Dear Member:

The last time I spoke with you was back in July.  I want to keep you up to date with what has been happening since then. We have had several meetings and have participated in a variety of events some of which are the subject of separate articles in this newsletter.

I want to again welcome and wish a Mazel Tov to our newest members many of whom took part in our induction ceremony this October:

I also want to congratulate our Benjamin Levy Community Service Award recipient, Judith Frankel Rubino.  I know that a good time was had by all who attended. (Please see the article below)

We also honored the memory of our past Chancellor, Stuart Agins.  His wife Wendy and their children, Jamie, Zach and Remy were in attendance.  TER gave to Stu’s family a lovely one of a kind piece of art by noted Judaica artist, Michael Jacobs.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Michael Berkowitz and Shawn Sauls for their outstanding work on the Induction dinner.

WE STILL HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS TO SEE THE PRODUCERS ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2004.  Get your tickets while they last. 

I am pleased to report that we will offer three CLE courses between now and June, the first of which will be held on December 11^th at 12:30 instead of our regular Executive Board Meeting.  It will qualify for one hour of CLE credit.  The cost is FREE to our members in good standing.  Lunch will be served for the cost of $8 per person.  Non-members may participate at a cost of $35 per person plus $8 per person for lunch.  It will be taught by Professor Edward Ohlbaum of Temple University who has just returned from China where he and Dean Reinstein were teaching Chinese prosecutors evidence.  (Professor Ohlbaum, by the way, has submitted a membership application to TER)   There will be two other courses in the Spring.  Details will  follow.

Congratulations to Justice Elect Max Baer who came to speak to us in September.

I am happy to report that at the present time we have many new members and are getting requests for applications each week.  Thanks to all the members who act as our good will ambassadors. 

On September 26^th, 2003 TER was proud to sponsor a booth at the VIP “Picnic in the Park.”  Mark Cohen, Sayde Ladov, Mitchell Klevan, Todd Berk  and  I were in attendance. 

We have also sponsored YLD’s “Zoo-Boo-lee” and have participated in the Bar Foundation’s Fundraising initiative. 

Our email list is growing more active than ever.  If you have an announcement that you would like to share with our membership, please send it to me in Word or WordPerfect format and I will get it sent out. 

As many of you already know, TER is a co-sponsor of Jewish Law Day.  I urge any one who is interested to join the Jewish Law Day Committee.  Call my chambers or send me an email, and I will see that you receive notice of the next meeting.  If you want continuing information on Jewish Law Day, please update your email profile to include the Jewish Law Day Committee.  The link to this update is found at the end of this email. 

Finally, at our last meeting, members of TER met with the candidates for Bar Association offices.  At the conclusion of the meeting it was determined that TER would endorse the following candidates for the election:

The election will take place on Tuesday, December 9, 2003 at the Bar Association but mail in ballots will be sent out on November 19, 2003.  All of the endorsed candidates are TER Members.  They would appreciate your support.  (Please note that no member of the judiciary, who is a member of TER participated in the process of endorsement or endorses any candidate for office)

TER Inducts Its Largest Class, Honors A Retiring Member and Pays Tribute to Its Former Chancellor

Tau Epsilon Rho Law Society held its Annual Induction Cocktail party on October 15, 2003 at Juniper’s Restaurant at the Marriott Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown.  This was the kickoff event as TER’s 2003-2004 season of activities goes into high gear.  That evening, TER formally inducted a record twenty-three new members.  New officers, including TER’s new Chancellor, Hon. Anne E. Lazarus, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas were sworn that evening. 

This year’s event provided a special highlight in that TER honored one of its own, Assistant District Attorney Judith Frankel Rubino, who was presented with the Benjamin F. Levy Community Service Award, established in memory of TER Philadelphia’s past Chancellor and dear friend.  The award was presented by the Hon. James J. Fitzgerald, III, Administrative Judge, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and coincides with Ms. Rubino’s retirement from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.  District Attorney Lynne Abraham was also on hand to congratulate ADA Rubino.  The event also paid tribute to TER’s immediate past Chancellor, Stuart Agins (z" l). 

Pictured above, fourth from left is Assistant District Attorney Judith Frankel Rubino.  Standing with Ms. Rubino from left are Susan Levy; TER Chancellor, Hon. Anne E. Lazarus, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas; Hon. James J. Fitzgerald, III, Administrative Judge, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas; and Vice-Chancellor and event Co-Chair, Michael Berkowitz. 

Stuart Agins - A Remembrance

By: Sayde Ladov

What do you say about a friend who died that hasn’t been said before? Others have talked about his prowess as a lawyer and his service to the Philadelphia Bar Association.  Others have spoken about his devotion to his friends and family and finally, his dedication to United Way.  I want to remember Stu Agins as my chancellor and what a chancellor he was!  Stu greeted everyone with a firm hand shake and a smile.  He realized that being the chancellor of TER was like being the mayor of a small town.  You had to know all the townsfolk, welcome all the visitors and attract new residents.   Stuart’s organizational passions revolved around three things: people, how he could serve them and how to have fun along the way.

From the moment he became involved with TER, Stu moved toward raising the social consciousness of the organization.  Partnering with United Way, members of the organization helped clean up a day care center.  A Day of Service has become a TER tradition.

Stu partnered TER with the Jewish Law Day Committee.  Stu worked tirelessly to make sure the event was properly funded and attended.  Stu always saw the big picture.  He made sure that Sylvan Cohen, a founder and principal fund-raiser for Jewish Law Day was on the podium, offering concluding remarks shortly before he passed away.  TER. is now a cosponsor of the event

Stu reached out to other ethnic bar associations.  He worked with the Justinian Society to make sure that our respective candidates for officer positions and the Board of Governors of the Philadelphia Bar Association won their elections.  Working with the Brehon Society, lively and well-attended CLE programs became routine.

Stu took our mission statement literally. He steered TER toward observance of dietary laws at our events and made sure that outside events were not held on Shabbat.  One of the outside events was a walking tour of Jewish Philadelphia with lunch at a local deli.  I remember a picture of the attendees standing on the steps of a folkshul on Lombard Street. TER continues its outside events to this day. 

I have a picture of Stu and Wendy, David and myself, Len and Lauren Cohen, Ron and Nancy Kovler, Shelli and Bill Fedullo and Rich and Jodi Seidel at a Philadelphia Bar Foundation Hamilton Ball a few years ago.  I never realized until this moment that it was an all TER table.  Maybe that’s why Stu is smiling. 

Stu will be remembered by all of us who knew him, even in the most cursory fashion, as a mensch. He is missed every day.  May his rest be perfect.