- NEWS & COMMENTARY
A new era of Jewish leadership in L.A.?
Los Angeles chose Eric Garcetti as its first elected Jewish mayor, one of a number of political contests on Tuesday that reflected the city’s diversity, as well as its numerous…
Stone-walling
In the last two years, the Western Wall in Jerusalem — also known as the Kotel — has become a place of controversy as much as of worship. It’s the site of a battle that has long been waged by…
Gun violence in America: Scandal!
Two years after his mother was shot and killed, Dallas Sonnier received a phone call from the police: His father had just been shot and killed.
- HOLLYWOOD
Spielberg to produce ‘Halo’ television series, plus other news from the Xbox One announcement
Microsoft Corp gave the world a first look at its new Xbox One on Tuesday, announcing that its first gaming console in eight years will come with exclusive video and…
Justin Timberlake and Coen brothers answer Jewish questions at Cannes
Using his preternatural smoothness, Justin Timberlake saved the Coen brothers from some serious awkwardness at a Cannes press conference for their folk singer film “Inside Llewyn Davis” on Sunday. “Jewish…
Sean Penn lobbies for Charedi man imprisoned in Bolivia
Actor Sean Penn urged a congressional hearing to pressure Bolivia to release a haredi Orthodox father of five under house arrest in the country.
- LIFE & CULTURE
Sarah Silverman sings about staying home in ‘Perfect Night’
For your listening pleasure, “Perfect Night,” in which Sarah Silverman recounts the benefits of skipping the club for the couch. Because this is a Silverman production you can expect references…
Maccabi Tel Aviv back on top but coach future uncertain
Champions Maccabi Tel Aviv have reasserted their dominance of Israeli soccer but media reports on Tuesday suggested they might have to continue their revival without coach Oscar Garcia.
7 Rules for Perfect Hummus
When was the last time you opened a tub of hummus and swooned? When was the last time a restaurant put a plate of hummus in front of you, and…
- BLOGS
State 194: A Documentary About Palestine
Opening this weekend at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3 is a very hot-button new documentary called State 194, which follows the recent history of Palestine. Many will approach this film with…
7 Rules for Perfect Hummus
When was the last time you opened a tub of hummus and swooned? When was the last time a restaurant put a plate of hummus in front of you, and…
What would my Israeli grandmother think?
When I hear about the latest events in Israel – the air strikes on weapons facilities in Syria, the flare-ups over women donning prayer shawls at the Western Wall –…
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Risk aversion is risky business
"Why are so many people in their 20s taking so long to grow up?" Robin Marantz Henig asked in The New York Times Magazine ("The Post-Adolescent, Pre-Adult, Not-Quite-Decided Life Stage," Aug. 22). Lori Gottlieb urged reluctant single women to “Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough" in The Atlantic Monthly (March 2008), later a book. Economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett advised revising priorities in "Creating a Life: What Every Woman Needs to Know About Having a Baby and a Career" (2002).
Stodgy Jews
Younger Persians seeking greater role in community
Over the past decades, nearly two dozen local Iranian Jewish groups have been involved with political awareness efforts, but no group until now has seriously pursued or organized communitywide political and civic activism.
Extending the Birthright privilege
Birthright's success in awakening a connection to Jewish heritage and Israel is unprecedented in American Jewish life. The number of alumni continues to multiply and their enthusiasm is infusing new energy into American Jewry
‘Teenism’ gives young adults an undeserved rep
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 20.2 million people in America aged 15 to 19, and they are 7 percent of the population. So be careful what statements you make, or what biases you might allow yourself to believe.
We don’t need more gabfests on diversity
Our communities' leadership has to absorb the reality that the next generation of open-minded young people sees diversity as a plus, not as a burden to be overcome.
So Cal Jews’ primary colors are red and blue
Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein had barely slept in days. A senior at Beverly Hills High School, he'd spent long hours rallying support for Barack Obama, and as the results from the Iowa caucuses poured in, as fellow Obama supporters packed the presidential candidate's California campaign office in Koreatown, Spitzer-Rubenstein turned jubilant, his enthusiasm mashing together with exhaustion into euphoria.<
Obituaries
In a prayer for his ordination from the Hebrew Union College (HUC) in 1940, Wolfgang (Wolli) Kaelter wrote: "Grant us depth that we might understand, vision that we might see, and let us never become self-satisfied."
Workmen’s Circle celebrates 100 years; Progressives fight for what’s Left
It's not every centenarian who can celebrate his birthday with full-throated songs and Yiddish jokes, but the Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring did just that in marking its 100th anniversary year in California with high good humor, leavened with a bit of nostalgia.
The Bloods, the Crips and the rabbi
Abraham Cooper has made a point of being present in many of the world's hot spots, and, at the same time, managed to stay out of prison. And during roughly the same time span, he has played a key role in creating one of the most activist Jewish organizations in the world, working outside the boundaries of the traditional organized community structure.
Engaging young philanthropists—our approach
I have been asked to reflect on the challenge of engaging younger Jewish philanthropists in communal life. As a member of the next generation, I have wrestled with this question for more than a decade.
A free trip to Israel—custom-made for you!
What's more enticing than a free trip to Israel? A free trip to Israel tailor-made for your interests.
Run for Her: A new generation of awareness
You might think that getting up at 5 a.m. on a Sunday in November would be an impossible feat for a teenager, but when I arrived to volunteer at the second annual Run for Her 5K/3K Friendship Walk/Run for ovarian cancer awareness and research, I was surprised by the number of kids who came out for such a wonderful cause.
Class Notes: Camp Ramah celebrates Golden Anniversary
Education
Teens, college students make their presence known
Erika Levy and Alie Kussin-Shoptaw, seniors at New Community Jewish High School in West Hills, easily spotted in their bright orange volunteer vests, stood by the escalators at the Los Angeles Convention Center, greeting arriving United Jewish Communities General Assembly (GA) attendees and directing them to meeting rooms, halls and hospitality suites.
‘Moishe Houses’ provide post-Hillel hangout for 20-somethings
Say you're a few years out of college, living with friends and working in a low-paying job for some do-good organization. You don't go to synagogue, but you miss the camaraderie of your college Hillel, and you like to invite people over for Shabbat meals.
Imagine if someone was willing to pay you to keep doing it?
At-risk youth; Much more Mathout; Donkeys vs. Elephants—the beef goes on
Letters; Custody Battle; Maher Hathout; At-Risk Youth; Politicized Reports; RJC Ads; Faith and Season.
Orthodox youth not immune to high-risk lifestyles
Some kids aren't cut out for academic rigor. Leaving them in a mismatched environment often leads them toward self-destructive paths to failure
Rabbi Carron brightens prisoners’ darkest days
With any luck, Daniel will be spending Rosh Hashanah on the outside. It's likely he'll soon be making the transition from jail to the recovery program at Beit T'Shuva, a nonprofit that works with at-risk youth.
God Was With Us That Night in the Negev
This was by far the most spiritual moment in my life. I gazed up at the stars as I chanted the V'Ahavta prayer with amazing new friends, standing around the same rocks that our people had wandered past thousands of years before. My eyes couldn't help but tear up as we moved on to the Mi Chamocha, the song of freedom. At that moment I felt as though God truly was with us.
Judaism Finds Its Niche in Great Outdoors
Jewish adventure enthusiasts not only make an effort to do the hobbies they love with other Jews, but they do so looking for religious or spiritual meaning. By combining their dual interests, this growing cadre of adrenaline seekers is building a new definition of what it means to do -- or be -- Jewish.
Class Notes
Class Notes
‘Wagging’: My Story as Gay Jewish Male
A couple of years ago, I heard about an oral history project for older gay men and women that resulted in a staged play. I didn't see it, but when Bob Baker, the adapter-director, sent out the call for a new cast, I signed up. We listened to each other's stories, wrote up the most telling ones and turned remembered conversations into dialogue. After nine months, out came a play.
Israel’s Teens Get Ironic ‘Inheritance’
Amos Oz has explored the subject in novels. Amos Elon has penned essays about it. Politicians as varied as Abba Eban, Mahmoud Abbas, Bill Clinton and even Ariel Sharon have tried to solve it. So, what can a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate add to the long and storied history of the region with the world's most intractable political problem? Plenty of inspiration, if we are to judge by Jennifer Miller's new book, "Inheriting the Holy Land."
Jewlicious Conspiracy
Parents don't understand why 300 young Jews packed the Long Beach Alpert JCC for the Jewlicious sequel on Feb. 17. We came for food and song, complete with banging on the tables and exuberant dancing wherever there was room. At the Sunday night concert, "Jewbilation," you could see the look of shock on the older generation's faces as we jammed to Hebrew heavy-metal songs by the Maccabees. This was not your mom's "Oseh Shalom."
ADL Youth DREAM of Promoting Tolerance
DREAM is an acronym for Developing diverse, Respectful relationships, Empathy and Action with Meaning through dialogue. The program is a youth leadership project of the ADL's World of Difference Institute, run by the ADL's West Coast office.
Out of My Comfort Zone
Having never been to a Jewish prayer service before, the non-Jewish students wanted to see what it was like. The tradition fascinated many, and everyone could relate to the singing and dancing.
Where the Boys Aren’t
"Looking at what's happening locally and nationally, we've found that fewer teen boys enroll in informal Jewish activities than they did in previous years," said Lori Harrison Port, senior associate director for planning and allocations at The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.
Selling Judaism: Let’s Make It Harder
hen it comes to marketing Judaism, especially to young adults, it is hard to imagine a program, innovation and --dare I say it -- gimmick that has not been tried. I would like to suggest one. Let's make Judaism harder.
The Circuit
Circuit
Avi Leibovic: Guardian Angel of the Streets
Five years ago, Leibovic was approached by the prodigal son of a prominent Orthodox family for help and inspiration. Soon, their one-on-one Torah study grew into a larger group, made up mostly of recent alumni of Neve Zion, the yeshiva outside Jerusalem where Leibovic had formative experiences as a teen and young adult.
New Hadassah Chief Does Balancing Act
As a mother of two grown children, Morlie Hammer Levin knows the challenges of balancing family, career and spiritual life. But factor in the L.A. native's recent New York move, a high-pressure job with a high-profile organization and finding a new religious community and you have the makings of what would be a well-deserved nervous breakdown for anyone else.
Class Notes
Class Notes
A ‘Spectacular’ Summer of Inspiration
Every year during the High Holidays, my rabbi at Temple Beth Am makes an appeal for Israel Bonds to our congregation. However, this year, I suggested -- and he agreed -- that teenagers be the ones to inspire the congregation to support Israel.
Young Jews Choose Offbeat Expression
A new study of Jews in their 20s and 30s reveals that though these young people are underaffiliated with traditional institutions, many have a strongly defined Jewish identity that they express in creative new ways outside synagogues, Jewish Community Centers and the federation system.
Letters
I read with interest Daniel Akst's excellent article on youth philanthropy in your July 22 issue, titled, "Getting Kids Into Charity Pays Off Big."
Is an Israel Brain Drain Nigh?
A quiet crisis is unfolding here. It's grabbing few headlines and it's rarely the stuff of public debate.
Drugs? NIMBY
Two drug-related incidents occurred in the American yeshiva community in Israel last week, which may give all parents pause.
Encino Boy ODs In Israeli Yeshiva
Friends and family gathered on Sunday, Jan. 23, at Eden Memorial Park in Mission Hills to bury 19-year-old Eric Siegel, who died last week at a yeshiva in Israel after he overdosed on heroin.
Yeladim
Yeladim
Kadima Comes Home
Community
The Dangers of Apathy
Carla Tanchum is busy. At 20, she studies at USC, has family obligations and works in the entertainment industry. What she doesn't have time to do is vote.
The Dangers of Apathy
Carla Tanchum is busy. At 20, she studies at USC, has family obligations and works in the entertainment industry. What she doesn't have time to do is vote.
Jewish Aid Sought on Gang Problem
"I'd love to tell you I'm some brilliant mastermind that chartered this treaty, but the reality is that week by week, we're still working the streets," William "Blinky" Rodriguez said about the gang treaty he helped broker to bring rival groups together to talk. "We'd be out until 2, 3, 4 in the morning."
The Circuit
Circuit
Little Miss Shmutzy
Anne-Marie Baila Asner decided that she was going to reinvigorate Yiddish by writing and illustrating cute, brightly colored children's books that would help people develop an affinity for the language.
Political Journal
Compassionate conservatism seems to have finally hit rock bottom.
Arts No Longer Plays Second Fiddle
For Rena, missing weeks of dance rehearsal was unthinkable, but so was missing out on the quintessential Jewish youth experience of summer camp.
This summer, Rena hopes to have that conflict resolved for her for at least two weeks when she attends T'hila, a new program at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute in Simi Valley that integrates a Jewish camping experience with an arts experience molded for young, talented artists who are as serious about their craft as Rena.
Charitable Yums
Thinking about doing something for Israel but don't have time or inclination to go there and volunteer in person?
Avi Chai Grant Saves Birthright
Since the program began, it has brought some 60,000 Diaspora youth between the ages of 18 and 26 to Israel for free 10-day guided trips of the country. For many, it is their first trip to Israel. Only youth who never before have been on a peer tour of the country are eligible to participate.
Human Rights Activists or Aids to Terrorists?
Yuri Gottesman is a member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a motley group of activists from around the world that converge in the West Bank and Gaza ostensibly to encourage the Palestinians to engage in nonviolent resistance against the Israelis.
Preteen Advocate Educates Nation About Diabetes
Emma Klatman serves as the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) 2003-2004 national youth advocate. Her duties entail promoting research and public policies relating to diabetes, and visiting diabetes summer camps to involve other children in the fight against the disease.
Kosher Pig-Out
Eat-4-Israel was the brainchild of Monique Grunberger, a high school senior at the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto, who developed the idea with two local Yeshiva University of Los Angeles students, Yitz Novak and Zvi Smith.
All Is Not Lost
Pesach is rushing up to meet us, or we it, and with it, the real -- not the chronological -- spring. And spring, as is well known, hopes eternal. Accordingly, a column on the reasonableness of hope, the bad times notwithstanding.
Culture Shot
The Filipino owners of an Asian restaurant at work. A glimpse of Thai worshippers praying inside a Buddhist temple. A man perusing an
Armenian bookstore.
The Musical Sound of ‘Lights’
Not all Chanukah music is kiddie music -- even when it's played by kids. On Sunday, Dec. 1, the Skirball Cultural Center will host the West Coast premiere of Russell Steinberg's suite, "Lights On!"
Shooting in Cheviot Hills
A dispute between two groups of young Persian men, one Jewish, one Muslim, erupted in a shooting at Cheviot Hills Park the night of June 3.
Summer Camp
For parents who crave structure in summer for footloose children, space is still available at a handful of local Jewish day camps for elementary- and middle school-aged youth. Themed, half-day preschool camps at synagogues, though, are filling fast.
New this summer is a camp in Rancho Santa Margarita that is already proving popular. Morasha Jewish Day School will serve as a second site for Silver Gan Israel, the county's largest Jewish day camp, which is organized and operated by Huntington Beach's Hebrew Academy.
Purity of Weapons
Here we were, 18-year-old kids who barely knew anything about life, and being entrusted with weapons that had the potential to save lives or to take lives.
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