Category
October 13, 2010
Lung cancer therapy offers new hope
When you meet Michael Weitz, you immediately notice his friendly demeanor, warm smile and penchant for hugs. Next you learn about his loving wife, Janice, and his three teenage sons, Steven, Robbie and David. And, most likely, you find out that he’s an emergency medical physician and the associate medical director at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica.
Music therapy adds extra component of care for critically ill children
Sitting cross-legged on her twin bed, Lupita, 9, hunches over an electronic keyboard during a music lesson. Her teacher, Vanya Green, watches the young girl carefully plunk out the notes to “Happy Birthday.”
Ethiopian troupe brings shoulder dancing to L.A.
The first time Dr. Ruth Eshel witnessed esketa (which means shoulder dance, in Amharic), she was astounded. “I knew immediately that this was something new and different, something I had never seen before,” Eshel said with enthusiasm over a cup of steaming coffee at Tel Aviv’s renowned Performing Arts Center. “For someone like me, who has been dancing and choreographing for many years, to see something entirely new was very refreshing,” she continued, smiling wider at the memory. Eshel’s dream of one day forming an Ethiopian dance troupe was rooted in that first experience as an awestruck spectator.
Israel film festival will spotlight best of cinema, TV
“The Matchmaker” is the opening-night presentation of the 25th Israel Film Festival, which will take place Oct. 20-Nov. 4 and has grown to be the largest showcase of Israeli films in the United States. But don’t expect a heartwarming shtetl romance or a Hollywood-ish “Father of the Bride” comedy.
Jewish officials preparing for possible GOP wins
Across the United States, Jewish community professionals are honing their skills of persuasion, preparing to deal with a new crop of lawmakers unfamiliar with Jewish organizational priorities — and who could be unenthusiastic once they’re in the know.
Author Grossman awarded Peace Prize
Israeli writer David Grossman, who will appear at Stephen S. Wise Temple in Los Angeles on Oct. 19, was awarded the prestigious Peace Prize at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair.
Holy task force
On a recent evening at Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles, I couldn’t find a place to eat my wild mushroom and goat cheese quesadilla while holding my glass of craftsman Oktoberfest beer and my notebook and navigating a crowd reveling in some amazing food, wine and brew. So I ducked into what looked like an old wooden phone booth and set everything down on a handy ledge.
California budget mixed for Jewish social service agencies
Jewish agencies who receive state funding to provide social services are still waiting to determine the exact fallout of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s $965 million blue-pencil cuts to the budget deal hammered out 100 days late by lawmakers last week.
Republicans court California’s Jews; Democrats are no-shows
The Republican nominee for California governor, former eBay chief Meg Whitman, spoke at Stephen S. Wise Temple on Oct. 10 to a crowd of 700 enthusiastic supporters. Carly Fiorina, the GOP candidate for senator, will speak at the synagogue Oct. 24. Stephen S. Wise Senior Rabbi Eli Herscher said invitations had also been extended to the Democratic nominees for both offices, and Sen. Barbara Boxer, who is campaigning for a fourth term, declined the offer. A spokesperson from the Jerry Brown for Governor campaign said the campaign never received a formal invitation and only learned about the event from a third party, at which point Whitman had been named featured speaker and the Republican Jewish Coalition was a co-sponsor of the event.
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