Gift of Life
When the spring mission of the Men’s Division for Israel Bonds went to Israel in June they made a pit stop at Magen David Adom (MDA)’s Blood Center in Ramat Gan so that all the mission participants could donate blood. That stop is now going to become a permanent part of Israel Bonds’ missions to Israel.
MDA is Israel’s Red Cross, but the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies do not accept Israel’s MDA as a member. Therefore, MDA needs to find all the blood-pumping resources themselves.
MDA supplies 100 percent of the blood to all the hospitals in Israel, as well as 100 percent of the blood to the Israeli armed forces. They also maintain 93 emergency stations and ambulance services equipped with intensive coronary units able to initiate cardiac protocol en route to the hospital.
Now American Women for MDA in Los Angeles is raising funds to add two stories to the Ramat Gan Center.
“It is my greatest hope that all of the Jewish organizations will work together to help ARMDI [the support arm of MDA in the United State] maintain their services to the Jewish people of Israel,” said Gabriella Bashner, founding chair of American Women for MDA.
For more information visit www.armdi.org .
Tikes on Trikes
Yeshivat Yavneh’s early childhood students decided to do their part to help the wider community by participating in the Cycles for Smiles Marathon this past June. The students raised money from sponsors and then got on their tricycles and did laps around the playground. The students raised $4,100 for Beit Issie Shapiro, a therapeutic educational organization that provides services for mentally and physically challenged children in Raanana, Israel.
Election Day
It’s election season once again, and Jewish organizations all over Los Angeles have been welcoming their new leadership.
At Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills, one of the largest centrist Orthodox synagogues in the country, Martin Shandling was elected president of the new board of directors in July.
Temple Ner Tamid of Downey held its annual installation of officers of the board of directors in June. The new officers are: David Saltzman, president; Miriam Brookfield, Cheryl Brownstein and Sandy Dickinson, executive vice presidents; Laura Bornstein, secretary; Howard Brookfield, treasurer; Jane Hansen, financial secretary; Gloria Katz, Sheba Levine, Ruth Greenberg, Libby Lazarus, Lynette Austin and Michael Barsky, trustees; and Gerald Altman, Jean Franklin, Jim Hansen and Virginia Isenberg, members at large.
The Encino-Tarzana chapter of Women’s American ORT re-elected Charlotte Gussin-Root as president for her second term. The chapter installed their new officers at a special luncheon at Odyssey Restaurant in June. At the luncheon, Mariam Perlmutter received special thanks as she retired from 14 years of devoted work as treasurer, and Robert Franenberg, the classical bassist of the Rotterdam Philharmonic and son of longtime ORT member Jackie Franenberg treated the members and guests to a mini-concert.
Happy Birthday Bais!
More than 300 people helped Congregation Bais Naftoli in Hancock Park celebrate its 12th birthday in July with a dinner at the shul, which honored Dr. Maurice Levy, Rabbi David Thumin and Chaim Wizenfeld.
Silver Service
Temple Beth Ohr of La Mirada honored Rabbi Lawrence and Carol Goldmark for 25 years of service to the temple with a festive reception on June 18 that followed Friday night services.
Goldmark has been the spiritual leader of the congregation since 1979, and is a past president of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California and executive vice-president of the Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis. He is also the Jewish chaplain at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton.
Carol Kredenser Goldmark is an adjunct art professor at Fullerton College and is known for her rich realistic paintings.
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