Jay Ruderman was born in Boston to Marcia and Morton Ruderman[1] He attended public schools in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, and received his undergraduate degree in 1988 from Brandeis University, where he served as president of the student body in 1986-1987.[2] He earned his
JD from
Boston University School of Law in 1993.[3]
Ruderman is married to
Shira Ruderman. They live in the Greater Boston area and have four children.[4]
Ruderman served in the
Israel Defense Forces[5] as the liaison between the IDF and Diaspora Jewry.[6] During his service, he discovered a gap between how Israelis and Americans think. He began working to bridge that gap[7][8] and strengthen the relationship between American Jewry and Israeli opinion leaders.[9]
In 2014, the foundation expanded to the
Hollywood entertainment industry, working for the
inclusion of disabled characters in
TV shows and
movies, and
advocating for those roles to be acted by people with disabilities.[12][13] At the
Sundance Film Festival in January 2020, Ruderman called for greater accessibility and the inclusion of people with disabilities and diversity.[14] In March 2020, he sponsored an event to present
Peter and
Bobby Farrelly with an award for hiring actors with disabilities.[15] Ruderman has also proposed such changes to the
Israeli film industry.[15] In December 2021, he convinced four major Israeli broadcasting corporations to improve civil rights within the entertainment industry for people with disabilities.[16]
"All About Change" Podcast
Ruderman hosts the
podcast, "All About Change" (previously "All Inclusive"), which focuses on
social justice and inclusion.[17]