Community Briefs
Community Briefs
A recent report in The New York Times captured almost perfectly the thorny questions that stand at the center of relations between the American Jewish community and Israel. Should one be permitted to criticize the government of a foreign country with which one feels a deep affinity, or is it a moral and political imperative to support the policies of that government, right or wrong?
Campus activist groups — led by Arabs in Students for Justice in Palestine and Jews for a Free Palestine — had been gaining ground in their campaign for divestment from Israel, to the point where the UCLA Daily Bruin editorially endorsed divestment last July.
A community activist, whose commitment to the Jewish community and Zionist causes was locally and nationally recognized, passed away Aug. 17, 2001. Ethel Lozabnick had served as National Vice President of Hadassah the largest woman\’s volunteer organization in the United States and the largest Zionist organization in the world and was a member of Hadassah\’s National Board. For her zionist activities, she received the distinguished Women of Merit Award in 1965, and in 1999 was one of three outstanding veteran local zionists honored by the American Zionist Movement with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her commitment, dedication and tireless efforts on behalf of Israel led her to that country more than 40 times, including travel to Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan as a woman\’s representative to early peace discussions.
Edward James Olmos wants to connect. Give him a large multi-ethnic crowd — as was on hand Sunday at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles — and he\’ll split himself into pieces finding common links.
If you\’re a young Jewish leader who would like to know more about Los Angeles civic life, or if you\’re a young civic leader who wants to be more in step with the Los Angeles Jewish community, the New Leaders Project might have a place for you. NLP, sponsored in Los Angeles by the Jewish Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation Council, is currently seeking applications for its fourth class.