Kerry presses Netanyahu on Jerusalem building

Published on June 3, 2013

Secretary of State John Kerry in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised U.S. unhappiness with Israel’s announcement of new building in eastern Jerusalem.

Plan to build in eastern Jerusalem neighborhood is resurrected

Published on December 3, 2012

A building plan for eastern Jerusalem that stirred a furor when it was approved during a visit by Vice President Joe Biden has been resurrected.

Iran reportedly installs hundreds of new uranium enrichment machines

Published on August 24, 2012

Iran may have installed as many as "hundreds of new" uranium enrichment machines in its underground nuclear facility at Fordow.

EU ministers express concerns about Israel’s settlement building

Published on January 24, 2012

European Union foreign ministers called Israeli settlement building "worrying" as its foreign policy chief left for meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders In a statement released Monday in Brussels, foreign ministers from the EU's 27 member countries said that "Against the backdrop of worrying developments on the ground in 2011, particularly with regards to settlements, the EU reaffirms its commitment to a two-state solution."

Seth Godin’s Wisdom

By Samira Asemanfar
Published on November 21, 2011

Gilo building plan gets go-ahead

Published on September 27, 2011

Jerusalem's district planning committee has approved a construction plan to build 1,100 housing units in Gilo, a Jewish neighborhood of 40,000 in eastern Jerusalem.

Sydney local council denies permission to build eruv

Published on August 24, 2011

Jewish leaders in Sydney are irate after a local council denied an application to build an eruv.

Israel approves more eastern Jerusalem housing

Published on August 11, 2011

Israel's interior minister gave final approval to a project to build 1,600 housing units in a Jewish neighborhood of eastern Jerusalem.

State Department criticizes Israel over E. Jerusalem housing approval

Published on August 10, 2011

The Obama administration criticized Israel over the approval of a new housing project in eastern Jerusalem.

Chivalry is Dead!

By Julia Bendis
Published on June 16, 2011

My Interview with the Department of Homeland Security!

By Julia Bendis
Published on February 1, 2011

Livni says Israel should freeze settlement building

Published on December 13, 2010

Israel should have instituted a second settlement building freeze in exchange for U.S. guarantees, Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni said on ABC News.

Sukkahs that captured a city’s imagination to go nationwide

Published on September 28, 2010

It was a surprise hit on the cultural roster of a city that may be the most culturally busy city in the nation.

Attack on building is hate crime, N.Y. court rules

Published on April 1, 2010

A person can be guilty of a hate crime even if his victim is a building and not a person, a New York court found.

The state's Court of Appeals affirmed Tuesday that Mazin Assi's conviction under New York's hate crimes statute for throwing firebombs at a Bronx synagogue in 2000 was valid.

‘Everybody Knows’ Real Jerusalem Fallacy

Published on March 24, 2010

Throughout this month, the world has heard Israeli government officials and their allies in the United States — particularly among the pro-settler crowd —
defending construction in East Jerusalem settlements on the grounds that “everybody knows” these areas will always be part of Israel.

Quartet condemns east Jerusalem building

Published on March 19, 2010

The "Quartet" guiding the Middle East peace process condemned Israeli building in eastern Jerusalem but called for a resumption of talks without preconditions.

The statement issued Friday morning by the grouping, which comprises the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations, suggested frustration with both Israel and the Palestinians.

How to build a sukkah [VIDEO]

By Rebecca Steinberger
Published on October 2, 2009

What we need: Philanthropreneurship

By Gary Wexler
Published on March 1, 2007

I'm learning that to American eyes, Canada can be very deceptive. It looks and smells like America, but scratch the surface and our northern neighbor is a million miles away. It's a very different place and culture.

Broad Art Center lifts concrete divide from UCLA

By Morris Newman
Published on November 9, 2006

In remodeling UCLA's old art school building, architects Richard Meier and Michael Palladino have taken a building that was essentially a wall and made it into a window. And the view through the window is good.

Fate of Santa Monica apartment building embroils rabbi and residents in legal battle

By Jane Ulman
Published on October 26, 2006

Rabbi Hertzel Illulian, a rabbi active in the Los Angeles Persian community, is embroiled in a revolt. It's taking place in the normally laid-back city of Santa Monica and concerns the future of the Teriton apartment building.

Which came first: the building or the dress?

By Morris Newman
Published on September 14, 2006

"Skin + Bones: Parallel Practices in Fashion and Architecture," opening Nov. 19 at the Museum of Contemporary Art downtown, proposes that building design and haute couture have increasingly begun to overlap and borrow ideas from one another.

Building Homes, Building Hope

By Rabbi Mark S. Diamond
Published on May 25, 2006

The prophet Isaiah asks: "What is the house which you would build for Me, and what is the place of My rest?" (Isaiah 66:1). In the days following the Easter and Passover holidays, 41 Angelenos traveled to the Gulf Coast to translate their faith into action. We were rabbis and pastors, African Americans and Jewish Americans, high school seniors and senior adults, synagogue and church members from 12 Los Angeles congregations who rebuilt homes in Gulfport, Miss.

Huizar Proposal Would Close Razing Loophole

By Tom Tugend
Published on March 22, 2006

An order to investigate the demolition of a historic Jewish Community Center (JCC) building in Boyle Heights is now on the agenda of the Los Angeles City Council.

Parent Wins School Pesticide Battle

By Idan Ivri
Published on February 9, 2006

A new law that bans that use of experimental pesticides in schools is the latest achievement of Robina Suwol, a Jewish anti-pesticide activist.

Attacks on Moscow Synagogues

By Lev Krichevsky
Published on January 19, 2006

Moscow's five functioning synagogues have been repeated targets.

Program Tries to Sell Youth on Negev

By Dina Kraft
Published on January 19, 2006

The two-day event over Chanukah, dubbed "Light Up the Negev," was organized by the Jewish National Fund-Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (JNF) with the express purpose of "selling" the Negev to Israel's youth.

Zoning Snafus Keep New JCC Empty

By Yasha Levine
Published on January 19, 2006

The center is also the focus of criticism from some of its would-be occupants, who say that they haven't been kept in the loop about planning the center from the beginning, that its opening has been delayed and that they are unsure about when they will be able to move in.

Russian City Gets New JCC

By Yasha Levine
Published on January 19, 2006

Anatoly Obermeister, president of the construction and development firm ASTRA, plans to offer the ground floor -- about 6,000 square feet -- of a new housing project in the center of town for use as a Jewish community center that could include a restaurant, clinic, school and other social services.

The Building Blocks of a Great Sukkah

By Michael Brown
Published on October 13, 2005

Every year, Scott Rekant of Monmouth Junction, N.J., hauls a tidy pile of 21 2-by-4s from his garage and puts together a sturdy sukkah that stands on his back porch.

Close Calls, Tense Moments in Fire

By Adam Wills
Published on October 6, 2005

Jeff and Liz Kramer and their three teenage sons could only watch and wait.

School Bond Measure Gets Failing Grade

By Bob Hertzberg
Published on September 15, 2005

I have a picture on the wall of my office. It was taken at about 4 a.m. in 1998. I'm in the picture with a group of Democratic and Republican legislators. We look tired; we've been up late for a number of nights. But there's also a glint of celebration.

That was a happy and proud moment. We had just negotiated Proposition 1A, which put $9.2 billion of school bonds on the ballot. This bipartisan breakthrough opened the way for three successful state school bonds that raised $34 billion for school construction.

I've also supported local school bonds, and the state and local money that voters entrusted to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is being used to build schools all over the city.

I don't take this progress lightly or for granted. But building for seats is not the same as building for reform. To date, L.A. Unified has done the former but only paid lip service to the latter. And I find myself moving to an uncomfortable and unfamiliar position on the question of the school district's bid to pass $3.985 billion in school bonds this November.

People, Motifs Blend at The Shul

By Lisa Alcalay Klug
Published on April 14, 2005

The Shul's powerful sense of Jewish solidarity is well-documented. In May 1995, it hosted a meeting of the annual Sephardic Rabbis Convention, which featured an address by Rabbi Eliahu Bakshi-Doron, then the the Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel.

Zucky’s Counter Culture

By Tom Tugend
Published on March 31, 2005

"Zucky's was designed by Weldon Fulton as a prime example of the Googie or California Coffee Shop Modern architectural genre," Biondo said. "In any remodeling, we want to preserve the main Zucky's signboard, exterior ceramic tiles and stonework, the diagonal treatment along Fifth Street, and the brick wall and window sills."

Another Chance

By Rabbi Lisa Edwards
Published on March 3, 2005

With great sadness my friends decided to divorce in January 2001. They had given themselves one year into the new century to see if they could make it work, and it didn't seem as if they could. Then, in 2002, they happily reconciled. When asked why, they say Sept. 11 brought them back together; it helped them refocus their priorities.

Q & A With Larry Mark

By Amy Klein
Published on January 20, 2005

Hey, Jewish filmmakers! If you've done everything you can to try to get to Park City this week for the Sundance Festival, or its increasingly popular avant-garde cousin, the Slamdance Festival, but haven't made the cut, next year try the SchmoozeDance Festival. Created five years ago by film aficionado Larry Mark, a 44-year-old living on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, SchmoozeDance might not be the biggest Jewish film fest in the world, but it is the only one that takes place next to the most prestigious festival in the world.

Teshuvah for Two

By Carin Davis
Published on September 23, 2004

There's nothing more romantic than a cantor's serenade, a symphony of grumbling stomachs, and an oversized sheet of dry honey cake.

Jewish Arsonist Worked for Paris Center

By Philip Carmel
Published on September 2, 2004

Paris police say a 52-year-old Jewish man arrested Monday morning in connection with the Aug. 22 torching of the Judaeo-Spanish social center in the capital's 11th district is the principal suspect in the arson.

Building Dignity

By Andrea Adelson
Published on September 2, 2004

Overlooking bruised thumbs, sore muscles and sunburns, by week's end the construction crew will bubble excitedly over their measurable progress that began with a bare foundation, said Thayne Smith, construction director for Orange County's Habitat for Humanity.

Malibu Shul Begins Building—Finally

By Julie G Fax
Published on August 26, 2004

Construction crews broke ground at the site of the Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue (MJCS) last week -- two and a half years after the congregation held a gala groundbreaking celebration for the new $10 million building.

"Building in Malibu is legendary -- it's very difficult to get through the regulatory process. Thank God, we've made it through all of that," said George Greenberg, congregation president.

Synagogues ‘On Guard’ for Holidays

By David Finnigan
Published on August 26, 2004

Sinai Temple in Westwood has spent at least $365,000 annually on increased security since Sept. 11.

"That's just for my manpower, to have bodies here when the building is open," said Howard Lesner, the Conservative synagogue's executive director, who gleans the extra security budget from a post-Sept. 11, $36-per-student fee at Sinai's day school and another $200-per-family temple fee.

Sharon Defuses Settlement Crisis

By Leslie Susser
Published on August 12, 2004

Quick action by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon managed to avert a looming crisis over Israeli building in the West Bank, but the tension could resume as Israel comes under pressure to meet its commitments to dismantle illegal settlement outposts and not to expand existing settlements.

Tull Lends a Hand to the Homeless

By Gaby Wenig
Published on June 24, 2004

She first started worrying about those on the streets in 1980, and now, 24 years later, Tanya Tull is fighting against a real estate boom that prices the low-wage earners out of the housing market and federal aid cuts that exacerbate the problem.

Neighbors Renew Etz Chaim Fight

By Julie G Fax
Published on May 20, 2004

Despite continuing legal challenges, members of Etz Chaim this month prayed for the first few Shabbats in their new home, a house converted for use as a shul on the corner of Highland Avenue and Third Street in Hancock Park.

Transition to New Center Under Way

By Andrea Adelson
Published on March 4, 2004

The facility still under construction in Irvine is expansive and includes an infant-care facility, preschool, fitness center and gymnasium large enough to accommodate two basketball games. There are areas designated for workout classes, adult education and massage. When completed, there will be lockers for swimmers, space for an art exhibit, playground and Holocaust memorial.

Learning Reshaped at Europe’s Limmud

By Andrew Morris
Published on February 26, 2004

Limmud, which means learning in Hebrew, is a name that for many in the Jewish and non-Jewish educational world has become synonymous with an inclusive, bottom-up approach to education.

Gehry Spoken Here

By Tom Teicholz
Published on November 20, 2003

Disney Hall may well be Frank Gehry's crowning achievement in Los Angeles -- and for good reason. Approaching The Walt Disney Concert Hall from the corner of First Street and Grand Avenue, the stainless steel walls reach into the air like a conductor's arms. The interior is even more striking, an intimate space filled with light and color. Disney Hall has every chance of becoming more than a concert hall -- it stands to become a destination. Like the Getty, which is now visited as much -- if not more -- for the building than the art inside, Disney Hall is sure to draw visitors who care not a whit about the music. There are public gardens on the outside. Patina restaurant has relocated to Disney Hall and will also operate a lower priced cafe. Visitors will be able to dine at both without buying tickets to a performance.

Literary Offerings to Harvest Your Brain

By Rita Berman Frischer
Published on October 9, 2003

As I write this article, Hurricane Isabel has come and gone; its destructive force headlined the news, offering a strange but appropriate counterpoint to writing about children's books on Sukkot and Simchat Torah. In today's world, these holidays, following on the heels of Yom Kippur, remind us of the swift changes life brings and underscore the fragile nature of our security. Through stories, we can find shelter in the joy of offering hospitality, in helping others, in relishing happiness when we can and in acknowledging human courage and endurance in the face of trouble. These are all themes to explore as you sit, rejoicing with your children and guests, in your sukkah.

A Tabernacle Full of Knickknacks and Love

By Andrea Adelson
Published on October 2, 2003

Sukkot, the eight-day festival that begins Oct. 11, commemorates a central event in Jewish history: the 40-year desert trek that followed the exodus from Egypt when Jews lived in portable shelters or booths.

People celebrate the holiday by building, eating in -- and sometimes sleeping in -- a temporary structure topped by a "natural" covering, such as tree branches or a bamboo mat which allows star-gazing. The structure is a show of trust in God's protection. During the festival -- sometimes called "Tabernacles" and "The Harvest Festival" -- we also say a blessing over the four species: the lulav, etrog, hadas and arava.

Big-Screen King’s Legacy of Generosity

By Andrea Adelson
Published on October 2, 2003

Paul I. Goldenberg avoided playgrounds and sports when he was growing up because he lacked athletic prowess. He spent hours in the cool darkness of a movie house.
The Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging in Reseda honored Goldenberg, 75, owner of La Habra's Paul's TV & Video, as well as others at a gala last month. Goldenberg helped fund the home's newest $14.3 million building, designed to reflect the latest research on Alzheimer's disease and dementia. He pledged another $2 million towards a $52 million nursing-home expansion, which is hoped will accommodate 40 percent of those on the facility's 350-person waiting list.

Summer Tzedakah

By Sandy Schachter
Published on September 4, 2003

The rabbis say that the world stands on three things: learning, prayer and righteous deeds.

The Circuit

By Michael Aushenker
Published on May 22, 2003

The Circuit

Straight From Heaven

By Rabbi Elazar Muskin
Published on April 30, 2003

On our trip we took the students to the city of Lublin, and we visited the once-famous and beautiful yeshiva, Hachmei Lublin, founded by Rabbi Meir Shapiro, the renowned pre-Holocaust spiritual leader.

A Healer Returns

By Toby Axelrod
Published on March 6, 2003

niel Libeskind is coming back to New York to help heal the wounds created on Sept. 11. He won't be working with words or medicine but with stone, cement, glass and steel.

The Battle Over Mesivta

By Wendy J. Madnick
Published on October 24, 2002

The protracted court case, which is now awaiting an environmental impact report (EIR) from the school, shows how badly a school building project can go when met with fiery opposition by the surrounding community.

New UCLA Hillel

By Rachel Brand
Published on April 4, 2002

Cars slow and heads turn as curious UCLA students drive past 574 Hilgard Ave. The construction site will be the new home of the UCLA Hillel building, scheduled to open this fall.

Move Over, Los Angeles

By Karen Alexander
Published on August 30, 2001

Within a few miles of where she buys lamb chops for her family, ambitious building projects worth at least $30 million are under way -- or recently completed -- at five different synagogues and three Jewish day schools. Meanwhile, community leaders secretly put the finishing touches on their soon-to-be announced plans for a cutting-edge Jewish Community Center and mega-campus for Jewish agencies.

Welcome to Orange County, where the Jewish community is in the midst of a growth spurt unlike anything in its history.

A Place for Teens, Torah and Hanging Out

By Julie G Fax
Published on July 13, 2000

While the adults are talking up the "sense of permanence" and "central address," Miriam Segura has a simpler way of expressing the significance of the National Conference of Synagogue Youth's (NCSY) new building - hanging out.

Sinai Dedicates New Memorial

By Wendy J. Madnick
Published on June 15, 2000

There are few times when a sense of community is more necessary than when our lives are touched by death. Perhaps that is why more than 400 people from every point along the spectrum of the Los Angeles Jewish community came together Sunday at the site of the new Mount Sinai Memorial Park and Mortuary in Simi Valley for the opening of the park's chapel and administration building.

The Value of the Temporary

By Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky
Published on September 16, 1999

So have you heard the one about the two rabbis on a boat? It's actually a story told by the Talmud in its discussion of the laws of the sukkah. It seems that Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Gamliel were on a boat during the days leading up to the holiday of Sukkot, and it became clear that they were not going to make it to land in time for the beginning of the festival. Rabbi Akiva sprung into action, pressing the members of the crew for a bit of lumber, some nails, and whatever other materials might be employed, to assemble a sukkah just large enough for himself and for his colleague.