On March 11, Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles (JBBBSLA) welcomed supporters and community leaders to The Big Event, an evening celebrating the organization’s impact and honoring three champions of mentorship and community: Sandy Sigal, Susan Kushner and Ethan Stern.
Held at Stephen Wise Temple, the annual gathering raised more than $900,000 and brought together hundreds of guests for an evening of connection and philanthropy in support of JBBBSLA programs serving children, teens and families across Los Angeles.
During the evening, Sigal was presented with the Sydney Rosenberg Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his leadership, philanthropy and longstanding commitment to the mission of JBBBSLA and Camp Bob Waldorf.
A UCLA graduate, Sigal is the founder, chairman, CEO and president of NewMark Merrill Companies, where he has built one of the fastest-rising private retail development and ownership firms operating in California, Colorado and Illinois. A former Camp Bob Waldorf camper, Sigal has long been deeply connected to JBBBSLA’s mission. He has served in leadership roles within the organization and continues to support Camp Bob Waldorf.
Reflecting on the organization’s lasting impact, Sigal shared, “There’s a proverb I love: ‘A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.’ That’s what this dinner is all about — planting trees that will grow and shade another 50,000 youth, just as JBBBSLA has already done for our community.”
JBBBSLA also presented The Big Spotlight Award to Kushner, whose connection to the organization is both personal and meaningful. Her father served for many years as both a Big Brother and board member, instilling in her a belief in mentorship and service. In 2023, Kushner continued that legacy by becoming a Big Sister, forming an impactful relationship with her mentee, Clay.
The evening also recognized Stern, who received The Big Spotlight Award for his dedicated mentorship and longstanding involvement with JBBBSLA. Stern became a Big Brother in 2015 and has mentored his Little Brother, Isaac, for nearly a decade.
For more than a century, JBBBSLA has helped young people build confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging through meaningful relationships and supportive programs. Funds raised through The Big Event support the organization’s core initiatives, including one-to-one mentoring, Camp Bob Waldorf, and college access and success programs serving youth throughout Los Angeles.
Robert Richman, a globally recognized culture architect, author and speaker, has joined American Jewish University (AJU), where he will help shape a bold new vision for the future of Jewish life through the university’s recently established 2050 Institute.
Richman, best known for his work as a former culture strategist at Zappos and co-creator of Zappos Insights, has spent his career helping organizations rethink how people connect, collaborate and build meaningful cultures. At AJU, he will bring that expertise to one of the Jewish community’s challenges: reimagining Jewish identity, engagement and community for the next generation.
“Robert Richman joins American Jewish University at a pivotal moment,” AJU President Jay Sanderson said. “He brings a combination of creativity, strategic thinking and cultural insight that will help us challenge assumptions, ask better questions and imagine new possibilities for Jewish life. His voice and leadership will be important as we build the 2050 Institute and explore what the Jewish future can become.”
Richman is widely regarded as an authority on organizational culture. As the author of “The Culture Blueprint: The Guide to the High-Performance Workplace,” he has worked with companies including Google, Toyota, Salesforce and Eli Lilly to build environments that prioritize purpose, engagement and innovation.
His work emphasizes self-organization, creativity and what he calls “culture hacking” — principles he now aims to bring into the Jewish communal space. “Jewish life has always been rooted in big questions, bold ideas and continuous reinvention,” Richman said. “This is a moment to rethink not just how we do things, but why we do them—and to invite more people into shaping what comes next.”
Richman joins AJU as part of the 2050 Institute, a wide-ranging initiative spearheaded by Sanderson to reimagine and reshape the next generations of Jewish life in North America. In this role, Richman will host and produce “The Jewish Tomorrow,” a new podcast and web series focused on identity, purpose and the future of Jewish life. The podcast invites listeners into conversations that explore what Jewish life could — and should — look like in the decades ahead.
“We’ve spent a lot of time asking familiar questions in familiar rooms,” Richman said. “What happens if we change both?”
In addition to his work in organizational culture, Richman is a keynote speaker who has addressed audiences worldwide. A graduate of Northwestern University and Georgetown University’s Leadership Coaching Program, he’s also a guest lecturer at Harvard University. He lives in San Diego, California.
J Los Angeles, formerly Westside JCC, has named Edana Appel its senior director of programs, a newly created strategic leadership role overseeing J Los Angeles’ full programmatic ecosystem, including camps, sports and wellness, teen engagement, family programming, membership experience, Jewish life and learning and inclusion and community care.
Appel has been with the organization since 2015 and has been a driving force behind the growth of the community center’s key programming.
“Edana has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, vision, and care for our community,” J Los Angeles CEO David Siegel said. “This promotion reflects both her remarkable contributions and our commitment to building a programmatic ecosystem that invites people into Jewish life in meaningful ways. At a time when so many are seeking connection, the J is investing in leadership that can convene, inspire, and help our community thrive.”
