On Jan. 25, American Jewish University’s Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies Student Josh Feldman joined Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback and Bishop Dr. Michael Fisher at the Greater Zion Family Church in Compton. They came together during a community worship service, during which Feldman shared words of Torah. The event celebrated the united past, present and future of the Black and Jewish American experiences. Additionally, Rabbi Yoshi and Bishop Fisher offered reflections on their recent mission to Israel.
Jewish Federation Los Angeles honored the return of the final hostage from Gaza, Ran Gvili, by removing the largest yellow ribbon in the country from the side of its building at 6505 Wilshire Boulevard on Jan. 28.
LA Federation President and CEO Rabbi Noah Farkas took down the yellow hostage ribbon, which spanned the west-facing side of the Federation’s building. It was described by the organization as “a powerful moment for our city and JFEDLA.”
The artwork was installed to mark the one-year anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 attack, serving as a visible reminder of the lives taken, the families shattered and the urgent call to bring every hostage home. Since its installation, the ribbon has stood high above Wilshire Boulevard as a sign of Jewish solidarity and collective mourning for the Los Angeles community and beyond.
The ribbon, intentionally designed at monumental scale to ensure the message could not be ignored, was created by Farkas and LA Federation Chief Creative Officer Rob Goldenberg.
“From the moment we installed the ribbon, it was never meant to be permanent,” Farkas said. “It was a promise that we would keep watch, raise our voices and refuse to look away until every hostage was home. Taking it down now is both a moment of profound relief and a reminder of the immense human cost that led us here.”
The remains of 24-year-old Ran Gvili, the final hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, were returned to Israel on Jan. 26, marking the first time since 2014 that there are no hostages being held in Gaza.
Courtesy of TIOH
At its congregational meeting on Jan. 27, members of Temple Israel of Hollywood (TIOH) came together to vote and elect its new Senior Rabbi, Mark Miller.
Rabbi Miller will officially begin his tenure on July 1, marking the start of a pivotal new chapter for Temple Israel of Hollywood.
“We look forward to warmly welcoming Rabbi Miller and his family to Los Angeles and into our congregation,” a statement from the Reform congregation said. “We are confident that Rabbi Miller is the right person to guide Temple Israel of Hollywood into its next chapter.”
TIOH’s first Shabbat service under his leadership is expected in mid-July.
“Although the American Jewish landscape has been changing dramatically in recent years, I believe a synagogue can still be a place to build community and nurture relationships, a source of joyful spirituality, a fount of learning and tradition for all ages, a wellspring of comfort and hope when we need it, and a launching pad for good in the world,” Miller said in a statement.
For Miller, who currently serves as senior rabbi of Temple Beth El in Michigan, the appointment marks a return to Los Angeles. He previously spent 11 years directing Jewish summer camps, including Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps in Malibu and was ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.
