Bet Tzedek Legal Services - The House of Justice
| Founded | 1974, Los Angeles, CA, United States |
|---|---|
| Focus | Civil Rights Humanitarian Aid |
| Website | www.bettzedek.org/ |
Bet Tzedek is an American non-profit human and poverty rights organization, internationally recognized for its work in providing unique advocacy and support for people living in poverty, and for communities victimized by discrimination and civil rights abuses.
One of the United States' leading centers for social justice, Bet Tzedek is based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1974 by a group of Jewish attorneys determined to address the human rights issues and humanitarian needs endemic to Los Angeles. Their social justice philosophy was rooted in a central tenet of Jewish law and teaching: "Tzedek, tzedek tirdof – Justice, justice you shall pursue."
Bet Tzedek embraces the fundamental commitment of achieving full and equal access to justice for all people. The United States legal system was created to fairly serve all citizens, yet without equal access to the justice system, low-income citizens are disproportionately victimized by unjust and illegal practices such as coercive labor practices, abuse and neglect of developmentally disabled people, unlawful debt collection and racially targeted victimization.
In a city with one of the highest poverty rates in the United States, Bet Tzedek offers support to the nearly two million residents of L.A. who live in poverty. Bet Tzedek has taken on widespread systemic injustices taking place in nursing homes, slum housing, and garment factories — identifying and investigating the problems, and winning victories that have directly and measurably expanded equal access to justice for the poor, elderly and disabled.
Today, many of Bet Tzedek's initiatives are the only programs of their kind in existence. Its free legal representation helps low-income people of every race and religion in Los Angeles, and directly empowers people with knowledge and tools needed to protect their rights.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, activists throughout the nation began to systemically address the roots of injustice by fighting poverty, disenfranchisement, and discrimination. The City of Los Angeles faced overwhelming crises with devastatingly entrenched areas of urban blight, deteriorating living conditions in slums and ghettos, and an increasingly disempowered population of low-income people.
Bet Tzedek's volunteer attorneys provided free legal representation to Angelenos who would never otherwise gain access to the justice system. As the need skyrocketed throughout the mid-1970s, Bet Tzedek rapidly evolved from a part-time, volunteer-run organization into a comprehensive, full-service center providing free legal aid to all of Los Angeles.
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