Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti presents David Codell with the Herman Humanitarian Award for his contributions to achieving marriage equality. Marcia Perel Photography
Los Angeles Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti attended Beth Chayim Chadashim’s (BCC) annual awards brunch on June 2 and presented the 2013 Rabbi Erwin and Agnes Herman Humanitarian Award to BCC honoree David Codell.
A longtime friend of Garcetti’s, Codell is a nationally recognized civil rights litigator and constitutional law expert, an advocate for LGBT rights and marriage equality, and is the visiting Arnold D. Kassoy senior scholar of law and legal director at the Williams Institute, an LGBT think tank.
Established in 1985, BCC is an LGBT synagogue, and its awards event recognizes people who have demonstrated extraordinary community leadership and made significant contributions toward tikkun olam, repair of the world. In addition to Codell, this year’s honorees included BCC volunteer and leader Ray Eelsing. He received the Presidents’ Award for outstanding service to BCC. Robin Berkovitz and Laurie Newman were granted the inaugural Harriet Perl Tzedek Award for their respective commitments to public service and social justice. Former State Sen. Sheila Kuehl presented these awards to Berkovitz and Newman.
Sunday’s event marked Garcetti’s first Jewish event as mayor-elect, according to BCC. Los Angeles’ first elected Jewish mayor and a longtime city councilman, Garcetti won the mayoral election on May 21 and will be sworn into office on July 1.
Stanley Black
Real estate businessman Stanley Black received Yeshiva Gedolah of Los Angeles/Michael Diller High School’s 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award. The ceremony was held on May 30 at the Petersen Automotive Museum. The distinction recognized Black’s 50 years of humanitarian and philanthropic accomplishments.
Organizations that have benefited from the 79-year-old’s support include Jewish Vocational Service, which offers training and counseling to help job-seekers in Los Angeles; ORT College, the local branch of the worldwide education and training organization; Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services, which offers a range of social and psychological services; and The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.
The list of Black’s professional accomplishments is long: Over the past 30 years, he has assembled a portfolio of investment real estate properties that stretches across 35 states and includes more than 18 million square feet of space. The occupants of Black’s buildings include familiar names: Wendy’s, Burger King and Office Depot, among many others.
Zach Zalben, a third-generation ORT philanthropist, served as the evening’s dinner chairman. Honorary chairmen included Donald Sterling; Barry Diller; Jona Goldrich; Herb Schaffer; Max Webb and Robert Zarnegin.
Rabbi Miriam E. Hamrell
Rabbi Miriam E. Hamrell, founder of Ahavat Torah, was honored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors during a congregational gala held on May 4 at the Mulholland Tennis Club. The award was granted to celebrate Hamrell’s 10 years of service as motivational leader, teacher and founder of Ahavat Torah.
The gala marked Ahavat Torah’s 10-year anniversary, a fact that was noted by the mayor’s office. A representative presented an award to the congregation making its first decade of existence. About 100 people attended the event.
From left: Amy Ziering, Dana Green, Susan Feldman and Alison Pincus. Photo courtesy of A Place Called Home.
A Place Called Home (APCH), which for 20 years has provided a safe haven for underserved youth in South Los Angeles, honored four L.A. achievers during a May 23 ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Amy Ziering (“The Invisible War”) received the GirlPower Social Change Award; longtime community volunteer Dana Green received the GirlPower Legacy Award; and Susan Feldman and Alison Pincus, co-founders of the membership shopping site One Kings Lane, received the GirlPower Innovators Award during the ninth annual GirlPower Awards Luncheon.
“We’re so fortunate to be able to recognize these four women whose professional and volunteer leadership continues to make a difference for our community’s children,” said Jonathan Zeichner, executive director of APCH. “We constantly seek to present role models to our young people — outstanding women and men who influence our society for the greater good.”
The luncheon event included a reception, boutique and awards ceremony while raising funds for APCH programs. Approximately 400 guests attended.
Moving and Shaking acknowledges accomplishments by members of the local Jewish community, including people who start new jobs, leave jobs, win awards and more, as well as local events that featured leaders from the Jewish and Israeli communities. Got a tip? E-mail it to ryant@jewishjournal.com.
