The Circuit

Gloria’s Moment at the Skirball

About 600 people turned out to hear legendary women’s rights activist Gloria Steinem speak at the Skirball Cultural Center on April 7 as part of the Skirball Foundation Lecture Series. Steinem, 68, kept the crowd alternating between laughter and solemnity as she discussed topics from marriage and reproductive freedom to the plight of women in Afghanistan and the “hypermasculinity” she believes contributes to acts of violence in the United States and abroad.

Steinem told the audience to keep in mind that the feminist movement is not dead and there is still much work to do.

“There is an effort to undo the last 30 to 50 years that is very painful,” she said. “So we find ourselves in this interesting situation, which is both a Yiddish curse and a Chinese saying: ‘May you live in interesting times.’ We definitely live in interesting times.”

During a question-and-answer period following the lecture, one 20-something stood up and gave a moving speech thanking the older women in the room, the ones who had been on the front lines marching for equal rights in the 1970s, for their efforts. Another young woman asked for advice on what to say to her best friend, who decried feminism while enjoying a great career.

“Tell her she has two choices: she can either be a feminist or a masochist,” Steinem quipped.

The lecture, which was the inaugural event for the series, was held in the Cotsen Auditorium, an impressive facility with its sweeping, tent-like ceiling and great acoustics. Skirball spokesperson Stacy Lieberman said she hopes the venue, which can accommodate up to 700 people, will help attract more guest lecturers of Steinem’s stature. — Wendy Madnick, Contributing Writer

CNN Accused of Biased Coverage

Sharon Asher’s petition against CNN, which she believes has been biased against Israel, drew many signatures throughout the day at the April 7 pro-Israel rally sponsored by grass-roots organization StandWithUs. Asher said that she would like to organize a protest outside of CNN’s Los Angeles office in the near future.

Check This Out…

The girls of Emek Hebrew Academy of Sherman Oaks raised more than $22,000 for Chai Lifeline, which plans activities for sick children and their families.

“These wonderful girls raised this money the old-fashioned way: they earned it,” said Randi Grossman, Chai Lifeline West Coast’s director of programs and services. “They conducted bake sales, held mini parlor meetings in people’s homes and sold flowers at school every week in order to support programs that return a little bit of their childhood to sick children.”

The girls dedicated this year’s drive to Shoshana Greenbaum, who was brutally murdered in last year’s terrorist bombing of a Sbarro pizza restaurant in Jerusalem.

By the Book Support

The Jewish Community Library of Los Angeles is showing its support for Israel by making Israeli solidarity the theme of its Kids Summer Reading Club 2002, beginning June 1. For more information on “Read and Celebrate Israel,” visit www.jclla.org or call (323) 761-8648.

Topic of Cancer

Dr. Aaron Ciechanover, a leading cancer researcher, will be the guest speaker at the Israel Cancer Research Fund Partners in Research “Evening of Cancer Awareness” on May 22 at Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel in Westwood.

Home to the Genome

Hadassah Southern California — Long Beach/Orange County Area (HSC) and the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Long Beach and West Orange County held “It’s in the Genes,” a medical science conference focused on genetic diseases in Ashkenazi Jews. Flori Rosenthal, HSC conference chair; Amy Lipeles, Women’s Division’s president; Barbara Lieberman, Women’s Division director, and June Magilnick, education-outreach chair, were among those who oversaw the event.

Position Philled

The Board of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra elected Lynn Syms as its new president. Syms has been a member of the board since 1985 and vice president and a member of the executive committee since 1989.

We’re All Fore It!

The Guardians of the Jewish Home for the Aging will hold its fourth annual golf tournament at the Malibu Country Club on June 23. Honorary chairs Bruce Konheim and Leo Spiwak will oversee this day of golfing, burgers and beer, which benefits the home. For more information, call (310) 479-2468 or visit www.sixthdecade.org .

Deal of the Century

Century City Hospital announced the donation of $10,000 to help support the Eichenbaum Health Center, a program of Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles (JFS), a beneficiary agency of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. The funds will help support the Health and Wellness Center for seniors, a place designed to help them stay physically and mentally active.

“Patients who have finished their formal physical therapy treatment at Century City Hospital can now be referred to the center to maintain their fitness goals,” said Charleen Siegler, director of the Center for Geriatric Health at Century City Hospital.

The JFS-Eichenbaum Center is not a physical therapy program, but a fitness center designed to offer customized fitness routines. Seniors who attend this program are first assessed by one of the center’s certified physical therapists. In addition to exercise equipment, clients will be offered alternative fitness classes at the Freda Mohr Multipurpose Center, housed in the same building.

For more information, visit centurycityhospital.com or contact Jewish Family Service at (323) 761-8800.

From Bar Mitzvah to Tzedakah

Natan Hassan announced during his Oct. 20 bar mitzvah address at B’nai David-Judea Congregation that he was dedicating himself to help Israel by appealing and collecting from his guests a total of $4,000 to toward the purchase of a bilirubin analyzer for Kiryat Arba and surrounding areas in Israel. Hassan made his decision after reading about how dangerous the roads were in that area were.

On Jan. 27, Hassan, with his father, Amram Hassan, executive director of B’nai David-Judea Congregation, and his sister, Deena Hassan, joined B’nai David-Judea’s 35-member solidarity mission, led by the congregation’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, to personally present Yagev Medical & Laboratory Equipment LTD a $4,000 check for the purchase of the bilirubin analyzer.