Morris Lieberman*
An esteemed rabbi and early advocate of racial equality and social justice who served as the Rabbi of Baltimore Hebrew Congregation for 33 years, overseeing its move from downtown to Park Heights Avenue. He served on many boards in the community and was the first President of the Baltimore Jewish Council. An early advocate of racial justice, he was part of the Civil Rights Movement from its inception and a lifelong member of the NAACP. He was among several clergymen who were arrested when they attempted to integrate Gwynn Oak, an all-white amusement park.

Governor Marvin Mandel*As the state’s first and only Jewish governor, Marvin Mandel transformed state government, and created new mass transit and court systems in Maryland. He was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1952, representing northwestern Baltimore City; he was elected Speaker of the House of Delegates in 1963 and served until January 1969 when he was appointed as Governor to serve out the unexpired term of Spiro Agnew, who was sworn in as US Vice President. Marvin was elected governor for 2 additional terms, and has been Maryland’s only Jewish governor to date.

Zipora Schorr 
A devoted educator recognized for her leadership in Jewish education, her love of learning and commitment to her students. Serving as the Director of Education at the Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community Day School for over 25 years, Zipora Schorr has navigated the growth of the BT school from 350 students to over 1000, including the creation of Baltimore’s first coeducational Jewish high school. Zippy has been recognized by the National Council of Synagogue Youth, the Baltimore Center for Jewish Education, Bais Yaakov and the 2003 recipient of the Covenant Foundation Award for Exceptional Jewish Educators. She received the Award for Educational Excellence in the Diaspora in 2013 presented by the World Council for Torah Education and was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women in 2011. 

Shale D. Stiller
A well respected attorney and fixture in Baltimore’s legal and civic circles for decade, Shale Stiller is a trial attorney who is a partner in the firm DLA Piper. In 2016, he received numerous awards including an honorary degree “Doctor of Humane Letters” by the Johns Hopkins University, the highest honor which a university can grant to anyone. He has also been an adjunct legal professor at the University of Maryland Law School for the past 47 years where he has taught federal estate and gift taxation, constitutional law, federal jurisdiction, and the law of nonprofit organizations. He has been named in every edition of The Best Lawyers in America since it was first published in 1987. Shale served as the President, CEO and Chairman of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation from 2001 to 2010. He serves as a board member on six private foundations in addition to the Weinberg Foundation. Stiller has also served as National Vice President of the American Jewish Committee for many years. He is married to retired Judge Ellen Heller, inducted into the HOF in 2009.

Please join us for this wonderful event. The 2017 Baltimore Jewish Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held Wednesday, May 24, 2017. Reception begins at 7:00pm; Induction Ceremony at 7:45pm, at The Gordon Center for Performing Arts.

CONTACT: Esther H. Greenberg, Chief Advancement Officer, at 410.559.3545 or email: egreenberg@jcc.org. More details on supporting and attending this event at www.jcc.org/halloffame.