Gail Katz, Attorney
Mayer Bick, Investment Banker
Aliza, 11; Sophia, 10; Ayala, 8; Sam, 6
Members since 2005
When we were first married over a decade ago, we began to check out shuls on Sukkot. We knew BDJ was right for us because of its values, its warmth and Rav Yosef. We saw many women with lulavim, we saw the Torah pass through the women’s section, and we saw how Rav Yosef treated everyone. We knew then it was a priority of the shul to maximize women’s participation in leadership and ritual within the bounds of halacha, which was perfectly consistent with BDJ’s core value of treating all people with dignity and respect.
At BDJ, there are people of different ages and different backgrounds, and they all come together as one community. People look out for each other when they are sick or have loved ones who are sick. If an older person is housebound, a minyan can come to his or her home. Rav Yosef has also developed a community that is concerned for the socioeconomically disadvantaged and the ill, both in Los Angeles and in the wider world, both inside and outside of the Jewish community.
When you think about the attributes that you want in a leader, Rav Yosef has them: his love of Torah and Israel, ardent Zionism, exemplified by his son serving in the Israeli army, his emphasis on learning Torah and davening. He’s principled; he lives the way he believes.
Not only that, this is a warm chevra, a group of people that you’d want to see outside of shul as well.