Orit Arfa
Aliyah Program Takes Off With First Group Flights Direct From L.A.
On July 26, for the first time ever, an official from Israel’s Ministry of Interior was on hand at the El Al ticket counter at the Los Angeles International Airport to naturalize 62 Southern California Jews as Israelis and three more as permanent residents.
From Indonesia to Israel by Way of L.A.
Last October, when Muslim extremists threatened to burn down the only synagogue still standing in the Republic of Indonesia, Saul Abraham, 69, the synagogue’s caretaker, and his younger brother, Alfred, 66, fled the country.
Rabbi Follows Marital Advice Success With Book for Women
Defying men’s general resistance to relationship books, “The Garden of Peace: A Marital Guide for Men Only,” by Rabbi Shalom Arush, was a surprise Jewish hit last year, selling more than a half-million copies in English, Hebrew, French and Spanish worldwide.
But Is He Kosher?
So what does a good Jewish girl do when her date goes in for the kiss after he downed meatloaf and she mac-and-cheese? In “Life, Love, Lox: Real-World Advice for the Modern Jewish Girl” (Running Press, $13.95) by Carin Davis, the issue at steak (pun intended — the book inspires them) is not breath or kissing technique, but whether the kiss violates the rules of kashrut that dictate separation of meat and milk.
Lulu Mickelson: Biking to Success
Lauren Mickelson didn’t know that her nickname, Lulu, is slang for a remarkable person, object or idea. But the word describes her high school achievements perfectly.
Stars Shine on Friends of IDF Gala Fundraiser
The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Western Region gala, held Dec. 17, 2009, at the Beverly Hilton, raised more than $5.2 million to benefit IDF soldiers through the various FIDF programs. Paul Guerin, president of the Western Region group, began the evening’s program with the announcement that he and his wife, Vera, would give $1 million, half of which will be dedicated to supporting FIDF’s IMPACT! scholarship program that provides college scholarships to former combat soldiers with limited financial means. At the sold-out gala, event chairs Cheryl and Haim Saban then said they would match the $1.6 million already raised, followed by two additional $500,000 pledges by Victoria and Ron Simms, and Erika Glazer.
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