M

ore than 100 people,
including judges,
attorneys and legal
professionals, dined together
and feted a select group of
their own at the Jewish Bar
Association of Michigan
(JBAM) Awards Dinner held
May 23 at the Somerset Inn
in Troy.
Every year, JBAM honors
two Jewish judges who have
made a lasting impact on the
community.
The recipient of JBAM’s
2024 Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Champion of Justice Award
was Judge Lorie Savin of
the Oakland County Circuit
Court Family Division.
Being honored with JBAM’s
2024 Avern Cohn Lifetime
Achievement Award was
United States District Court
Judge Mark Goldsmith. A
former Oakland County
Circuit Court Judge, he has
served on the Federal bench
since 2010.
Also honored with the
Volunteer of the Year

continued on page 38

Judy and Judge Mark Goldsmith pose with attorney Jeffrey Appel and 45th District Court Judge
Michelle Friedman Appel. In introducing Judge Goldsmith at the event, Jeffrey Appel quipped that with
all of the judge’s experience on the Oakland County and Federal Court benches, “He should get five
lifetime achievement awards.”

JBAM awarded two scholarships to two very special law
students who have demonstrated remarkable academic
achievements, leadership qualities and who have made
a positive impact within the Jewish community, Hannah
Passer of UD-Mercy and Amanda Igra of MSU.

JBAM Executive Vice President Jordan Zuppke accepts the Volunteer of the
Year Award from President Nargiz Nesimova. “Jordan has been essential not
only in the formation of JBAM but also in ensuring its success,” Nesimova said.

Rabbi Mendel Polter of the Woodward
Avenue Shul opens the event with a
prayer for freedom for the Israeli hostages
and for peace in the Middle East.

Attorney Sheldon Larky introduces his daughter-in-law
Judge Lorie Savin at the dinner: “Lorie spends literally
hours getting prepared, she knows her cases forward
and backward. She is very down-to-earth and treats
everyone with a great deal of respect. Like Ruth Bader
Ginsburg, Lorie is small in size but tall in stature.”

JUNE 20 • 2024 | 37