In an event that fused legal solemnity with light-hearted camaraderie, Justice Saul Stein was formally inducted as a justice of the Kings County Supreme Court on Monday, April 1. Hosted at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law’s Moot Court Room, the ceremony attracted a distinguished assembly of judges, legal professionals, and community leaders to celebrate this significant appointment.
Jacob Zelmanovitz, the principal law clerk to Hon. Saul Stein, played a significant role in welcoming guests to the ceremony. Councilmember Kalman Yeger, representing the 44th District, led the proceedings with notable wit as the master of ceremonies. His introductions set the stage for an evening that balanced the gravitas of the judicial role with personal anecdotes and jests aimed at Justice Stein and the speakers themselves.
The event commenced with a procession of judges, followed by the presentation of colors by the ceremonial unit of the New York State Court Officers Association. Nosson Abrams, a Cardozo School of Law alumnus, delivered a stirring rendition of the National Anthem, and Rabbi Moshe David Niederman offered the invocation, grounding the ceremony in a sense of community and tradition.
The lineup of speakers was as diverse as it was illustrious. Hon. Frank Seddio, chairman emeritus of the Kings County Democratic Party, underscored the critical role of judicial talent in upholding the integrity of the bench. Doug Schneider, a district leader and fellow Cardozo alumnus, reminisced about his law school days with Stein, offering insights into the early foundations of Stein’s legal career and his enduring qualities as a friend and colleague.
Dean Judith Jamieson, a retiree from Providence College, and Hon. Edwina Richardson, deputy chief administrative judge for Justice Initiatives, each highlighted different aspects of Stein’s collegiate and professional journey. David Greenfield, CEO of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, and Hon. David Cohen, a justice of the New York State Supreme Court from New York County and a Cardozo alumnus, spoke to Stein’s deep commitment to justice and his impact on the communities he has served.
The oath of office was a family affair, with Stein’s family — wife Leeba, Chesky, Raizy, Rafi, Mattis and JJ, as well as his father David — presenting the judicial robes in a poignant symbol of his personal and professional worlds uniting.
