The generous men and women of El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana joined in on two days of fun and philanthropy this spring to benefit The Jewish Federation and our community. The annual El Cab Women’s Playday featured a stirring keynote address delivered by Commander Izzy Ezagui, a wounded warrior and active reservist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The U.S. born and astonishingly young Ezagui described his love for Israel and the events leading up to his eventual immigration to our Jewish homeland. The Playday was Chaired by Jodie Fishman, Ivy Krauss, and Gail Silverstein; and it included a luncheon preceded by a morning of golf, bridge, Mah Jongg, Scrabble and canasta. Check out some of the highlights:
Ezagui recounted visiting Israel with his family when he became a bar mitzvah and the profound impact made on him when a bomb detonated at the busy Sbarro Pizza restaurant in Jerusalem only a few blocks from his hotel. The suicide bombing killed 15 and seriously injured over 100 people, mostly tourists, and the experience propelled Ezagui to one day join the Israeli military. After enlisting in the IDF, he lost his left arm during a rocket attack on his base. During his recovery and rehabilitation, Ezagui hardened his resolve to continue serving with the IDF, and soon became expert at one-armed pushups and extracting grenade pins with his teeth. Despite his disability, he soon rejoined his combat unit and today serves as a reservist and ambassador for the IDF. During his address, Ezagui thanked El Cab women for their support of our Federation and its programs to care for Israelis and advocate for the Jewish State.
Not to be outdone by the women of El Caballero, the El Cab men, led by Event Chairs Jay Mangel and Steve Martini, showed their support for our Federation at their 51st Annual Golf Tournament & Dinner. After breakfast, lunch and 18 holes of golf – in spite of 100 degree heat – the men headed to the locker rooms and emerged refreshed for dinner, a live auction and some insider sports info, courtesy of keynote speaker and KTLA sports anchor Steve Hartman. Check out pics of the guys:
During the evening celebration, Catholic educator and longtime Holy Land Democracy Project participant John Fitzsimons discussed his involvement with this unique Federation program, and traveling to Israel to learn about its strategic importance as the only democracy in the Middle East and teaching specially created curriculum developed by Federation to his students. He reported that since its inception, more than 30,000 non-Jewish students in the L.A. area have been touched by the program, and have a better understanding of Israel and its people
The members of El Caballero Country Club and The Jewish Federation share a long and storied history of philanthropy and shared values, and both events underscored this special relationship. For more information, please contact Heath Blumstein at HBlumstein@JewishLA.org or (818) 668-2335.
