L.A. set to celebrate Israel, Jewish community

Published on April 18, 2013

This year’s Celebrate Israel Independence Day festival will feature plenty of stars when it takes place on April 21, but only one has plans to actually spend time in outer space.

Israeli Leadership Council changes name

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on March 13, 2013

When the chief executive officer of the Israeli Leadership Council announced at the group’s March 10 gala that the nonprofit’s name is changing to the Israeli American Council (IAC), the reaction from the 900 people in attendance was modest. As animations of the group’s new logo flashed on screens around the Beverly Hilton ballroom, polite applause briefly drowned out the clink of silverware against plates.

Israeli-Americans make good on giving back

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on May 9, 2012

On May 6, instead of sleeping late and spending the Sunday morning at home, Vered Nagar shlepped her son and daughter from Tarzana to the boardwalk at Venice Beach to help the homeless.

Sagi Balasha: the new head of the Israeli Leadership Council

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on April 25, 2012

To help explain what it’s like to be the CEO of the Israeli Leadership Council (ILC), Sagi Balasha, who took on the role in September 2011, offers a comparison to his previous job at Beit Hatfutsot, a small museum in Tel Aviv (once known as The Diaspora Museum, now The Museum of the Jewish People), where he was vice president of finance and development.

Sold-out concert garners 24,000 Hours of community service pledges

By Dikla Kadosh
Published on November 22, 2011

“When the ILC told me they planned to sell 6,000 tickets to this concert, I was skeptical,” Israeli media mogul Haim Saban said onstage at the Israeli Leadership Council’s “Do Something for Someone” community concert on Nov. 20. “I thought it was too tall an order.”

On fire

By Dikla Kadosh
Published on November 8, 2011

The old stereotype of Mizrahi music — an Israeli genre created by immigrant Jews from North African and Arab countries — was of teary, sorrowful love ballads: tales of lost loves, broken hearts and dashed hopes. You could say Mizrahi music was Israel’s version of country music.

Israeli-American leaders gather at third ILC gala

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on March 23, 2011

"A strong Israeli-American community makes Israel stronger,” Gabi Ashkenazi, the recently retired chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), told the crowd gathered for the third annual Israeli Leadership Council (ILC) Gala on March 20.

Young leaders get the lowdown in 10-minute talks

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on March 15, 2011

As he took the stage on Feb. 23, Mark Rothman, executive director of the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, had just one question.

ILC Brings Down the Hilton House

By Dikla Kadosh
Published on May 15, 2009

The Israeli Leadership Council turned the glitzy Beverly Hilton International Ballroom into a rockin’ Israeli dance club at their inaugural gala Wednesday, May 13. The fledgling ILC, barely two years old, has quickly sprouted into an Israeli community powerhouse, a sort of unofficial Israeli Federation that funds various programs and initiatives with the goal of empowering and uniting sabras living in L.A.

Photo essay: Mayor Villaraigosa in Israel

Published on June 16, 2008

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa inaugurated a state-of-the-art computer learning program in the besieged Israeli town of Sderot Friday, June 13.
Leading a delegation of LA community leaders and politicians, Villaraigosa presented the computers to Sderot residents so that their could continue learning despite constant rocket-fire by Palestinians in the neighboring Gaza Strip.

Los Angeles-based Israel Leadership Club (ILC), which initiated and -sponsored the computer initiative, provided the Journal with these photos. Danny Alpert, ILC's Co-Founder and co-Chairman said during a memorable speech in the city he said, "Today we mark a significant milestone in fulfilling our commitment to the young generation in Sderot. We mark a key point new stage for the relationship between the community in Los Angeles and the city of Sderot. Together, we provide the children of Sderot with the opportunity to receive proper education just like the children of Los Angeles receive."