A nine-woman choral group, ranging in age from 79 to 98, and all residents of the Heritage Pointe Jewish home for the aged, will enliven the 14th annual Chanukah fundraising gala, to be held Nov. 17 at Irvine\’s Hyatt Regency.
Madonna doesn\’t like to explain her music videos, but in her newest one, \”Die Another Day\” (the title track for the soon-to-be-released James Bond movie), while wearing a dirty, white tank top she sneeringly sings to the camera, \”Analyze this, Analyze this.\” So we will.
Naked women covered in … tallitot and tefillin? The black-and-white photographs in \”Shekhina\” (Umbrage Editions, $39.95) a new book by Leonard Nimoy — a.k.a. \”Star Trek\’s\” Mr. Spock — have ignited a debate in the Jewish community over art and censorship.
It takes a certain amount of chutzpah for a Jewish population numbering less than 1,000 to field a Jewish museum. But if anyone has chutzpah, it\’s Ireland\’s tiny Jewish — mostly Orthodox — community. The Irish Jewish Museum, founded in 1985 by Dr. Chaim Herzog, then president of Israel and son of the former chief rabbi of Ireland, ambitiously exhibits artifacts about Irish Jewish history and life as well as about Jewish life in general.
Fernando Acosta has important dreams. He hopes to one day be a city attorney. For now he works a cash register at Castle Park, a city-owned miniature golf course in Sherman Oaks, while attending college.
The conflict over Valley secession reflects the growing gap between rabbis and the actual reality their flocks experience.
With the spotlight on secession for the past few months, it is almost easy to forget that there are major political races involving Jewish candidates in the San Fernando Valley.
The most significant battle is the one being waged in the 27th U.S. House District. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) has been virtually invincible up until now in the 24th District. However, the district was redrawn in September, thus making him an unknown quantity to about two-thirds of his constituents and leaving an opening for challenger Robert Levy, an attorney from Woodland Hills.
In the final days before the Nov. 5 election, secession supporters are facing a tough battle. The latest public opinion poll shows Valley voters backing Measure F, which would create a separate city, by a narrow margin.
A Los Angeles Times Poll earlier this month found only 42 percent of likely Valley voters in favor of secession. However, a more recent study by Survey USA for KABC-TV found Valley cityhood supported by 58 percent of likely voters in the Valley and 40 percent citywide.
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For decades, hard-working, committed citizens have been struggling to break the Valley free from remote politicians and uncaring bureaucrats, whose interests are focused on downtown interests with downtown influence. If we are successful, Valley independence will provide a more representative and more accountable government for all Los Angeles residents.
Declines in public safety, after-school programs, health care, education, transportation and the loss of middle-
The question has been posed to me frequently over the past several months: Is Valley secession \”good for the Jews?\”
Truthfully, it\’s a difficult question to answer. Other current matters are easier to address. Is President Bush good for the Jews? Prime Minister Ariel Sharon certainly thinks so. Are the Dodgers good for the Jews? Shawn Green\’s 42 home runs certainly say so.
But secession? Does it really matter for the Jews of Los Angeles whether they live in one city of 3.35 million people or two cities of 2 million and 1.35 million each?
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