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| Federation in the News -- Archive |
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| Recent stories appearing in major publications featuring The Jewish Federation Seven From Los Angeles PJ Library Families Snuggle Up With Jewish Books Opening the Gates Thousands Witness Historic Flag Raising Commemorating Israel's 60th Anniversary Jamie Masada Gives Long Beach a Place to Laugh Twinning Builds Friendships Between Recently, The Jewish Federation's Tel Aviv-Los Angeles Partnership's school twinning program has expanded to include supplemental schools. The partnership, a 10-year-old program, matches Los Angeles and Tel Aviv schools to form a relationship between the two communities. American and Israeli students correspond via the internet, share a joint curriculum, and participate in travel exchanges to meet one another and spend time in their mutual countries. The goal is to maintain a strong bond between Jews in the United States and Israel. The religious schools within Temple Judea of Tarzana, Temple Israel of Hollywood and Congregation Ner Tamid of South Bay are among the new participants. Stars Come Out for Jews in Cuba Hundreds of well-dressed, young Jewish philanthropists packed Cuban restaurant La Bodeguita de Pico the night of Aug. 14 to show off their support of the Cuban Jewish community. The "GenD: Making a Difference" fundraiser, hosted by Los Angeles-based social action initiative, GenD, took in more than $62,000 to help sponsor food, medical and cultural programs for Cuban Jews through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles co-sponsored the evening with the JDC and L.A. Direct, presented Flesh and the other GenD chairs with a $5,000 check to aid the effort. Jewish Community Foundation Announces The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles (The Foundation) recently announced it has awarded $1.6 million through its Cutting Edge Grants Initiative to seven local nonprofit organizations. One of the largest awards ($250,000) went to the NextGen Engagement Initiative (NEI) of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. NEI engages young adults with a range of opportunities to connect to the greater Jewish community and their own Jewish identities. The Cutting Edge Grants program—through which grantseekers can receive a maximum of $250,000 over three years—is designed to launch innovative efforts that break new ground and positively impact the greater Los Angeles Jewish community. Economic Turmoil Puts Pressure on Jewish Community These are tough times for all Americans. The drama working its way through the economy -- surging gas and food prices, crises in the housing and financial markets, climbing unemployment rates and a dismal overall outlook -- is affecting non-profit organizations and charities as well. The scariest reality for many organizations is how unclear the future remains. So far, many charities report that fundraising is on pace with last year, but at the same time, officials admit the situation could go south in a hurry if the economy doesn't improve. "We all have to proceed forward knowing that there is this ambiguity, there are a lot of pieces of a complex puzzle which are not filling in the gestalt of the communal reality," said John Fishel, president of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. "I start from a premise of 'let's be practical; let's assume the best, but be aware that the best may not be able to be achieved.'" The Israel Lobby, Hollywood Style For the past two years, one entertainment industry figure has made it a crusade to raise industry consciousness about Israel -- the respected William Morris agent David Lonner, whose clients include Alexander Payne, J.J. Abrams and Jon Turteltaub, has been taking groups of Hollywood tastemakers -- both Jews and Gentiles -- on tours of Israel. The trips, co-sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, have attracted a host of A-listers, including Pascal, such writers and directors as Payne, Turteltaub, Brad Silberling, Michael Tolkin and Audrey Wells, along with producers Nina Jacobson and Donald DeLine. The event-packed five-day itinerary includes meetings with Israeli artists, high-tech tycoons, soldiers and politicians; a walking tour of historical sites; a helicopter ride across the country; and an evening of Torah study at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Extending the Birthright Privilege Birthright's success in awakening a connection to Jewish heritage and Israel is unprecedented in American Jewish life. As the number of alumni continues to multiply, they are infusing new energy into American Jewry. The question now facing the organizers of Birthright -- and the rest of the Jewish community -- is what to do with all those alumni. Some federations in large communities, including The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, have had alumni coordinators on their birthright staff for several years. Birthright alumni programming at The Jewish Federation is strong, with an average of two events per month. Mall Owners Partner with Local Businesses in Philanthropic Push for Ethiopian Youth With Jewish philanthropic organizations suffering a loss of international donations due to the falling dollar, the owners of an Israeli shopping mall chain have turned to the local market and initiated a program of giving among its high-profile chain store tenants. The fundraising initiative is the brainchild of BIG Shopping Center owners Yehuda and Liz Naftali, who, working hand-in-hand with The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, put up $300,000 of the overall donation to PACT, a comprehensive educational program in Beit Shemesh run by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) aimed at helping Ethiopian-Israeli preschoolers and their families. From Tel-Aviv to the City of Angeles Which Way, L.A. LA Mayor to Sderot Residents: You are Courageous Color Puts Holocaust in New Dimension Interfaith Pep Rally for Israel Rocks the Forum Free Jewish Books Program for Children to Open in L.A. Hollywood-Israel Link Flourishing As Israel Turns 60, Area Jews Reflect: ‘It Was A Dream of 2,000 Years Realized’ Israelis Dance Across ‘Bridge’ at UCLA Students to Dance Across Cultural Boundaries People of the Film Young Hollywood Finds Fertile Young Professional Partiers L.A. Displays Eco Efforts to Israeli Delegation LA BIZ SEEN Special Education: The Rogosin-Bialik School Support for Sderot is Strong at L.A. Benefit Concert No End to Opera Workshops Calendar Girls Picks and Kicks The Jewish Journal – February 15, 2008 By Brad A. Greenberg, Senior Writer The Jewish community's biggest annual fundraiser garnered $4.5 million in support for The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. The fundraiser is seen as an important kickoff for The Federation's annual campaign, which officials hope this year will raise about $55 million -- money all the more in demand with state funding of social services decreasing. Click on the links below to see television news coverage of Super Sunday. KABC coverage of Super Sunday Super Sunday to Ring Phones for Federation Marcus and Millichap CEO to be Honored So Cal Jews’ Primary Colors Are Red and Blue Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust Breaks Ground Television Looks to Israel for Ideas Solar Panels, Radio Station Keep Jewish Camps Current New Federation Chair Shares Vision at Hebrew Union College LA Exchange Aims to Spread Green Campaign in Israel Chanukah Bash Heats Up Winter Federation Aids Jewish Food Agencies’ Hunger Needs In recent years, cuts in government funding have affected the poor in many areas, especially when it comes to food. After learning about food shortages that were affecting agencies across the country (including SOVA Community Food & Resource Program in Los Angeles), The Jewish Federation responded by granting the organization $50,000 in emergency funds. Hollywood’s Visit to the Holy Land Proves Curtain Raiser A group of influential entertainment industry professionals in Hollywood traveled to Israel to take part in a mission led by talent agent David Lonner and sponsored by The Jewish Federation. The trip, which lasted for five days and included meetings with educators, entertainers, and politicians, made a great impact on several attendees, who said the mission opened their eyes to the current situation in Israel. Jewish Students Must Choose Between Seder, State Debate Holocaust Survivors in LA Are Still Struggling A Little Bit of Hollywood Israel actors, directors, writers, and producers flocked to the Tel Aviv Cinematheque to seek advice from a group of Hollywood entertainment industry professionals, who were visiting Israel as part of a mission sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and the Tel Aviv-Los Angeles Partnership. Hollywood’s Mission to Israel A unique delegation of film-industry elite visited Israel for five days as part of a mission sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Film executive and producer Nina Jacobsen and William Morris agent David Lonner (who also led the mission) commented on the impact the trip had made on them. Federation Takes Local Pols to Israel Each of the seven state assemblymembers who have just come back from a Federation sponsored Legislators’ Mission to Israel have returned with new stories and ideas for improving California. The mission, led by The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and co-sponsored by the San Francisco JCRC, sought to introduce the group to an Israel they didn’t know. Their trip is chronicled through a series of daily blogs written by each of the legislators and can be found on the JCRC page on jewishla.org. Disney Titan Brings Tough Talk to West Coast Federation Stanley Gold, who now helms Disney’s investment company Shamrock Holdings (one of the largest private equity investors in Israel), is set to become Chairman of the Board for The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles on New Year’s Day. Gold is known for his stature and reach in both national business circles as well as on the international stage. Gold has said that his plan in leading the Federation is to focus on three specific areas: relations with Israel, community involvement, and leadership and education. From The Blog: Laughter Is Not Only the Best Medicine, It’s Also the Best Fundraiser Comedians + Hollywood venue + food + worthy cause + young Jewish professionals = a really successful benefit. The Jewish Federation's Entertainment Division put this tried-but-true formula to work for Laugh Out Loud 2 on Thursday, Nov. 1, at the Laugh Factory, which resulted in more than 250 industry professionals helping raise nearly $50,000 to send inner-city kids to Camp Max Straus, which is operated by Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters. Special Needs Program Puts Spotlight on the Siblings HaMercaz, a Federation agency, assists families with children up to age 21 who have developmental and learning disabilities such as autism, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or mental retardation. This year, HaMercaz is focusing on the needs of the siblings of these special-needs children, with special sibling-related programs planned for siblings to enjoy together. By Joshua Marks, Production Editor Variety.com – Nov 2nd, 2007 The 2nd annual Laugh Out Loud event, hosted by The Jewish Federation’s Entertainment Division, raised funds to help over 1,000 inner-city children attend Camp Max Straus. The event, held at the Laugh Factory, featured routines by comedians Chelsea Handler, David Spade, Jeff Garlin, and Chris Kattan, among others. Volunteers drive eclectic learning at LimmudLA The goal of LimmudLA… is to bring together the broad spectrum of Los Angeles Jewry to experience the richness of Judaism. The Jewish Venture Philanthropy Fund of the Jewish Federation awarded LimmudLA up to $75,000 to pursue strategic planning and evaluation. And The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles came up with $50,000 to attract and integrate 20-somethings. Sukkot Down on the Farm The Jewish Federation/Valley Alliance, along with the West Valley Rabbinic Task Force, invited a host of synagogues, including Congregation Or Ami, Shomrei Torah Synagogue, Temple Ahavat Shalom, Temple Aliyah, Temple Judea, Temple Kol Tikvah and Valley Beth Shalom, to build their own sukkahs to celebrate a communitywide harvest festival. Debate tournament date debated Jeff Garlin Serves Up Laughs Not even Jeff Garlin could curb the enthusiasm of the crowd at Busby's East on Sunday where the HBO show's exec producer and thesp was on hand for the Jewish Federation hosted event. KOREH L.A. at Breed Street Elementary School KOREH L.A. at Breed Street Elementary School It’s a case of kids helping kids to read. That’s the point of a partnership between The Jewish Federation and children at Roosevelt High School and Breed Street Elementary. Scholars try to reconcile 'problematic' religious texts Christian, Jewish and Muslim experts met this week to add context to passages that have been perceived as hostile toward other faiths. The event was co-sponsored by the Federation’s Board of Rabbis. The Short Set: Little Museums Reconnecting with Israel A program puts young Jewish Americans in touch with their ancestral land, forging deeper ties and seeking to build future support. . . The program, called Taglit-birthright israel, is an unparalleled effort among ethnic communities that are working to reconnect young Americans with the lands of their ancestors. . . . In Los Angeles, about 500 students travel to Israel each year as part of exchanges involving 36 Los Angeles and Israeli schools, said John Fishel, president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. L.A. city officials joined with the Jewish Federation to kick off a new literacy program at a Boyle Heights elementary school on Monday. Jews will pound at least one nail into their sukkah framework tonight in anticipation of the holiday of Sukkot that begins at sundown Wednesday. . . The environment will be the theme for the sukkah that the congregation of Temple Judea will be decorating at the inaugural "Sunday in the Sukkah" event Sept. 30. . . . organized by The Jewish Federation Valley Alliance at Pierce College's annual Harvest Festival in Woodland Hills. Federation to Tap Gold as Next Board Chair The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles' board was expected to approve on Thursday, Sept. 20, the selection of Stanley P. Gold as its next chair. Gold, the president of Shamrock Holdings and chairman of the board of trustees at USC, would replace real estate financier Michael Koss, whose two-year term expires early next year. Jewish Community Foundation Picks 'Cutting Edge' Programs The Jewish Community Foundation has identified 10 local nonprofits to receive a combined $1.5 million in Cutting Edge grants, awarded to innovative programs tackling social problems and improving Jewish life. Jewish Community Foundation Picks 'Cutting Edge' Programs The Jewish Community Foundation has identified 10 local nonprofits to receive a combined $1.5 million in Cutting Edge grants, awarded to innovative programs tackling social problems and improving Jewish life. The two largest gifts, of $250,000 over three years, went to LimmudLA, which promotes Jewish learning and community building across religions, and The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles for its Jewish Summer Overnight Camp Support Initiative. Shabbat in Sderot beneath a canopy of QassamsBy Brad A. Greenberg, Staff Writer The Jewish Journal – August 24 2007 More than 6,000 Qassam rockets have been launched at Israeli cities and villages since September 2001, and hundreds have landed in this community of about 350. . . donations to the United Jewish Communities (UJC), through local federations, have helped rebuild the region through small-business loans, counseling centers and after-school programs. Federation Funds Increase Shul Safety While Jews flock en masse to the gates of prayer during the High Holy Days, security personnel will be guarding the physical gates to many area synagogues. On Aug. 14, The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles announced it will disburse $150,000 in grants to small synagogues (those with up to 250 member families) in order to help them ensure the safety of their congregants. Rethinking -- and revitalizing -- religious schools A growing number of synagogues around Los Angeles and throughout the country are upending the time-honored idea of Sunday school. . . a program created by the Reform Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion's Rhea Hirsch School of Education. Re-Imagine will work with seven synagogues locally on a process of deconstructing and then reconstructing the educational goals for their entire congregation, and determining how youth education fits into that picture. . . The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and a donor from the Jewish Funders Network contributed the rest to make up the $450,000 price tag on Re-Imagine. Israeli Filmmakers Take Note At the closing night of the Jewish Federation's 9th Annual Master Class in Cinema and Television on Saturday at X Bar in Century City the participants and organizers were able to let loose and celebrate a successful program. A Primer on Giving: What to ask before you start The Torah commands you to give a minimum of 10 percent of your earnings (ma'aser) to charity, and 20 percent if you are generous. That's easier said than done, according to philanthropists, Jewish communal leaders, and charity evaluators. Israeli, Iranian and Russian immigrants learn the American way of giving When the Los Angeles Jewish community staged a rally to show support for Israel during the conflict with Lebanon last year, Israeli Consul General Ehud Danoch was pleased by the numbers, but bothered by the fact that there were not many Israelis there. Master Class: Israelis and Angelenos learn the secrets of show business How do you get anyone in Hollywood to return your phone call? How do you sell an idea at a pitch meeting without seeming arrogant, desperate or, worst of all, boring? How do you protect your idea or script as it makes the rounds of producers and agents? And when that agent or producer finally returns your call, how are you supposed to behave? Making It Israel Goes to Hollywood In recent years, the steadily improving quality of Israeli film has been attracting attention overseas. The Israeli television series “In Treatment” has been adapted by HBO, and this past May, Israeli writers Etgar Keret and his wife, Shira Gefen, won the coveted Camera D’Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Soldiers' Dog Tags Captivate Congress When US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to the Middle East in April, she brought with her a piece of jewelry that was not part of the standard politician's attire. It was a replica set of dog tags of the three IDF soldiers kidnapped last year; she presented them to Syrian leader Bashar Assad in Damascus, to pressure him to work for their return. Crises in Israel energize support from diaspora communities Gilad Shalit's somber voice sounded like a ghost's on the audiotape released late last month. It was the first anyone had heard from the Israeli soldier since Hamas militants kidnapped him a year before. Cheers to Young Leaders The Jewish Federation kicked off a smokin' summer with the Young Leadership Division's Summer Bash on June 3 at Beverly and Herb Gelfand's sprawling estate on Sunset Boulevard. Parsing the Purge Four prominent former U.S. attorneys from Los Angeles weighed in Wednesday on the controversy surrounding the Justice Department’s purging of eight federal prosecutors. UC Calendar to Accommodate High Holidays A new University of California policy directive has resolved the conflict Jewish freshmen face between missing move-in days at campus dormitories or foregoing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur observances. <read article> Local moviemakers get the Tinseltown treatment Less than two months after the Camera d'Or triumph of Israeli filmmakers Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen at the Cannes Film Festival, an official delegation of Israeli entertainment industry professionals have been invited to Los Angeles to meet with top Hollywood executives, directors and screenwriters. <read article> Four Cultural Landmarks Open During Evening Arts Series Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles (JFS) recently dedicated the Michael Forman Institute for Healthy Living at the JFS/Freda Mohr Senior Center in the Fairfax District on May 17. <read article> L.A. Shoah remembrance dedicated to young victims This year's Yom HaShoah Ve'Hagvurah Community Wide Holocaust Remembrance Day program, "Children in Crisis: Voices from the Holocaust" paid special homage to the many defenseless and innocent children killed by the Nazis. Read story. Big Sunday: One temple's 'Mitzvah Day' goes city-wide and inclusive This is Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's dream: On one weekend a year -- known as Big Sunday -- 50,000 volunteers of all colors and creeds from neighborhoods throughout the region, all donning T- shirts preprinted with the Big Sunday logo, will fan out throughout Los Angeles and as far as Ventura, Anaheim and even Fontana to paint murals on classroom walls, plant trees, refurbish recreation rooms, clean homeless shelters, give blood, teach literacy, make cards for the sick and engage in hundreds of other do-good projects. Read story. |
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