Earlier this month, our Federation launched FedConnect, a new series of convenient opportunities in locations throughout L.A. for professionals in our community to meet and network with each other and connect to the life-changing work of Jewish Federation Los Angeles.
The first FedConnect event was held on Wednesday, October 7th, in Beverly Hills and featured David Zackon, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s (JDC) Executive Director of Strategic Relations. Zackon spoke about the challenges confronting the Jewish world and how The Federation and JDC partner to address these issues.
Then, on October 8th, two additional events held in Century City and DTLA featured Zackon and JDC’s Tzipi Zipper, who told her remarkable story of making aliyah as a teenager and serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). After a tragic accident that left her in a wheelchair, she was fortunate enough to receive help from the Center for Independent Living in Tel Aviv, a beneficiary of our Federation’s partnership with the JDC, for which she now volunteers.
On October 19th, we gathered at Expert Dojo in Santa Monica for From Silicon Wadi to Silicon Beach to hear a panel of former elite IDF intelligence personnel from the 8200 Unit, who created the first start-up accelerator in Israel, promoting early-stage entrepreneurs and start-ups from all industries. The event showcased the innovative “Start-up Nation” advancements born from their experiences that provide the international world with a glimpse into a different side of Israeli life.
In light of recent events in Israel, our Federation took the opportunity to publicize the importance of our Israel Advocacy efforts in building a greater understanding of, and appreciation for, Israel’s vital role in the world. One such effort is our Resiliency in Israel initiative that helps our Israeli family deal with the trauma caused by the constant state of conflict there.
FedConnect’s diverse menu of meaningful, value-added events provides an innovative platform for networking and learning. We continuously seek ways to better address the needs of our growing communities, here and abroad, as part of our ongoing efforts to promote our strategic initiatives, in these areas: caring for Jews in need, engaging with the greater community, and ensuring a strong Jewish future.
Jonathan Anschell, FedConnect Chair, said, “Our goal in launching FedConnect is to be true to its name — to give Jewish professionals an opportunity to connect with one another and with current events in the Jewish world, whether they are in Israel, here in the U.S., or abroad.” He added, “We’re very pleased with the initial response and we look forward to many more opportunities to bring our participants together in the months ahead.”
The new FedConnect webpage features a calendar listing of upcoming events and provides information about a variety of Federation events taking place throughout Los Angeles. Topics include: innovation, politics, finance, entertainment, religion, local and global Jewish issues, and the work of The Jewish Federation.
Join us on Monday, November 16th, at our next FedConnect event — a breakfast in Century City featuring William Daroff, The Jewish Federations of North America’s Senior Vice President for Public Policy & Director of the Washington Office. Named one of the fifty most influential Jews in America, Daroff will share an insider’s perspective on Capitol Hill’s reaction to the current situation facing our Israeli family and to other issues of domestic and international concern. RSVP today!
For more information about FedConnect, please contact Liron Yadin at LYadin@JewishLA.org or at 323-761-8191.
