Community Kudos
(From left) Mark Ordesky, chair, ADL Entertainment Industry committee; Tony Shalhoub, star of USA Network’s “Monk”; honoree Bonnie Hammer; Ron Meyer, president and COO, Universal Studios; and Amanda Susskind, ADL regional director
What do Hollywood Jews and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have in common?A banquet, at least. The two worlds came together at the ADL’s Entertainment Industry Awards Dinner on June 3. Co-chaired by studio heads Ron Meyer (Universal Studios) and Jeff Zucker (NBC Universal), the annual dinner drew some big names in showbiz and raised $400,000 for the ADL. The casts of “Heroes,” “Monk” and “Psych” didn’t miss the opportunity to fete their boss Bonnie Hammer, who presides over NBC’s cable division. She was lauded for her work with the USA Network shows “Erase the Hate” and “Characters Unite,” which are theme-based programs that deal with issues of prejudice, intolerance and acceptance.
Sylvia Moskovitz congratulates President and CEO Elias Lefferman upon receiving the Jewish Communal Professionals of Southern California Mark Meltzer New and Innovative Programming Award.
The best and brightest of SoCal’s Jewish professionals were honored in May by Jewish Communal Professionals of Southern California. Elias Lefferman, president and CEO of Vista Del Mar Child & Family Services, was commended for creating the Nes Gadol Bar/Bat Mitzvah Program, which prepares children with special needs for their Jewish rite of passage. Also honored were Lee Rosenblum, director of development for USC Hillel; H. Eric Shockman, president of Mazon; Marla Abraham, senior vice president of endowment and premier philanthropy for The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles; and Larry Baum, fundraising consultant for Cedars-Sinai.
Joyce Brandman
Ruth Zeigler
Friedland, Elkin
The Jewish Free Loan Association (JFLA) celebrated “An Evening of Visionaries,” honoring four of Jewish Los Angeles’ most prominent philanthropists and community leaders. The sold-out event on June 4 recognized Saul Brandman, the late real estate developer whose wife, Joyce, accepted the honor on his behalf; philanthropist Ruth Ziegler; Molly Forrest, CEO of Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging; and Stephen Elkind, who sits on JFLA’s board of directors.
Movin’ On
From the Hollywood writers’ strike to The Workmen’s Circle, Ann Toback (photo,left) has proven she’s a leader on labor. The former assistant executive director of Writers Guild of America, East, who was front and center on the picket lines during the WGA’s walkout earlier this year, has abandoned Hollywood for Yiddshkayt. On June 9, Toback took over the top spot as executive director of The Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring headquarters in New York.
(Bottom row, from left) Jane Golub, Harvey and Hope Schechter and Sandy Levin. (Top row, from left) Renee Cohen, CSUN Hillel Director; Bea Mandel, honorary chair; Ken Warner, Hillel 818 president; Faith and Jonathan Cookler, honorary chairs; Robyn Beresh and Earl Greinetz, dinner chairs; Nomi Gordon, Pierce & Valley Colleges Hillel director
Hillel 818, the marriage of Pierce and Valley Colleges Hillel and CSUN Hillel held its annual dinner celebration at Valley Beth Shalom on May 29 and honored outstanding alumni — the late Sally Golub, Hope and Harvey Schechter and Sandy Levin.
Greening Young Leaders
(From left) Briana Roth, Shaun Bornstein, Laura Mandel, event chair Bryna Hornstein, Enid Zimmerman, Jessica Wacht, Jesse Bornstein (Green on 19 architect), Mandy Berkowitz, Forouzan Khalili, Ainat Kiewe and Michele Goldberg.
Organic food, green appletinis and sustainable architecture comprised “Green Nights: An Evening in the Home of Tomorrow,” hosted by Hadassah Southern California Metro Area Young Leaders Council. The event gave young leaders a glimpse into modern, sustainable living when architect Jesse Bornstein gave a grand tour of “Green on 19,” one of five new townhomes in Santa Monica that embodies green living on every level.
Reiner King of Comedy
Ruth Kraft and Carl Reiner. Photo by Steve Moyer
At a dinner fundraiser for the Westside Center for Independent Living, Carl Reiner told an audience of 120 guests that his improvisation is better than Shakespeare. The actor and comedian was referring to his early days in showbiz, when he ad-libbed a line in “Hamlet” and had the audience in stitches. He regaled the crowd of center supporters with a stand-up routine at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club on June 20.
Mormons and Jews Unite for Darfur
(From left) Rachel Andres, director of the Jewish World Watch (JWW) Solar Cooker Project; Tzivia Schwartz-Getzug, executive director, JWW; Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, co- founder JWW; Elder John Dalton; and Janice Kamenir-Reznik, co-founder and president, JWW. Foreground: solar cooker
After learning of their relief efforts focused on the genocide in Sudan, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) wrote a $25,000 check to Jewish World Watch (JWW). The Utah-based church directed its funds toward JWW’s Solar Cooker Project, an effort designed to reduce violence against women and girls who are often attacked when they leave camp to collect firewood. The availability of solar cookers reduces the risk of encountering Janjaweed terrorists and provides women with training they can parlay into income opportunities. Elder John Dalton, LDS leader, presented the donation to Rabbi Harold Schulweis at the JWW offices.
Feast for the Beast
GLAZA vice chair Gary Kaplan and his wife, Linda, with their son, Mark Kaplan, and his wife, Nicole. Photo by Jamie Pham
In a city with myriad fundraising affairs, the Beastly Ball is consistently one of the most popular and most fun. Never mind that the casual safari collected close to $1.3 million for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association — guests were treated to after-hours animal feedings and viewings, as well as a decadent palette of culinary offerings from 17 L.A. restaurants.
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