From left: Rabbi Susan Nanus, pianist Vanessa Fadial, flautist Keren Schweitzer, cellist Jason Lippman, Wilshire Boulevard Temple Cantor Don Gurney and cellist Dennis Karmacyn. Also pictured is Schweitzer’s daughter. Courtesy of Wilshire Boulevard Temple Last month, Wilshire Boulevard Temple (WBT) held a fundraising concert for Ukraine.
Held on March 20 in the sanctuary at WBT’s University Campus in West Los Angeles, “Standing Up to a Modern Day Haman: A Classical Concert for Ukraine” raised more than $23,000 for HIAS, which has responded to the current crisis in Ukraine with emergency humanitarian assistance to those displaced by the conflict.
Replacing the congregation’s traditional Purim events, the WBT concert featured music by Ukrainian composers, a brief explanation of the centuries-old Jewish heritage in Ukraine and the reading of parts of the Megillah.
“If you want to understand the current war in Ukraine, you can actually find some enlightening parallels in the Book of Esther,” WBT Rabbi Susan Nanus said, drawing comparisons between Haman and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Music is the expression of hope and truth and faith in our highest ideals…Tonight we are honored to have four esteem musicians with us to help us transcend our differences and connect with the power of music,” Nanus added.
The performers at the concert, which also streamed online, were pianist Vanessa Fadial, flautist Keren Schweitzer and cellists Jason Lippman and Dennis Karmacyn.
“The musicians donated their time and talent, we produced a free event to inspire donations, and we made it easy to donate directly to HIAS,” a synagogue spokesperson said.
At the end of the hourlong program, WBT Cantor Don Gurney shared his appreciation of the performers.
“This great generosity of spirit, compassion and artistry made this evening happen,” he said. “And we hope this is not the last time.”
Advocacy group American Jewish Committee (AJC) hosted a delegation of U.S. mayors in Israel from March 27-April 2 as part of AJC Project Interchange.
Participating mayors included Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf; Tampa, Florida Mayor Jane Castor; and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, who chaired the bipartisan mayoral delegation.
“AJC has worked closely with mayors and municipal leaders for decades on issues of mutual concern. As on previous mayoral visits to Israel with AJC, this group learned about Israel and engaged in fruitful exchanges with their Israeli counterparts on approaches to common challenges,” AJC Chief Field Operations Officer Melanie Maron Pell, who accompanied the delegation, said.
This year, the delegation visited localities throughout Israel and discussed best practices for managing COVID-19, urban revitalization and electric transportation, according to AJC.
Project Interchange is a nonprofit educational institute of AJC. For over 40 years, the initiative has brought more than 6,000 influential figures to Israel. The mayoral mission aims to enhance U.S.-Israel relations on the municipal level. This year’s delegation represented the second AJC Project Interchange group under the auspices of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States Conference of Mayors and Israel, signed in 2019.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles held its 2022 Chai/Emerald/Zahav, Ruby and Lion of Judah luncheon, recognizing the collective power of its Sylvia Weisz Women’s Philanthropy during the 50th anniversary year of Lion of Judah.
The March 22 gathering at the Maybourne Hotel in Beverly Hills drew 225 attendees and featured L.A. Federation CEO and President Rabbi Noah Farkas in conversation with Israeli activist, author, and actress Noa Tishby. The two discussed Tishby’s recent book, “Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth,” along with myths and misconceptions surrounding the Jewish homeland.
Additionally, Lynn Bider, general campaign chair at the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, shared reflections from her and Farkas’ recent humanitarian mission to the Ukrainian-Poland border.
The program concluded with a Q-and-A, with those in attendance asking how they can best educate their children and grandchildren about fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel.
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