Jay Ruderman

Jay Seth Ruderman (born March 16, 1966) is an American lawyer, disability rights activist and philanthropist. He is the president of the Ruderman Family Foundation.

Early life and education

Jay Ruderman was born in Boston to Marcia and Morton E. Ruderman, the eldest of three children. Ruderman's father was a founder of Meditech. Ruderman attended public schools in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, and received his undergraduate degree in 1988 from Brandeis University, where he served as president of the student body in 1986–1987. He earned his JD from Boston University School of Law in 1993.

Legal and philanthropic career

Ruderman began his career as Assistant District Attorney in Salem, MA and also worked as deputy director of AIPAC before enlisting in the Israeli Defense Forces. He then went back to AIPAC as Leadership Director in Israel before assuming a position at the Ruderman Family Foundation.

In addition, Ruderman served on the board of directors of the National Organization on Disability. He sits on the board of governors of the University of Haifa, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and is a member of Brandeis University Board of Trustees.

Ruderman says the Ruderman Foundation's first major investment was in Jewish day schools, to ensure the inclusion of children with disabilities.

Disability rights activism

Ruderman is most well known for being the president of the Ruderman Family Foundation, which lobbies for disability rights, and has directed much of its recent lobbying efforts toward the entertainment industry in Hollywood where the Foundation advocates for greater inclusion of disabled characters in shows and movies, and advocates for those roles to be acted by people with disabilities.

Views and opinions

Ruderman also criticized ''Me Before You'' for its portrayal of disability: The protagonistwho is paralyzedends up committing suicide because he feels his life is not worth living. Ruderman stated: "To the millions of people with significant disabilities currently leading fulfilling, rich lives, it posits that they are better off committing suicide." Ruderman separately stated that he felt that it is problematic for a non-disabled actor to play a character with a disability.

U.S.-Israel relations

Ruderman is actively involved in fostering understanding between American Jewry and Israel. He was among several signatories of an ad expressing disappointment over the stance of the Israeli government on egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall. Ruderman was also critical of the comment of Israel's Minister of Education regarding the high rate of intermarriage among American Jews. Ruderman was quoted as saying the "doomsday talks of an irreversible chasm between Israel and the American Jewish community were mistaken," in light of a recent Ruderman Family Foundation survey and in response to the notion that the bond between U.S. Jews and Israel is weakening.

Awards and recognition

In September 2022, Ruderman and his wife were awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by ''The Jerusalem Post'' for their exceptional and long-standing work of promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities, and to strengthening the relationship between Israel and American Jewry.

Ruderman was named by ''The Jerusalem Post'' as one of the 50 most influential Jews of the year in 2016 and again in 2022.

In 2021, Ruderman was named one of the top 100 Most Influential Bostonians by Boston (magazine).

* Honorary doctorate from University of Haifa, Israel (2015)
* Honorary doctorate from Brandeis University (2018)
* Jacob Rader Marcus Award from the American Jewish Archives (2019)
* Media Access Awards SAG-AFTRA Disability Awareness Award (2019)

Boston Common Magazine
"Power List" (2022)

Personal life

Ruderman is married to Israeli-American Shira Menashe Ruderman, who serves as executive director of the Ruderman Foundation. Ruderman met Shira while living in Israel and attending an ulpan where she was teaching.
Ruderman lives in the Greater Boston area and has four children.

References

External links

Jay Ruderman's Author Page
on the Jerusalem Post

Jay Ruderman's Author Page
on the Times of Israel

Jay Ruderman's Author Page
on Fathom Journal

Jay Ruderman's Podcast: All Inclusive

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruderman, Jay
1966 births
Living people
Philanthropists from Massachusetts
American disability rights activists
Brandeis University alumni
Boston University School of Law alumni
20th-century American Jews
21st-century American Jews