JFSLA Hanukkah Parties, Stephen Wise Temple’s Blue and White Ball, AFMDA

On Dec. 19, Jewish Family Service L.A. (JFSLA) welcomed approximately 100 Jewish and non-Jewish members of the Los Angeles community to celebrate Hanukkah. The event, held in the Fairfax District at JFSLA’s Jona Goldrich Center, allowed seniors to connect and celebrate together during the holiday season. 

Attendees enjoyed a latke lunch, music, dancing and performances by students in the Hillel Hebrew Academy Choir. 

“At Jewish Family Service L.A., Hanukkah is a time to celebrate unity and resilience, it’s an opportunity to come together as a community,” Susan Belgrade, senior director of multipurpose and senior centers at JFSLA, said. “Hanukkah symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness. There is no better way to honor that tradition than by gathering with friends and forging new connections.” 

JFSLA serves tens of thousands of Angelenos, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. The party served as a welcoming opportunity for attendees of all faiths to enjoy Hanukkah traditions and participate in holiday celebrations.

“Although Hanukkah is a Jewish tradition, during the holiday season, we encourage all of our community members to celebrate and learn about its significance in a fun and welcoming way,” Kimiko Kelly, director of the arts, wellness and engagement program at JFSLA, said. “We are proud to foster an environment that encourages seniors of all backgrounds to learn about each other’s cultures and create relationships from a background of respect and appreciation for one another.” 

In addition to the Fairfax senior Hanukkah party, JFSLA hosted a Hanukkah celebration with songs, dancing and arts and crafts at Café Europa, the agency’s social program for Holocaust survivors, on Dec. 17, and hosted a Hanukkah party on Dec. 30 for participants in the special needs life skills program, which provides weekly activities to adults with special needs.

On Dec. 12, Stephen Wise Temple and Schools held the Blue and White Ball, which brought together more than 500 attendees — making it the temple’s most attended gala ever — for an evening of celebration, recognition, and community. Held in the Katz Family Pavilion and Nahmias Plaza, the event honored Rabbi David Woznica for 20 years of transformative leadership and service to the temple.  Steve Bram, the synagogue’s past president, was celebrated for his extraordinary three decades of dedication and contributions. The evening also recognized the heroes of the temple and school community. 

“The honorees’ unwavering advocacy and support for Israel continue to inspire and strengthen our shared mission,” Stephen Wise Temple leadership said. “The incredible turnout underscored the deep bonds and shared values within the Wise community, making the Blue and White Ball a truly unforgettable night of gratitude, connection, and pride.” 

Visiting from Israel, Magen David Adom paramedics Hadas Ehrlich and Oshrit Hadad spoke at Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills about serving on the front lines on Oct. 7. 

On that day, Hadad, 22, was treating a wounded elite IDF soldier, who had been shot all over his body. Hadad was undressing him, searching for his wounds, when the soldier grabbed Hadad’s hand and made an unexpected request: He asked Hadad to recite the shema with him. 

“He said, ‘I‘m a Jew. Even though I’m not religious, I know I’m going to die, so please do my last shema Yisrael with me,’” Hadad recalled.

Eventually, the patient was evacuated by helicopter to a nearby hospital. 

“I don’t know who he is, I don’t know if he survived, I don’t know if he made it,” Hadad said 

While responding to the Hamas-led attack on Israel, Ehrlich, 25, staffed an armored ambulance near Sderot, providing trauma care inside her ambulance to victims. Over 13 hours, she drove back and forth to Sderot a total of 15 times, searching for victims who were still alive—all while there were still active terrorists in the area.

“I’m wearing a bulletproof vest, but I have to put another armor on, an emotional one, because I have to be as sharp as I can, and I don’t know what I’m going to be encountering,” Ehrlich said, sharing her thought process from that day.

Approximately 30 people turned out last month, on Dec. 9, to the Beverly Hills-based synagogue to hear the two speak about their harrowing Oct. 7 experiences. On Dec. 10, the two MDA paramedics also appeared in a private discussion in Beverly Hills with an intimate group of women community leaders.

Their appearances in Los Angeles were organized by American Friends of Magen David Adom, which raises funds, awareness and support for MDA.