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Bet Tzedek View Charity Profile

Bet Tzedek—Hebrew for the “house of justice”—opened its doors 31 years ago as a one-night-a-week storefront community law office staffed by volunteers.

Today, Bet Tzedek is one of the nation’s premier legal services organizations, providing free assistance to more than 10,000 people of every racial and religious background at its headquarters in the Fairfax area and its office in North Hollywood and at more than 30 senior centers throughout Los Angeles County. With a dedicated staff of over 55 and more than 400 active volunteers, Bet Tzedek makes a crucial difference in the lives of the most vulnerable members of the community. Bet Tzedek, The House of Justice, provides free legal assistance to thousands of people who would otherwise be denied access to the legal system underpinning our democracy.

Bet Tzedek was founded in 1974 by a few individuals who sought to act upon a central tenet of Jewish law and tradition, which appears in the Bible: “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof — Justice, justice you shall pursue.” This doctrine decrees that it is the duty of all men and women to advocate the just causes of the poor and helpless.

Although Bet Tzedek remains intent on assuring that the legal needs of the Jewish poor are met, we recognize that it is our duty to serve the entire community. For this reason, Bet Tzedek has always provided assistance to all eligible needy residents of Los Angeles County, regardless of their racial, religious or ethnic background.

Indeed, at The House of Justice, we believe that all of the groups in our wonderfully diverse society are strengthened when bridges are built that bring us together in a common, just cause. For the people who are Bet Tzedek — the lawyers and non-lawyers, staff members and volunteers, contributors and clients — our mission, therefore, is to pursue equal justice for all.

Bet Tzedek Volunteer Information

Volunteer attorneys make it possible for Bet Tzedek Legal Services to fulfill its mission of equal access to justice and are the reason it has grown from a tiny storefront operation into a multi-program poverty law center. Bet Tzedek is grateful to the 400 volunteer attorneys and paralegals who donate more than 21,000 hours of volunteer time during the course of a year. In fact, Bet Tzedek’s volunteers nearly double the work of our staff, contributing over 57,000 volunteer hours each year valued at $4.3 million. Volunteer attorneys make a commitment on a per-case basis or on a weekly or monthly schedule. Seasoned attorneys may work from their own offices. Through Bet Tzedek, new or less experienced attorneys may acquire trial and law-and-motion training. Staff expertise and supervision are also available to new and seasoned attorneys.