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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

California Assemblymen to put pressure on corporations dealing with Iran

By Ryan Torok, Contributing Writer

As the international Jewish community becomes increasingly skeptical about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s assertion that he has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapon capabilities, California assembly members Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) and Bob Blumenfield (D-San Fernando Valley) announced Tuesday that in January, they will introduce legislation that would prohibit California public entities from doing business with corporations that have contracts with Iran’s energy sector.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Muslims, Buddhists,Christians and Jews Unite to End Hunger in L.A.

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax

More than 150 Muslim, Christian, Jewish and other faith leaders met last week under a sukkah to vow to work together to put an end to hunger in Los Angeles.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

L.A. Groups Cited for Innovation

By Tom Tugend

Three Los Angeles organizations have won spots in a listing of the 50 hottest, most innovative and cutting-edge Jewish nonprofits in the United States and Canada.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Neo-Nazis Rally in Riverside

by Lisa Armony, Contributing Writer

Three neo-Nazis unfurled large swastika flags outside a Riverside synagogue on Oct. 2 as congregants gathered inside for Shabbat and Sukkot prayers.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Book for Kids Answers Cancer Questions

By Karla S. Blume

When Beverlye Hyman Fead was diagnosed with fourth-stage inoperable cancer in 2002, her doctors gave her two months to live. After being treated with four different forms of chemotherapy and two experimental treatments, the eight large tumors lining her abdomen were reduced and she’s been able to live with the cancer.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

$1 Million Warrant Issued for Iranian Jewish Man Wanted for Attempted Murder

By Karmel Melamed

When 49-year-old Adel Hakim, an Iranian Jewish resident of Beverly Hills, failed to appear at his Sept. 24 court appearance on charges of attempted murder of his brother last year, the judge in the case issued a $1 million warrant for his arrest. Beverly Hills Police Sergeant Michael Publicker said city police detectives have had no leads on Hakim’s whereabouts and are seeking the public’s assistance in bringing him to justice. “He’s committed a very violent crime, is wanted for attempted murder, and we believe him to be armed and extremely dangerous,” Publicker said. “If anyone comes in contact with him, we ask that they dial 911 immediately, or if they know his location, to call us.”

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

New Group Forms for Non-Jewish Mothers Raising Jewish Children

by Emily Kaplan, Contributing Writer

Temple Aliyah in Woodland Hills is recruiting participants for the Los Angeles area’s first Mothers’ Circle, a group for non-Jewish mothers who are raising their children Jewish. Set to begin mid-November and funded by The Jewish Federation Valley Alliance, the 16-session course includes information for mothers on Jewish lifecycle events and celebrating Jewish holidays. The group also provides access to local rabbis for one-on-one dialogues and a forum in which mothers can discuss issues and get answers to questions that “just aren’t comfortably asked with Jews in the room,” according to Temple Aliyah’s program director Lori Marx-Rubiner.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Sharing Sukkot, Meals

By Rebecca Steinberger

About 20 guests and 60 members of B’nai David-Judea and the larger Jewish community gathered in the synagogue’s Pico Boulevard sukkah on the night of Oct. 6 for a dinner sponsored by Federation’s Fed Up with Hunger campaign.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

LimmudLA Reaches Out to Israelis

By Rebecca Steinberger

On Oct. 4, LimmudLA targeted the Israeli community, offering a sampling of what might be expected at the weekend-long learning conference to be held Feb. 12-15, 2010.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

10-K to Stomp Out AK-47s.

By Karla S. Blume

Ten years ago, any talk of the shooting victims of the North Valley Jewish Community Center would likely have been discouraging to hear, at best. Now two of the survivors, Mindy Finkelstein, 26, and Joshua Stepakoff, 16, have put the fear behind them and joined up with Women Against Gun Violence (WAGV) to organize Victory Over Violence, a 10-K run and 5-K run/walk and kids fun-run. Finkelstein chose the Los Angeles-based WAGV because it donates money to gun-violence victims and reinforces a zero-tolerance attitude about the use of guns by having victims tell their story in public venues. “Mindy and I wanted to do something positive to remember this day, to raise more awareness about gun violence,” Stepakoff said.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

New Choices for New Jews

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax

Potential converts or interested Jews looking for classes to teach them how to be Jewish have an increased menu of options this fall, as a new program gets established and an established program gets a facelift.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

L.A. Venture Capitalist, Philanthropist Under Scrutiny by SEC

By Tom Tugend

Venture capitalist Elliott Broidy, a major donor and activist in the Los Angeles Jewish community and a leading investor in the Israeli economy, is under scrutiny in a current U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

NCJW Receipts ‘Best of L.A.’

By JewishJournal.com

The itemized donor receipts offered by the National Council of Jewish Women’s Los Angeles Council Thrift Shops were singled out in the August issue of Los Angeles Magazine’s “Best of L.A.” this year. And indeed, from direct experience, it’s true — you can drop off your single bag or loads of stuff cleaned out of closets, drawers and the garage and soon after receive in the mail a clear and detailed accounting of the NCJW’s assessment of fair market value for use when filing your income taxes.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Iranian Group, Docs Debate Health Care Options

by Rebecca Steinberger, Contributing Writer

Members of the nonprofit group 30 Years After and the Iranian Jewish community gathered Sept. 13 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Beverly Hills for a panel discussion on health care. Panel participants included William W. Brien, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center co-chairman; Sarita Mohanty, USC KECK School of Medicine assistant professor; Howard Kahn, CEO of L.A. Care; and Larry Greenfield, vice president of the Claremont Institute.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

LAUSD Supports Federal Bill Against Businesses Working With Iran

By Karmel Melamed

The seven-member board of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) on Sept. 8 unanimously approved a resolution in support of a newly drafted federal bill that would prohibit the U.S. government from contracting with telecommunications companies that work with the Iranian regime. While only symbolic in nature, the resolution was California’s first school board resolution related to Iran. It was drafted by board member Tamar Galatzan, who is Jewish, and is intended to send a message to federal policymakers and to corporations doing business with the Iranian government.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

A Sukkot Sojourn in Disneyland

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax

For years, observant Jewish families have been taking advantage of Jewish day schools’ Sukkot vacation to enjoy off-season shorter lines in theme parks like Disneyland or Knott’s Berry Farm. Now, an enterprising tour company is institutionalizing that practice with a full Disneyland resort vacation Oct. 1-11, complete with meals, programming, discounted tickets to the theme parks and, of course, a sukkah.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Emergency Humanitarian Mission to Ukraine

By Jane Ulman

Zane Buzby, co-founder of The Survivor Mitzvah Project, is spearheading a 14-day whirlwind emergency humanitarian mission to central Ukraine in December to bring urgently needed financial aid to more than 70 elderly, impoverished and forgotten Jewish Holocaust survivors.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

New Jewish Magazine for Kids

By Laura Stampler

This month, ZimZoom will be coming to Jewish schools and libraries nationwide. Rising from the ashes of BabagaNewz, a magazine geared toward Jewish children that had a circulation of 1,000 schools and reached 30,000 students before its discontinuation due to funding complications, ZimZoom is “filling the void,” said Michael Folib, publisher of both magazines.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Flu cases down at Hess Kramer

By Laura Stampler

Camp Hess Kramer, like other sleep-away camps this summer, sent home children with influenza-like symptoms during its first session. But no children were sent home from the camp after July 15, the start of its second session.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Anti-Semitic Graffiti Mars JLA Building

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

New LAPD Programs to Combat Hate Crimes

By Danielle Berrin

After a recent upsurge in anti-Semitic violence, including the shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in June and a failed bomb plot targeting New York synagogues in May, Los Angeles city officials and community leaders are on alert for the approach of the High Holy Days season. More than 80 people representing Los Angeles synagogues and Jewish institutions attended an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) security briefing on Aug. 19, presented in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Nominate, Vote for Jewish Community Hero

By Danielle Berrin

Prompted by the increasing popularity of online social networking, UJC/The Jewish Federations of North America has launched a national campaign to honor “Jewish Community Heroes.”

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Berman Backs Obama’s Iran Strategy

Rep. Howard Berman (D-Van Nuys) says that though President Obama’s attempt to engage the government of Iran may not succeed, it is crucial to rallying international support for severe sanctions in the future .

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

COMMUNITY BRIEFS: Law suit Filed Against Wiesenthal Center, Camps Respond to Flu Symptoms

By JewishJournal.com

Neighboring homeowners to the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance, who have been battling a proposed expansion of the museum for the past two years, have filed a lawsuit in Superior Court seeking to force the Los Angeles City Council to reverse its previous approval of the project.