Peter Gabel facts for kids

Peter Gabel (born January 28, 1947 – died October 25, 2022) was an American law expert. He was also an associate editor for Tikkun magazine. This magazine shares Jewish ideas about politics, culture, and society. Peter Gabel wrote many articles for it. He discussed topics like the original ideas of the U.S. Constitution. He also wrote about the debate between creationism and evolution.

Peter Gabel helped start two important groups. One was the Institute for Labor and Mental Health in Oakland, California. The other was the Critical Legal Studies movement. This movement looks at how laws affect society. He wrote over a dozen articles for big law journals. These included the Harvard Law Review. His work focused on how law shapes people's thoughts. He also explored how law can help make positive social changes.

Biography

Early life and education

Peter Gabel was the only child of famous parents. His mother was Arlene Francis, an actress and TV host. His father was Martin Gabel, an actor and director. His father was Jewish. His mother had Armenian, English, and German family roots.

Peter went to Deerfield Academy for high school. He then studied at Harvard University. He earned his first degree there in 1968. He got his law degree in 1972. While at Harvard, he was an editor for The Harvard Lampoon, a humor magazine. He later earned his Ph.D. from the Wright Institute in 1981.

As a teenager, he worked as a guide. This was for the 1964 New York World's Fair. He shared this fact on the game show What's My Line?. He appeared as a guest and surprised the panel. His mother was on the panel. He appeared a second time in 1967. He was with Jonathan Cerf, as editors of the Harvard Lampoon. They again surprised the panel. Both his mother and father were on the panel.

Career and community work

Peter Gabel taught law at several universities. He taught at the University of California, Berkeley. He also taught at the University of Minnesota. For 30 years, he was a law professor. This was at the New College of California School of Law. He also served as the college's president for 20 years. This college was an alternative school. It offered degrees in law and psychology. It closed in 2008.

Gabel was active in a group called the Project for Integrating Spirituality, Law, and Politics. This group wanted to connect inner beliefs with legal culture. They aimed to transform the legal world. He also worked to strengthen his neighborhood. This was in Noe Valley, San Francisco.

One of his group's successes was saving a small bookstore. The store was called Cover to Cover. It was struggling because fewer people were buying books. Gabel created an email group for neighbors. He also handed out flyers. He asked neighbors to promise to buy a hardback book every month. This helped the bookstore stay open.

Social activism

From 1968 onwards, Peter Gabel was a strong supporter of many social causes. He spoke out for women's rights. He also supported LGBTQ+ rights. He was active in the environmental movement.

In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate degree. He spoke about the "radiant spirit of idealism" in 1968. He said this spirit drew him into big social movements. These included the civil rights movement. He also mentioned the anti-Vietnam war movement. He supported the women's movement and the environmental movement. He also supported the gay and lesbian movement. He said all these movements wanted to make the world more loving and fair.

Personal life and death

Peter Gabel had a son named Samuel. Samuel's mother was Lisa Jaicks. She is a union organizer for UNITE HERE.

Peter Gabel was also a musician. He played bass guitar in a dance band. The band was called The Central Park Zoo.

Peter Gabel died on October 25, 2022. He was 75 years old. He passed away from a disease called amyloidosis.