L.A. Dodgers
So in a nutshell, here’s how the first Celebrity Dodgeball Tournament went down…
The Sports Center and Toluca Lake Tennis Club was the site of this star-studded benefit for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Upon arriving at the venue, located in the shadow of Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, The Circuit kicked off the evening in Bogey’s corner, catching up with in-your-face consumer advocate Mike Boguslawski, who got some attention from the Hooters Girls who were serving up the hot wings.
Moments later, an enthusiastic reunion took place when “Sorority Boys” stars Harland Williams, Barry Watson and Michael Rosenbaum showed up to play ball. The Circuit joked around with Williams, the wacky comedian known for his off-kilter stand-up and roles in comedies such as “Dumb and Dumber” and “There’s Something About Mary.” However, this being a family publication, that exchange will remain off the record.
At the VIP room, entertainment lawyer Gary Barkin took in the scene with his wife, Haya Handel, who is expecting her second child. A former 1980s Fairfax High School alumnus, David Arquette, was on hand to host the event with wife and “Scream” co-star, Courteney Cox Arquette. Celebs Seth Green, Matthew Perry and Brendan Frasier attended the event, which was created and organized by Zoo Productions partners John Stevens and Barry Posnick.
The Heart of Little Italy
The Heart Fund at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center took part in the grand opening of Maggiano’s Little Italy at The Grove on March 15.
Pennies for Heavenly Cause
As though raising $60,000 in memory of Jewish lives lost in the Holocaust weren’t difficult enough, the youth of Temple City’s Temple Beth David want to do it one penny at a time.
In an effort to understand the scope of the Holocaust, the Beth David Reform Mishpacha Youth (BDRMY, pronounced “be dreamy”) has embarked on a campaign to collect 6 million pennies. So far, youth leaders at the San Gabriel Valley temple have collected more than 50,000 pennies. When the collection project is completed, $55,000 of the funds will be donated to Neve Shalom, a community in Israel where Palestinians and Israelis work together for peace.
Contributions to the penny drive, which may also be in larger denominations, can be sent to Temple Beth David, Attn: BDRMY Penny Drive, 9677 E. Longden Ave., Temple City, CA 91780. For more information, call BDRMY adviser Jason Moss at (626) 798-8851. — Mike Levy, Contributing Writer
Manheim of the Year
The Los Angeles chapter of National Council of Jewish Women hosted the organization’s national convention, a triennial event where actress Camryn Manheim (“The Practice”) and Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissman Klein were honored with the “Woman Who Dared Award.”
A Plethora of Passover Perspectives
Passover University, held at Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School, allowed students, parents and grandparents to learn new ways of celebrating Passover from visiting artists, educators, and rabbis.
Man of AnimAction
Cliff Cohen and his AnimAction production company, which teaches kids animation by having them create anti-tobacco public service announcements, will hold its 12th Annual TEAM Awards at Westwood’s Wadsworth Theatre on April 12. Presenting the awards is Dr. Jeffrey Wigrand, the whistleblower portrayed by Russell Crowe in Michael Mann’s “The Insider.”
Kids Rid Park of Chametz
Four West L.A. private schools — Park Century, Wildwood, Westview and Wilshire Boulevard Temple Day School — joined forces to clean up Stoner Park on Stoner Avenue in West Los Angeles.
Fashionably Great
The Women’s Health Center Hadassah University Hospital in Israel will be the beneficiary of this year’s Hadassah Southern California luncheon. The Fourth Annual Spring and Fashion Show, to be held at Sheraton Universal Hotel on April 14, will be themed: “Women Growing Healthy Together.”
Must-See-‘Em
The Jewish Federation of Ventura County hosted to an opening reception for “Jewish Heritage and History in Ventura County,” an exhibition at the Ventura County Museum of History & Art, featuring artifacts chronicling the Jewish community from the 1860s — 1940s. The Federation has provided free tickets to the Museum of Tolerance for any eighth grade class that wishes to attend. To date, more than 20,000 students have visited the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s museum courtesy of The Federation.
“Jewish Heritage and History in Ventura County” runs through May 26. For information, call (805) 653-0323 ext. 10.
The Magnificent Elmer
University Women, a fundraising arm of University of Judaism, honored movie composer Elmer Bernstein. Bernstein has two Golden Globes and 13 Academy Awards nominations to his credit, including a win in 1967 for “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Other notable tunes include scores for “The Magnificent Seven,” “The Ten Commandments” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Calling Dr. Karlan!
Dr. Beth Karlan, an internationally recognized gynecologic cancer surgeon and research scientist, has been appointed director of the new Women’s Cancer Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. n
