Tuesday, July 23, 2002
Page 3
Bet Tzedek Raises $300,000 With Its Sixth Annual Justice Ball
By NAZANIN AGANGE, Staff Writer
The Justice Ball, Bet Tzedek’s annual fundraiser, raised $300,000 for the non-profit, public interest law group over the weekend.
The dance and concert rocked three floors of downtown’s Park Plaza Hotel Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. until 1 a.m., with more than 2,500 partying young professionals, Bet Tzedek spokeswoman Susan Lev said.
Lev described the event as “a lot of dancing, a lot of music.”
“Everyone had a good time for a good cause,” Lev said.
Bet Tzedek, which is Hebrew for “House of Justice,” was established in 1974 and annually assists more than 10,000 people of every race, faith and nationality, according to the organization’s website.
While attendance and profits were down compared to last year’s event, the money raised by The Justice Ball accounts for only a portion of Bet Tzedek’s annual support, Lev said.
“[The Justice Ball] allows Bet Tzedek to continue seeing the number of clients we see ... to keep its doors open,” Lev said.
Lev blamed the drop-off from last year’s attendance of 3,500 on the “general state of the economy, [which] has affected us as it has other charitable organizations.”
On hand for the event were celebrity co-chairs Camryn Manheim of “The Practice,” Greg Germann of “Ally McBeal,” and Josh Malina of “A Few Good Men.” There were also performances by Elan, ex-frontman for The Wailers, KROQ DJ Jason Bentley, ’70s cover band The Boogie Knights, and Smitten—a rock band fronted by Marla Sokoloff (of “The Practice”).
The Justice Ball began six years ago as the brainchild of Los Angeles attorney Randall S. Kaplan as a way to get young lawyers and other professionals involved in charitable giving and raise money for Bet Tzedek. Two years ago the ball raised over $700,000 in sponsorships and ticket sales. The amount of last year’s profits was unavailable, Lev said, although they were larger than this year’s.
Copyright 2002, Metropolitan News Company