The Circuit

Spielberg’s Real Legacy

Theo Wardell Spielberg, son of director Steven Spielberg and his wife, actress Kate Capshaw, was Bar Mitzvahed on Aug. 31. The ceremony took place at Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills, the shul of grandmother, Leah Adler, who owns the The Milky Way restaurant on Pico Boulevard. In addition to the packed-house of regular shul-goers, celeb guests included the entire Paltrow family — Bruce Paltrow, wife Blythe Danner and daughter Gwyneth Paltrow — as well as Mike Myers, Tom Hanks and rock star Melissa Ethridge.

Rabbi Levi Meier’s sermon, titled “One Hour,” discussed returning lost objects and helping lost souls. Theo’s speech, “Memory” recalled his difficulties in life as a black adopted Jew, and the role his family played in overcoming those obstacles.

New Zoo Revue

Philanthropists Gary and Karen Winnick have established the $3.4 million two-acre Winnick Family Children’s Zoo at the Los Angeles Zoo. Attending the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo’s official opening was Mayor James Hahn and his son Jackson.

Museum Musings

Things have been bustling at the Zimmer Children’s Museum, a department of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Shalhevet chairman Jerry Friedman and L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky dropped by at the Museum’s Spring Event. Author Sylvia Rouss debuted her children’s book, “The Littlest Frog,” with a reading. And the Museum honored its President’s Circle donors with an event featuring columnist Arianna Huffington.

Aish of Hearts Beauty Call

Chai Lifeline held its second annual Beauty Day this summer. The event, sponsored by Steve and Helena Usdan, was again held at the Tipperary Children’s Hair Salon in Beverly Hills. The event is held to give children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses and their families a psychological boost.

Captain Finkelstein, At Your Service!

Sheriff Lee Baca has promoted 25-year Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department veteran Dan Finkelstein to the rank of captain. Finkelstein, who joined the force in 1975, lives with wife Ilene, in Agua Dulce, where they enjoy raising and training quarter horses. Son Danny, 18, starts his freshman year of college this month.

Twenty-seven Degrees of Separation

Twenty-seven California residents were among the degree recipients at Yeshiva University’s 70th Annual Commencement, held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Richard C. Holbrooke, former United States ambassador to the United Nations, delivered the keynote address. For a listing of the degree recipients, go to www.yu.edu.

Techni-honor Striking Gold with Goldstine

Abner Goldstine was installed as the new president of Sinai Temple on Sept. 7. Goldstine and his family have been active members of the Westwood since 1969.

Turkish Americans Unite!

Sept. 29 will herald the American Turkish Association of Southern California’s first Turkish-American Benefit Dinner, to be held at the home of the Turkish Consul General in Los Angeles. In attendance will be prominent members of the Turkish and Jewish comminutes, including Gary Ratner, Southwest Pacific Region executive director of the American Jewish Congress.

Signing On

Rabbi David Ellenson signed his first diplomas as president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR).

Deep in the Heart of Jewish Texas

South Bay’s Rabbi Sidney Guthman, his wife, Eleanor, and their children Betty and David, were honored in August at a weekend-long event hosted by Congregation Agudas Achim in San Antonio, Texas.

Now, That’s Commitment!

Retired industrialist and philanthropist Isadore Familian, 90, was honored by City of Hope National Medical Center for his 60 years of devotion to the organization. Familian has been affiliated with City of Hope since 1937.