Event Recap

For me, the most ominous day of the year is August 1st. In July, all is calm, but as soon as the calendar says August, I can no longer deny it. The High Holy Days are coming.

On July 17th, a panel of community leaders converged in the Breed Street Shul in Boyle Heights to discuss the complexities of a pressing and modern-day topic: gentrification.

The scene was filled with inspiration, creativity, and awe. The energy in the room was invigorating. We could feel and see the impact of the Federation-Unistream partnership as soon as our Federation’s delegation arrived at Heichal Hatarbut for Unistream’s Tedz”l and Hedy Orden and Family Entrepreneur of the Year Competition.

Two years ago, the Los Angeles Jewish Teen Initiative (LAJTI) launched its Teen Program Accelerator to strengthen existing organizations and offer enhanced Jewish experiences to meet teens’ diverse interests. Since, eight teams of talented Jewish professionals from organizations across the city formed a cohort and supported each other in the creation and expansion of programs of excellence for L.A.’s Jewish teens.

On Wednesday, May 17th, our CSI held its fifth annual Safety and Security Conference, bringing together a host of professionals from the Jewish community and law enforcement.

The Rautenberg New Leaders Project (NLP), The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles; premier civic leadership training program, seeks to foster the next generation of Jewish leaders here in Los Angeles. Founded over 25 years ago, NLP provides a range of diverse learning opportunities that expose participants to the complexity and diversity of Los Angeles civic life.

This year, Sylvia Weisz Women’s Philanthropy went for the gold at our annual It Takes A Woman luncheon, held on May 10th, 2017, at Skirball Cultural Center. Nearly 400 women showed their support for our Federation at our annual event featuring keynote speaker Olympic Gold Medalist Aly Raisman. Aly charmed the crowd as she shared personal stories about growing up in a tight-knit Jewish family, how she deals with social media pressure, and of course, her experiences performing on the U.S. Gymnastics Team in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics!

Through its partnership with the Israeli nonprofit Unistream, The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles is committed to the success and empowerment of Israeli students living in the socioeconomic and geographic peripheries of Israel. This multifaceted commitment, which includes an expansion of Unistream’s infrastructure and curriculum, extends far beyond participants; high school graduation. Unistream’s programming caters to high school students, but is designed to instill a lifelong skillset that will be applicable to their future careers and aspirations.

On April 2nd, The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and its dozens of volunteers across the city took part in our second Community Service Day this year. This day also marked our Federation’s participation in Global Good Deeds Day. This Community Service Day included six projects: volunteers cleaned beaches with Heal the Bay, braided Challah alongside Holocaust survivors with Lâ Dough Vâ Dough, danced with senior citizens at their very own Senior Prom, worked the land and bonded with animals at Shemesh Farms and Wildlife Waystation, and helped middle schoolers finesse their interviewing skills with YES Scholars.

Our Federation’s Sylvia Weisz Women’s Philanthropy hosted three exciting and inspiring events last month with Ruth Reichl, culinary icon, author, and Top Chef Judge. The three events took place at Hillcrest Country Club, Brentwood Country Club, and El Caballero Country Club, bringing together over 500 women from the City and the Valley to support our Federation’s impactful work. Read below to learn more about the event at El Caballero Country Club, and contact us to get involved with Sylvia Weisz Women’s Philanthropy.

On March 23rd, over 600 community members gathered at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel for The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles’ 68th Annual Legal Division Dinner honoring Albert Z. Praw. Mr. Praw, the current Vice Chair of the Federation’s Board of Directors and the Executive Vice President of Real Estate and Business Development at KB Home, is the recipient of this year’s Bruce I. Hochman Maimonides Torch of Justice Award, recognizing his long-standing dedication and service to the Jewish and larger community. The night highlighted the Federation’s important work and also Mr. Praw’s vast personal impact on his family and friends.

This June 4-12, join the Federation on Israel Unparalleled – a world-class tour of Israel featuring innovative cuisine, collectible wines, and astounding art. Learn more from our interview below with Harold and Amy Masor, two of the co-chairs of the upcoming trip.

On February 26, volunteers of all ages joined together across Los Angeles for a day of meaningful service as part of our Community Service Days.

On March 2nd, our Federation’s most generous donors and families joined together to attend our annual Hineni Society Dinner at the Four Seasons.

On March 5th, community members joined to commemorate Richard S. Ziman’s generous gift to The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles — his Tzedakah Box Collection, now on permanent display at the Federation’s Goldsmith Center. Comprised of over 250 historic tzedakah boxes originating from countries all across the Jewish world, this collection will serve as a continuous symbol of our shared heritage, the Jewish value of tzedakah — charity — and community.

Complete with a petting zoo, bubble pool, and colorful challah, PJ Library Family Camp appears on the surface to be pure fun. But add a Tu B’shevat seder, quality family time, and new friendships for everyone involved, and it becomes something much more.