Saluting Milo, AARP and Waxman, Delshad for Sderot

JVS Dishes Out Scholarships

More than 180 outstanding Jewish students received $375,000 worth of need-based scholarships from the Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) during a ceremony at UCLA Hillel on July 16. The JVS Scholarship Fund has dispensed nearly $4 million to more than 3,000 students over the years helping them on their way to academic independence and curbing those cumbersome student loans.

Sderot Goes to Camp

(From left) Lonnie and Jimmy Delshad join kids from Sderot and their counselors, David Lewis, Lily Steiner and Ari Bussel at Munchies kosher candy store. Photo by Moshe Barzilay

What would young Israelis from Sderot do during an all-expense-paid trip to Los Angeles? See Adam Sandler in “Don’t Mess With the Zohan,” of course.
On a Chabad invitation to spend one month in the United States, 20 children from Sderot headed to Camp Gan Israel of Los Angeles. The local community embraced the visitors by inviting them for lunches, dinners and cultural activities. On the day pictured, the group decorated pottery at Color Me Mine followed by a trip to the movies, because, as the film indicates, Israelis cannot venture too far from hummus. The Los Angeles group was part of 120 Sderot youth who were invited to visit the United States.

UCLA Jewish Center Promotes Bakhos

The UCLA Center for Jewish Studies has a rising star on the block. Professor Carol Bakhos, who teaches late antique Judaism, was recently promoted to associate director at the center. The Jewish studies scholar holds a doctorate from Jewish Theological Seminary in Talmud and rabbinics, and her first book, “Ishmael on the Border: Rabbinic Portrayals of the First Arab,” traces the representation of Ishmael in Jewish texts and how it shifted before and after the birth of Islam.

Bakhos said her plans for the position include “enhancing the already-established networks of scholarly resources among various disciplines, programs and centers at UCLA, such as the Center for Near Eastern Studies, the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, the Center for the Study of Religion and the Israel Studies program.” Ah, the openness of academia. 

StandWithUs Says Goodbye to Millo

To salute the work of Gilad Millo, counsel for media and public affairs of the L.A. Consulate General of Israel, StandWithUs hosted a luncheon in his honor at Shanghai Diamond Gardens restaurant in Pico-Robertson. The private event brought together 30 people from the consulate, SWU staff, board members and friends and also recognized Tabby Davoodi, director of academic affairs for the Consulate, for her work in education.

Waxman Waxes Poetic on Health, Finance

Attendees at the Divided We Fail town hall meeting speak with Rep. Henry Waxman

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles) and 275 concerned residents, retirees and community leaders from his district packed the Westside JCC on Aug. 6 to confront the harsh reality of the current economy. With pensions disappearing as gas, food and healthcare costs rise, voters are rightly concerned about retirement security.
Waxman met with voters as part of the Divided We Fail series, a nationwide forum co-sponsored by AARP, Business Roundtable, Service Employees Union and National Federation of Independent Business designed to stimulate discussion and action plans for health and financial security.