Beverly Hills Leader Honored for Holocaust Remembrance and Civic Impact
Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) has named Beverly Hills Councilmember and former Mayor Lester Friedman as the 2025 Yom HaShoah Honoree for Assembly District 51, recognizing his lifelong commitment to Holocaust remembrance, combating antisemitism, and serving the public.
Friedman, the son of two Holocaust survivors, was honored Monday during a special ceremony at the State Capitol. His parents, Saul and Bella Friedman, survived the Radom ghetto, forced labor camps, and Auschwitz before immigrating to the United States, where they rebuilt their lives in California. Their experiences profoundly shaped Friedman’s advocacy for justice and his dedication to public service.
“Lester Friedman embodies the spirit of resilience, remembrance, and hope that Yom HaShoah calls on all of us to honor,” Zbur said. “As a son of Holocaust survivors, Lester has carried forward the legacy of his parents — fighting antisemitism, building community, and working tirelessly to make California a better place for all of us.”
The recognition coincided with the State Assembly’s formal passage of Assembly Concurrent Resolution 59, which declares April 28 as California Holocaust Memorial Day. The resolution was presented by Assemblymember Dawn Addis, on behalf of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, with bipartisan co-authorship from the full Assembly.
“In passing the bipartisan resolution, the California State Assembly has once again shown that it is a leader in the fight against antisemitism,” Friedman said in remarks following his recognition. “Thanks to the Legislative Jewish Caucus for raising awareness of the oldest form of hate in the world — antisemitism.”
Friedman has been elected twice to the Beverly Hills City Council, serving two terms as mayor in 2020–2021 and 2024–2025. He has been a consistent voice for Holocaust education and remembrance, and following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel, led local efforts to commemorate the victims with a public Shabbat table, a temporary memorial, and ongoing plans for a permanent site of remembrance.
In addition to his public service, Friedman is a longtime workers’ compensation attorney, a UCLA graduate, and has served as the official scorer for UCLA men’s basketball since 1996. He is also a husband, father of four, and grandfather of six.
