The yearly sermon, which is the brainchild of synagogue founder Rabbi David Baron, invites extraordinary individuals, Jewish or not, who uphold values of freedom and courage to connect with worshippers through a shared humanity.
“I was deeply moved upon learning of Alinejad’s heroism on behalf of the women of Iran,” Baron told the Journal. “Standing up to a brutal repressive regime takes an inordinate amount of courage and sets an example for us to stand up against ‘cancel culture’ and those who would stifle dissent and free expression.”
Alinejad, who has lived in self-imposed exile since 2009, is the founder of the largest civil disobedience campaign in the history of Iran, which encourages Iranian women to film and document their harassment and stories of oppression at the hands of regime enforcers.
Alinejad, who has lived in self-imposed exile since 2009, currently hosts the weekly satirical show “Tablet” on Voice of America Persian News and is the author of “The Wind in My Hair: My Fight for Freedom in Modern Iran.” She is the founder of the largest civil disobedience campaign in the history of Iran, which encourages Iranian women to film and document their harassment and stories of oppression at the hands of regime enforcers, particularly for when they refuse to comply with the rules of the mandatory hijab, or Islamic head covering.
The regime began forcing females in Iran as young as five years old to wear the hijab after the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi and turned the country into a fanatic theocracy. Described by The New York Times as “the woman whose hair frightens Iran,” Alinejad reaches millions of followers in Iran and around the world.
This past July, four Iranian intelligence agents were charged with conspiring to kidnap Alinejad on American soil, according to the Justice Department. They had planned to kidnap the journalist to Venezuela before taking her back to Iran, where she most likely would have faced execution. Other exiled journalists have been killed by the regime in a similar manner.
“This most solemn of Jewish holy days is a humble reminder to take inventory of our lives to recognize and rectify the mistakes we have made so that we get a second chance in life,” Alinejad, who is not Jewish, told the Journal. “We do not live in a perfect world. There are failures and failings all around us. The way out is to work harder to eradicate the errors and to repair ourselves and the world. I look at the Yom Kippur message as a call to action, to do our part in the real world to set things right.”
Mona Golabek, a Grammy-nominated concert pianist and author who will discuss her mother’s poignant story as a child survivor of the Holocaust, will join Alinejad. Golabek’s mother, Lisa Jura, was a Viennese child piano prodigy who was brought to England as part of the Kindertransport (children’s transport) rescue operation. Her father, Michel Golabek, was a French resistance fighter, and her grandparents perished at Auschwitz. Before they were separated, Golabek’s grandmother, Malka, told her daughter: “Lisa, hold on to your music. It will be your friend and I will be with you always through the music.”
Golabek’s mother is the subject of several acclaimed books, including “The Children of Willesden Lane,” “Lisa of Willesden Lane,” and the illustrated book, “Hold on To Your Music.” She is currently working with the USC Shoah Foundation on a Holocaust educational program through the Hold On to Your Music Foundation (Golabek is founder and president of the latter foundation). She will speak about her family’s journey and also perform excerpts from her one-woman show, “The Pianist of Willesden Lane.”
“On this most holy day, I share my parents’ story,” Golabek said. “In doing so, I am reminded that compassion and humanity should forever be the guiding principles of our lives.”
“I love this time of year and all of the opportunities it represents,” Buchanan said. “When I converted to Judaism, the High Holy Days were so incredibly inspiring because they highlight the fact that we are empowered by our Creator to turn our lives around. I spent so long feeling powerless and living outside of my own life. Judaism helped me see how to live in it and now I just want to share that healing with as many folks as I can.”
Admission to hear speakers is free, but RSVPs are required in advance (at edgar@templeofthearts.org). Attendees will be asked to provide a photo ID, comply with a temperature check and wear a face mask. Yom Kippur performers and services readers include an array of cantors, vocalists (including several young singers), activists, entertainment executives and television personalities. Temple of the Arts is the largest arts and entertainment synagogue in the country.
“Yom Kippur is a day we are commanded to set aside for prayer, forgiveness and reflection on our purpose as human beings in this shared life journey,” Baron said. “Bonding with others who strive for freedom and decency elevates our humanity.”
Tabby Refael is a Los Angeles-based writer, speaker and civic action activist. Follow her on Twitter @RefaelTabby
