On May 22, the Board of Rabbis of Southern California formally installed Rabbi Ahud Sela as its new president during a ceremony held at Temple Ramat Zion in Northridge.
The evening opened with remarks from Jewish Federation Los Angeles (JFEDLA) President and CEO, Rabbi Noah Farkas, who offered words of gratitude to outgoing Board of Rabbis President Rabbi Sarah Hronsky and praised Sela’s commitment to Jewish leadership and community. A highlight of the evening was a moving d’var Torah delivered by Rabbi David Vorspan, Sela’s father-in-law, which reflected on the responsibilities and spiritual meaning of rabbinic service.
California Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clarita) also addressed the gathering, sharing personal reflections on working with Sela and Hronsky on interfaith and civic initiatives in the San Fernando Valley and beyond. JFEDLA Chief Impact Officer Becky Sobelman-Stern shared a moving tribute to Hronsky, who in turn formally introduced Sela, who has been at the helm of the Board of Rabbis since January.
Sela, who has served as the rabbi of Temple Ramat Zion since 2010, will lead the Board through the end of 2026. In his remarks, he outlined a vision of unity, service and collaborative leadership for rabbis across Southern California.
The Board of Rabbis of Southern California is a cross-denominational, professional organization supported by JFEDLA, serving rabbis from San Diego to San Luis Obispo.
Valley Beth Shalom’s (VBS) 75th anniversary gala, held on May 4, honored Past VBS President Ilene Berman and late Ritual Director Yossi Dresner, who died at the age of 86 this year. Berman also served on numerous Jewish boards and committees and received multiple leadership awards throughout her career. Dresner had been part of the VBS community since 1971.
The Sass family — Steve Hochstadt and Steve Sass; Stacey Sass Cooperman and David Cooperman; and Debra and Larry Sass — received the inaugural Yossi Dresner Ritual Award.
Chef Elon Kviatkovsky oversaw the catering for the event, which drew hundreds of people.
With the resounding success of this year’s gala, VBS members are already eagerly anticipating next year’s celebration. If this year’s was any indication, the next gala promises to be just as memorable, both in heart and taste.
By Ayala Or-El, Contributing Writer
On May 18, Jewish National Fund-USA honored Sinai Temple Religious School students on their last day of Hebrew classes for their efforts in making the desert bloom. Over the last year, the school has planted the most trees in Israel of any Hebrew or Jewish day school in the state, with over 100 trees planted in the Negev and Galilee regions. Sinai Temple has a long history of involvement with JNF-USA. Senior Rabbi Erez Sherman is the chair of the organization’s Rabbis for Israel Committee, and Sinai Director of Education Danielle Kassin recently went on one of the organization’s Educators Mission to Israel, where she learned about the importance of connecting youth to Israel.
“At Sinai Temple, we believe in teaching our students that every mitzvah — no matter how small — can change the world,” Sherman said. “Planting trees in Israel with Jewish National Fund-USA connects our children directly to the land and people of Israel, instilling pride, purpose, and a lifelong commitment to tikkun olam.”
“It was an absolute joy to recognize Sinai Temple for their incredible tree-planting efforts,” JNF-USA Greater Los Angeles Co-President Sepi Makabi said. “Seeing such fervor in our youth makes me optimistic for the future of our Jewish leadership.”
De Toledo High School student Nathan Epstein officially signed his letter of intent to take his track and field (pole vaulting) talents to the Division 1 level at Northeastern University in Boston, starting in Fall 2025. On May 21, the student-athlete and member of de Toledo’s 2025 class participated in a signing ceremony at the high school’s West Hills campus.
Epstein is a highly decorated pole vaulter, having been crowned with the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section Division 4 Championship in pole vaulting in 2024 and 2025. His commitment to signing for Northeastern University is the first D1 track-and-field commitment in de Toledo school history.
“As a former coach and proud Head of School, I am always impressed by the determination and grit of our student-athletes,” de Toledo Head of School Mark Shpall said. “After having 22 of our student-athletes win First Team all-league honors this year, it’s now especially exciting to celebrate the first D1 track & field commitment in our school’s history.”
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