The Circuit

Extra Curriculum

Hallie Williamson, vice principal of Acaciawood School in Anaheim, contacted The Circuit to share her enthusiasm over the private school’s Holocaust studies program. As a junior high literature teacher, Williamson was trained through various programs of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Facing History Foundation. Acaciawood has developed an extensive library of Holocaust literature and a video library. The curriculum also incorporates oral histories and trips to the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance. Last year, then-junior Miriam Scatterday, an Acaciawood student, won first place in the Holocaust Writing Contest sponsored by Chapman University.

We Have A Winner

Speaking of Chapman University’s Holocaust Writing Contest, another Orange County resident, Tarbut V’Torah Community Day School 10th-grader Kate Kestenboym won first place in this year’s contest. The words of her prize-winning piece now ring with eerie relevance: “In Israel, there is a day when for one minute everything pauses. Everyone, wherever they may be, stop and remember the millions of innocents who perished because of someone else’s madness, hate and anger, and because of someone else’s indifference. I think that there should be a day like this in the United States.”

A Special Tribute

Chaplain Sidney Guthman delivered a message at a memorial service held at Veterans Administration Medical Center in Long Beach. The service honored the memory of victims of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. The Leisure World resident wrapped up his address with these words: “May the evil of terrorism be expunged from the face of this earth. And may the ideals of democracy and freedom — the hallmark of America and Israel — be established firmly for all mankind.”

FAMMY Double Whammy!
Keeping It Real Estate

Four titans from the real estate business graced The Guardians of the Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging’s 2001 Real Estate Panel and Networking “Shmooze” Night. Stan Ross, George Smith, Steve Soboroff and Richard Ziman spoke about the state of the industry. Major Properties’ Brad Luster served as event chair.

Montage and Homage Meeting of the Minds

Fifty leading scientists and executives from Silicon Valley, Stanford University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev attended a symposium at Stanford’s Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) on Aug. 7. The symposium, “Establishing a National Synchrotron Light Research Facility in Israel,” was organized by the American Associates, Ben-Gurion University.

Honoring Diament’s Vision

Holocaust survivor and humanitarian Fred Diament was honored by Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, a department of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.

Something New at the U

University of Judaism broke ground on the Auerbach Student Union on Sept. 24, marking construction of the first major structure to be built at the Bel Air campus in 20 years.

Wearing a New Hat

Van Nuys resident Michael Raileanu has been appointed board member at large of the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education. The official installation took place at the Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education in Fort Collins, Colo. Raileanu is the religious school director at Sinai Temple in Westwood.