Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles to Co-Sponsor 'Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews in America' Lecture

LOS ANGELES (April 4, 2016)—“Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews in America: Diverse Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Perspectives,” co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles (The Foundation), is the topic of the 2016 USC Casden Institute’s Burton Lewis Lecture to be held April 17 at Sinai Temple in Westwood. There is no cost for attendance at the event, which is open to the public with pre-registration.

The talk will feature prominent academics, civic and religious leaders, artists, and writers discussing the Sephardi and Mizrahi experience in America and explore such topics as language, arts and culture, Diaspora identity, and civic and political engagement. Scheduled panelists include: Rabbi Daniel Bouskila, Jessica Marglin, Gina Nahai, Shula Nazarian, and David Suissa. Dr. Saba Soomekh, associate director of research at the UCLA Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies, will moderate.

The Burton Lewis Lecture is jointly presented by the USC Casden Institute, UCLA Center for Jewish Studies, and The Foundation, the leader in planned giving solutions for Greater Los Angeles Jewish philanthropists.

Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Marvin I. Schotland stated: “We are proud to lend our support to this important event. Sephardi and Mizrahi Judaism have had indelible, far-reaching impact on the collective religious experience through the ages and, especially, in the Diaspora. Overcoming shared legacies of persecution, both of these communities and their ‘narratives’ are central to American Jewish life and, even more so, to Los Angeles specifically. Each group adds a dynamic component to our local Jewish ‘melting pot’—from cultural contributions to engagement in politics and civic affairs.”

The panel discussion is scheduled from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. and is preceded by a dessert reception beginning at 6:15 p.m. Reservations are required. To RSVP, please visit usc.edu/esvp and enter the code: lewislecture or call 213-740-1744. For more information please visit http://casdeninstitute.usc.edu.

About The Foundation

Established in 1954, the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles manages charitable assets of approximately $985 million (as of 12/31/15, unaudited) entrusted to it by over 1,200 families and ranks among the 10 largest Los Angeles foundations. The Foundation partners with donors to shape meaningful philanthropic strategies, magnify the impact of giving, and build enduring charitable legacies. In 2015, The Foundation and its donors distributed $96 million in grants to more than a thousand nonprofit organizations with programs that span the range of philanthropic giving. Over the past 25 years, The Foundation has distributed more than $1 billion in grants to thousands of nonprofits across a diverse spectrum. www.jewishfoundationla.org