Illinois Judges Association Volume 45 THE GAVEL I s s u e 1 I N THIS ISSUE PRESIDENT ’S MESSAGE J UDGE R OBERT J . A NDERSON President’s Message 1-2 This is my second Presi- and Sheila Murphy with planning IJA trips, dent’s message for The were involved in the teaching in many differ- Israel Trip 3-12 Gavel. I have had many early stages of the plan- ent countries, fighting for people ask me how my ning and were instru- justice, being a wife and Upcoming Trips 13 year as president of the mental in organizing mother, she is now an IJA is going. One thing I the trip. Debbie Gubin author. In July, 2015, her Benefits Updates 14 have learned so far is that served as the trip advi- new book called no President can succeed “Restorative Justice In without the assistance of Practice: A Holistic Ap- many people. The IJA Of- proach" was published by ficers and Committee Vandeplas Publishing. Chairs have been incredi- She and Michael P. Seng bly gracious with their are the editors and they time and help. I have wrote several of the learned just how much pieces in the book. Judge they do for the IJA. I can- Colleen Sheehan, from not thank them enough for Cook County, is also one their hard work on behalf of the contributors. I en- of our organization. joyed and was inspired As always, I need to by reading it. I would en- thank Kathy Hosty, our courage all of you to read executive director, for her it, as well. hard work, help and guid- As I hope you recall, ance. We are fortunate to one of my initiatives for have her. Our two editors sor par excellence and this year is to try to have The Gavel for The Gavel also deserve did a magnificent job. I more judges trained as Celia Gamrath my thanks. Liz Rochford had the chance to read LAP interveners. Train- Elizabeth Rochford the articles in this is- Editors and Celia Gamrath are a ing will be offered on the Illinois Judges Assn. joy to work with as the sue; it makes me sorry Monday of each of the 321 S. Plymouth Ct. editors of our publication. that I was unable to go 2016 Educational Confer- Chicago, IL 60604 Their enthusiasm and en- on the trip. It sounds ence Sessions for all 312.431.1283 ergy is contagious. like a congenial group judges. Sign up will be 888.431.1283 that had a wonderful www.ija.org The focus of this issue is through the regular regis- e-mail: [email protected] the IJA’s recent trip to Is- time together. tration procedure for Ed- rael. Immediate Past Presi- Speaking of Sheila Con. Judges who attend dent Michael Hyman, Murphy, I wonder if the training will receive Shelley Sutker-Dermer she ever sleeps? Along credit, just like for any other course. This is a “win-win” for judges. You can 2015-16 OFFICERS get your required EdCon credits; and, be a hero by help- ing lawyers, law students and your fellow Judges. Please Robert J. Anderson sign-up for this training at whatever EdCon session you President attend. The first session begins the week of February 1, [email protected] 2016; the second session begins the week of April 4, 505 N. County Farm Road Wheaton, IL 60187 2016. 630/407-8948 The joint ISBA/IJA midyear meeting is scheduled for December 10-12, 2015. There will be several educa- Israel A. Desierto tional programs offered on Friday, December 11. I want First Vice President to thank all the judges and lawyers who are working on [email protected] those programs for their help and hard work. One of the 50 W. Washington, #409 programs will focus on judges and lawyers appearing on Chicago, IL 60602 media programs. This is a great way to promote a better 312/603-2652 understanding of what judges and lawyers actually do. John P. Coady The program promises to be very interesting. The sec- Second Vice President ond program will be a Law and Literature program for [email protected] judges and lawyers. The presenters have promised me 207 S. Othelle Street that the readings will be short; but, focused on the im- Taylorville, IL 62568 pact of the work that judges and lawyers do on us, an 217/820-4631 issue of importance to all of us. Please take time to at- tend. James E. Snyder Third Vice President If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions for me [email protected] about the IJA, please do not hesitate to contact me. Our 50 W. Washington, # 2001 organization is only as strong as its members. Thanks to Chicago, IL 60602 all of you, we are strong and thriving! 312/603-4252 Margaret J. Mullen Secretary SAVE THE DATE [email protected] 18 N. County Street Waukegan, IL 60085 44th Annual 847/377-3775 Joint IJA/ISBA Mid Year Diane M .Shelley Meeting and Luncheon Treasurer [email protected] December 10-12 50 W. Washington, #2811 Chicago, IL 60602 Sheraton Hotel, Chicago 312/603-7551 THE GAVEL Page 3 IJA Trip to Israel: Reflections and Photographs By Justice Michael B. Hyman Six IJA members, two spouses, and one sibling, along with a knowledgeable and passionate tour guide, criss- crossed the land of Israel for 10 days in April. The nine of us bonded quickly, and forged memories and friendships which will endure throughout our lives. What we learned, what we heard, what we saw, what we did, and, especially, what we felt, cannot easily be put down in words or, for that matter, forgotten. Below, some of the judges share their reflections on the trip. Michael B. Hyman, president, 2014-15 Richard Goldenhersh's Reflections: A Study in Contrasts Israel is a beautiful and fascinating country. An overwhelming impression I had was that Israel is also a study in contrasts. Israel is a modern country, as well as the ancient homeland of the Jewish people. Throughout the trip one had the sense of its technological advancements, as well as an ever present sense of ancient, medieval and modern history in a country of diverse religious, cultural and ethnic groups. We made special visits to the Hebrew University Law School and the Israeli Supreme Court. Israel's legal system is a further study in contrast. Its supreme court acts both as a "High Court of Justice" (think England) and a supreme court exercising judicial review (think Chief Justice Marshall). Reminiscent of our American debates, there is a high level of controversy about the selection of supreme court justices, judicial review, and the place of a court in a democratic political structure. While there are secular trial courts, there are also parallel systems of Jewish and Muslim courts which deal primarily with matters of one's personal life, such as marriage and divorce. The secular and religious court systems co-exist; one hears differing opinions as to how comfortably. Israel has no written constitution and a political system in which a unicameral legislature, the Knessett, is predominant (think England again). However, the country has been instituting a constitution piecemeal, com- ponents of which are called the Basic Law. It is a constitution in development. Israel is a country under siege and has been since the moment of its birth. In contrast, however, a tourist in Israel experiences a very high level of personal safety. While there is some property crime, violent criminal activities are rare and the entire country is always on alert for terrorist activities. One has a greater sense of security in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem than in a number of major American cities. The sense of culture and surroundings is also a study in contrast. One sees individuals and neighborhoods reminiscent of the 16th Century and the 21st, ultra religious and secular. Tel Aviv is a modern city, a bit over 100 years old, while Jerusalem is an ancient city founded more than three millennia ago. The impression I had of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, from street life, traffic, and apartment living, was that of a modern Western Euro- pean city. The country is a freewheeling, boisterous democracy with every opinion reflected in the press, and many Israelis willing to talk about politics will vigorously try to convince you that their political position is the only rational one. Travel can and should be an enjoyable, enriching, and entertaining experience. I had such an experience in Israel. Deborah Gubin's Reflections: A Multifaceted Experience This was my first trip to Israel. I had always wanted to go and this was a perfect opportunity. The question became” what did I expect from the trip”. I know so many people who have traveled there and they all have different experiences. Was I going to have a religious experience? Was it going to be an educational experi- ence? Was it going to be just good sightseeing? How much of the politics of the day have an effect on my per- ceptions? Was I going to expect too much and end up being disappointed? I wasn’t disappointed. It was a mixture of everything else. I’ve mentally divided the trip into different as- pects: The Physical (the land itself); The Historical; The Political; and The Religious. Let me begin with the physical. The land measurement of the State of Israel is misleading when you consider Cont. page 4 the country’s different terrains. This has had a major effect on its development from the seaport of Tel Aviv/ Jaffa and Haifa where trade has always been important to the wineries of the Galilee to the kibbutzim to the desert (which is more rocky than sandy) to the Golan Heights to the hills that are Jerusalem.