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A Rabbi’s Testimony: The Repression and Elimination of OccupyLA
Protester is pinned to the cement by four LAPD officers during non-violent civil disobedience at OccupyLA Nov. 29, 2011. Notice the severity of his treatment after sitting in a circle in the middle of City Hall park after being ordered to leave.
There are many reports, videos and photos online capturing the protests, violence, and arrests as the final, large-scale, Occupy protest in the country came to end. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to tell my story as a clergy witness to the police crackdown on dissident voices and the disappointing conduct of Mayor Villaraigosa and the leadership of the Los Angeles Police Department.It’s difficult to describe the entirety of events which took place as OccupyLA was raided and dismantled late Tuesday night, November 29th, into the early morning hours on November 30th. The protest had persevered for two months camped out at the foot of LA City Hall through torrential rains and heat. OccupyLA was unlike anything the city has ever seen. (See my article “Don’t be Afraid of People in Tents, Learn From Them,” in the HuffingtonPost.com) As I write these words I am still overwhelmed with emotion thinking of the amazing community of righteousness, giving, and tolerance, crushed in one evening by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Mayor.
When news of the impending eviction of the protest reached me by text message, I rushed downtown wearing a hastily made shirt with “CLERGY” written in duck tape on the back. I intended to be there when the hammer dropped. Having served as a clergy witness at the Bank of America civil-disobedience on November 17th, I was intent on bearing witness to the end of OccupyLA.
Police had posted temporary no-parking signs on every street within three blocks of city hall. I found an all-night parking lot a half-mile away, and walked quickly to the park. People streamed in from every direction. People were already marching around the park waving signs, swelling the number of suporters of OccupyLA to what seemed like a thousand.. Starting around eight o’clock that evening, I stood with other clergy in the center of the park in a circle hoping and praying for a peaceful resolution of the impending conflict. We also offered hugs and spiritual support to those who needed it. We were a mixed interfaith group of clergy – Christians, Muslims and Jews — many who were familiar with one another from other social justice campaigns.
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Tickets On Sale For Jewnfest, LA Concert Series Vol 1, June 14 & 15
Jewlicious is proud to present Jewnfest: LA Concert Series Vol 1, June 14 and 15th at one of LA’s most beloved music venues, The Mint. Jewnfest brings out the best local and independent artists from the West Coast for an intimate and rocking musical experience that won’t break your bank. Enjoy $2 Asahi premium beers, lots of other great drinks, and tickets start at only $10.
This two-night musical journey is put together by the team behind the award-winning Jewlicious Festival, which started in 2005 promoting independent rising stars with great success. Jewnfest’s first evening will be dedicated to sounds of the rising indie folk-rock revival made huge by Mumford & Sons. The second evening will be a high energy evening of local musical wizards.
Featured artists for Jewnfest include Independent Music Award Nominee Hyim , rising Indie Music sensation, Yael Meyer, and The Wellspring, fronted by Blue Fringe’s Dov Rosenblatt, the animated and original Klezmer Juice, and more artists to be announced soon. (More bios of the artists will be posted on JewliciousFestival.com)
Tickets for Jewnfest can be purchased online or at the door, space permitting. Pre-sale tickets are $10 per night,or 2 nights for $15. Doors open at 7pm, with music from 8-11pm each evening. The Mint is located at 6010 W Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035. The shows are for adults 18+. Support for Jewnfest comes from The Jewish Community Foundation Los Angeles, Asahi Beer and JConnect.
What Is The Future Of Zionism In LA?
I expected one of the benefits of moving to LA would mean that Israel’s birthday would be huge. I mean street party huge: lamp poles decked out with Israeli flags, al ha aish on every corner, awkwardly spelled banners and fliers plastering the walls, middle-eastern disco music blaring from storefronts. LA is home to the largest Israeli ex-pat community in the world, and the second largest Jewish population in North America. Beyond demographics, things for Israel are not a walk in the park right now.
But is today really Israel’s 63rd Birthday? On the streets of one of LA’s most Jewish neighborhoods, Pico-Robertson, I could not tell that it was really Israeli Independence day. Perhaps in Encino, aka Little Tel Aviv, things are off-the hook Israel? Maybe the pizza stores are selling blue and white pizzas? I don’t think so. Read the rest of this entry
Madonna & Kabbalah Centre Focus of Stinging Newsweek Investigation
Madonna & Kabbalah Centre Focus of Stinging Newsweek Investigation
Many articles over the years have highlighted funny business at the Kabbalah Centre. When we moved to LA just under two years ago, it turns out that we moved in on the same street as the family that runs the Centre – but on the LA part of the street.
The Kabbalah Centre is huge here – with a large building, schools, programs, and many devotees. Many of them live in and around the Centre and can be spotted with their all-white Shabbat outfits.
While some say the Centre has brought them great spiritual insights, other say it has left them stranded and in debt. The recent article in Newsweek offers an unflattering view of what is going on. It seems that funds Madonna raised to help orphans in Malawi — and build a huge girls school — went instead to support the Kabbalah Centre in America. Undoubtedly, the supporters will say that the writer got things wrong – but the facts of the article are difficult to disprove. Only a fraction of the money raised for the project ever went to Malawi.
Despite the fundraising success of Raising Malawi, which collected a reported $18 million in donations and spent $3.8 million on the planned academy, the girls’ school has been abandoned and the Raising Malawi foundation has imploded.
In addition to uncovering the unsettling view of things inside Raising Malawi, the article also reveals some more info on the secretive world of the founders of the Centre. It appears that the Berg’s entire lifestyle is underwritten by the Centre. BTW, while the Berg’s live in nice homes, they are not gigantic by Beverly Hills standards.
Back to Malawi.
The more important fact seems to be that only $850,000 of the $3.8 million spent on the academy was paid out in Malawi. The lion’s share, almost $3 million, was spent by the Kabbalah Centre’s office in L.A. under the watch of the center’s Michael Berg.
With a grand-jury investigation of the Centre in NY, and California lawsuits in the courts, undoubtedly more info will be forthcoming.
All this points to a great deal of questions, and not so many good answers.
Madonna’s Malawi Disaster: The star’s much-lauded effort to help girls in the African nation of Malawi blew up. Is Kabbalah to blame?
Illustration by Guekit: Nina Berman / Sipa (Philip Berg); Mike Hutchings / Reuters-Landov (Madonna); East News-Polaris (Karen Berg); Amos Gumulira / AFP-Getty Images (Michael Berg); Michelly Rall / Getty Images (sign)From left: Philip Berg, Madonna, Karen Berg, and Michael Berg.
One year ago, Madonna squatted in the rust-colored dirt of a sprawling empty lot outside Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world. With curious villagers and invited photographers crowding around, she laid the ceremonial first brick for a planned $15 million girls’ academy, a noble mission in a nation where only 27 percent of girls attend secondary school. In a blog post on the website of her Raising Malawi foundation, she wrote that the brick, inscribed with the words “Dare to Dream,” was “not just the bedrock to a school—it is a foundation for our shared future.”
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Why Is This Party Different From All Other Parties? Vol. 1
When you throw a party you don’t need to write a detailed FAQ. But we understand that with a new thing, people need some more details. So here is the first in a series of posts with more details about the day.
Imagine a party which is not about hooking up, but about cleaning-up.
Instead of dressing to kill, you dress to get messy.
Instead of sporting nice shoes, you wear shoes that can take some punishment, or at least getting dirty.
Instead of needing to know people to get an invite, or just get in, you can pre-register, or show up on the day of, to be a part of it.
Instead of being impressed with how people dress, you will be impressed by how people work 
Instead of painting the town red, see how many feet of curb you can paint red.
Instead of trashing the place, we will leave the place trashless.
You get the idea.
Beyond a service day, TIKKUNFEST is a celebration of service. Bringing together people under the umbrella of community service, social action, TIKKUNFEST features a romping concert, vendors, and good vibes. It is geared for young adults 18and over, but anyone is welcome.
TIKKUNFEST volunteers will gather at the registration point, be assigned teams, and spread out to complete a series of projects on 18 blocks of Pico Blvd. Hopefully everyone will have a chance to plant, paint, clean up garbage, sweep, wash, trim, and beautify the neighborhood.
At the moment, we are working on a few dinner options for volunteers. Make sure to bring cash or credit card for dinner.
This is a party with a purpose if there ever was one , make sure you and all your friends pre-register for chance to get a free collectible TIKKUNFEST T-Shirt!
