At this year’s It Takes A Woman event, every one of the 400 attendees had their own “aha moment” as best-selling author and keynote speaker Iris Krasnow warmly – and frankly – shared personal musings from her experiences as a wife, a mother, and especially, as a daughter.
The annual luncheon held by The Jewish Federation Valley Alliance Women’s Department took place on March 15th at the Four Seasons in Westlake Village. The morning began with stirring renditions of the American and Israeli national anthems by the MATI Youth Choir. (MATI is a Federation-funded program comprised of Israeli-American children who are actively engaged in our community.) After lunch, Krasnow, author of several best-selling books including I Am My Mother’s Daughter, Surrendering to Motherhood and her most recent, The Secret Lives of Wives, charmed the women with anecdotes about her Holocaust survivor mother’s sage advice no matter the occasion. Here quips included “What, you couldn’t put on a little lipstick?” and poignant personal reflections such as “You can’t say you’re sorry after your mother’s funeral.”
Special guest Dany Gliksberg of the Ayalim Association, which brings young adult volunteers to disadvantaged areas of northern and southern Israel to be a powerful and positive force for change, talked about our Federation’s partnership with the organization. Ayalim’s work aligns with our Federation’s mission to ensure the Jewish future by training young adults to assist children, young people and impoverished populations in the Negev and the Galilee.
Following the luncheon, Krasnow graciously signed copies of her books in the hotel lobby, with twenty percent of the proceeds going to our Federation, courtesy of Barnes & Noble Woodland Hills. The buzz from It Takes a Woman, chaired by Lisa Auerbach and Cheryl Green, has been extremely positive, with many guests indicating they can’t wait until next year! Until then, enjoy the photos below from this enlightening luncheon.
For more info on ITAW, or to get involved with The Jewish Federation Valley Alliance Women’s Department, contact (818) 464-3221 or ATaubman@JewishLA.org.
