Sammar Smesme

Giving Thanks to Our Loving Community

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving with our families or friends. Some of us watch football, some of us watch parades, and some of us watch for sales on our favorite […]
A Reflective Time for the Jewish People

Earlier this week, JFEDLA co-hosted L.A. Remembers: October 7th at the Saban Theatre. Thousands of in-person guests, as well as thousands more online, joined 35 elected leaders and consuls general […]
A Path Out of the Darkness

Over the past several weeks, I have accompanied groups of leaders, university presidents, elected officials, and donors through the Nova Exhibition, a pop-up museum dedicated to telling the story of the […]
A Student’s Perspective on the Campus Climate

“Today, Jewish college students embody the essence of Jewish peoplehood: resilience. We are no longer the ‘future generation of leaders’; we are the present ones. We are today’s leading scholars […]
This Failure Will Not Define Us

Our hearts hurt. Our pain is real. It feels like failure. For 330 days, Hersh Goldberg-Polin languished in the dark. For 330 days, he fought back against despair and kept striving […]
Wishing Our Students and Safe and Successful School Year

Starting this week, parents across Los Angeles are sending their children back to school. Let’s be honest. For some, it’s a blessing – having kids at home all summer sounds […]
“How We Fight Back Against Antisemitism” By Rabbi Noah Farkas

The protection of Jewish life is a value we will always uphold. Our President & CEO Rabbi Noah Farkas wrote an op-ed published by the Jerusalem Post outlining a plan […]
Public Security Briefing: Protecting Our Community

One of our core Jewish values is that human life is sacred. On June 26th, the Jewish Security Alliance — our partnership with ADL Los Angeles and the Community Security […]
Security Update

Yesterday’s abhorrent violence in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles, the most densely populated Jewish area on the West Coast, is yet another example of the rising antisemitism and violence […]
A Summer of Connection

Summer is here, and it’s a time when some in our community can slow down, get away, and recharge. For some, especially our family in Israel, summer brings another season […]
Our Presentation at a Suicide Prevention Conference in Las Vegas

In early May, we presented at the 2024 American Association of Suicidology Conference in Las Vegas, with our partners at Didi Hirsch. Our presentation focused on understanding historical stigma within […]

Caring for Jews in Need, CJIN, Mental Health, Resiliency Roundtable, Suicide Prevention
Read Our 2023 Annual Report

Last year was a study in contrasts for Jewish Los Angeles. The unimaginable horrors of October 7th enraged and traumatized our entire community. Those feelings persist to this day. But […]
Watch: The Fight for Jewish Life

This month has been challenging, but the Federation has ensured that Jewish life is protected and continues to thrive and prosper. Below, please find a speech I recently gave that […]
We are relieved that the illegal encampments at UCLA’s campus have been removed. Our goal is to ensure the safety and protection of every Jewish student at UCLA. As such, […]
Jewish American Heritage Month

JFEDLA believes that the antidote to hate in all its forms is to live our best Jewish lives. In that spirit, Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) — held each May […]
Peacefully Protecting Jewish Students

We are appalled at the violence that took place on the campus of UCLA last night. The abhorrent actions of a few counter-protestors last night do not represent the Jewish […]
Community Alert: College Campus Climate Update

The events of the last few days on college campuses are simply disturbing. Our Federation values peaceful civic discourse and free speech, but the vitriol, violence, and antisemitism we are […]
This Passover, Use Your Voice for Israel & Honor the Hostages

Your Voice Matters — Advocate Now As Passover approaches and we prepare to celebrate our ancestor’s freedom from slavery, we recognize that our people’s freedom is so desperately lacking at […]
Message on Iranian Attack on Israel + Special Briefing: Sunday, April 14th at 7:00 AM PT

While we do not under normal circumstances send communications on Shabbat, this attack by Iran against Israel is alarming and frightening. The launch of hundreds of drones and missiles further […]
Resilience and Joy

For thousands of years, we have come to each other’s table to celebrate Passover, our holiday that commemorates the Exodus from Egypt. It is the oldest of our traditions, first […]