A Heritage of Family Activism

At the turn of the last century, newly arrived Jewish families in the United States faced constant discrimination in employment and housing.  They were often victims of hate crimes, as they struggled to assimilate in their new country.

Edwin G. Foreman (1862 – 1915)

My Great Grandfather Edwin Foreman (above) and Grandfather Alfred Foreman (below) were early pioneers for equality one hundred years ago.  In 1900 my Great Grandfather, Edwin helped found and served as the first President of the Associated Jewish Charities (AJS) of Chicago.  The AJS helped immigrants and those in need and dealt with all the problems that the Jewish community faced at that time.

Alfred Foreman (1892 – 1946)

My Grandfather, Alfred Foreman followed in his father’s footsteps and became the youngest President of what then became the Jewish Federation of Chicago.

While I never knew either grandfather, that tradition of activism was passed on to me by my mother Jean Foreman Karger (below).  She spent her entire adult life helping others through all her volunteerism.  My parents instilled in my brother and me the importence of helping others in need and to fight for what is right.

Jean Foreman Karger (1918 – 2003)

During California’s Proposition 8 campaign and ever since, I brought that same passion and dedication to the fight for equal rights.

There are still far too many people in this country who feel the need to look down on their neighbors and discriminate against them.  They feel that certain people should not have the same rights as they do.

I will fight the fight for full equality, just as my ancestors did a century ago.