Thursday, December 12
6:30 p.m. Katz Family Pavilion and Nahmias Plaza
at Stephen Wise Temple

Honoring
Rabbi David Woznica
on his 20^th anniversary for his contributions to our community and temple

Steve Bram, Past President
for three decades of contributions to our temple

Heroes in our Temple and School community
for their unwavering advocacy and support of Israel

For any questions, please contact us at 310.889.2277 or e-mail [email protected].

Is being honored for his exceptional contributions to Stephen Wise Temple and to Jewish life on this, his 20th anniversary with the temple. Our congregation has embraced him as a compelling speaker, teacher, thinker and friend who cares deeply about the role of Judaism and Israel in the lives of our congregants.

Rabbi Woznica established the Center for Jewish Life in his first year at our temple. The Center’s lecture and dialogue series have attracted some of our nation’s and Israel’s most sought-after and provocative leaders and thinkers. A notable aspect of this series, Rabbi Woznica has been in public dialogue with such luminaries as Elie Wiesel, David Brooks, Dr. Deborah Lipstadt, Alan Dershowitz, Rabbi Harold Kushner, Ambassador Michael Oren, Ambassador Dennis Ross, Natan Sharansky, Sarah Hurwitz (chief speechwriter Michelle Obama), Dennis Prager, Ephraim Halevy (former director, Mossad), Mayor Eric Garcetti, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, Ambassador Ron Prosor, and many others. Over his career, he has conducted over 100 public dialogues and thousands of congregants and members of the community come to our temple to attend these programs.

He launched the Melton Adult School at Stephen Wise Temple fifteen years ago with Rabbi Karen Strok. The program won the International Melton Award for excellence and is one of the largest of any synagogue-based Melton schools in the country.

Rabbi Woznica has been invited to give keynote speeches throughout the United States to major Jewish organizations, has been a scholar in residence at many synagogues, is a speaker for the global leadership chief executives of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and has traveled internationally to speak at congregations. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Milken Community Schools and other notable organizations.

Last year, as a member of the leadership of the Zionist Rabbinic Coalition, he was one of twelve rabbis in the United States selected to serve on a delegation that traveled to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Israel. Those governments sponsored the trip to celebrate the Abraham Accords and arranged for this delegation to have private meetings with the leaders of their countries, culminating in a one-hour visit with the Prime Minister of Israel. After he returned, congregants were invited to a special evening at Wise, where he shared many of the insights he learned from the trip.

Rabbi Woznica began his rabbinate at the 92nd Street Y in New York, where he was named Founding Director of the Bronfman Center for Jewish Life. Under his direction for over a decade, the Center grew exponentially and received international recognition. He is credited for creating and overseeing what is widely regarded as one of the most lively and distinguished hubs of Jewish education in the United States. It was at the 92nd Street Y where he began the series of dialogues that he continued at our temple.

The Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin Chair was established in memory of our founding rabbi, and Rabbi Woznica was named the recipient. It is an honor for which he holds great reverence.

He is deeply driven to advocate the beauty, joy and values of a life committed to the ideals of the Torah. As he enters the 35th year of his rabbinate, among his greatest sources of happiness are the relationships he has with many of our congregants and the satisfaction of knowing they find beauty in leading lives committed to Judaism and Israel along with desire to bring the values of the Torah to our world. He is deeply grateful to have become a rabbi and friend to so many in our congregation.

Rabbi Woznica shares this journey with his wife, Beverly, Associate Vice President at the Jewish Federations of North America. They are blessed to have two sons, Joshua, who was recently married to Emily, and Daniel—both proud graduates of our Wise School and Milken Community High School. He also shares this honor with them and with gratitude to his mother, Sue, and his father, Sam, of blessed memory.

is being celebrated for his dedication and commitment to the Stephen Wise Temple for over 30 years. Most recently, Steve served as our temple President for two years.

Steve served on the temple’s Budget and Finance Committee for many years. He and his wife Julie have hosted numerous temple events at their home, including
study sessions and Shabbat in the Neighborhood events. Both Steve’s children, Ben and Alanna, became Bar/ Bat Mitzvahs and were confirmed at the temple. During the recession, Steve served on the Real Estate Advisory Counsel, helping temple members with their real estate and job-related issues.

Steve is active in community affairs. He served as Chairman of the Real Estate and Construction Division of the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, an organization he has been involved with for 33 years. He has served many roles at The Federation, including being a founding member of the Federation’s Real Estate Principal’s
Organization (RPO), serving on the Budget & Finance Committee, and being a founding partner of the Los Angeles Jewish Venture Philanthropy Fund, a group
dedicated to supporting innovation in the Jewish world for over 20 years. Steve is also on the Los Angeles Board of the American Jewish Committee.

Steve and Julie proudly support a wide range of organizations both here and in Israel.

Heroes in our Temple and School Community
for their unwavering advocacy and support of Israel

Dina Aspen
Israel Activist and Wise School Parent

Dina Aspen and her husband Daniel have four children, three of whom attend Wise. Dina currently serves on the Board of Directors for United Hatzalah, and Stephen Wise Temple, and previously served on the boards of JDC (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) and CECI (Citizens Empowerment Center in Israel). In March of 2022, Dina participated in a covert operation that rescued Jewish orphans out of war-torn Odessa, bringing 6 buses to safety in Romania. She also secured funding from the Wise community for United Hatzalah, resulting in successful missions flying Jewish Ukrainian refugees to safety in Israel. Dina’s professional career has been in documentary filmmaking, and most recently she completed a piece on October 7th, focused on Kibbutz Be’eri. Dina’s grandfather Parviz Izak Nazarian fought in Israel’s War of Independence and she is proud to continue a family legacy of Zionist activism.

Malka Clement
Director of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at Wise School

Malka is a proud and committed Israeli who has made Wise School and Stephen Wise Temple her home away from home for the past three decades. As a teacher and now as the Director of Hebrew and Judaic Studies, Malka’s biggest aspiration has been “If they love me, they will love Israel, the Hebrew language, and the connection to Jewish peoplehood.”

Malka has led the 6th grade Israel delegation since 2015, created school programs that highlight Israel, partnered with the Jewish Agency to bring a post high school Shaliach – an emissary from Israel to be part of our community for an entire year. Post October 7, Malka was an integral part of the process that made Wise School become a refuge sanctuary to 17 Israeli students.

Karen Denvir and Tiffany Gabbay
Co-Presidents of the Wise Parents Association

As Co-Presidents of the Wise Parents Association, Karen and Tiffany have made it their mission to focus their community building and fundraising efforts at school on fostering a strong sense of Jewish identity at Wise and beyond. Along with the WPA, they helped raise thousands of dollars for Israelis in need in the wake of October 7th through dances for Israel and other fundraising efforts. Their hearts beat for Am Israel.

Dr. Ario Fakheri
Israel Advocate & Active Wise Community Member and Wise School Parent

Dr. Ario Fakheri is an active and engaged member of the Wise School community and passionate advocate for the state of Israel. He has been deeply involved with AIPAC for years, and following the events of October 7, Ario and his wife Rama took immediate action, hosting multiple private events and parlor meetings to encourage donations and new AIPAC memberships. Ario has also worked closely with Christians United for Israel (CUFI), collaborating with the Christian community to amplify support for Israel.

In addition to his advocacy work, Ario has taken a strong stand against antisemitism in the medical field and education system, joining forces with other physicians to successfully fight for the removal of professionals who have engaged in discriminatory behavior.

Ario and Rama have also generously opened their home to several Israeli families in need over the past year, providing temporary housing and support for those displaced in the aftermath of the attacks. They are the parents of three boys, Levi, Isaac and Noah, all of whom are Wise students or graduates.

Chen Goldberg
Proud Israeli and Aaron Milken Center Teacher and Wise School Parent

Nir Hoftman
Zionist Activist at UCLA

Nir is a Zionist Activist at UCLA. He is a co-organizer of the UCLA solidarity Mission to Israel in February 2024 and a co-leader of the fight against antisemitism at the UCLA School of Medicine. He was notably outspoken about the anti-Israel protests and encampments that took place on UCLA’s campus in the Spring of 2024, appearing on networks including FOX News.

Gary Lazar
Co-Chair, Wise Israel Action Committee

Gary serves on the Board of of Stephen Wise Temple and is a co-chair of the newly-formed Israel Action Committee. Additionally, he co-chaired the AIPAC SF Valley Political Network and served on the LA leadership Council of Birthright Israel. During the second month of the war with Hamas, he traveled to Israel on a solidarity mission with Friends of Sheba Medical Center, where he and his group spent time volunteering with wounded soldiers, victims and families of October 7, visiting kibbutz Kfar Aza, picking tomatoes, and learning first-hand what occurred. Gary is a Trustee of the Washington Institute of Middle East Studies, a member of the Impact Forum, and a participant in many ELNET activities.

Shawn Matian
Philanthropic Community Member and Wise School Parent

Shawn has been deeply committed to championing Israel through various initiatives aimed at supporting both our community and those on the front lines. By organizing a group of dedicated parents for Friday tefillin wrap, he has helped our community come together in prayer for our soldiers and our shared future. Additionally, he has helped raised significant funds for vital Jewish organizations, including providing state-of-the-art drones and needed equipment for IDF soldiers. Shawn and his wife Sepideh have opened their home to host fundraisers in the wake of the October 7th massacre to help victims cope with the tragedy. Shawn has generously contributed to Bet Tzedek’s mission to empower underprivileged minorities and spread Jewish values.

Ziba Ramin Terrio
VP, Wise Parents Association

Ziba serves on the Wise Parents Association as the VP of Aaron Milken Center and was previously the VP of Social Justice.

After October 7th, Ziba stepped up and helped create the “Dance for Israel” fundraisers at Wise which build community and raise funds for Brothers and Sisters for Israel and Kibbutz Kfar Aza. She also played a role refocusing Mitzvah Day proceeds to Israel organizations such as United Hatzalah and Israel Para Sports Center. On the daily, Ziba is an activist who takes action on the political and educational level to support the Jewish community.

Ziba is currently leading a group of non-Jews to visit the Nova Exhibit in Los Angeles, and is joining a special group of Wise moms in Las Vegas to canvas for an AIPAC-supported politician this October.

Brandon Tavakoli
Student Activist and Leader at USC and Wise School Alum

Noa Tishby
Bestselling Author and former Special Envoy

Noa is a two-time best-selling author and Israel’s former Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and Delegitimization. A Tel Aviv native, Tishby served in the Israeli army and has been a leader in pro-Israel activism for over a decade, co-founding and initiating several organizations and projects, including Act for Israel, Reality Israel and Eighteen: an institute to combat antisemitism and inspire Jewish pride.

Noa has been a guest on Real Time with Bill Maher and appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Fox and PBS. She also spoke at the Capitol for a Congressional Hearing on online antisemitism in her capacity as Israel’s first Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism, and testified in front of the Committee on Ways and Means about the connection between campus antisemitism and terrorism financing, which was the catalyst for the catastrophic hearing of Harvard Penn and MIT presidents and the following resignation of Harvard’s Gay and Penn’s Magill.

Noa recently addressed members of Congress again in a hearing exposing gender-based violence of the October 7th massacre.

Amanda Markowitz Wizenberg
Israel Advocate and Lifelong Wise Member and Wise School Parent

Amanda is the proud granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors. She is a dedicated activist for Israel and Judaism, focusing on combating misinformation on social media and promoting Holocaust education. She serves as a 3G Board Member at the Holocaust Museum LA, Co-Chair of the Young Leadership Board of WIZO California, and has recently become Co-Chair of Stephen Wise’s newly-formed Israel Action Committee. She has been a member of Stephen Wise Temple for her entire life and now has two daughters who attend the school, where she also serves on the Wise Parents Association.

Marcie and Cliff Goldstein

Robin and Ira Pianko

Allison Binder and Sandy Sigal

Tanya Emrani

Jasmine Moshfegh

Rachel Atias

Bari Handelman

Linda and the Honorable Richard Adler
Dina and Daniel Aspen
Pam and Jeff Balton
Metuka Benjamin
Marci and Andrew Berman
Penny and Mark Berns
Candice and Kian Beroukhim
Lynn and Les Bider
Erin and Edmond Bina
Irene and Yoni Boujo
Julie Bram
Gail Buchalter and Warren Breslow
Claudia and Bill Brown
Alanna and Jazz Callner
Cheryl and Brad Cohen
Randy Levin-Cohen and Brian Cohen
Emily and Rick Corleto
Karen and Sean Denvir
Eva and Doug Dworsky
Nancy and Alan Epstein
Rama and Ario Fakheri
Catherine and Steven Fink
Jodie and Steven Fishman
Jo and Steve Fogel
Carin and Glenn Freeman
Margie Markus and Scott Friedman
Tiffany and Joubin Gabbay
Normie and Mel Gagerman
Jaime Gesundheit
Layla and Robert Glassman
Karen and Ariel Goldenstein
Marcie and Cliff Goldstein
Lori and Rob Goodman
Debi and Marc Graboff
Sharon Rowe and Ken Gross
Celine and Jonathan Hakakha
Jessica and Robin Hanasab
Ira Handelman
Jila and Kamran Hekmat
Bonnie and Rabbi Eli Herscher
Stephanie and Daniel Heyman
Ginny and Dr. Aruthur Kahn
Susan Bloch-Kay and Stephen Kay
Jodi and Rick Kirkbride
Janine and Rick Kolodny
Tamar and Philip Koosed
Gentille and Terry Koosed
Corie and Michael Koss
Jodi Berman and Dr. Vlad Kustanovich
Carole and Dr. Gary Lazar
Laurie Glickman and Jim Leewong
Keili and Shane Lefkovitz
Wendy and Barry Levin
Shelly and Don Levy
Arlene and Myron Lieberman
Joan Marantz
Roya and Farhad Melamed
Courtney and Joseph Michael
Lowell Milken
Farnaz Neman
Judi and Dr. Frank Niver
Lisa Niver
Michael Ozen
Robin and Ira Pianko
Dr. Susan and Mel Plutsky
Lora and Rabin Pournazarian
Heidi and Albert Praw
Sheryl and Ken Pressberg
Jill and Michael Rabin
Shannon and Philip Rahimzadeh
Golareh and Soroush Ramin
Paige and Alex Raminfar
Lillie and Jose Reines
Linda and Jeff Resnick
Jodi Kruger and Jeremy Rosen
Linda and Dan Rosenson
Sharon Rowe and Ken Gross
Wendy Ruby
Debbee and Robert Schwartz
Susan and Dr. Richard Shemin
Irene and David Smith
Allison Binder and Sandy Sigal
Andrea and Glenn Sonnenberg
Drew Steinberg and Jesse Aguayo
DeeDee and Karl Sussman
Mariya and Victor Svilik
Stella Debibi Swerdlick and Michael Swerdlick
Lori and Leandro Tyberg
Linda and Michael Wachtell
Ariana and Kevin West
Felice and Doug Williams
Lori Wolf and Carol Leifer
Jennifer and Kambiz Yadidi

Blue and White Ball Tickets: $350 each
A ticket will entitle you to a reserved seat at a table. Please contact Jason Stanley at [email protected] for seating requests.

Blue and White Ball Sponsorship Levels

Visionary Sponsor – $100,000

• VIP parking
• Premier acknowledgement on screen during program
• Two premier tables for 12 guests each
• Visionary full-page ad in Digital Tribute Journal

Pillar Sponsor – $50,000

• VIP parking
• Premier acknowledgement on screen during program
• Two premier tables for 10 guests each
• Pillar full-page ad in Digital Tribute Journal

Trustee Sponsor – $25,000

• Acknowledgement on screen during program
• Premier table for 12 guests
• Trustee full-page ad in Digital Tribute Journal

Benefactor Sponsor – $10,000

• Acknowledgement on screen during program
• Premier table for 10 guests
• Benefactor full-page ad in Digital Tribute Journal

Wise Learners Sponsor – $5,000

• Half table with six guests
• Wise Learners full-page ad in Digital Tribute Journal

Supporter Sponsor – $2,500

• Four tickets
• Supporter full-page ad in Digital Tribute Journal

Chai Sponsor – $1,800

• Two tickets
• Chai full-page ad in Digital Tribute Journal

Digital Tribute Journal

• Full Page $1200
• Half Page $600
• Quarter Page $360
• Name Listing $180

Stephen Wise Temple is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Fair Market Value $155/ticket.