OU WEST COAST ANNUAL DINNER FEATURES WORLD CLASS CONCERT; HONORS JANICE AND PHILIP KAUFLER OF BEVERLY HILLS
From left: Paul Glasser, OU senior director of Institutional Advancement; Dr. Stephen Tabak, president of OU West Coast; Rabbi Adir Posy, assistant director of OU West Coast; honorees Janice and Philip Kaufler; OU President Martin Nachimson; Rabbi Steven Weil, OU executive vice president; Rabbi Alan Kalinsky, director of OU West Coast.
The beautiful sounds of four great voices interpreting masterpieces of music from around the world were recently heard at the Orthodox Union West Coast Region Tribute Dinner and Concert held at the Young Israel of North Beverly Hills.
The chazzanim were Yaakov Motzen of the Shul of Bal Harbour, FL; Arik Wollheim of Congregation Beth Jacob, Beverly Hills; Netanel Baram of the Young Israel of North Beverly Hills, and Colin Schachat, originally of Johannesburg, South Africa. All have won acclaim for their concert tours and recordings, and all feature the ability to render a joyous Hallel, a somber Kol Nidre and Unesanah Tokef, and a stirring Shabbat and Yom Tov Kedushah.
The evening paid tribute to Janice and Philip Kaufler of Beverly Hills as the Keter Shem Tov Awardees and celebrated the completion of the YINBH’s stunning new building.
The dinner supported the work of the Los-Angeles based West Coast Region of the Orthodox Union which serves communities from Vancouver to San Diego and as far east as Denver. Under the leadership of Rabbi Alan Kalinsky for 28 years, the OU West Coast Region has played an invaluable role in raising the level of Orthodoxy and Torah Judaism throughout the Western United States and Canada. Its headquarters is home to West Coast NCSY headquarters, OU West Coast administrative offices, OU community and synagogue services staff, and serves as a community resource for Torah study and other programming.
“This year’s annual awards banquet was not the usual event our donors and supporters have grown accustomed to — rather it was a musical and cantorial extravaganza,” Rabbi Kalinsky stated. “Under the musical direction of Conductor Roi Azoulay of France, who was flown in to create the evening’s program, the world class chazzanim were accompanied by a symphony orchestra comprised of 25 gifted musicians from the University of Southern California. Special recognition is given to Cantor Baram for organizing this fabulous concert.”
From left: Cantor Colin Schachat, Cantor Yaakov Motzen, Cantor Arik Wollheim, and Cantor Netanel Baram.
“Philip and Janice Kaufler have dedicated significant time and energy to the development of the Los Angeles Jewish community,” declared Rabbi Kalinsky. “Through Janice’s selfless acts of chesed and time spent volunteering for the community, she is able to instill great values in those around her. During Philip’s four-year tenure as president of the Young Israel of North Beverly Hills, he successfully led the community through the building of the first Orthodox synagogue in Beverly Hills in over 50 years. Janice runs many of YINBH’s behind-the-scenes daily activities. As a couple, their community involvement reaches far beyond YINBH, demonstrated by their dedication to numerous charities, primarily centering on Jewish causes and needs. Honoring them was most appropriate holding the Tribute Dinner for the first time at their new shul.”
Honorees Philip and Janice Kaufler with Anne and Lee Samson of Beverly Hills at a pre-event reception hosted at the Samson residence for sponsors and trustees.
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