Steve Zimmer holds middle ground

By Bill Boyarsky
Published on March 28, 2013

After surviving opposition funded by the mayors of America’s two biggest cities, newly re-elected Los Angeles Unified School District board member Steve Zimmer says his win has preserved a “system of checks and balances” in running L.A.’s huge school district.

Jerusalem mayor visits L.A. to promote his city and court film producers

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on May 9, 2012

Nir Barkat, the mayor of Jerusalem, spent part of his recent visit to Los Angeles trying to sell entertainment industry moguls on the virtues of filming in Jerusalem.

School Is in Session for Villaraigosa’s Critics

By Bill Boyarsky
Published on June 21, 2011

“A great school is an anchor for a neighborhood,” Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. “A great school district is an anchor for a great city.”

Move over Madoff, L.A. gets its own indicted philanthropist

By Adam Wills
Published on March 5, 2009

Rabbi Freehling’s pet project

By Rachel Heller
Published on September 25, 2008

For almost 12 years, Lucy traveled each day to University Synagogue in Brentwood with her owner, Rabbi Allen I. Freehling, then the synagogue's senior rabbi. The golden retriever mix soon became one of the most popular members of the Reform congregation.

Mayor: Building inspectors need better training, increased sensitivity -- and no more Yom Kippur showdowns

By Tom Tugend
Published on September 24, 2008

Korobkin, the Yavneh spiritual leader, said he was very pleased with the mayor's recommendations and that the fault for last year's incident lay mainly in the way DBS was structured, as well as a certain lack of sensitivity.

Celebration to mark raising of Israeli flag at consulate

By Tom Tugend
Published on September 17, 2008

The blue and white flag with the Star of David will be raised for the first time in front of the Israeli Consulate on Sunday, Sept. 28.

Antonio’s ‘touch,’ Fairfax grads, Beta Israel

Published on July 10, 2008

" . . .I cannot believe that the front page of The Jewish Journal has a picture of the Los Angeles mayor touching the sacred wall and your headline in large yellow letters, "Touched." I think looking closer at the picture you will see a man to his left with an expression of "What in the world do we have here?" or is it just plain amazement, like the one I had in seeing this picture. . . ."

Rabbi Zoë Klein: L.A. delegation to Israel returns with wealth of optimism

Published on June 26, 2008

I was proud to be part of this delegation, proud to be among someof the gatekeepers of our city, astounded at the vast amount Israel had to offer us and the generosity of her leaders to share.

L.A. benefits from ties with Israel

Published on June 19, 2008

Over the past week, I led a delegation of civic, faith, business and community leaders on a trip that will help make Los Angeles stronger, safer, more secure and better stewards of the environment -- and all Angelenos stand to reap the benefits of our efforts.

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."

Major Villaraigosa going to Israel, AJ Committee Asian Pacific outreach

Published on May 29, 2008

Mayor implores people of faith to fight homelessness

By Naomi Glauberman
Published on December 7, 2006

"Homelessness is curable and we must cure it," Leo Baeck Senior Rabbi Kenneth Chasen said in his welcoming remarks. "Jews know too well the experience of being strangers and outsiders. We have lived in countless places where there were no homes for us."

Shoah lessons drive curriculum

By Julie G Fax
Published on October 5, 2006

Community Briefs.

Sderot Attack Interrupts Villaraigosa’s Call

By Marc Ballon
Published on July 6, 2006

"This experience shook all of us to our core," Villaraigosa said in a statement. "I have tremendous respect for Mayor Moyal and the people of Sderot, who live their lives in the shadow of terror. It makes you grateful for the peace and safety that we have here in Los Angeles."

Competing Moments of Truth on Schools

By Howard Blume
Published on April 13, 2006

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's first state-of-the-city speech is likely to put bone and muscle on his school takeover pitch which, up till now, nearly a year into his term, has been theoretical and short on specifics. If Villaraigosa delivers what people all over town have been waiting for, a slew of interest groups will know where they stand and will begin to respond accordingly.

Competing Moments of Truth on Schools

By Howard Blume
Published on April 9, 2006

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's first state-of-the-city speech is likely to put bone and muscle on his school takeover pitch which, up till now, nearly a year into his term, has been theoretical and short on specifics. If Villaraigosa delivers what people all over town have been waiting for, a slew of interest groups will know where they stand and will begin to respond accordingly.

Jewish Groups Take Pro-Immigrant Stand

By Robert David Jaffee
Published on April 6, 2006

You didn't see many Jews amid the sea of Mexican and American flags during the recent pro-immigrant rallies that filled city streets, but Jews and Jewish groups, in largely liberal Los Angeles, have been advocating on behalf of immigrants, mostly outside the view of television cameras.

A Definite Maybe

By Jill Stewart
Published on March 9, 2006

Can Los Angeles' schools be fixed by a man who loves to be loved, who with his union allies opposed education reform and whose wife is an educator with no presence in the fight for reform?

The Circuit

By Norma Zager
Published on February 16, 2006

Circuit

Villaraigosa a Yemenite?

By Bobbi Murray
Published on October 13, 2005

"Mayor Villaraigosa said many times during his campaign that he would lead a trip to Israel," Weiss said in a phone interview. "He feels a strong connection to Israel."

Little Scandal Becomes Big Deal

By Howard Blume
Published on March 24, 2005

The still-simmering flap over forged endorsements for Mayor James Hahn is the classic scandal that didn't have to be. A little more than a week ago, this incident grew from niche story -- something that only Jewish Journal readers might notice -- to the week's hottest local political fracas, with widespread coverage in newspapers and on radio and TV.

Mayor’s Race Role

By Raphael J. Sonenshein
Published on August 12, 2004

Jews are attentive, high-propensity voters. Nearly one in five Los Angeles voters are Jewish (with only 6 percent of the population). If past history is a guide, however, the Jewish vote will play a more important role in the expected runoff between the two top candidates than in the multicandidate primary.

Why I Support Villaraigosa

By Howard Welinsky
Published on May 31, 2001

Having personally witnessed him in action, many times displaying courage and a passion for outstanding public policy, I know Antonio Villaraigosa has the capacity to be a great mayor.