A Life of Quiet Righteousness: Remembering Dan Segal
In Jewish tradition, there is a concept of the Lamed Vavniks, righteous individuals whose quiet, humble actions sustain the world, often without anyone knowing who they are. Dan Segal (z’’l) lived that ideal.
If you had asked Dan to sit for a profile about his life’s work, he likely would have politely declined. He wasn’t one for accolades or boasting about his resume. As his son, Josh, recently shared, “The last thing he would have aimed for was a profile of himself, but he would have done it if he thought it would help MAZON.”
For those of us at MAZON who had the privilege of working alongside him, and for the countless communities he touched in Philadelphia and beyond, Dan’s life was a masterclass in how to move through the world with profound humility, effortless humor, and an unwavering commitment to the most vulnerable among us.
Dan didn’t preach his values; he demonstrated them. His deep commitment to Judaism and Jewish life was more than following rituals, it was a conviction to look out for the most vulnerable among us and ensure everyone had a fair shake in life. “Dan was a man who lived the values that became the centerpiece of his entire life,” noted Abby J. Leibman, MAZON President & CEO. “These were not abstract ideals for him, but imperatives that shaped everything he did.”
From his time supporting Soviet Jewry, where he hosted meetings about how to smuggle in Jewish books or strategies to avoid the KGB, to his time working with the Juvenile Law Center, where he fought to ensure kids got a fairer shake from the justice system, to his time on MAZON’s Board of Directors, where he advocated for everyone, regardless of circumstance, to be able to feed themselves and their families with dignity, Dan lived his values. He not only believed but actively demonstrated that each and every one of us is worthy of respect, being heard, and not being defined by our worst mistakes.
“Dan was a pleasure to have on the board because he brought with him a seriousness of purpose and a moral integrity that was an inspiration for all of us,” said Rabbi Joel Pitkowsky, Past Chair of MAZON’s Board of Directors. “Combine those qualities with his powers of deduction and legal reasoning, together with his innate kindness and deep understanding of what our country should stand for, and you end up with a person who was not only a treasured board member of MAZON, but a moral beacon, a leader who both helped us understand the moment we were in and who gave us the strength to envision a path forward. His voice and his presence will be sorely missed.”
To know Dan was also to know his humor. He was a joyous man who understood that laughter is a necessary tool for navigating a broken world. He believed there was a place for laughter in almost everything, no matter how dark or difficult the moment, but never at the expense of others. “He was not only extraordinarily good natured, but also extraordinarily funny,” said his son. “He loved to laugh. He loved to laugh with people. And he would never laugh at people.”
Outside of his service to communities across the world, Dan’s storied career included the founding of Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller, a fifty-attorney Philadelphia firm and serving as law clerk to the Honorable Thurgood S. Marshall, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He was dedicated to the fight of ending hunger, serving on the MAZON board for several years most recently as treasurer.
As we remember our friend and colleague, we are reminded of the lesson he imparted through his actions: that a life lived with humility, laughter, and a commitment to justice is the highest form of service. May his memory be a blessing, for MAZON, for our community, and for the people we aim to serve.