Events In The West: This Shabbos, the intercommunity LINK Kollel on Robertson, under the direction of Rabbi Asher Brander, will open another branch of the shul for those living east of La Cienega. Rabbi Elchanan Shoff, the new associate rosh kollel of LINK, will also be the rabbi of the LINK East Shul… Also this Shabbos, Rabbi Adir Posy will be the scholar-in-residence at Congregation BCMH in Seattle… On Monday, August 26 Rabbi Eli Mansour will speak at the Eretz Cultural Center in Tarzana, CA, and the next day he’ll speak in L.A.’s Mogen David in the Pico-Robertson area… On Shabbos, August 30-31, Rabbi Yissocher Frand will be the scholar-in-residence at Yeshivat Yavneh in L.A., and on Sunday evening, September 1 he will be the guest speaker at Adat Yeshurun in La Jolla, CA… On Shabbos August 30-31, Rabbi Daniel Lapin will be the scholar-in-residence at EDOS in Denver.
Yeshiva Updates: Meira Academy, a Palo Alto high school for girls that opened three years ago with six students and now boasts 18, attracts students from Denver, Oakland, Seattle, San Francisco, San Jose and Palo Alto. The school’s principal is Devorah Lewis, who was at Mesorah High School of Dallas for the last five years… SPHDS is a K-8 Jewish day school in Sunnyvale, northern California. Their students come from Cupertino, Los Altos, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, South San Francisco, San Jose and Sunnyvale… Yeshivas Bais Toras Menachem of L.A. and ORT – College of L.A. have joined together to offer young men a two-year semicha/college program. Students will study for semicha during the day and take college classes at night. One track being offered is a 65-credit Associate’s degree in business management; another is a 32-credit diploma in accounting. English and math skills will be included… Ohel Sara, a seminary for recent high school graduates with a separate program for those returning from seminary in Israel, will be opening in October… Darko Learning Academy, a Jewish Montessori-like school, is located in the Pico-Robertson area of L.A. They’re starting their second year with 45 students… Harkham Hebrew Academy is scheduled to complete the renovation of their second floor atrium, cafeteria and bathrooms before the start of the school year… On August 29, L.A.’s Yeshivat Yavneh’s Kinderflex Program for young adults ages 18-30 begins.
Shul News: The L.A. City Council has agreed to pay Etz Chaim Congregation in Hancock Park $950,000 to settle a 2010 lawsuit regarding a decades-old zoning dispute over the use of the residential property as a synagogue… L.A. chazzanim for the High Holidays include Arik Wollheim and the Maccabeats at Beth Jacob Beverly Hills; Michoel Streicher at Bais Naftoli; Asher Scharf at Yeshivat Yavneh; and S. Helfgot at Shaarei Tefilla.
We wish all of our readers a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!
CALABASAS, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Birth: Moshe and Elana Schwartz, a daughter (Grandparents Aaron and Sherri Schwartz; Alex and July Felkai).
LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Births: Daniel and Rina Bortz in Israel, a son (Grandparents Anthony and Hayley Bortz)… Avi and Hillary Levison, a daughter.
Mazel Tov – Engagement: David Goldenberg, son of Tsvi and Anne Goldenberg, to Brittini Rubin of L.A.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Mazel Tov – Births: Meyer and Chaya Orloff, a son (Grandparents Reuven and Yehudis Orloff)… Jason and Lisa Gruenbaum, a son… Rabbi Zach and Devorah Swigard, a daughter… Noam and Daniella Kasper, a son (Grandparents Frank and Kerri Lee)… Mitch and Tami Horn of Hashmonaim, Israel, a daughter (Grandparents Joe and Rachelle Needle)… Menachem and Perela Katz, a son (Grandparents Leiby and Razy Katz; Moishe and Chanala Chopp)…
Elisha and Sarah Kamornick, a son (Grandparents Rabbi Avraham and Frumie Weiner; Reb Fischel and Tziril Kamornick)… Eli and Leslie Hartman, a daughter… Rabbi Dovid and Mushky Yiftach, a daughter (Grandparents Rabbi Danny and Sonya Yiftach)… Rabbi David and Devorah Becker, a son… Avrohom and Chany Stern of Lakewood, NJ, a daughter (Grandparents Rabbi Eli and Robin Stern)… Yosef and Shira Shaliachtzibur, a son (Grandparents Rabbi Nissim and Alti Davidi).
Mazel Tov – Bar Mitzvah: Samson Mintz, son of Mark and Lauren Mintz.
Mazel Tov – Engagement: Liav Hasidim, daughter of Eitan and Jacqueline Hasidim, to Eliyahu Ankave of Israel.