Bet Tzedek history

In 1984, Bet Tzedek affirmed its growing reputation as the leading agency offering free services to Holocaust survivors by winning a landmark decision that provided vital support and justice to thousands of low-income, elderly Holocaust survivors.

Bet Tzedek provided emergency legal services during and in the aftermath of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, when four LAPD officers were acquitted in the beating of black motorist Rodney King.

Following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Bet Tzedek provided emergency assistance to earthquake victims with housing issues, home improvement fraud, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) claims.

In 1998, Bet Tzedek brought a major class-action suit with pro bono counsel against 16 European-based insurance companies who refused to honor insurance policies purchased by Jews who perished in the Holocaust.

In 1999, Bet Tzedek's lawsuit against Hillhaven, one of the largest nursing home chains in the country, resulted in the company agreeing to change business practices that violate state and federal law and led to financial hardship for residents and their families.

In 2002, Bet Tzedek investigated the city's most-convicted slumlord, unraveling a complex web of fraudulent practices.

In 2004, Bet Tzedek helped pass a new state law and established a new legal precedent protecting garment workers, ensuring the safety and proper treatment of hundreds of thousands of workers in L.A. alone.