Ryan Torok

Connect Israel is a multidimensional, experiential and, most importantly, lifelong program with the aim to strengthen American-Jewish and Israeli bonds by offering unprecedented experiences, professional collaborations and friendships between American Jews and their Israeli counterparts.

The organization's Los Angeles delegation was comprised of 70 attendees.

This is our current reality: we can't continue to offer this communal treasure unless generous and visionary donors step up.

Ahead of Thanksgiving, the Jewish Journal decided it would be worthwhile to reach out to Los Angeles-based faith and community leaders and ask how we can bring civility back to our Thanksgiving celebrations, even when there are people of different political beliefs seated around the table together.

The spirit of gratitude and togetherness was in the air, with people of all ages turning out.

Stern, currently the director of the school of education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), where she also served as vice provost for educational strategy, brings two decades of experience in Jewish educational leadership to BJE.

A roundup of incidents, good and bad, happening on school campuses.

Faculty at more than a dozen California schools were rated “extreme” or “severe.”

The L.A.-based recipients of the grants represent a mix of larger, legacy organizations, such as Simon Wiesenthal Center, Beit T'Shuvah, Jewish Family Service of LA and Bet Tzedek, as well as newer and more modestly sized initiatives, including Pico Union Project, Fuente Latina, JIMENA and Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles.

Notable people and events in the Jewish LA community.