You continue to strengthen Jewish Los Angeles by empowering young adults to make Shabbat their own, building friendships between Israeli and American teens, creating inclusive Jewish summer camp experiences, and helping our community better understand global events. Here are just a few of the ways your generosity made an impact in July.
BUILDING JEWISH COMMUNITY ONE SHABBAT TABLE AT A TIME
Joy and community come alive around the Shabbat table. This month, NuRoots’ Nu Fridays Shabbat Host Collective came together for their third and fourth sessions in Venice Beach, where they learned how to creatively plan meaningful gatherings and reimagined ancient Shabbat rituals for contemporary life. Nu Fridays, a five-part experience, empowers young adults with the confidence to host Shabbats that reflect their own personalities and values, helping build a new generation of Jewish community leaders excited to carry forward our traditions.
See how NuRoots is bringing together our young adult community every day by visiting JewishLA.org/NuRoots.
STRENGTHENING BONDS BETWEEN ISRAELI AND AMERICAN TEENS
Authentic relationships across borders build a stronger global Jewish community. Through Campers2Gether, our partnership with The Jewish Agency for Israel, Israeli teens are spending the summer at Jewish camps throughout Southern California, forming lasting friendships with their American peers by sharing their stories, traditions, and experiences. The program returns year-after-year, allowing even more Israeli teens to experience the joy of Jewish summer camp.
Give more local kids the chance to connect with Israeli peers at Jewish summer camp by registering for BEST DAY EVER, Tour de Summer Camps, at JewishLA.org/TdSC.
CREATING A SUMMER OF BELONGING FOR EVERY CHILD
In an inclusive community, everybody can feel the joy of Jewish summer camp. This month, Friendship Circle’s Summer Camp gave children with special needs a Jewish summer camp experience filled with activities, sports, field trips, and meaningful friendships. By pairing each camper with a volunteer, the program creates lasting relationships that enrich the lives of participants, families, and volunteers alike.
Learn about how we’re making Los Angeles a more compassionate place by visiting JewishLA.org/CJIN.
EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY DURING A CRITICAL MOMENT
Educating our community is a core Jewish value. This month, we hosted a webinar unpacking the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and its impact on Israel, the Middle East, and Jewish communities around the world. Moderated by our President & CEO Rabbi Noah Farkas, the conversation featured leading Iran experts Behnam Ben Taleblu and Dr. Sharon Nazarian, who explored the MOU’s strategic implications and offered thoughtful commentary on the impact it had on our Los Angeles Jewish community. The webinar helped our community better understand the complexity of this war and its rapidly evolving global implications, while also offering some hope for the future.
To view a recording of the full webinar, visit JewishLA.org/IranWebinar.