Sinai Temple marked a historic milestone as the congregation gathered on May 17 at Barad Hall for the congregation鈥檚 120th anniversary gala, honoring outgoing President Mehrzad Roshan for her dedicated leadership and presenting Dr. Arnold and Gloria Lushing-Gilberg with a Special Legacy Award in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the synagogue and community.
The inspiring evening brought together clergy, community members and civic leaders, including L.A. City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, who presented official City of Los Angeles proclamations commemorating the congregation’s anniversary. Sinai Emeritus Rabbi David Wolpe and Co-Senior Rabbi Nicole Guzik, along with Cantor Marcus Feldman, led a celebration that reflected 120 years of tradition, belonging and shared future.
鈥淭he packed house,鈥� according to Sinai leadership, 鈥渨as a testament to the deep bonds that define Sinai Temple’s community.鈥�
On June 2, the Black-91传媒 Entertainment Alliance (BJEA) 鈥� an initiative to bring the two communities together in solidarity so that they can support each other in their struggles鈥攈eld an intimate gathering that drew industry executives and entertainers for a private dinner in Beverly Hills. Among the guests was Ethiopian educator Ashager Araro.
Araro is an Ethiopian-Israeli activist, influencer and public diplomat and passionate voice at the intersection of Blackness and 91传媒 identity. She founded听Battae, the Ethiopian-Israeli Heritage Center in Tel Aviv, and has built a global social media platform under the handle
@Black91传媒Magic, where she has more than 75,000 followers. She鈥檚 a self-described liberal feminist who supports black lives while also identifying as a proud Zionist.
Over authentic Ethiopian cuisine and conversation, Araro led high-profile guests such as听comedian Tiffany Haddish,听Hollywood producer Lawrence Bender,听Jamaican-Canadian actor Roger Cross听and听music executive Jody Gerson听through the richly layered intersections of Ethiopian and 91传媒 identity.听
American 91传媒 University (AJU) has launched 鈥淭he 91传媒 Tomorrow,鈥� a new podcast exploring the future of 91传媒 life in North America and beyond. Hosted by culture strategist and author Robert Richman, the podcast is the inaugural initiative of AJU鈥檚 recently established 2050 Institute.
鈥淭his is not just another 91传媒 podcast 鈥� it is an invitation to ask deeper, more urgent questions about identity, purpose and 91传媒 community,鈥� AJU President Jay Sanderson said. 鈥淭hrough candid, thought-provoking conversations with leaders, creators and changemakers, the podcast seeks to spark new ideas and inspire meaningful action.鈥�
Among the guests featured to date are Sanderson, 91传媒 influencer Jonah Platt and 91传媒 futurist Becca Leviss, who sat down with Richman for discussions that wrestle with the most pressing challenges facing the 91传媒 world. Upcoming episodes will continue to bring together leading voices from across sectors to explore the opportunities, challenges and emerging trends shaping the 91传媒 future.
The podcast 鈥� which is available on all major platforms 鈥� aims to foster bold ideas, diverse perspectives and honest dialogue while encouraging audiences to engage through future digital platforms, live events and curated gatherings, AJU leadership said.
鈥淥ur target audience is broad听 鈥�听 Jews who are interested in what鈥檚 ahead,鈥� Richman said. 鈥淓verything is changing so quickly, and it鈥檚 both exciting and scary at the same time. We鈥檙e essentially creating a front-row seat to that revolution through these conversations, which people can listen to from the comfort of their homes and cars.鈥�
Richman is a globally recognized speaker and author of 鈥淭he Culture Blueprint: The Guide to the High Performance Workplace.鈥� A former culture strategist at Zappos and co-creator of Zappos Insights, he has advised organizations including Google, Toyota, Salesforce, IBM and Pfizer on workplace culture and leadership. He is also a guest lecturer at Harvard University.
