On May 1, nearly 1,000 community members, including parents, alumni, alumni parents and supporters, joined together at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank to celebrate Milken Community School’s 30th Anniversary.
The gathering honored Ken and Wendy Ruby, Nurit and Rich Robin, and Vivienne Friedman.
Highlights of the evening included a performance by students from Milken’s Koleinu choir, live music performed by 10-piece band Traffic Jamm, dancing, food performance stations, exploring the backlot that was home to many favorite shows and movies, including “Gilmore Girls” and “Ocean’s 11,” a video highlighting Milken’s proud 30-year history, as well as videos paying tribute to the evening’s honorees.
Along Reunion Row, a section of the venue, over 300 alumni gathered to reminisce about their Milken days and create new memories as they sipped “Milken Margaritas” and feasted on kosher short ribs, sushi and shawarma. Those who graduated from Milken in the nineties mingled with young adults who graduated as recently as 2015.
Another highlight of the sold-out event was hearing powerful and inspiring words from Head of School Sarah Shulkind about Milken’s bright future. She spoke about how successful Milken has been in providing tuition assistance to students in need.
“There is unbelievable momentum at Milken,” Shulkind said. “Our applications doubled in one year from more than 40 feeder schools city-wide. Our enrollment is up 15%. Now more than ever, with the rise of antisemitism, we need to raise children who are proud to be Jewish and who are proud of and connected to Israel. That is why Milken is investing significant resources to continue leading in this area.”
The evening also launched a fund, The Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin Endowment for Children of Milken Alumni, raising over $500,000 during the program’s paddle raise.
Member-of-the-tribe comedians Larry David and Adam Sandler were among those who participated in the “Netflix is a Joke” festival to talk about their careers in comedy.
Appearing on May 2 at the Greek Theatre in a live conversation with producer-director Robert Weide, David covered “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Seinfeld” and laughing at his bar mitzvah’s haftorah portion.
On May 3, comedians Dana Carvey and David Spade interviewed Sandler at the Wiltern.
Congregation Kol Ami held its 29th annual gala at Playa Studios in Culver City.
The gathering on May 1 raised more than 90,000, including money for SOVA.
“It was wonderful to celebrate 29 years of Congregation Kol Ami by coming back together in person as a community,” Kol Ami Rabbi Denise Eger said. “Our honorees Dr. Nancy Cohen and Mr. Jeffrey Wortman and Peter Balderas have volunteered their time and resources for our synagogue. Their leadership has been exemplary, and their neshamot filled with chesed.”
On April 25, the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival, in partnership with the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, the Museum of Tolerance and Jewish Story Partners, held the Los Angeles premiere preview screening for the new documentary film, “Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen,” at the Museum of Tolerance.
A post-screening panel included the film’s writer-director Daniel Raim, producer Sasha Berman, co-writer Michael Sragow and actress Michèle Marsh, who played Hodel in the motion picture, “Fiddler On The Roof.”
Hilary Helstein, director of the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival, moderated.
More than 200 excited audience members were in attendance.
The film explores how the experience of making “Fiddler” deepened Norman Jewison as an artist and revived his soul. Drawing on behind-the-scenes footage and never-before-seen stills, the film offers original interviews with Jewison, Topol (Tevye), composer John Williams, production designer Robert Boyle, lyricist Sheldon Harnick, film critic Kenneth Turan, and actresses Rosalind Harris, Michèle Marsh, and Neva Small (Tevye’s daughters).
The film opened in Los Angeles theaters on May 6.
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