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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA lawyer requested a recess to attend a bris if a grandson was born. The judge had one caveat:
In November of 2010, upon realising that the forthcoming birth of his grandchild would probably occur midway through the mortgage-fraud trial on which he was working, Manhattan defence attorney Bennett Epstein wrote the following letter to the judge presiding over the case, Kimba Wood. The reason? To apply for a recess mid-trial so that, should said newborn be a boy, Epstein would be able to attend his grandson's circumcision ceremony (known as the bris.)
Judge Wood agreed to his request, but on one condition. Her handwritten response can be seen at the foot of the letter.
Transcript follows. For those wondering, a boy was born.
In November of 2010, upon realising that the forthcoming birth of his grandchild would probably occur midway through the mortgage-fraud trial on which he was working, Manhattan defence attorney Bennett Epstein wrote the following letter to the judge presiding over the case, Kimba Wood. The reason? To apply for a recess mid-trial so that, should said newborn be a boy, Epstein would be able to attend his grandson's circumcision ceremony (known as the bris.)
Judge Wood agreed to his request, but on one condition. Her handwritten response can be seen at the foot of the letter.
Transcript follows. For those wondering, a boy was born.
<snip>
Dear Judge Wood:
I represent Mark Barnett in the above matter, which is scheduled for trial beginning November 29th.
Please consider this letter as an application in limine for a brief recess in the middle of the trial on the grounds known (perhaps not now, but hereafter) as a "writ of possible simcha¹".
The facts are as follows: My beautiful daughter, Eva, married and with a doctorate no less, and her husband, Ira Greenberg (we like him, too) live in Philadelphia and are expecting their first child on December 3rd, tfu tfu tfu². They do not know whether it will be a boy or a girl, although from the oval shape of Eva's tummy, many of the friends and family are betting male (which I think is a mere bubbameiseh³ but secretly hope is true).
Should the child be a girl, not much will happen in the way of public celebration. Some may even be disappointed, but will do their best to conceal this by saying, "as long as it's a healthy baby". My wife will run to Philly immediately, but I will probably be able wait until the next weekend. There will be happiness, though muted, and this application will be mooted as well.
However, should the baby be a boy, then hoo hah!⁴ Hordes of friends and family will arrive from around the globe and descend on Philadelphia for the joyous celebration mandated by the halacha⁵ to take place during daylight hours on the eighth day, known as the bris⁶. The eighth day after December 3rd could be right in the middle of the trial. My presence at the bris is not strictly commanded, although my absence will never be forgotten by those that matter.
So please consider this an application for maybe, tfu tfu tfu, a day off during the trial, if the foregoing occurs on a weekday. I will let the Court (and the rest of the world) know as soon as I do, and promise to bring pictures.
Very truly yours,
(Signed)
Bennett M. Epstein
<snip>
Judge Wood's handwritten response:
Mr. Epstein will be permitted to attend the bris, in the joyous event that a son is born. But the Court would like to balance the scales. If a daughter is born, there will be a public celebration in Court, with readings from poetry celebrating girls and women.
11-18-10
SO ORDERED, N.Y., N.Y.
(Signed)
KIMBA M. WOOD
U.S.D.J.
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/03/court-would-like-to-balance-scales.html
Ha!
peace13
(11,076 posts)I like the way the judge thinks!
Laelth
(32,017 posts)-Laelth
Tanuki
(14,918 posts)"In the Nannygate matter of 1993, Wood was Bill Clinton's second unsuccessful choice for United States Attorney General.[8] Like Clinton's previous nominee, Zoë Baird, Wood had hired an illegal alien as a nanny; although, unlike Baird, she had paid the required taxes on the employee and had broken no laws. Wood employed the undocumented immigrant at a time when it was legal to do so, before enactment of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 made hiring of undocumented workers unlawful.[9] The threat of a repetition of the same controversy quickly led to a withdrawal of Wood from consideration. Janet Reno was later nominated and confirmed for the post."
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)CTyankee
(63,911 posts)There was a female rabbi officiating at the first one and an aunt carried the baby in for the ritual such as it was.
Now I have a stepdaughter who is a rabbi and I'm certain she will be officiating at many future baby namings for little girl babies. What a joyful time!
pangaia
(24,324 posts)I vote for more girls.
CTyankee
(63,911 posts)pangaia
(24,324 posts)Maybe because I was once a boy and no full well what parents have to deal with. :> ))
Now on Medicare, I STILL am a problem...
CTyankee
(63,911 posts)pangaia
(24,324 posts)dlwickham
(3,316 posts)CTyankee
(63,911 posts)dlwickham
(3,316 posts)I wouldn't say beautiful
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)CTyankee
(63,911 posts)Prescott, AZ.
Maraya1969
(22,479 posts)I was under the sad impression for a moment that all Jewish people react such as this guy. I'm very happy to know that he is just one case and that it is not a regular practice. And now that I am writing this I remember that some Jewish families also have a Bat Mitzvah for their daughters too.
Congratulations on your granddaughters!
AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)If I were that lawyer I would ask for a change (unless she is a good judge for the case).
CTyankee
(63,911 posts)I think what Kimba Wood did was terrific...IIRC, wasn't she the judge that Clinton wanted to appoint to the Supreme Court but somehow the Republicans put the kibosh on her...
AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)I do. Never underestimate the self-regard and appeal of power that resides in a judge. And federal judges are about twenty times worse then state judges.
on edit: I misread her order. I thought she was ordering the newborn girl downtown. Nevermind, as they say.
(to be clear, the whole religious thing is wacky but we still live in a freeish country we hope)
Are_grits_groceries
(17,111 posts)as you so delightfully describe her. She is a very respected member of the bench.
This was intended as a friendly gesture. If she intended to be the hard ass that you seem to think she was, she would have had the order formally included in her response and not handwritten at the bottom.
There are judges who take things too far. Judge Wood had no record of being high-handed before or after this event.
Perspective anyone?
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)NewJeffCT
(56,828 posts)First, there was Zoe Baird, who was derailed by nanny-gate. Though she had broken no laws like Baird, Wood was also derailed by a similar nanny-gate issue, and also the additional controversy that she had worked briefly at the playboy club back when they had those things in the 60s.
Finally, Clinton picked Janet Reno, and the rest was history.
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)Are_grits_groceries
(17,111 posts)I think the lawyer would have requested a change.
It apparently was taken in the good spirit in which it was intended.
cali
(114,904 posts)kindly and with gentle humor.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)"Look, the Orthodox Jewish religion is sexist. It just is. But I didn't make the rules!"
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)TBF
(32,056 posts)I doubt you'd want to change. But her note was a little silly I agree. She probably doesn't know that there is a naming ceremony for Jewish girls as well.
AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)I overreacted
Sheldon Cooper
(3,724 posts)In fact, he admitted that he'd be disappointed, but would try to hide it. He openly expressed a clear preference for a grandson over a granddaughter. So, given that the judge is a woman, I think his request was over the top and quite sexist. He's lucky she didn't tear him a new one.
If I'm not mistaken, I think male orthodox Jews thank god every day that they weren't born a woman. Which just goes to show that sexism/misogyny is a bit hit in all three Abrahamic religions. A hat trick!
kag
(4,079 posts)You said what I wanted to, so now I don't have to. I wish I could rec replies.
It takes a special kind of asshole to admit that he will be disappointed if the child of his child is born without the "appropriate" plumbing.
Perhaps if these idiots would treat the women in their communities with the respect they deserve, they wouldn't be so disappointed by half of all births.
Hosnon
(7,800 posts)TBF
(32,056 posts)and that is probably why Kimba included the part about reading poetry if it was a girl. She likely thought he was a knucklehead as well. I'm familiar with that judge and she's very sharp.
Shrike47
(6,913 posts)She gets to make the rules.
Mira
(22,380 posts)all the way to the Supremes if there is another chance.
malaise
(268,964 posts)Patriarchy is live and well.
DLevine
(1,788 posts)hootinholler
(26,449 posts)tfu tfu tfu apparently is a spitting noise to ward off the evil eye.
riversedge
(70,204 posts)BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)I like this Judge Wood!
She did a mitzvah* with that handwritten note.
*Yiddish and Hebrew--the blessing of a good deed.
spooky3
(34,442 posts)Does he also ask for favors from judges who are persons of color by making sure they realize he considers them second class in status?
Her response was perfect.
snooper2
(30,151 posts)But if it's a girl..
PARTY TIME!
! !
Gothmog
(145,156 posts)Thanks for sharing. I have passed this on to my friends
JimboBillyBubbaBob
(1,389 posts)...your Honor!
rocktivity
(44,576 posts)Last edited Tue Dec 3, 2013, 04:27 PM - Edit history (1)
-- it was written, and responded to, with a lighthearted tongue-in-cheek undercurrent from both parties.
rocktivity
Snotcicles
(9,089 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)Response to Are_grits_groceries (Original post)
Post removed
jaysunb
(11,856 posts)be enjoying her 15th year on the SCOTUS after a good run as Clintons AG. A loss for all America......
Cass
(2,600 posts)RT Atlanta
(2,517 posts)Attorneys and judges are not always stiffs.
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)Oy gevalt!
A relative of mine did send us a videotape of their son's bris. No closeups, thank Adoshem. We didn't know what was on the tape, we see people dressed nicely, then the Mohel starts talking, then we realized that this was not going to be a cute baby tape.
I have a very, very strange family, of course. Lovable, but nuts.
In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Hekate
(90,662 posts)Hissyspit
(45,788 posts)SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING!