On Aug. 30, Maman, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit with a strong presence in the Persian-Jewish community, held three events for three very different stages of Jewish life: a coastal 5K-run with Nice Jewish Runners for young adults; a restorative gathering with NeshamaCare for healthcare professionals and caregivers; and an evening with United Hatzalah for teens focused on service, Israel and philanthropy.
Approximately 230 people participated across the three events, including 80 young adults who joined Nice Jewish Runners at the Annenberg Community Beach House for a run, breakfast and mingling as well as around 100 teens who attended the United Hatzalah Teen Summer Party. The latter raised more than $2,000 that Maman and United Hatzalah will use toward lifesaving equipment in Israel.
Maman did not simply lend its name to last month’s events — rather, it helped fund and produce all three while coordinating the programming, vendors, registration, promotion and staffing along with mobilizing a network of more than 500 active volunteers.
At the center of it all was Sara Raoof Jacobs, who founded Maman in 2022 to support community members battling illness and later mobilized the organization for humanitarian relief after Oct. 7, 2023.
“Maman [which in Persian means “mother”] became known for responding when the Jewish community was in crisis. These events showed what comes next,” Raoof Jacobs said. “We’re creating spaces where young adults can find community, caregivers can feel supported and teens can develop the confidence to become Jewish leaders. The goal is not simply to bring people to one event, but to build lasting pathways for belonging and leadership. With stronger philanthropic support, we can turn these successful programs into sustained opportunities for thousands more people.”
JCC Association of North America has appointed longtime Los Angeles camp leader Rabbi Bill Kaplan as senior vice president of JCC Camps of North America, one of the largest networks of Jewish day and overnight camps.
The JCC Association announced Kaplan’s appointment on Sept. 2. In this new role, Kaplan will lead the development of a dedicated continental department focused on strengthening JCC Camps, building leadership pipelines and connecting camp professionals and communities.
According to JCC Association of North America leadership, “this new department will strengthen JCC Camps directly and help … [in] promoting deeper, lifelong engagement within the JCC Movement.”
“JCC Camps—which comprise 68% of North America’s Jewish day camps and 17% of its Jewish overnight camps — represent one of the most powerful and far-reaching platforms for Jewish identity, belonging, leadership and community,” JCC Association President and CEO Barak Hermann said. “Our continental focus on JCC Camps reflects the extraordinary scale of this movement, the present and future of Jewish communities, and what we heard clearly from JCC professionals and leaders across the field: JCC Camps need JCC Association of North America to connect the field, strengthen leadership, elevate their collective story, enhance partnerships and advocate for their impact. That’s why we’re building a new JCC Camps department within our Center for Jewish Peoplehood, and we’re thrilled that Rabbi Bill Kaplan will lead it.”
Kaplan previously served as chief executive officer of Shalom Institute in Los Angeles, a role he held for nearly 30 years. Among other achievements, he secured $55 million toward a $90-million capital campaign to rebuild its campus after the devastating 2018 Woolsey Fire. He also launched Shemesh Farms, an innovative social enterprise that engages adults with diverse abilities and has received national recognition.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University; an MBA in nonprofit management from the University of Judaism, now American Jewish University; and rabbinical ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles.
Kaplan begins in his new role on part-time basis this month and will transition to full-time on Jan. 1, 2027.
A Rosh Hashanah luncheon for seniors was held on Sept. 10 at the Jewish Family Service LA Jona Goldrich Multipurpose Center.
At the JFSLA campus on Fairfax Avenue, Rabbi Yisroel Hecht led an afternoon that included meaningful reflection and heartfelt good wishes, accompanied by the powerful sounds of the shofar blast. Meanwhile, those in attendance enjoyed a catered lunch, music and community.
