BCC’s Annual Awards Brunch
Before we know it, the Annual BCC Humanitarian Awards Brunch will be here! We have the date, location and four deserving honorees for this year’s gala event.
Following up on last year’s celebration of BCC’s 40th anniversary, the brunch will again be held at the warm and inviting Omni Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. The date will be Sunday, June 2. The lively silent auction begins at 10:30 a.m. and the brunch at noon.
The Rabbi Erwin and Agnes Herman Humanitarian Award is bestowed upon someone who exemplifies the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam (repair of the world). We are pleased to announce that litigation attorney David Codell has accepted as this year’s honoree.
An attorney in private practice, he is also the Visiting Arnold D. Kassoy Senior Scholar of Law and Legal Director at the Williams Institute. His many groundbreaking cases have changed laws including historic decisions on sexual orientation discrimination. He has been honored by such prestigious organizations as the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the ACLU of Southern California, and People for the American Way. He is truly worthy for all his work and BCC is honored by his acceptance.
The Presidents’ Award is given to someone who has contributed immeasurably and tirelessly to BCC. This year we are pleased that Ray Eelsing is the recipient. Among many other areas of service, Ray is a past BCC treasurer, a founding member of the Telephone Minyan, and a co-founder of the L’Chayim Legacy Circle with Hannah Theile and Tracy Moore. He oversaw much of the technological installation in the construction of our new temple and has been actively involved with the annual Awards Brunch, having cochaired the silent auction with Kenna Love.
And this year we will present a special honor, the Tzedek (justice) award for outstanding community contributions, to members Robin Berkovitz and Laurie Newman. Individually and as a couple they have given so much to the BCC community and the community at large. Robin is a long-time public defender handling her often difficult cases with style and grace. Laurie was longtime chief of staff to former state senator Sheila Kuehl (herself a past Humanitarian Awardee) and is also a professional chef. Together they are raising their daughter Eliana and are leaders in BCC’s Or Chayim children’s educational program.
More about the brunch and the honorees is to come in weekly announcements and on our website. For now, make sure to save June 2 for this exciting event and look for the “save the date” card in the mail soon.
