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