Israel achieves 78 years of liberty - how has past 30 months of war affected diasporans celebrating?

Keshet Chaim Dance Ensemble celebrate "Israel at 78" Ceremony in L.A. April 30, 2026

Rabbi David Baron, concerned about media
mischaracterizations increasing anti-Jewish
hostilities around the world, celebrated Israel's
Independence at Bev. Hills Temple of the Arts 

Senior Rabbi David Baron of Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts, greeted a large, mixed audience commemorating Israel's 78th Independence Day. Speaking from the podium he declared, 
"We're guardians also because we guard the special relationship between our United States of America and the state of Israel. And and we've been doing that for a long time since Israel's founding and before. And what's truly remarkable, if you need any proof, can there be a better proof than the American forces and the Israeli forces fighting shoulder to shoulder to destroy the horrific Iranian regime. You know, we're guardians together as Jews, as fellow Jews." 

Rabbi Baron continued, "But we must not forget we also have friends who are fellow guardians - our brothers and sisters in the many numerous Christian communities who support Israel. Tonight, I welcome everyone here to our our beautiful home, this Temple of the Arts Saban Theater, we're having all of you here to celebrate. I want to acknowledge my friend, Bishop Juan Carlos Mendes, who represents 2,000 Christian churches who stand with Israel."  

"Churches in Action's" Bishop Juan Carlos
 Mendez at service for Israeli Memorial Day '25 

"Churches in Action" leader Bishop Juan Carlos Mendez, attending an Israeli Memorial Day ceremony last year told us, "It's always very interesting to to see how Hamas plays this card of being victims after they are the aggressor. And it's very sad to see how the double standard that we that we have - that that we have one one standard for Israel - which is so high with morals and ethics - and yet we have no standard for Hamas. They can do whatever they want and yet they're still depicted as the victims."

Yisrael Bachar, Israeli Consul
General to S.W. USA 

Israeli Consul General to the Southwest US, Yisrael Bachar told JNS correspondent Aaron Bandler, "Well, it's exciting to see a lot of people who are working hard to support the state of Israel coming again tonight to celebrate 78th Anniversary for the state of Israel, our Independence Day. Truly, it's remarkable to see the community coming time after time, helping time after time, cooperating and putting effort, time and money with us to do these events. I think that shows the beauty and the bond between the diaspora and their care for the state of Israel. And definitely this bond that's what keeps us strong, relevant and the good and special relationship between Israel and America and this relationship is the most important to the State of Israel."

"Given like what's going on in the Middle East right now and you know of course earlier this week you know the assault of the Jewish man at nearby Congregation Adas Torah. I'm going to speak about anti-semitism tonight. It's unfortunate and definitely we need to demand more from the authorities to do more against anti-semitic actions that happens here and occurs here in LA. The only way to fight it is twofold. one, more Jewish education, and two, more aggressive law enforcement."

In L.A.'s Boyle Heights, Latino theater group pays homage to L.A.'s Jews of old

Contemporary, gentrification debates unlock the early history, stories and memories of Boyle Heights revealing the mythical and human dimensions of L.A.’s own Lower East Side during the premiere run of an audience participatory, immersive and theatrical celebration, created and devised by Josefina López, Corky Dominguez and the Remembering Boyle Heights ensemble. 

Josefina López, producer and co-writer of the Remembering Boyle Heights said, “The show is a theatrical celebration inspired by the diverse stories, memories and experiences of Boyle Heights, an Ellis Island of the West, from the beginning of the century to right after World War II. 

The show explores this time-period during which Mexican, Jewish, Japanese, Armenian, Italian, Russian and African-American communities co-existed in Boyle Heights.” 

From the turn of the 20th century until World War II, Boyle Heights served as the hub of Southern California's Jewish community. Kosher delis, bakeries and other Jewish businesses dominated Brooklyn Avenue -- now Cesar Chavez Avenue. In the 1950s, the Eastside neighborhood's Jewish population began to decline, with many leaving for West Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. ("Event unearths the deep Jewish roots of Boyle Heights" - by Hector Becerra Los Angeles Times May 2018). 

Under the direction Corky Dominguez (of Boyle Heights), who is also a co-writer of the show, the Ensemble Cast will include: Michael Berckart (of Los Angeles), Joe Luis Cedillo (of El Monte), José Alejandro Hernandez Jr. (of South Central), Yvette Karla Herrera (of Montebello), Ángel Michel Juárez (of Montebello), Megumi Kabe (of Sylmar), Marcel Licera (of Koreatown), Jackie Marriott (of Inglewood), Roberta H. Martínez (of Pasadena), Allyson Taylor (of Valley Glen) and Raymond Watanga (of Glendale).

Video transcript: 
Urban anthropologist, Shmuel Gonzales: "Boyle Heights for many people has been kind of equated to the Lower East Side of New York. A lot of people who had come from New York or the Midwest or Canada who already had established themselves a little bit came to establish their families here. I think that's what's really just remarkable is how many families that came through Boyle Heights. Seventy-five thousand Jewish families came through Boyle Heights in the first half of the 20th century. One-third of the Jewish community of Los Angeles was located here in Boyle Heights, making it the largest and most important Jewish community west of Chicago.

Breed Street Shul (photo: Henry Briceno) 

"Congregation Talmud Torah, more commonly known as the Breed Street Shul, was a keystone in the Jewish community in Boyle Heights and nearby City Terrace from the 1920s through the 1950s. Architecturally, it was among the most monumental of the few dozen synagogues that were built in the area at the time, leading locals to nickname it "The Queen of the Shuls." Los Angeles Conservancy

Allyson Taylor, actress, in role of real-estate developer: "I want to modernize this neighborhood."

As herself:  "Well (the show) talks about the fact that in Boyle Heights - all people live together. During the 1930's and '40s, during the restrictive era of housing, not only were Hispanics, blacks, and Chinese restricted from buying homes in Los Angeles, Jews were as well."

(Scene of early 20th century Jewish family, portrayed by Allyson Taylor and Micael Berckart, of son, portrayed by Jose Hernandez, Jr.) disavowing speaking Yiddish).

Jose Hernandez, Jr. actor: "The dynamics of the family with the father, the son, I  have found it very natural and very similar to my experience with my father - it's the same argument."

(Scene of 20th century Latino family of daughter (portrayed by Yvette Karla Herrera) chiding parents for not speaking English).

(Scene of daughter (portrayed by Angel Juarez, telling Japanese mother (Megumi Kabe) about boyfriend she brought home (portrayed by Raymond Watanga). Angel Juarez: "I love him! I know that he's Colored."

Angel Juarez: "I didn't realize that there was a Jewish community (ever in my Boyle Heights). I used... there is a store and it has the Jewish Star, the Star of David and I always wondered why -  why was it just there -  out of nowhere? And when I came here I realized that this used to be a Jewish community!  So it just opened my mind to a whole, a new world of Boyle Heights"

Marcel Licera, actor: "Faith and religion took place in Boyle Heights. Whether it took place in a church, in a temple or synagogue, or just in the home."

Corky Dominguez:  "My experience attending a Seder, I lived with the Jewish family for several years. I brought my mom to it to the one of the Seder dinners. And it was really interesting to me and I knew that I wanted to have something like that story of a Seder and the guests being non-Jewish and to see what that was all about.  Because I remembered that experience."

Raymond Watanga: "Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church spiritual gatherings with African-Americans for many weeks while Mama and I went to our first Passover Seder that my friend Josh Bernstein invited. It was dinner at the Bernstein's - a Jewish dinner!"

Allyson Taylor: "This is my favorite holiday it's about celebrating our collective freedom." (Recites bracha for Yom Tov.)

(Photo: UCLA's Mapping Jewish L.A.)

Allyson Taylor: "So what we're doing is celebrating the fact that with all the issues of gentrification and the encroachment of the hipsters, and the developers coming into this area, that there was a time when we all lived together and we're hoping that we can bring that kind of feeling back. And not have the kind of tensions that are or have arisen from saying this belongs to me, this belongs to me, it belongs to all of us!"

Micael Berckhart: "Everybody went to Canters. Lined with pickle barrels, kosher butchers, bakeries, and delicatessen. The aromas were of corn beef and smoked fish, the smells, the tastes, the sounds of accents of Eastern European accents in Yiddish, the whole feeling was a visceral experience."

Corky Dominguez: "We end the show with Hava Nagila at our curtain call. And that just gets the crowd going!  Right now the show is scheduled to go until Sunday, December 16th."