Goodkind Receives Lifetime Achievement Award by American Jewish Committee
Pryor Cashman LLP is pleased to announce that E. Robert Goodkind, a partner in the firm’s Corporate Group and a member of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) Westchester/Fairfield region for over 50 years, is being honored for his service and lifetime of distinguished leadership by the organization at its 50th anniversary celebration.
A new board member when the AJC Westchester Chapter first opened its doors in 1966, Goodkind has devoted himself to AJC for over 50 years, serving in numerous leadership roles to advance the organization’s goals. Among some of his many roles, Goodkind served as national president of the AJC from 2004 – 2007, regional president of AJC Westchester/Fairfield from 1971 to 1973 and chair of AJC’s Jacob Blaustein Institute (JBI) for the Advancement of Human Rights Administrative Council from 2007 to 2014. During his term as chair of JBI, Goodkind oversaw the publication of a Manual on Human Rights and the Prevention of Genocide, which identifies specific categories of widespread human rights violations that constitute “human rights- related risk factors for genocide”. Importantly JBI’s Manual provides recommendations for action that can be taken by governments to mitigate such risks where they are detected, and before atrocities run rampant. Leading NGOs have added the Manual to the tools made available to train government officials in genocide prevention efforts.
Goodkind will receive the award at the gala event, “50 Years of Looking Forward,” hosted by AJC Westchester/Fairfield on May 19 at the Ritz-Carlton Westchester.
“The importance of advancing civil rights and fighting bigotry around the U.S. and across the world can’t be underestimated, especially as threats today come from state and non-state entities,” said Goodkind. “As a lifelong advocate for basic human rights and the protection of Jews around the world, the AJC gave my individual voice a broader platform, for which I’m very grateful. Its work is inspiring and important, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
As national president, Goodkind traveled the world and engaged many world leaders as he sought to fulfill the mission of AJC to safeguard and strengthen Jews and Jewish life by promoting democratic and pluralistic societies that advance human rights for everyone. During his term, AJC created the Africa Institute to engage with African leaders in pursuit of common goals and the Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs to strengthen ties with the countries of Latin America and with the large U.S. Latino Community. Goodkind is known for his modesty and soft-spokenness, two attributes that contributed to his success in building ties on AJC’s behalf with leaders of countries across the globe.
He currently serves on the Board of AJC’s Dorothy and Julius Koppelman Institute on American Jewish-Israeli Relations and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Jewish Religious Equality Coalition (JREC), an AJC initiative seeking to bring about religious equality in Israel.
Goodkind has also been actively involved in other humanitarian and non-profit organizations, including having served as chair of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Museum and The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous. He also serves as Vice Chair of the Israel Policy Forum which seeks the establishment of a secure, democratic, and Jewish state of Israel.
At Pryor Cashman, Goodkind’s practice encompasses corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, trusts and estates, tax planning and representing non-profit organizations.
