Woldman, Albert A. (Albert Alexander), 1897-1971

Alber A. Woldman was a Cleveland, Ohio, lawyer, author, teacher, speechwriter, administrator and judge who served in various state and local governmental positions during his professional career. Born in Vilna, Lithuania, his family emigrated from there in 1901 to Cleveland. After graduation from Ohio Northern University College of Law in 1919, Woldman began a private law practice and taught at John Marshall Law School. In 1941, he was appointed assistant law director for the city of Cleveland. He also was a speech writer for Mayor Frank Lausche. After Lausche was elected governor of Ohio in 1944, he appointed Woldman to chair the Ohio Unemployment Compensation Board of Review. In 1949 Lausche appointed him director of the Department of Industrial Relations. In 1953, he was appointed to fill an unexpired term as judge of the Juvenile Court of Cuyahoga County. He remained a judge until his retirement in 1968. Woldman was also active in several Jewish community organizations. He was founder and first president of the Cleveland Hebrew Young Men's and Women's Association in the 1920s. In the 1940s he served as president of B'nai B'rith District No. 2 in Cleveland. He also authored two books on Abraham Lincoln, Lawyer Lincoln and Lincoln and the Russians. He married Lydia Levin of Cleveland in 1921, and had three children; Dr. Robert, Stuart, and Phyllis Woldman Klein.

Albert Alexander Woldman (1897-1971) was a lawyer, author, teacher, speechwriter, administrator, and judge who served in various state and local governmental positions during his professional career. Woldman was born in Vilna, Lithuania, then part of the Russian Czarist empire. His family emigrated from there in 1901, settling in Cleveland, Ohio. After graduation from Ohio Northern University College of Law in 1919, Woldman began a private law practice and taught at John Marshall Law School. Outside of his practice, his love of his adopted nation and his reverence for Abraham Lincoln led to historical research, writing, and publication. He wrote several series on American history for The Plain Dealer and had articles in such publications as Harper's Magazine. He authored two books about Lincoln, Lawyer Lincoln and Lincoln and the Russians. In 1941 Mayor Frank Lausche of Cleveland appointed Woldman assistant law director. He also then become a speechwriter for Lausche on topics concerning the U. S. Constitution, Americanism, ethnic contributions to the United States, and Lincoln. After Lausche was elected governor of Ohio in 1944, he appointed Woldman to chair the Ohio Unemployment Compensation Board of Review. In 1949 Lausche appointed him director of the Department of Industrial Relations. Woldman served as director until 1953 when Lausche appointed him to fill an unexpired term as judge of the Juvenile Court of Cuyahoga County. He remained on the bench until his retirement in 1968.

Woldman was active in Jewish communal organizations. He was the founder and first president of the Cleveland Hebrew Young Men's and Women's Association in the 1920s. In the 1940s he served as president of B'nai B'rith District No. 2 in Cleveland. He was a frequent speaker concerning Jewish issues and wrote about those issues for various national Jewish periodicals.

Woldman married Lydia Levin (1902-1978) of Cleveland in 1921. Their children were Dr. Robert, Stuart, and Phyllis Woldman Klein.