Behnam Dayanim Sara and Samuel Lessans Community Leadership Award, 2025 Gala
Behnam Dayanim epitomizes wise, measured and humble leadership grounded in Jewish values. His deep engagement with the American Jewish community at both national and local levels has contributed to the continued strength and vitality of some of our most important institutions, especially within Modern Orthodoxy.
Behnam is a partner with the law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, where he is Global Head of Digital Commerce and Gaming, as well as a member of the firm’s Management Committee. He is nationally recognized as a leading gaming, gambling, fintech and payments attorney, and is a sought-after speaker at professional conferences.
Behnam currently serves as JCRC Vice President and is a longtime member of the Board of Directors. He also sits on the boards of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and People for Orthodox Renaissance and Torah, which promote an open and inclusive interpretation of Modern Orthodox Judaism. He is a former president of the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy and has also held various leadership roles with the Orthodox Union, the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, the Beltway Va’ad and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.
Outside the Jewish community, Behnam is also an actor, having appeared in two episodes of Renegades: The Requiem.
Behnam and his wife Carey live in Montgomery County. They have four children.