Julius "Julie" Berman (born 1935) is an American attorney and Orthodox rabbi. He is involved in many large Jewish organizations, many of them non-denominational, and has served in key leadership positions.

Early life and education

Berman was born in Dūkštas, Lithuania and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Henoch, a rabbi, and shochet and Sarah Berman. He first attended Yeshiva of Hartford elementary school, and was in its first graduating class. He graduated from

Yeshiva Torah Vodaas Yeshiva Torah Vodaas (or Yeshiva and Mesivta Torah Vodaath or Yeshiva Torah Vodaath or Torah Vodaath Rabbinical Seminary ) is a ''yeshiva'' in the Kensington neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. History The yeshiva was conceived in 1917 and f ...

high school in 1952. He then attended

Yeshiva University Yeshiva University is a private Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City."About YU
on the Yeshiva Universi ...

, graduating from Yeshiva College in 1956, and receiving ordination from the

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS ) is the rabbinical seminary of Yeshiva University (YU). It is located along Amsterdam Avenue in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Named after Yitzchak Elchanan ...

in 1959. He received his

Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice l ...

from the

New York University School of Law New York University School of Law (NYU Law) is the law school of New York University, a private research university in New York City. Established in 1835, it is the oldest law school in New York City and the oldest surviving law school in Ne ...

in 1960, graduating ''cum laude'' and first in his class. He received an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University in 1995.

Career

As a confidant of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, zt"l, Rabbi Berman was, and is, instrumental in publishing "the Rav's" works. Professionally, he is a partner in the law firm of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer.

Organizations

Berman is a longstanding board member of RIETS, and is chairman emeritus of the board, having served as its chairman for many years. He has been president of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany since 2014, and was previously chairman of its board. He has headed many national and international Jewish organizations, including the

Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP; commonly Presidents' Conference) is an American non-profit organization that addresses issues of critical concern to the Jewish community, and the state of Israel in particu ...

, the

Orthodox Union The Orthodox Union (abbreviated OU) is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs ...

, the

Jewish Telegraphic Agency The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) is an international news agency and wire service, founded in 1917, serving Jewish community newspapers and media around the world as well as non-Jewish press, with about 70 syndication clients listed on its web ...

and the American Zionist Youth Foundation. He served in a leadership capacity at the following organizations: * National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs (COLPA) * OU - Orthodox Union - Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations in America *

* American Zionist Youth Foundation (AZYF) * Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA); president from 1989 until merger to 70 Faces * Chairman of the Board, of the RIETS - Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and the Claims Conference - the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

Personal life

Berman is married to Dorothy "Dotty" Berman, a graduate of the

Stern College for Women The Stern College for Women (SCW) is the undergraduate women's college of arts and sciences of Yeshiva University. It is located at the university's Israel Henry Beren Campus in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan. The college provides progra ...

and Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. They have three children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. His Yiddish name is Yudl. Berman's nephew is

Ari Berman Ari Berman (born February 1970) is an American-Israeli rabbi and academic administrator who serves as the fifth President of Yeshiva University. Early life and education Berman was raised in Queens, New York and graduated from the Marsha Stern Ta ...

, President of

Yeshiva University Yeshiva University is a private Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City."About YU
on the Yeshiva Universi ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berman, Julius Living people Leaders of organizations American lawyers Yeshiva University alumni New York University School of Law alumni American Orthodox rabbis Kaye Scholer partners 21st-century American Jews 1935 births