Morton Avigdor

Since his graduation from UConn Law School in 19___, (Mordechai) Morton Avigdor has devoted his life and career to defending the rights and interests of the (Orthodox) Jewish community. As representative legal counsel for Agudath Israel, he has filed numerous amicus briefs on behalf of Aguda in cases involving Orthodox interests. (links to the briefs, or the thank you letters)

As early as 1987, Morton Avigdor was already immersed in helping those in need. He successfully appealed a policy of the New York City Board of Education that would have forced a disabled Jewish child to attend a local summer program instead of Camp HASC, or lose the state funding that had paid for the camp in previous years.

Throughout his career, Morton Avigdor has fought to maintain the validity of the Bais Din in matters of halacha such as gittin, argued for the rights of parents to receive state grants when their children are enrolled in religious schools, etc. His amicus briefs have been presented before appellate courts at both the state and federal level, including the United States Supreme Court.

Mordechai’s dedication to the needs of his community is boundless. Without regard to his personal circumstances – whether taking calls in the middle of the night, or nearly missing his own son’s shevabrochos in Lakewood – he is ready to argue emergency life and death cases on almost a moment’s notice. In at least one case, this saved the life of a critically ill woman whose family was ready to remove life support, but who ultimately recovered after Morton Avigdor successfully argued against this at a hastily scheduled hearing.

The Avigdor family had a remarkably close connection with noted writer and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. Wiesel was a regular participant in the surreptitious minyan led by Mordechai’s grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov Avigdor, which was held in the Buchenwald concentration camp (see article in Ami magazine #276). That relationship, and the experiences of his family during and after the War, inform Mordechai’s life work and dedication to his community.

To contact Morton Avigdor: