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July 25, 2002

Reaching new heights

Wabash Saxons-The Spirit of Boyle Heights — the nexus of several clubs of Angelenos who grew up in the multiethnic immigrant community of Boyle Heights in the 1930s and 1940s — attracted about 140 members and relatives to its luncheon event at Taix French Restaurant in Los Feliz. The luncheon’s guest of honor: Los Angeles’ Israel Consul-General Yuval Rotem.

Hershey Eisenberg, the club’s major-domo, did a lot of the legwork leading up to the biannual occasion, which he pulled off with crucial input of fellow Wabasher Gene "Yudi" Resnikoff. Also in attendance: Jake Farber, chairman of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, a longtime Wabash-Saxons member who once served as the club’s treasurer.

"We’re extremely interested in Israel," Eisenberg said of Rotem’s visit with the predominantly Jewish social chapter. "It was extremely informative and he was a very good spokesman. Hearing an update from him was like hearing it from the horse’s mouth."

The Wabash-Saxons is aiming to wrap up a $60,000 fundraising drive to purchase one fully equipped ambulance for Israel through American Red Magen David Adom (ARMDI). To contribute, send checks made out to ARMDI to: Meyer Sack, CPA, 4521 Sherman Oaks Ave., Unit H, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. For more information on Wabash Saxons-Spirit of Boyle Heights, call Hershey Eisenberg at (818) 782-8948.

Laughs were in abundance at the Friends of Sheba’s 2002 Women of Achievement Luncheon at the Four Seasons. Mistress of Ceremonies Rhea Kohan skewered the crowd with her rapier wit. Dr. Gwen Gross, superintendent of Beverly Hills High School District, community leader Marjorie Pressman, and actress Suzanne Pleshette were honored. Also in attendance: professor Mordechai Shani, director general of Sheba Medical Center, who flew in especially from Israel; and Pleshette’s husband, comic actor Tom Poston.

On June 9, women and girls came to Shaarei Tefila for "Dance for Israel," a very special evening of Israeli and Simcha dancing. Produced by dance instructors Aviva Notowitz and Natalie Stern, who offer women’s dance classes at Shaarei Tefila and Shaarei Tzedek, the event raised money to purchase pediatric medical equipment for Israel, through the American Red Magen David for Israel (ARMDI).

"We had two goals in creating the event," Notowitz said. "One, to support Israel, and two, to create a fun, high-energy dance event for women. Since most dance events in the community are coed, we knew it was up to us to create one."

And did they succeed?

"It was great!" Notowitz said. "Everyone kept asking, ‘When is the next one?’"

Amir Hakimi, a student at the Valley Beth Shalom Etz Chaim Hebrew School in Encino, received first place in the NA’AMAT USA annual Yom Ha’atzmaut poster contest. Hakami, who received a $100 prize, won the K-3 category with his visual interpretation of the contest’s theme: "Israel, Children and Peace."

Etz Chaim’s Gabrielle Manevich and Aaron Rafael (K-3) received honorable mention, as did Laura Lindeen (Grade 4-6); Octavia Botvinikoff of Temple Ner Marrav in Encino; and Amanda Feinberg, John Mazin and Erika Wensil of Temple Adat Elohim of Thousand Oaks, also received honorable mentions. Nearly 300 students participated nationwide.

Birthday By The Book

Sisters Terri Smooke, special liaison to Gov. Gray Davis, and Anne Roberts have made a contribution to the Jewish Community Library of Los Angeles (JCLLA) in honor of the 85th birthday of their mother Pauline Roberts.

The contribution will establish a Pauline Roberts Jewish Women’s History collection in the JCLLA and a Pauline Roberts Jewish Women’s History Lecture.

Dr. Aaron Willis, JCLLA chair, expressed delight that "resources and programs that underscore the importance and role of Jewish women, will be made available to the community."

Abigail Yasgur, JCLLA director, added that "the beauty of a gift like Terri and Anne’s on behalf of their mother, is that it’s a gift that keeps giving. A book is a present you can open again and again." The lecture is planned for March 2003, during Women’s History Month.

Miami was the destination for the 13th annual Sephardic Education Center (SEC) North American Young Adult Convention, held over Memorial Day Weekend, which attracted 275 participants from North America, Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, France, Columbia and Venezuela.

"The idea," said Neil Sheff, SEC International Young Adult Movement chairman, "is to have a fun and inspiring get together of young singles from around North America and beyond from all types of backgrounds, though most are Sephardic. [They] come together, share a traditional and fun Shabbat in a social atmosphere that emphasizes making good friends and sharing common interests, learning leadership skills and discovering more of their spiritual heritage and how it can be cool and fun to stay a part of the Jewish people."

Sheff, a local attorney, told The Circuit that this year’s convention highlights included inspiring messages from Rabbi Benito Garzon of Madrid, the international education director of SEC, and Hayim Azses, director of leadership programs at Jerusalem’s SEC campus.

"This is the first time a youth movement was created to specifically address the needs of Sephardic communities," Sheff said of the annual gathering he founded in 1988. At the same time, it is "open to all Jews in the spirit of our tolerant and nonjudgmental philosophy."

According to Salvador Nessim, SEC coordinator, about 70 of the attendees hailed from Los Angeles.

"Great friendships have been forged at these meeting," Sheff said. "Countless marriages, engagements have been announced there and most importantly, bonds between future Jewish leaders will serve to strengthen our communities."

For more information, call Sephardic Educational Center at (310) 441-9361.

KOREH L.A. held its annual Literacy Tea as a "thank you" for schools and teachers involved with the Jewish Community Relations Committee’s (JCRC) Jewish Coalition for Reading volunteer program. Special guest speakers included Roy Romer, LAUSD superintendent; and Craig Bartlett, creator and executive producer of the Nickelodeon cartoon "Hey, Arnold!"

The reception was held at the Wilshire Boulevard headquarters of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, of which the JCRC is a department. Michael Hirschfeld, JCRC executive director; Elaine Albert, JCRC director, and Deborah Kattler Kupetz, the lay chairperson of KOREH L.A. since its inception, were all elated by the turnout and the progress of KOREH L.A. In less than three years, the program has reached over 50 LAUSD schools, and has trained over 2,000 reading partners, with a goal toward 5,000 in five years.

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