The Circuit

Willkommen, Shalom

Leading representatives from Germany, Israel and the local Jewish community mingled cheerfully at the Brentwood home of Lee and Larry Ramer on June 8, to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the federal republic and the Jewish state.

Remarking on the evolution of a relationship from deadliest enemies to political allies were consuls-general Ehud Danoch of Israel and Dr. Hans-Juergen Wendler of Germany, and Sherry Weinman, L.A. president of the American Jewish Committee.

The occasion was also a farewell address of sorts for Wendler, who served in Tel Aviv in the 1980s and will be retiring soon from his country’s diplomatic service.

“After 40 years, we have intensive relations between Israel and Germany,” he observed. “But they are not normal relations, because of the enormity of the Shoah.” — Tom Tugend, Contributing Editor

ADL’s ‘Delovely’ Night

With the elegant Bel Air Hotel as a backdrop, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) donors were honored for their support recently when they were treated to an evening of cocktails and the lilting tones of popular cabaret singer Andrea Marcovicci. A welcome speech by ADL Regional Director Amanda Susskind reiterated the organization’s successful economic turnarounds and sang the praises of departing ADL favorite Loren Stephens, director of major gifts and planned giving for the ADL Pacific Northwest region for 14 years. Almost 100 guests sat enrapt, listening to Marcovicci’s Cole Porter presentation “How’s Your Romance?”

Marcovicci awed the guests with a selection of Porter from his most popular, “Let’s Misbehave,” to lesser-known works from earlier shows; her rendition of “Every Time We Say Goodbye,” was a crowd pleaser. In addition to the honorees, those in attendance included Sam and Sooky Goldman, Dr. Alfred and Cec Katz.

Lasorda a Good Sport

Leagues of fans recently turned out to fete legend Tommy Lasorda and raise money for Vista Del Mar — and both efforts were accomplished with style at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Almost $1 million was raised to help children as attendees bid on numerous auction items and enjoyed the comedy stylings of Paul Rodriguez. Sports permeated the atmosphere as some diners actually snuck away to view the Pistons/Heat confrontation on the plasma TV displayed with the other prizes in the lobby.

Charity honcho and longtime Vista Del Mar supporter Stanley Black hosted the festivities. The event has long been a favorite and a big fundraiser for the group that serves the Los Angeles community and its children in need.

Crosby Gets Fried

Comedy was king recently when Norm Crosby was roasted at the Friars Club when his comic friends showed up to honor a legend.

The packed room nibbled and sipped while exchanging showbiz stories to mark the occasion of the release of Big Vision Entertainment’s “The World’s Greatest Stand-Up Comedy Collection.” The series was compiled from Crosby’s television series “The Comedy Shop” and features early performances from some of today’s comedy giants.

Attending the star-studded event were Monty Hall and wife, Marilyn; Loni Anderson; Red Buttons, whose significant other, noted American artist Jane Wooster Scott, was en route to Sun Valley for the summer; a newly extreme made-over comic Steve Mittleman; George Schlatter; Mitzi Gaynor, looking youthful and radiant; Murray Langston (aka The Unknown Comic); Max Alexander and a host of others.

Comedy aficionados got their laugh fix for the year just standing in the midst of so much raw humorous energy.

Cheers to the Federation

Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc., continuing a heritage of supporting The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, recently presented a $100,000 check to the organization.

The donation will support a wide variety of education, social welfare and human services provided on a nonsectarian basis by the federation and its 22 local, national and international agencies.

Since 1993, Anheuser-Busch has donated more than $1.1 million to The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and a total of $5.3 million to Jewish agencies nationwide.

Hope Inspires Hope

It was an upbeat and happy evening recently when The Greater Los Angeles/Orange County Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) hosted the 28th annual Miracle Dinner — The Miracle of Hope Gala — at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Nearly 400 guests enjoyed dazzling performances by the internationally renowned performing dance troupe Le Masquerade, danced to music from the Gold Record Award-winning artists of Fifth Avenue Orchestra and participated in silent and live auctions.

Hope Anisgarten, Randi Grant, Cathy Greenly and Sherry Porat were presented with the A.J. and Claire Levine Distinguished Service Award for Exemplary Dedication to the Greater Los Angeles/Orange County Chapter.

Proceeds from the Miracle of Hope benefit biomedical research, education programs for patients and physicians, support groups and a summer camp program for children with inflammatory bowel disease.