Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles CEO and President Rabbi Noah Farkas addresses communitywide security concerns at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills. Photo by Emily Vishnevetsky The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and Anti-Defamation League joined local and national law enforcement on Jan. 21 to address security concerns in the aftermath of the recent hostage situation at a Colleyville, Texas synagogue.
Held on a Friday morning, the press conference at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills featured remarks by Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles CEO and President Rabbi Noah Farkas; ADL Regional Director Jeffrey Abrams; FBI Los Angeles Assistant Director in Charge Kristi Johnson; Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Beatrice Girmala; and Beverly Hills Chief of Police Mark Stainbrook. They discussed federal nonprofit security grants for Jewish organizations in need and highlighted collaborative work toward ensuring protection of local synagogues, agencies, camps and day schools.
“Our work securing the Jewish community of Los Angeles is a top priority for The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles,” Farkas said. “That’s why we established our Community Security Initiative (CSI) in 2012. CSI works diligently with the ADL and our valued law enforcement partners including the FBI and LAPD to keep all of us safe. We are stronger together and grateful they joined us here today.”
The World Values Network’s tenth annual “Champion of Jewish Values International Awards Gala” was held at Carnegie Hall in New York.
The Jan. 20 gathering honored global philanthropist Miriam Adelson with the Light of the Jewish People Award on behalf of her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, whose yahrzeit fell shortly before the gala.
Several high-profile community leaders turned out, including Marion Wiesel, co-founder of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, along with her son Elisha; former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft; television personality Mehmet Oz; Consul General of the Republic of Poland in New York Adrian Kubicki; IsraAid CEO Yotam Polizer; and Tom Rose, a former advisor to Vice President Mike Pence.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla appeared virtually.
The gala marked the 80th anniversary of the Wannsee Conference, a meeting among high-ranking Nazi officials that coordinated the “final solution” to the “Jewish question.” Evening honorees and speakers spoke of the significance of this event and discussed best practices for preventing future genocide. They also examined recent spikes in global anti-Semitism, evidenced by the recent hostage crisis at a Texas synagogue on Shabbat.
“The Jewish Values International Awards Gala is a time where we can recognize the best practices pioneered by leaders from around the world to combat hate, and appreciate how they can make a difference at a global scale,” Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, founder and executive director of the World Values Network, said. “We must also highlight the key role these leaders have played in championing social cohesion and peace building efforts. The World Values Network affirms that we are all entitled to justice, inclusion at all levels of society, and access to equal opportunities. The Jewish community is of critical importance in establishing a true values-based global society.”
The World Values Network, a nonprofit, aims to impact the world globally with the power of universal Jewish values. Its message, based on Boteach’s teachings, is communicated through high-profile events, speeches and public debates.
Courtesy of Muslim Public Affairs Council
On Jan. 21, following a press conference on security, interfaith leaders gathered at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills to protest hate, violence and polarizations.
“The scourge of anti-Semitism in the world today requires vigilant attention and concerted action by all people,” Muslim Public Affairs Council President Salam Al-Marayati said. “The responsibility does not lie just with Jews.”
Additional participants at the program included Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills Rabbis Sarah Bassin and Jonathan Aaron; IKAR Rabbi Sharon Brous; Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Rabbi-in-Residence Aryeh Cohen; B’nai David-Judea Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky; and Father Alexei Smith of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
“The Jewish community knows that its safety is dependent on the solidarity of the Muslim and Christian communities,” Cohen said. “We will not let the acts of one person harm that, nor will we defame a whole community based on the acts of an individual.”
Courtesy of the Muslim Public Affairs Council
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