Orthodox Jewish Judge Tapped To Lead Maduro Trial Was Involved In Past Chabad Case

When Alvin Kenneth Hellerstein was tapped to preside over the high-profile criminal case against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, attention immediately turned to his long and storied judicial career. Less spotlighted—but deeply significant to many in the Chabad community—is that Judge Hellerstein is not only a seasoned jurist in the Southern District of New York but is also a lifelong Orthodox Jew.

Born in New York City on December 28, 1933, Hellerstein was raised in an Orthodox Jewish home and educated in prestigious secular and Jewish institutions. He graduated from The Bronx High School of Science in 1950 and later received both his Bachelor’s and Juris Doctor degrees from Columbia University.

Even as he rose through the legal ranks, Hellerstein maintained a strong connection to his Jewish roots. He has served as President and Chairman of the Board of Jewish Education, and in 2013 authored a scholarly piece titled “The Influence of a Jewish Education and Jewish Values on a Jewish Judge,” discussing how Jewish ethical principles shaped his judicial philosophy.

Though his faith does not dictate his rulings, colleagues say it reinforces his commitment to diligence, fairness, and integrity—values central both to Jewish tradition and to the American legal system.

One of the most intriguing glimpses into Hellerstein’s legal career—especially for the Chabad-Lubavitch community—is his role as counsel for Barry Gurary in the 1980s lawsuit over the ownership of the Chabad library.

The controversy began in 1984, when Barry Gurary —the grandson of the Frierdiker—entered the Library of Agudas Chasidei Chabad at 770 Eastern Parkway and surreptitiously removed numerous rare volumes, including valuable illuminated Haggadot and seforim. Gurary maintained that as a direct descendant, he was entitled to part of the collection as an inheritance.

However, the Chabad leadership, under the guidance of the Rebbe, argued that the library was not personal property but communal heritage—a treasure trove of Jewish learning meant to serve the entire Chasidic community.

Recognizing the gravity of the dispute, Agudas Chasidei Chabad filed a civil suit in federal court to stop Gurary’s actions and reclaim the stolen Seforim. Judge Charles P. Sifton eventually ruled that the library had been held in trust for the Chabad community, and that it was not part of the Rebbe’s estate to be divided as inheritance. That decision was upheld on appeal.

In this legal battle, Alvin Hellerstein was part of the defense team representing Barry Gurary and his mother, Rebbetzin Chana Gurary. Court records show that Hellerstein and co-counsel Brian Mark Cogan defended the position that the library texts were personal property belonging to Gurary by virtue of inheritance rights.

Though the court ultimately rejected that argument, the case itself resonates deeply within the Chabad world. The community celebrates the ruling as Didan Notzach, marking a moment when secular law helped affirm Chabad’s spiritual and communal legacy.

For Hellerstein, representing a client in such a matter was a high-stakes professional challenge that intersected with deep-rooted cultural and religious issues. Regardless of the outcome, his involvement underlined his stature as a legal strategist trusted to argue complex property, inheritance, and religious trust issues in federal court.

Since his appointment to the Southern District of New York by President Bill Clinton in 1998, Hellerstein has handled many consequential matters—from consolidation of the 9/11 litigation and high-profile financial fraud cases to now the extradition and prosecution of Nicolás Maduro.

Though his personal religious practice has rarely been the headline in mainstream coverage, it is widely acknowledged in legal and Jewish circles that his Orthodox Jewish identity remains integral to who he is.