Events In The West: On Tuesday nights at Adath Israel in San Francisco, Rabbi Shaya Guttenberg, interim rabbi of Adath Israel and director of The Jewish Study Network, teaches a class on “Living a Jewish Life: Foundations of Law and Thought”… Beth Jacob Beverly Hills has two upcoming events: On Thursday, January 3 at 7:30 p.m. the shul will host an L.A. mayoral debate and on Sunday, January 6, Dr. David Pelcovitz will speak on “Parenting: The Secrets Behind Mensch-Making.”
News: Traffic was recently stopped for a number of hours on Wilshire Boulevard in L.A. due to threatening phone calls regarding a bomb that was allegedly placed at Wilshire Boulevard Temple, a 150-year-old Reform temple. An early childhood center, an elementary school and a teen program occupy space at the temple. Additionally, the LAPD spent hours utilizing highly specialized equipment to investigate an empty police car parked nearby that a caller said had a bomb inside. The bomb threats turned out to be hoaxes… Colorado Springs police are looking for vandals who spray-painted a swastika on the Chabad of Southern Colorado’s Chanukah menorah.
Special Needs: Yasher koach to L.A’s Westside JCC for starting a special-needs soccer program.
AGOURA, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Birth: Boruch and Mooka Hecht, a son (Grandparents Rabbi Sruli and Chani Hecht; Rabbi Shmulik and Leah Naparstek).
LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Birth: Brian and Sara Keating, a son.
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Birth: Yanki and Sarah Greenspan, a daughter.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Births: Micah and Eliana Katz, a daughter (Grandparents Joe and Lily Rosenblatt; Monica Katz)… Nachum and Hadas Forgy, a son (Grandparents Charles and Meira Forgy; Aaron and Jodi Gross)… Abraham and Abielle Telnof, a son (Grandparents Hillel and Tatiyana Telnof; Karen Adel; Jacob Schwartzberg)… Yaakov and Shana Klein, a daughter… Rabbi Rafi and Atara Eis, a daughter (Grandfather Paul Venze)… Elie and Dina Gabay, a son (Grandparents Rabbi Amram and Nicole Gabay)… Guy and Sara Borenstein, a son (Grandparents Yaakov and Shelly Hutter)… Boruch and Chana Kornwasser, a son (Grandparents Rabbi Yitzchok and Zisi Kornwasser)… Michael and Yisca Abraham, a son… Yaakov and Yocheved Leonard, a son… Rabbi Mendel and Rachie Simons, a daughter… Professor Noam and Dr. Chana Wasserman, a daughter (Grandparents Dr. Manny and Marsha Wasserman)… David and Rachel Hess of Far Rockaway, NY, a son (Grandparents Ron Hess; Allen and Estie Samson).
Mazel Tov – Bar Mitzvahs: Moshe Wachtel, son of Yossi and Sariti Wachtel… Dovi Manne, son of Rabbi Shmuel and Sarah Manne… Elimelech Barasch, son of Michael and Devorah Barasch… Moshe Goldzweig, son of Rabbi Zevi and Devory Goldzweig… Ari Pollack, son of Josh and Tania Pollack.
Mazel Tov – Engagements: Joshua Small, son of Dr. Sandy and Freda Small, to Jenny Pell of Stamford, CT… Miri Klein, daughter of Rabbi Usher and Rochel Klein, to Binyamin Baum of Far Rockaway, NY… Michael Bank to Shaina Weiner… Jonathan Ravanshenas, son of David and Leah Ravanshenas, to Natalie Wexler, daughter of Robert and Elana Wexler… Dovid Hirsch, son of Aryeh and Rena Hirsch, to Hannah Bazerman, daughter of Danny and Trishia Bazerman of Huntington, Beach, CA… Doni Kandel, son of Allan and Judy Kandel, to Chava Rutta of Scranton, PA… Eliyahu Wincelberg, son of Rabbi Yaakov and Gittel Wincelberg, to Yehudis Kushner of Monsey, NY.
Mazel Tov – Weddings: Michael Dear, son of Rabbi Moshe and Sara Leah Dear, to Rivka Levy of Philadelphia, PA… Aaron Yaakovlev to Ilana Segal… Chani Levy, daughter of David and Betty Levy, to Yudi Hollander, son of Rabbi Tzvi and Kayla Hollander… Mochi Bercovich, son of Daniel and Sara Bercovich, to Yulia Blincheskiy.
NAPA, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Birth: Elchonon and Chanie Tenenbaum, a son.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Bas Mitzvah: Vanessa Waldman, daughter of Barry and Nancy Waldman.
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Birth: Saman and Yonit Shemtob, a daughter.
Mazel Tov – Bar Mitzvah: Ze’ev Yehuda, son of Gil and Liz Yehuda.
Mazel Tov – Engagement: Hannah Osofsky to Zalman Raiskin.
SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Bar Mitzvah: Bernardo Halperin, son of Jorge and Judith Halperin.
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Birth: Yochanan and Baily Friedman, a son.
VALLEY VILLAGE, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Birth: Stevie and Ruchie Fried, a son (Grandparents Ben and Naomi Fried).