Judge Gothard to speak on Halakhah and U.S. law

By David Ogul

David Ogul
Sol Gothard

SAN DIEGO — The Honorable Sol Gothard, a former senior judge at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals for the State of Louisiana, will lead a discussion on Torah, Talmud, and the American legal system during a special Midrash Shabbat event on Saturday, Jan. 5, at Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego.

Gothard was elected to Louisiana’s 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in 1986 and served as senior judge until his retirement in 2005. Previous to that post, Gothard served as Chief Judge of the Juvenile Court, Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana, for 14 years. He also was engaged in private practice for more than a decade and served as a social worker for 16 years.

An Army veteran who earned his law degree from Loyola University in New Orleans, Gothard is known for his presentations on Jewish law and American justice. His discussion at Tifereth Israel is titled “Mosheh, Tanakh, and the American Legal System: A Brief Look at Some Aspects of Jewish Law and its Impact on American Society, Laws, and the Legal System.”

Gothard has participated as a lecturer, workshop leader and keynote speaker at numerous regional, national and international conferences and workshops. He is past president of the Louisiana Council of Juvenile Court Judges and he currently teaches at Tulane University’s Graduate School of Social Work.

All are welcome. Shabbat services at Tifereth Israel start at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Gothard’s presentation around noon.

Tifereth Israel Synagogue, the oldest Conservative congregation in San Diego, is at 6660 Cowles Mountain Blvd. in San Carlos. For further information call (619) 697-6001.

*
Ogul is president of Tifereth Israel Synagogue