Temple of the Arts’ recent Yom Kippur services, held at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, featured several special guests.
Among those who joined the synagogue’s Rabbi David Baron on the bimah on Oct. 11 and 12 were Oz Davidian, a farmer from southern Israel who, on Oct. 7, 2023, rescued 120 young people that were under attack by Hamas at the Nova music festival. On that tragic morning, Davidian was behind the wheel of an ordinary pickup truck, and he drove into the onslaught of terrorist gunfire 15 times risking his life to transport festival attendees to safety.
On Yom Kippur, addressing those gathered in the Saban’s pews, Davidian spoke about his efforts that day, downplaying the idea that he was a hero. All the young people he saved that day, he said, speaking in Hebrew, have become like family. As he spoke, Baron provided a translation of his remarks in English.
During the break between Yom Kippur morning services and afternoon services, a short clip of a documentary, “Oz’s List,” showing footage from Davidian’s rescue activities, was screened for the congregation.
Additional guest participants at the congregation’s services included Yossi Levy, an Israeli who discussed his experiences being displaced from his home in northern Israel as a result of ongoing Hezbollah attacks at Israel’s northern border; American Jewish Committee Regional Director Richard Hirschhaut, who emphasized the collaboration of the American-Jewish community in the aftermath of Oct. 7 and urged the crowd to visit the Nova exhibit in Culver City if they had not already done so; Bishop Juan Carlos Mendez, founder and president of Churches in Action, a self-identified Christian Zionist and an outspoken advocate against antisemitism; Judea Pearl, father of slain Wall Street Journal reporter, Daniel Pearl; and philanthropist/author Daphna Ziman.
“My Yom Kippur High Holy Day Guests this year exemplified faith in action by their heroic and humane acts of kindness in the face of Hamas atrocities, while at the same time reigning in antisemitic expressions,” Baron said. “My guests have incredible stories of courage and perseverance which demonstrate the strength of the human spirit, and can serve as examples to enlighten and encourage all of us.”
Temple of the Arts explores Judaism through music, film, art and drama.
Jewish Federation Los Angeles recently held its 12th annual Tour de Summer Camps, a cycling and hiking event in Simi Valley that raises funds for Jewish summer camp scholarships.
Among the participants of the Sept. 29 gathering was 16-year-old high school junior Max Wallenstein. He completed the event’s 100-mile bike ride, one of only 40 adults who made the attempt and the only teen to attempt and finish the route.
The event — which had a $1 million fundraising goal—featured four bike ride routes: 18, 36, 62 and 100 miles.
Lauren Wallenstein said her son, Max, fundraised ahead of time — raising $604 — and was “pretty invested because he attended Camp Hess Kramer [a Jewish summer camp in Malibu] for years and felt strongly that kids who couldn’t afford Jewish summer camp should still be able to go.”
Max completed the bike ride with his dad, Andy. At one point, the father and son took a brief, unintentional detour that added eight miles to the ride. It also meant they were far behind the others for most of it. At some point, the ride’s organizers sent two chaperones to help them find their way back because the signs were being taken down and they were concerned they wouldn’t be able to find their way back to the starting point. And at another point, an organizer said they wouldn’t be able to finish so they wanted to send a van to pick up them and their bikes. But Andy said, ‘Absolutely not.’
“They finished dead last” Lauren Wallenstein said, “and it was well worth it!”
Held every year, Jewish Federation Los Angeles’ Tour de Summer Camps welcomes cyclists of all skill levels. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $11 million, making it possible for thousands of Jewish kids to enjoy transformative summer camp experiences, according to the L.A. Federation website.
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