Attendees of Kahal Joseph Congregation’s pre-Purim community bake included front row (from left): Jaimie Nissan, Rosy Nissan, Tikva Iny, Yvette Khalili, Shoshana Chammou; and back row (from left): Talia Cohen, Mickey Kahtan, Sue Halevy, Yvette Dabby, Nira Sayegh, Shylee Cohen, Hadar Cohen, Ethan Joyce. Courtesy of Kahal Joseph Congregation On Feb. 26, modern Orthodox Mizrahi congregation Kahal Joseph Congregation held a community bake.
During the pre-Purim event, Kahal’s expert bakers of all ages came together to create yummy and traditional Iraqi treats for misloach manot gift baskets that were shared with community members who may be home on Purim.
Those who turned out to the morning program donned aprons, mixed dough with their hands and not only shared their skills but acquired some new ones along the way.
The result was delicious pastries that made for wonderful Purim goodies.
Kahal Joseph was founded as a congregation for Jews of Iraqi origin arriving in Los Angeles from India, Indonesia, Singapore and elsewhere. Today, it is a vibrant community in Westwood serving approximately 300 families.
The Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO) California, chaired by Gina Raphael, was honored to host World WIZO President Esther Mor for a series of uplifting events to support women, children and seniors in need in Israel.
At the Queen Esther Purim brunch on March 5, WIZO graduate Shani Zamir performed for 200 people that came together as Zionists to support the social service and Zionist message of WIZO.
Assemblymember Rick Chavez-Zbur, L.A. City Councilmember Traci Park and LAUSD School board member Nick Melvoin attended, and award-winning writer and Journal columnist Tabby Refael made special remarks. Also in attendance were friends of WIZO that included Sarah Idan (Miss Universe Iraq), Juri Watanabe (Miss Universe Japan) and Matthew Nouriel, a social media influencer also known as “Empress Mizrahi.”
The event was emceed by WIZO California Advocacy Co-Chair and Board Member Adeena Bleich.
On March 1, Jewish Free Loan Association (JFLA) and the USC Casden Institute co-organized a screening of “Loan Wolves” at the Skirball Cultural Center.
Directed by Blake Zeff, the film follows Zeff as he travels the country to uncover the effects of student loan debt and investigates who snuck two lines in the 1998 education bill, which made student loans the only debt in America that can never be forgiven or erased through bankruptcy, contributing to the largest student loan debt crisis in history.
The screening was followed by a robust discussion with Zeff; Lisa Ansell, associate director at the USC Casden Institute; and Alan Collinge, founder of StudentLoanJustice.Org.
According to Ansell, “The removal of the constitutional right to declare bankruptcy from student loan debt along with usurious compound interest are by far the largest contributing factors to what is now a $2 trillion crisis and the abuse by bad-faith actors who have profited from this corrupt and predatory system.”
JFLA Board Member Sam Yebri, a partner at law firm Merino Yebri, moderated the panel.
Additional speakers included JFLA Board President Brandon Levin and JFLA Executive Director Rachel Grose. They opened the evening with remarks.
A nonprofit, JFLA provides interest-free loans to people of all races and religions. The loans support recipient personal and business needs and are offered with no collateral.
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