Jane Ulman

Teriton tenants win battle to stay in historic apartment complex

Published on December 25, 2008

After a three-year battle with alleged religious nonprofit Or Khaim Hashalom, tenants of the historic 28-unit Teriton Apartments in Santa Monica have won the right to remain in or return to their apartments for up to seven years under their former rent-controlled leases, according to a settlement made public Dec. 4.

Rebuilding lives, one broken tile at a time

Published on November 18, 2008

It was an elegant opening for a gallery exhibition. It was difficult to discern, on the surface, that the artists represented some of Los Angeles' most impoverished citizens, residents of Skid Row and South Los Angeles, who are actually using the broken bits of tile, stone and other rejected and recycled materials to rebuild their own lives.

Yom Kippur 5769: The Art of Forgiveness

Published on October 1, 2008

In Jewish tradition, the act of seeking forgiveness from someone we have harmed is clear and specific.

Neighbors oppose Chabad expansion on Pico

Published on September 24, 2008

Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, head of Chabad of California, has a dream -- a block-long, five-story "village" on Pico Boulevard that would provide a girls day school and boarding school along with affordable, safe housing for Holocaust survivors and other elderly people and for teachers with large families.

The high cost of dying

Published on August 6, 2008

A traditional Jewish funeral is simple and not ostentatious -- good news for people concerned about the high cost of dying. But while Jewish law doesn't require embalming, elaborate floral displays or 16-gauge metal caskets with tufted crepe interiors, it does require Jews to be buried in the ground. And that costs money.

Trendy, traditional and taboo:
An incomplete guide to Jewish funerals and burial

Published on August 6, 2008

While not everyone is jumping on the 'I gotta be me' funeral bandwagon, a funny thing is happening on the way to the mortuary. When it comes to thinking about the end of life, be it in the business of funeral homes or in the minds of Jews everywhere, the world is changing.

Pacific Palisades Chabad preschool denied lease extension

Published on July 8, 2008

An eight-to-one vote by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Board -- along with a unanimous vote by the Conservancy Advisory Board -- last night soundly defeated Chabad of Pacific Palisades' appeal to temporarily extend the lease for its preschool site at Temescal Gateway Park from September 2008 through January 2009

Conference tackles Shoah survivors’ needs for next decade

Published on July 2, 2008

Not only are survivors alive in large numbers -- estimated at 700,000 worldwide, with about 85,000 in the United States -- but they are projected to be a part of Jewish society for another 10 to 15 years, and even longer for child survivors.

Chabad finds possible solution to land-use problem in Pacific Palisades

Published on June 25, 2008

The recent discovery of a long-overlooked legal document could substantially alter the situation, potentially allowing for a public street to be constructed that would lead directly to the entrance of the proposed site.

Chabad, Getty and neighbors square off over Palisades school plan

Published on June 5, 2008

Everything went smoothly until April 2, when Getty Trust attorney Lori Fox informed Cunin that Chabad does not have the right to approach the building via a private Getty service road -- which Chabad disputes

Israeli films take a lead role at Cannes

Published on May 29, 2008

Against a backdrop of threatening skies, clearly not a metaphor for the future of Israel's film industry, two Israeli feature films premiered on May 15, opening day of the 61st Cannes Film Festival. And a short by Israeli student filmmaker Elad Keidan took first prize in the Cinefondation, a competition supporting new talent.

Iranian American Jews mentoring new generation of leaders

Published on May 29, 2008

"It's amazing. It's awesome," Nicole Lavi said. "I have an older 'sister.'"

Turning 60 with Israel—just Fed-Ex those Dead Sea anti-aging creams

Published on May 15, 2008

Israel, girlfriend, what is your problem? Why all this hoopla and hype? Does the whole world have to know that you and I -- hey, break out the Botox -- are turning 60?

Shoah survivors’ offspring carry their legacy within

Published on May 1, 2008

More than 60 years after the Holocaust, the descendants of survivors continue to be undeniably and deeply shaped by an event that preceded their birth. Together they share a unique upbringing that many say is both an onus and an inspiration.

Sinai Temple puts its food where its ‘moral diet’ is

Published on April 24, 2008

Farmer Phil McGrath had just made his inaugural delivery of 25 boxes of fresh, organically grown fruits and vegetables to Sinai Temple, where organizers of the synagogue's new CSA (community supported agriculture) venture stood admiring and even sampling the boxes' contents.

Couple stands under the chuppah—60 years on

Published on April 10, 2008

"What is this chuppah? We didn't order it."

Maria Shvarts, 80, spotting the wedding canopy standing on the dance floor at West Hollywood's Cafe Troyka, asked the restaurant staff to remove it. She and her husband Boris, 84, were hosting a 60th anniversary party. Guests were arriving, and the chuppah -- obviously from a previous celebration, she thought -- was an obstruction.

What really happens to all those plastic bags?

Published on April 3, 2008

The problem of plastic grocery bags is explored.

Will ‘Bro Mitzvah’ find roots in African American community?

Published on March 13, 2008

Lillie Hill knew that 16 marked a turning point in her son DJ's life. And while she had looked into several African rites of passage, she believed the Jewish bar mitzvah ceremony, with its emphasis on family heritage and good deeds, gave her the best blueprint to validate her son's dedication to family, school, community and church and to pass on her family's values of education, worship and social outreach.

Heschel Day School West gets OK, but future still looks clouded

Published on February 28, 2008

After a protracted and often contentious battle, Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School West got the green light in late November to build a permanent school on a bucolic, 72-acre site adjacent to Agoura Hills when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved its application for a conditional-use permit.

Shoah survivors apply for ‘voluntary’ ghetto work pay

Published on February 7, 2008

As a teenager in Ukraine, Yakov Margulis worked every day except Saturday from morning until dark. During the summer, he toiled long hours on a farm. In winter, he repaired machinery.

"In exchange for work, they gave me food to eat," Margulis says.

Conference tackles thorny Jewish-Polish relationship

Published on January 24, 2008

In a groundbreaking collegial but hard-hitting conference sponsored by the UCLA Center for Jewish Studies, a slate of top scholars, public officials, diplomats and Polish Jewish community leaders met to discuss the controversial and complicated relationship of Poles and Jews.

Lithuanian festival excludes Yiddish dancers

Published on January 10, 2008

Next July 6, more than 1,000 Lithuanian folk dancers decked out in authentic woven costumes, representing close to 40 dance ensembles, will perform the windmill, the scarf dance and other traditional dances at the XIII Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival, hosted for the first time in Los Angeles.

Community-supported agriculture grows on local Jews

Published on January 3, 2008

One couple’s attempt to become less energy dependent

Published on January 3, 2008

Last summer, Bonnie and Marc Gottlieb calculated their carbon footprint, measuring the impact on the earth's environment of such activities as driving their car, turning on their furnace and tossing out their trash. They discovered that they emitted about 56,000 pounds of carbon dioxide annually into the atmosphere.

What would Noah do?

Published on January 3, 2008

On a ferociously cold evening in November 1978, Rabbi Everett Gendler climbed atop the icy roof of Temple Emanuel in Lowell, Mass., and installed solar panels to fuel the synagogue's ner tamid (eternal light).

"We plugged it almost directly into the sun," said Gendler, who rejoiced that the ner tamid was no longer dependent on the finite and politically questionable energy resources of the Middle East.

H.O.P.E. for the bereaved, even years later

Published on December 26, 2007

Four years after Shirley T.'s husband died, the anniversary of his death was more painful than she could have anticipated. She spent the day before cooking the foods he loved and somehow navigated emotionally through the anniversary itself.

Holocaust survivors in L.A.  are still struggling

Published on November 29, 2007

There are an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 Holocaust survivors living in Los Angeles, according to Federation spokeswoman Deborah Dragon. Of these, 3,000 are determined to be financially needy, a figure based on a United Jewish Communities Report published December 2003, which found 25 percent of Holocaust victims in the United States living in poverty.

Americans don’t forget Eastern Europe’s survivors

Published on November 22, 2007

Galina's renewed sense of hope for her future -- for the chance to relax and to read and memorize her beloved poems about Victory Day -- comes as a result of the work of comedy director/producer Zane Buzby and the Survivor Mitzvah Project, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that brings direct financial assistance to about 700 elderly and ill Holocaust survivors in Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and Lithuania.

These are the faces of the fighters, the survivors

Published on November 22, 2007

Profiles and pictures of volunteers of the Survivor Mitzvah Project and some of the Holocaust survivors they serve.

Meet the multitalented, endlessly energetic Zane Buzby

Published on November 22, 2007

There are not enough hours in the day for Zane Buzby.

The rise of the independent b’nai mitzvah—bane or boon?

Published on September 27, 2007

Gabriel Shacket stood on the bimah, before the Holy Ark, and led the morning service for a group of 75 family members and friends. He recited the prayers and blessings, chanted from the Torah and delivered a speech. In short, the 13-year-old became a bar mitzvah.

Sukkot in the City

Published on September 20, 2007

Sukkot ("tabernacles" or "booths" in English) is one of three major Jewish pilgrimage festivals (shalosh regalim) and begins at sundown on Sept. 26. The eight-day festival, which ends with Simchat Torah on Friday, Oct. 5, is celebrated in a variety of ways. Here is The Jewish Journal's guide to Sukkot around town.

What will your rabbi be talking about?

Published on September 13, 2007

In sermons on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur throughout Southern California this year, rabbis will continue to exhort their congregants to look inward and outward, to reflect upon and repair themselves, their families and communities, the nation and the world.

Milken JCC bustling despite pool uncertainty

Published on September 13, 2007

It's a typical bustling weekday at this Jewish center in West Hills, and it's a sharp contrast to the situation only a few months ago when the center was facing a deficit of $250,000, an uncertain future and a loss of nearly one-third of its members, following the abrupt closure of the pool on April 25 by The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.

Who pays for what at today’s Jewish weddings?

Published on August 9, 2007

Forget the Bible, the Talmud or even the Code of Jewish Law. When it comes to figuring out who pays for what at a contemporary Jewish wedding, today's families are more apt to consult Modern Bride or TheKnot.com.

Does New JCC at Milken mean more trouble for other JCCs?

Published on June 28, 2007

While the JCC and The Federation argue over what brought the two Jewish institutions to this impasse, larger issues are at stake. Are JCCs, in fact, viable and desirable in Los Angeles? Can they ultimately survive here?

Teriton ‘landmark’ status upheld but residents still face eviction

Published on June 21, 2007

A contested Santa Monica apartment complex owned by a Jewish nonprofit, which had hoped to raze the property in favor of a synagogue and condos for Middle East refugees, has had its landmark status upheld. But Teriton residents are still facing eviction.

Milken JCC board rejects Federation offer

Published on June 14, 2007

Up to now, the New JCC at Milken has avoided closure and selling off its property, the fate of many former Los Angeles JCCs, because of its unique history.

Not your father’s Poland

Published on June 7, 2007

Photo essay on Poland.

Timeline: Jewish life in Poland from 1098

Published on June 7, 2007

Poland and the Jews:
Is it time to stop hating the country when positive changes are transforming it?

Published on June 7, 2007

Many Jews still view Poland as the land of pogroms, persecution and prejudice; a terminally anti-Semitic and blood-drenched country where 3 million Jews were mercilessly murdered during World War II; a land dotted with death camps, desecrated cemeteries and deserted synagogues. What most Jews don't know is that Poland has changed radically over the past couple of decades, and these days, it is reaching out to Israel and to Jews --and not just socially, either.

Trio of Israeli student films shine on the French Riviera

Published on May 24, 2007

Asaf Korman's 25-minute short is one of three Israeli student films at Cannes this year. The other two were selected for the Cinefondation category, a competition exclusively for short films produced by film school students.

Big Sunday: One temple’s ‘Mitzvah Day’ goes city-wide and inclusive

Published on April 19, 2007

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.

Holy oatmeal—it’s better than fiber!

Published on March 22, 2007

Marsha Marcus came running into the kitchen of their Northridge home. She saw her husband staring into the pot of oatmeal he was cooking on the stove. As she peered inside, she saw why her husband had summoned her.

An American soldier’s Purim—1945

Published on March 1, 2007

"Pardon me, sir, are you perchance a Jew?"

Ralph Goodman immediately reached for the .45 on his hip. The 24-year-old American soldier didn't know what to expect from the approaching middle-aged man wearing a felt hat, one side folded up, and speaking Australian-accented English.

The whole megillah: Ten reasons to love Purim

Published on March 1, 2007

So what is Purim about? This short guide explains the various holiday traditions and celebrations, as well as a few suggestions of unique and fun ways to partake in the festivities.

The city branches into the Tu B’Shevat business to make L.A. naturally beautiful

Published on February 1, 2007

This year, as Jews living in Los Angeles, we are teaming up not only with God but also with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has launched an ambitious drive to plant 1 million new trees in Los Angeles neighborhoods, schoolyards and parks, on both public and private properties, over the next several years.

Meet Harry Schwartzbart—defender of the First Amendment

Published on February 1, 2007

After Agoura eruv dismantled, residents ask ‘What’s up with that?‘

Published on February 1, 2007

The Agoura Eruv, a project conceived by a small group of local Chabad congregants, covered portions of Agoura Hills and Oak Park, as well as a small sliver of Westlake Village. The Oak Park segment of the eruv had been taken down prior to the Jan. 23 meeting, and on Jan. 25 the Eruv Committee officially ordered the elements in Agoura Hills and Westlake Village dismantled.

Who needs law school? Just marry a lawyer!

Published on January 4, 2007

First, let me say that by the time I announced to my family that I was actually getting married, at the already questionable child-bearing age of 34, they would have been ecstatic had I said I was marrying a Martian.The fact that Larry was a lawyer, on the partner track at a reputable Los Angeles law firm, was a bonus. The fact that he was a Jewish lawyer, strongly identified as a Member of the Tribe and actively engaged in the community, was beyond their wildest hopes.