Dear Friends,

On behalf of the Canton Jewish Community Federation, we are honored to invite you to a special evening dedicated to celebrating leadership, legacy, and our shared values.

This gathering will provide an opportunity to hear from Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and a tireless champion of Jewish values and Israel. 

We will also pay tribute to the memory of one of our community's pillars, Robert I. “Bob” Friedman (z”l).

Bob’s passing in May 2024 marked the end of a remarkable chapter in the history of Jewish Canton. A respected attorney, civic leader, and past President of the Canton Jewish Community Federation, Bob devoted over five decades to uplifting our community through his legal acumen, tireless volunteerism, and deep moral conviction. His leadership—both locally and nationally—set a powerful example of integrity, service, and Jewish commitment.

Ted Deutch has a special connection to Northeast Ohio, having lived and worked in the region as a commercial real estate attorney in Cleveland before his congressional career. His wife, Jill, is originally from Canton, making his visit particularly meaningful. 

Recently, under Ted’s leadership, the American Jewish Committee faced the heartbreaking tragedy of the murder of two young people at one of their events. This painful loss underscores the urgency and timeliness of Ted’s remarks, as he will address the rising threat of antisemitism and the challenges Jewish organizations face today.

As we honor Bob’s legacy, it is particularly fitting that we welcome Ted to speak. Ted has dedicated his life to advocating for Jewish communities and strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship—from his time in Congress, where he led on key foreign policy and human rights issues, to his current role at AJC, where he continues to advance Jewish security and democratic values around the world. His presence will inspire reflection, hope, and action for the future of our community.

As a respected cornerstone of our community, your presence would greatly enrich this evening. We hope you will join us for what promises to be a meaningful and memorable gathering.

 We look forward to sharing this special evening with you.

Warm regards,

Ori Akrish, Canton Jewish Community Federation­ CEO     

A lifelong Jewish and pro-Israel activist, Ted Deutch assumed the role of CEO of American Jewish Committee (AJC) on October 1, 2022. He joined AJC following more than 12 years of service in the United States House of Representatives, representing Broward and Palm Beach Counties in Florida.

Recently, under Ted’s leadership, the American Jewish Committee faced the heartbreaking tragedy of the murder of two young people at one of their events. This painful loss underscores the urgency and timeliness of Ted’s remarks, as he will address the rising threat of antisemitism and the challenges Jewish organizations face today.

In Congress, Ted served as chair of the House Ethics Committee, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on which he served as chair of the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee. 

He collaborated closely with members on both sides of the aisle to advance the security interests of the United States, Israel, and their allies. Ted authored legislation advancing U.S.-Israel cooperation in energy, agriculture, technology, and trade; fought back against efforts to delegitimize Israel at the United Nations; championed U.S. foreign aid investments that promote global human rights and the protection of religious minorities worldwide; and focused on the transformational opportunities made possible by the Abraham Accords. He also passed federal legislation to crack down on companies that financially support Iran’s nuclear weapons program and confront Iran’s dangerous activities around the world.

As a founding co-chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, Ted spoke passionately on the House floor, confronting colleagues who invoked antisemitic tropes or disparaged Israel. In response to rising hatred on social media, he helped launch an inter-parliamentary coalition to combat online antisemitism with legislators from Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom, and Australia. And when the Claims Conference was negotiating with the German government, Ted met with Chancellor Angela Merkel to plead for greater assistance to permit Holocaust survivors to live out their lives in dignity. 

Ted also served as co-chair of the Congressional Hellenic-Israel Alliance, as well as a member of the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations, the Latino-Jewish Congressional Caucus, and AJC’s Transatlantic Friends of Israel inter-parliamentary group. 

Ted first gained national recognition as a Florida state senator when he introduced and passed the nation’s first law mandating that public pension funds not be used to advance Iran’s illicit quest for nuclear weapons. His work led to an invitation to testify before the U.S. Senate on Iran sanctions, and he continued his efforts to curb Iranian aggression and prevent Iran’s development of nuclear weapons throughout his tenure in Congress.

Prior to holding public office, Ted enjoyed a successful career as a commercial real estate attorney in Cleveland and Boca Raton. Ted has long championed the priorities of the Jewish community, from his summers at Camp Ramah to his Israel activism at the University of Michigan and Michigan Law School, where he chaired the Hillel Governing Board. He later served as a lay leader with the Jewish Federations of Cleveland and South Palm Beach County, and as a member of both UJA’s National Young Leadership Cabinet and AIPAC’s National New Leadership Network.

Born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Ted is the youngest son of the late Jean and Bernard Deutch. Ted and his wife, Jill, have lived in Boca Raton, Florida, since 1998 and have three adult children, Gabby, Serena, and Cole.

Born in Bexley, Ohio in 1939, Robert Friedman led a life marked by dedication to his family, profession, and community.

A highly respected attorney, Bob practiced law in Stark County for more than 50 years. He specialized in corporate law, nursing home law, estate planning, and probate. Bob's academic journey began at Indiana University, where he earned a B.A. in Political Science, and continued at The Ohio State University College of Law earning a JD and serving as the Associate Editor of the Ohio State University Law Journal.

Bob's legal career was distinguished by his tenure as a Partner, Managing Director, and of Council Attorney to Black McCuskey. His commitment to the legal community was evident in his extensive involvement with the Ohio State Bar Association and the Stark County Bar Association, where he served on numerous committees and was a Fellow of the Ohio State Bar Foundation.

Beyond his professional achievements, Bob was deeply engaged in the Stark County community. He held leadership roles in various organizations, including past Chair of Leadership Stark County, and past President, and Trustee of Interfaith Campus Ministry at Kent State Stark.

Bob was a founding member, past Trustee, and Chair of the First Membership Campaign of Friends of the Stark County District Library, past President and Trustee of the Canton Jewish Community Federation, and President and Honorary Lifetime Trustee of Temple Israel.

Nationally, Bob served multiple terms as Vice President and Chair of the Community Services and Small Federations Committees of the Council of Jewish Federations, now United Jewish Communities, Inc. His dedication to pro bono work earned him the Outstanding Individual Pro Bono Award in 2001-2002.

Bob's legacy is one of unwavering service, integrity, and commitment. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and the countless individuals whose lives he touched. His contributions to the legal field and the community at large leave an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him.