He was a tireless activist who fought courageously against prejudice and bigotry.

He built bridges to and united diverse racial, religious and ethnic groups throughout New England.

He dedicated his life to the vigilant protection of the civil rights of all people.

On Friday, October 4th, 2002, Leonard P. Zakim, the late director of the New England office of the Anti-Defamation league, was honored in an unprecedented bridge dedication ceremony that drew thousands including local students, Senator John Kerry and Bruce Springsteen. Lenny helped turn the New England office of the ADL into one of the League's most innovative and active operations. Today, his legacy and inspiration continue to impact our local communities through expanding ADL programs including A WORLD OF DIFFERENCEŽ Institute, No Place for HateŽ, Confronting Anti-Semitism and our Interfaith Programs.

While the events of the day have changed since Lenny's leadership, the core values that we are trying to protect remain the same. In fact, with the threat of terrorism casting a sinister shadow over our daily lives as well as the future of our children and grandchildren, our efforts to defend these core values have become even more urgent.