Elan Carr
Our Migdal David Honoree:
Elan Carr is the CEO of the Israeli-American Council (IAC), the national organization that brings Israeli-Americans and the Israeli voice into a united Jewish community. He previously served as the 71st international president of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi).
In 2019, Elan was appointed to be the U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism. As America’s senior diplomat and policy leader for fighting Jew-hatred, he negotiated groundbreaking agreements with foreign governments; convened the first-ever U.S. Government-sponsored conference on combating online hate; drove new policies on anti-Zionism, anti-Israel discrimination, and campus antisemitism; and broadened global acceptance of the standard definition of antisemitism.
As a Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney, Elan prosecuted violent felonies for over a decade, including murders, gang crimes, hate crimes, sexual assault, and child molestation. He served for two decades as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and helped lead an anti-terrorism team during combat deployment to Iraq. While in Iraq, he led Chanukah and Shabbat services in the former presidential palace of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad.
Elan is married to Dr. Dahlia Carr, a life-long B’nai David member, and they are the proud parents of Hannah, Rachelle, and Samuel.
Rena Selya Cohen
Our Chasdei David Honoree:
Rena Selya Cohen has been a member of BDJ since she moved to Los Angeles with her family in 2005. She was immediately inspired by Rav Yosef’s vision of Modern Orthodoxy that empowers women to participate in all aspects of shul life, and she cannot imagine a better community in which to raise her daughters Rebecca and Leah. Rena regularly teaches Torah at BDJ, including giving drashot on Shabbat and Chagim; shiurim for the 8:45 minyan, Shirat Chana, and the Marilyn Lowenstein Twilight Tikkun; and she recently gave her first Nothing But the Pshat at Seudah Shlishit. She is a gabbait at Shirat Chana and often layns the sixth perek of Megillat Esther.
During her 8 years on the BDJ board, including five on the Executive Committee and two as President, Rena was involved in many important shul initiatives such as crafting our allergy policy, our Bat Mitzvah guidelines, our LGBT membership policy, our security plans, and our solar panel installation. She spent many hours in 2020 measuring backyards so that we could safely daven together during the pandemic, and led the board as they found creative ways to maintain our communal bonds as we came back into our beloved building. Rena continues to be a welcoming and helpful presence in shul, greeting newcomers, finding Torah carriers, and putting up page numbers before heading out to the lobby to give out lollipops.
Outside of BDJ, Rena is the archivist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and is writing her second scientific biography. Her love language is chocolate chip cookies, and so she loves to bake for Sharsheret’s Pies for Prevention and for her friends and family.
Daniel Bain
Our Tzemach David Honoree:
Daniel Bain was born and raised in Los Angeles. Growing up at BDJ, he participated in Rechov Yeladim and Teen Minyan, and was a counselor in Rechov Yeladim before graduating from Shalhevet and spending the next 10 years away from Los Angeles. Since settling back in LA in 2021, he has become involved with the growing BDJ Young Professionals community, co-chairing the YP Committee that helps to plan and run the monthly YP Minyan, Shabbat dinners, and other programming. He has also participated in planning and running programs and events for the Israel Committee and the Arts & Culture Committee. Outside of BDJ, Daniel works in marketing, and enjoys watching the World Champion Dodgers play baseball.
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