Why I love Jews by Choice Up close and personal with the TSA The soul of Monique Benabou 20 years after the L.A. Riots: Where are we now? An indelible film, ‘Shoah’ also reflects an extraordinary artist Self-styled historian seeks clues to Japan’s Holocaust survivors

January 6, 2010

Our Fifth Annual Salute to Big-Hearted Angelenos

By JewishJournal.com

Tweet

Share

Each year, when we set out our criteria for our annual pantheon of L.A.’s top mensches, we try to find nominees whose good works are, for the most part, unsung.

As it turns out, often that’s the toughest requirement to meet. Finding the people who keep their mitzvahs below the radar isn’t easy, because those who do so do their work out of a true sense of humility. Not feigned. Real.

As a result, many of the mensches we ultimately call upon don’t understand why they’re being included — and often don’t want the recognition at all. It’s not about them, they tell us, it’s about the cause. They don’t work on their own — they’re just one of many who contribute, they protest. Many others do more, they say.

Indeed, some worthy mensches decline the honor. Those who do accept do so because they want to shine a light on their passions — whether it’s working with families of very sick children, baking challah to raise money for Darfurian refugees, setting up a microloan fund for Arab and Jewish women in Israel or sharing the story of the Holocaust with young people.

But even if they don’t need the recognition, we need to know about people like those included here. We as a community and as individuals can learn from these mensches what one person can do to help change the world.

So don’t worry, dear mensches. It’s not about you. It’s about all of us.

The Mensch List

Alisa Malki and Caryn Roth: Changing Lives One Challah at a Time

Rabbi Yona Landau: Delivering Kindnesses, Discreetly

Manijeh Nehorai: Shattering a Stigma

Bryan Berkett: Financial Stability for Jews and Arabs in Israel

Dorothy Greenstein: Every Day, Another Way to Give

Nick Melvoin: Blending Camp Fun With Social Justice

Charlie Hess: Illustrating Community Service

Lindsy Seidel: A Hunger to Supply Relief

Merrill Alpert: Inspiring Youth
Julia Greenwald: Her Patients Know They’re Not Alone

Hayuta Cohen: A Sabra Who Soothes Cancer Woes

---

Post your comment below!

Click here to return to the homepage.

COMMENTS

We welcome your feedback. Comments may not exceed 700 characters.

Privacy Policy

Your information will not be shared or sold without your consent. Get all the details.

This is a very inspiring article.  I will be using some of the links to make donations.

Comment by Larry Post on 1/09/10 at 9:07 pm

Post a Comment

Name:
Email:

Type the word you see below:

Comment:

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?