The StandWithUs (SWU) Festival of Lights gala was held Dec. 15 at the Fairmont Century Plaza, with hundreds of attendees turning out to support the pro-Israel education organization.
The evening honored John Ondrasik, lead singer of band Five for Fighting and an activist who, though not Jewish, has shown strong support of Israel. Upon receiving the SWU Guardian of Israel Award, Ondrasik spoke of recent trips to Israel, including his experience performing at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv.
Actress, social media influencer and activist Montana Tucker emceed and was also recognized by SWU leadership with the Guardian of Israel Award. Tucker, who is Jewish, got her start on TikTok posting fun and playful dance videos. Since Oct. 7, she has used her immense platform on Instagram, where she has more than 3.2 million followers, to voice support. Her efforts have focused on raising awareness about the hostages, including Americans, still being held by Hamas.
Actress and activist Patricia Heaton, known for her role on sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” was a special guest. In the aftermath of Oct. 7, Heaton founded O7C, a coalition of Christians and Jews standing together. She, too, was honored by SWU.
Eylon Levy, a social media influencer and former Israeli government spokesman, served as the evening’s keynote speaker. The U.K.-born Levy has become one of the most prolific backers of Israel during the country’s multifront war.
The evening kicked off with a kosher gourmet dinner reception, catered by Pat’s. A silent auction featured artwork, memorabilia and luxurious getaways. Comedian Dan Ahdoot—whose credits include Netflix’s “Cobra Kai”—performed and garnered laughs from the audience as he joked about Jewish stereotypes, recent visits to Israel and Jews arming themselves amid the current rise in antisemitism. Ahdoot recently visited a gun range, he said, where it resembled a Chabad.
Along with Ondrasik, the evening feted University of Miami student Betty Srour, a SWU campus liaison, and Eli Tsives, a student leader at UCLA and former SWU intern Kenneth Leventhal.
Speakers included SWU CEO Roz Rothstein; Consul General of Israel in Los Angeles Israel Bachar and philanthropist Naty Saidoff. Saidoff and his wife, Debbie, are longtime SWU supporters.
SWU focuses on empowering college, high school and middle school students in the fight against antisemitism.
Iranians of all faiths have long celebrated “Shab-e Yalda,” or the winter solstice, which marks the longest night of the year. The Jewish month of Kislev also marks a period in which nights grow longer, and Hanukkah is meant to illuminate the physical and metaphoric darkness through meaningful ritual and remembrance.
The juxtaposition of ancient traditions and light in the depth of darkness was at the heart of a Dec. 5 launch event called “Erev Yalda: Reimagining the Ancient Persian Winter Solstice Celebration,” held at the Cat’s Crawl theater in Hollywood. “Erev Yalda” was conceived by Los Angeles-based food writer Tannaz Sassooni and entrepreneur Rachel Sumekh. Featuring words that fuse together Hebrew and Persian holiday references, “Erev Yalda,” which is also a short film and digital resource kit, was sponsored by Reboot Studios, the funding and production arm of Jewish arts and culture nonprofit Reboot.
During the event, Sumekh and Sassooni screened their film, which features actress and producer Michaela Watkins, actress and playwright Tara Grammy, Israeli comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi, journalist Rob Eshman, and Black and Persian comedian Tehran Von Ghasri. UCLA professor of Persian language Sahba Shayani moderated a Q&A with Sassooni and Sumekh.
In her remarks, Sumekh described Erev Yalda as “a living ritual, a way for Iranian Jews to build new traditions and share them with others in a way that respects the past but feels resonant today.”
— Tabby Refael, Community Writer
Recipients of the 2024 Jewish Educator Awards (JEA) celebrated during a Dec. 10 luncheon at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel, with educators from across the denominational spectrum, from the most Orthodox to the most secular, turning out.
The event drew more than 200 attendees. Among them was Milken Family Foundation Executive Vice President Richard Sandler, who gave a presentation about each of this year’s honorees.
“What is more enjoyable than honoring our heroes, our Jewish educators,” Sandler said.
This year’s honorees were Rabbi Yossi Elefant, Yeshiva Ketana of Los Angeles; Rebecca Moray, Brawerman Elementary School of Wilshire Boulevard Temple; Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg, Shalhevet High School, and Einav Telem, Valley Beth Shalom Day School.
Each received an award of $15,000.
The JEA — an initiative of Milken Family Foundation and Builders of Jewish Education — recognizes Jewish day school teachers in Los Angeles who have exhibited quality in their teaching, professional leadership, engagement with families and the community and potential for even greater contribution to the development of children.
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