Cantor Nathan Lam Photo by Isabel Lawrence Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts has added Hazzan Nathan Lam to its clergy team.
Lam is joining Temple of the Arts’ Rabbi David Baron, Cantor Ilysia Pierce and Music Director Sharon Farber for the congregation’s monthly Shabbat services as well as on the High Holy Days.
His first service with Temple of the Arts will be “Gospel Shabbat” on March 25, held both in-person at the temple’s home, the Saban Theatre on Wilshire Boulevard, and livesteamed.
Lam, who previously served as the cantor at Stephen Wise Temple, will also serve as the chief curator of the congregation, which describes itself as a music and culture center. In that role, he will curate at least three concerts each year, according to Baron.
“He has a rich history of working with so many people in the music business – we’re going to utilize his resources to bring some special experiences to our Saban theatre stage,” Baron said. “He’s going to curate that. It’s very exciting, the future ahead of us.”
Temple of the Arts aims to make Judaism accessible through music, art, drama and film.
More than 800 households tuned in when Milken Community School held its third annual “State of the School” address, on Jan. 31.
Milken Head of School Sarah Shulkind delivered the address, highlighting student programs including L’Dough V’Dough, a challah baking partnership with Holocaust Museum LA. She also spoke of the school’s five strategic priorities.
“It’s our goal to make Milken a model pluralistic Jewish community school that shapes the future of Los Angeles and beyond,” Shulkind said during her remarks, titled “This is Our Moment.”
Participants in the virtual program included Milken Board Chair Lise Applebaum.
Courtesy of Milken Community School
Milken Community School honored Milken’s Rabbinic Director Rabbi Gordon Bernat-Kunin. Affectionately known as Rabbi BK, Bernat-Kunin is celebrating 30 years of teaching at the school.
During a virtual program, a handful of community leaders expressed words of praise for Bernat-Kunin, including Milken Head of School Sarah Shulkind, Michael Berenbaum, Rabbi Shawn Fields-Meyer, former Head of School Rennie Wrubel, Shomrei Torah Synagogue Rabbi Richard Camras and Carolyn Camras; and Valley Beth Shalom Senior Rabbi Ed Feinstein.
“He is the Jerry Seinfeld of the intellectual and philosophical world,” Camras said. “He takes the obvious things in this world…and presents them in a way that challenges us to think more deeply about whatever it is we need to be thinking about in order to grow our souls, in order to build community, in order to connect more deeply to Torah and to God.”
“He lives the values that he preaches,” Berenbaum said.
Presenting Bernat-Kunin with his award, Milken’s board member Janine Winkler Lowy likened the classroom environment Rabbi BK creates everyday for his students to a sacred space.
“You have rendered a rabbi almost speechless,” Bernat-Kunin said, accepting his award.
Rabbi BK’s professional milestone coincides with Milken’s 30th anniversary. Founded in 1991, Milken is holding a gala ceremony on May 1 to commemorate three decades of educating future leaders in the community. The program is taking place at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank and honoring Wendy and Ken Ruby; Nurit and Rich Robin; and Vivienne Friedman.
“It promises to be the celebration we’ve all been waiting for,” Applebaum said.
For more information about the upcoming gala celebration, visit milkenschool.org.
Beit T’Shuvah’s first in-person gathering since the start of the pandemic was held at SLS Hotel’s open-air garden terrace and recognized Susan Krevoy with the Majesty Service Award.
More than 90 men and women turned out on Feb. 24 to the 15th annual Circle of Majesty Luncheon to celebrate Krevoy, a psychologist, who has served on Beit T’Shuvah’s board of directors since 2000. At the organization, she started a therapy program staffed by volunteers, and she has participated in the Los Angeles Marathon with the Beit T’Shuvah team.
Over the course of the afternoon, Beit T’Shuvah President Annette Shapiro presented the family of the late Ronnie Stabler, one of the Circle of Majesty’s founders, a plaque that will hang on Beit T’Shuvah’s wall of remembrance; Ronnie’s granddaughter, Jordan Sholem, offered words of remembrance for her grandmother; and Beit T’Shuvah Founder Harriet Rossetto spoke on the theme of Judaism as a path to wholeness.
Beit T’Shuvah leadership expressed gratitude to those who turned out. “As addiction continues to impact our community, now more than ever before, Beit T’Shuvah is immensely grateful for those who support us in providing accessible, integrated care for those who seek recovery.”
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