Save A Heart Gala, NCSY West Coast Turns 50

Save A Heart Foundation (SAHF) celebrated its annual gala at Sinai Temple on Feb. 8.

The foundation honored Beverly Hills cardiologist Dr. Harold Karpman with the Heart Saver Award, and the California chapter of the American College of Cardiology awarded the Elliot Rapaport Cardiologist of the Year Award to Dr. Yzhar Charuzi, founder and president of SAHF.

“We would like to take credit for several hearts who found their counterparts through Save A Heart Foundation functions over the years,” Charuzi said.

Charuzi noted that the organization has trained over 45 fellow Israeli doctors, mostly at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, who now are the backbone of Israeli cardiology. He said the SAHF fellows have been industrious and productive researchers, and have returned to Israel to assume leadership positions in their respective fields. One of SAHF’s graduates, Doron Zahger, serves as the president of the Israel Heart Society.

Save A Heart Foundation recently joined forces with the American College of Cardiology and the Israel Heart Society to continue the mission of SAHF. The plan is to expand research opportunities for Israeli fellows to many academic cardiology programs in California, including Cedars-Sinai, Stanford University and USC.

Master of ceremonies Dr. Eli Gang welcomed the honorees and introduced the event’s chairwoman, Sarit Finkelstein-Boim, an executive board member at SAHF who has been volunteering with the organization for the past 30 years.

A special performance of the Israeli and U.S. national anthems featured a group from Shevet Harel, the Israeli scouts.

Maestro James Conlon, music director of the Los Angeles Opera, led a performance. Jimmy Gamliel and his band entertained the more than 200 guests, starting with the horah and continuing with more modern songs.
— Ayala Or-El, Contributing Writer

Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles (JBBBSLA) held “Big Event 2020: A Taste in Hollywood” on Feb. 6 at NeueHouse in Hollywood.

The event, which kicked off with cocktails and dining, honored Mark Kuperstock with the Inspiration Award and raised more than $300,000 to support JBBBSLA’s mission.

According to JBBBSLA, Kuperstock’s involvement with the organization began in 1987 when he became a Big Brother to a 9-year-old named Joey. The friendship between the two continues to this day.

The honoree previously served as board president of JBBBSLA for three years and has served as a member of the board of directors since 2012.

Kuperstock, a principal and founding partner of Mulholland & Kuperstock Asset Management who lives with his wife, Caroline, and their son, Evan, in West Los Angeles, also has been involved with other youth charities and is a founding member of the Children’s Library Foundation.

“There is no doubt that my connection to JBBBSLA has been the most impactful and personally satisfying of all my community-related activities, and I look forward to continue supporting all that we do for many years,” Kuperstock said.

Established over 100 years ago, JBBBSLA “has provided innovative and impactful programs that have helped more than 100,000 children from across Los Angeles reach their potential,” according to the organization. It offers one-to-one mentoring, college guidance and scholarships, connects teens to social and emotional peer support, and owns and operates Camp Bob Waldorf.

Also in attendance was JBBBSLA CEO Randy Schwab.

More than 225 people attended NCSY West Coast’s 50th anniversary celebration at The Mark for Events in Pico-Robertson on Feb. 26.

The evening centered around “Saluting the Past, Supporting the Future” and focused on the organization’s work over the last five decades in inspiring Jewish teens on the West Coast.

The honorees were Steve and Eytan Darrison and Daphne and Jesse Orenshein, two parent-and-child pairs who are involved in various aspects of NCSY and continue to care about impacting the community around them, according to the organization, formerly known as the National Conference of Synagogue Youth.

Steve Darrison was involved with NCSY as a teenager growing up in San Jose. He eventually started a Sephardic chapter in the San Fernando Valley. Following in his father’s footsteps, Eytan has served as the West Coast NCSY adviser for Shabbaton programs and regional events.

When Daphne Orenshein was a teen, she was involved in all kinds of NCSY programs. Likewise, her son, Jesse, has been involved in a number of capacities.

Comedian Elon Gold hosted an NCSY family game show during the event.

NCSY, the Orthodox youth group under the auspices of the Orthodox Union (OU), connects Jewish teens to their roots through inspiration and leadership skills, according to the OU website. The West Coast is the largest NCSY region in the U.S.

“NCSY’s West Coast region has been a leader in educating Jewish teens and enhancing the spirituality and growth of thousands of our young people through innovative programs and services,” OU President Moishe Bane said in a statement. “We are so proud of their efforts as we celebrate this important milestone.”

Friends of Sheba Medical Center (FSMC) held a performance of the theater production “Do I Win or Do I Lose?” on Feb. 23 at The Pico in Los Angeles.

The one-man show, written and performed by Israeli actor Roy Horovitz, follows the perspective of a young man named Jerry as he recounts the both comedic and tragic story of his gambling addict grandfather’s battle with pancreatic cancer.

After the play, Horovitz and FSMC Executive Director Molly Soboroff participated in a Q&A session.

FSMC raises funds and awareness for Sheba Medical Center in Israel, which describes itself as the “leading medical center in the Middle East with advance treatment and research.”

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