From left: B’nai David-Judea (BDJ) Executive Director Adynna Swarz; BDJ Rabbanit Alissa Thomas-Newborn; and actress Mayim Bialik attend BDJ’s annual banquet dinner last month. Photo courtesy of American Jewish University
Modern Orthodox congregation B’nai David-Judea (BDJ) held its annual banquet dinner on Feb. 23 at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills.
The event sold out 10 days ahead, a first for the community, and drew 300 people. It raised 25% more in funds than last year, “also a record for us,” according to BDJ Executive Director Adynna Swarz.
Recognized were Shana and Mordechai Fishman, who were named the “Migdal David Honorees”; BDJ Rabbanit Alissa Thomas-Newborn, in celebration of her five years of service to the community; and Joanne and Robby Helperin, who were named the “Chasdei David Honorees.”
Actress Mayim Bialik (“The Big Bang Theory”), a long time supporter of BDJ, introduced Thomas-Newborn and emphasized the importance of BDJ providing a female rabbi with the opportunity to lead the congregation.
“Rabbanit Alissa did not exist when I needed someone like her,” Bialik said. “She is a symbol of the flexibility, tenacity and strength of Orthodoxy and the grace and dignity she brings to her position.”
Israeli conductor and pianist Lahav Shani has been named the designate music director of Israel Philharmonic Orchestra for the 2020-21 season, succeeding Zubin Mehta.
Shani started his conducting career when he won first prize at the 2013 Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition. According to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Shani has considerable experience performing chamber music.
He has been serving as the chief conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was established in 1936 as the Palestine Orchestra.
Photo courtesy of BB’nai David Judea.
American Jewish University (AJU) and its Arts at AJU program held an opening reception for its exhibition, “Face to Face: Being Deborah,” a community-focused photography exhibition, on March 8.
The exhibition offers an up-close encounter with women and the women who inspire them, including rabbis, students, educators, artists and philanthropists, mothers, daughters, friends, allies and collaborators.
The photos were taken by local artist Yael Nov and have been on display in the AJU main lobby.
Rotem Rozental, AJU’s chief curator and senior director of arts and culture, said the exhibition “raises a series of questions we are interested in exploring, relating to the nature of womanhood in the Jewish community, in all its complexity, as well as the historical conditions that continue to define our lives today. I am excited to outline these varied perspectives with these two projects, offering an expansive experience for wider audiences.”
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) held its Helene and Joseph Sherwood Prize for Combating Hate Luncheon on March 10 at the Skirball Cultural Center.
The event recognized Southern California law enforcement personnel “who go above and beyond the call of duty to find hate,” according to the ADL website.
Speakers included ADL Regional Board Chair Scott Harris. Harris said, “Every one of the award recipients is a shining example of leadership and service for the whole law enforcement community.”
Participants included ADL L.A. Deputy Regional Director Ariella Loewenstein and ADL Center of Extremism Senior Investigative Researcher Joanna Mendelson. The two paid tribute to Joe Sherwood, who died last month shortly before his 103rd birthday. With his wife, Helene, he founded the Sherwood Prize in 1996 “to provide a forum for recognizing law enforcement at its best.”
There were four group awardees, including the first responders to the April 2019 Chabad of Poway shooting. The ADL recognized the “bravery and quick response of law enforcement personnel and civilians at the time of the [Chabad] attack.”.
LAPD Assistant Chief Beatrice Girmala introduced the Chabad of Poway first responders, and Poway Mayor Steve Vaus also was in attendance.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department, which received an award for its investigation of the 2018 slaying of Blaze Bernstein, a 19-year-old University of Pennsylvania student who was home for the holidays when he was killed. Authorities say the suspect, Samuel Woodward, is a member of a violent Neo-Nazi group known as the Atomwaffen Division
Bernstein’s grandparents attended the event, with his grandfather thanking the Sheriff’s Department not only for “investigating the murder as hate crime, but solving the crime.”
LAPD Detective and Hate Crimes Coordinator Orlando Martinez was the day’s individual honoree. Martinez has worked vigorously to bring justice to those who have been victimized by discrimination and hatred, the ADL said.
Additional honorees included the FBI’s L.A. Field Office and the U.S. District Attorney’s Office–Central District of California, which received an award for prosecuting Latino gang members who firebombed several Ramona Gardens apartments in May 2018 because the tenants primarily were African American.
LAPD’s Criminal Investigation Section was awarded a prize for ensuring the perpetrator of an attempted car ramming of Jewish victims in November 2018, allegedly motivated in part by Islamic extremism, would be removed from the community. LAPD Captain Robert Long accepted the award.
Long said the goal of law enforcement was to “help keep people safe and, when we can’t keep people safe, to bring those who took away our loved ones to justice.”
David Sherwood, Joe Sherwood’s grandson, delivered closing remarks.
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