David Broza is considered one of Israel’s foremost singers. Beginning in 1977, Broza has been working to bring the message of peace to the masses by joining peace movements, and singing what is now the anthem of the 'Peace Now' movement, his hit song, Yihye Tov.
www.davidbroza.net
Taiko LA was founded in 1996 by director, Rev. Tom Kurai, to preserve the art of Japanese Taiko drumming. Taiko is powerfully visual and combines the disciplines of martial arts and music. The group performs traditional and contemporary Japanese Taiko music. Recently members of the group performed on the broadcast of the 2009 Academy Awards Show and the World Baseball Classic final game at Dodger Stadium.
www.taikocenter.com
Noa Dori, known all over Europe and Israel, is well on her way to becoming an international sensation. Noa was recently asked to sing for Mr. Steven Spielberg (with Adam Lambert) for his Gala Award ceremony. Noa keeps it real with her encouraging, positive and grounded attitude and lyrics, wide range melodies and world pop arrangements. Noa delivers not only a rare 5 octave powerful voice, but a powerful message as well. Being a native of Israel and of Middle Eastern and Hispanic descent. Noa speaks more than 5 languages.
www.myspace.com/noadori
Ericson Alexander Molano, one of the leading voices in contemporary Latino Christian music, is a Gospel Christian singer. He became famous when the hit song, "Dios Manda Lluvia" came out. He has a Production company, Jehova-Nisi Producciones; where he is President and General Director.
www.myspace.com/ericsonalexandermolano
Vanessa Hidary is known as “The Hebrew Mamita” actress, poet, and playwright, who grew up on Manhattan's culturally diverse Upper West Side, and graduated from LaGuardia High School of the Arts and Hunter College. Her experiences as a Sephardic Jew with close friends from different ethnic and religious backgrounds inspired her to write Culture Bandit, a solo show that chronicles her coming of age during the golden age of Hip-Hop and her dedication to fostering an understanding and friendship between all people. "Culture Bandit," was originally produced by LAByrinth Theatre Company (with Artistic directors Phillip Seymour Hoffman and John Ortiz). Hidary has been featured in numerous publications and has appeared several times on HBO's Def Poetry Jam.
www.hebrewmamita.com
String Theory is noted by the L.A. Times for transforming architecture into theater. With an incredible craft for nuance and a careful, intentful way with subtlety, String Theory mixes instrumentation such as cello, violin, voice, guitar, bass, percussion, sampler and drums to prepare a succulent, atmospheric texture behind all their songs. With hints of classical composition here and there as well as colors from around the world, at their core, they are a rock band, pushed ahead by their highly evolved approach to songwriting and genre-mixing.
www.stringtheoryproductions.com
Lee Baca is Los Angeles County's 30th Sheriff and was re-elected to a third term in 2006. Sheriff Baca serves the community in several capacities, by being on the Board of Directors for the Optimist Youth Homes and Ranch, Puente Learning Center, Buena Nueva Foundation, EMEK Hebrew Academy, and Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law, and serves on the Board of Governors of the USC Alumni Association.
The Moshav Band members grew up playing music together, and had their first official show at Jerusalem's Mike's Place in 1996. Since that time, the band has been heard at music festivals and at more intimate settings all throughout the world. Now based in Los Angeles, the band continues to perform for US and international audiences.
www.moshavband.com
Rabbi David Wolpe, named the #1 Pulpit Rabbi in America by Newsweek magazine, is the Rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, California. Previously he taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, The American Jewish University in Los Angeles, Hunter College, and he currently teaches at UCLA. Rabbi Wolpe writes for many publications, including regular columns for the New York Jewish Week, beliefnet.com, as well as periodic contributions to the Jerusalem Post, The Los Angeles Times, and many others. Rabbi Wolpe is the author of seven books, including the national bestseller "Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times". Rabbi Wolpe just released a new book entitled "Why Faith Matters", a personal faith journey and response to the new atheists.
www.sinaitemple.org
Reverend Mark Whitlock is the CEO and pastor of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Irvine, CA. Before his full-time call to the ministry, Mark served as the founder and executive director of FAME Renaissance, the economic development arm of First AME Church, Los Angeles. As the executive director, Mark raised over one hundred million dollars in grants, loans, and contracted service initiatives that created over four thousand jobs with South Los Angeles. Rev. Whitlock is a recipient of national, statewide, and local community development awards. He was honored by the City of Los Angeles for raising over four hundred million dollars for community development at his retirement from First AME Church's FAME Renaissance Project in 2004. He is happily married to Attorney Hermia Shegog Whitlock for twenty-three years. They have three sons, Ariel, Mark and Devin.
www.corchurch.org
Craig Taubman brings to life the joy and spirit of the Jewish heritage, appealing to young and old alike and captivating audiences wherever he goes. Craig has composed music for TV shows on Fox, HBO and PBS as well as for film including Paramount Pictures feature film Andre, New Line Cinema's Pinocchio, and Disney's animated film Recycle Rex. His songs have been recorded by such respected artists as Chita Rivera and Jennifer Holliday. Craig's sell-out concerts draw thousands of fans at such respected venues as Ravinia in Chicago, Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, Westbury Music Fair in New York, the Greek Theater in Los Angeles and three special performances at the White House.
www.craignco.com
Rick Warren is the founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church. His goal is a second Reformation by restoring responsibility in people, credibility in churches, and civility in culture. He is a pastor, global strategist, theologian, and philanthropist. He’s been often named "America's most influential spiritual leader" and “America’s Pastor". As a pastor, he founded Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., in 1980 with one family. Today, it is an evangelical congregation averaging 22,000 weekly attendees, a 120-acre campus, and has more than 300 community ministries to groups such as prisoners, CEOs, addicts, single parents, and those with HIV/AIDS. Recently, the church fed 42,000 homeless people - three meals a day - for 40 days.
www.rickwarren.com
One Accord is a critically acclaimed acapella group recognized as one of the top touring acts in the Mormon community.
Bishop Edward R. Turner is the Pastor and Founder of Power of Love Christian Fellowship. His ministry reflects over 20 years of broad experience in non profit development, crisis intervention, individual and group counseling, specializing in mentoring programs for youth and various aspects of administration and management. Bishop Turner also serves as the chairman and founder of Helping Our People Excel for Life Foundation (H.O.P.E.), a non-profit community based organization. Since its inception, H.O.P.E. for Life has focused on developing programs of purpose and interest to restore and to generate a sense of hope, in the community, with a vision of how much better things could be.
Reverend Cecil Murray first church was in Pamona, California, where he helped the church grow from a congregation of twelve to 150. He then served at Trinity A.M.E. in Kansas City from 1966 to 1971, then as a minister at the First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Church in Seattle, and Los Angeles' FAME Church in 1977. Under Murray, the congregation grew from several hundred members to roughly 18,000. He also started FAME Renaissance, a non-profit organization that focuses on economic development. After retiring as Senior Pastor from the FAME church in 2004, Murray became a senior fellow at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture and has since worked as a liaison to the Los Angeles area, as well as to African American and Latino constituents.
Rick Muchow is the Pastor of Worship at Saddleback Church. He has been serving faithfully at Saddleback for 21 years and oversees the Worship Arts ministry, which consists of the Creative Arts, Technical Arts and Worship Leadership Teams. Rick also serves as one of 7 Elders, which serve the ministry at Saddleback. Rick has recorded 11 albums and has 84 songs registered with CCLI. Rick has been married to his beautiful wife Laura for 24 for years and they have 5 wonderful children: Brandon, Logan, Jordan, Megan and Nolan.
Kol Echad founded on the principles of Torah, Avodah and Gemilut Hasadim, is Milken Community High School’s premiere a cappella group is dedicated to promoting Jewish values - as One Voice - through music and song. These students, in grades 9 through 12, perform regularly in many different communities for a variety of social causes and events. Kol Echad is under the direction of Mr. Kelly Shepard.
The Pacoima Singers, from the Pacoima Middle School Television, Theatre & Performing Arts Magnet are an award-winning, multi-ethnic performing arts group in the Los Angeles Unified School District. This group has already earned an excellent reputation performing for many dignitaries around L.A., and has sung and recorded with acclaimed performers Craig and Co. and Parachute Express.
Cantor Joseph Gole is not only an acclaimed cantor, but also a brilliant concert artist and classical musician. Cantor Gole, who has served Cantor of Sinai Temple for eleven years, is considered by many to be one of the finest cantors of his generation. He attended the University of Judaism, Hebrew Union College, and is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Music, where he majored in opera and voice. He has performed on numerous occasions with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Pacific Palisades Orchestra, the American Youth Symphony, Guild Opera Company of Los Angeles, the Laguna Opera, and Euterpe Opera Company.
www.sinaitemple.org
Inbar Bakal was born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel and grew up in a very traditional home with distinct Yemenite and Iraqi roots. She started as a child singer where she was a member of the “Li-Ron Choir” and gained advanced classical training as she participated in International Musical Festivals throughout the Middle East and Europe. Inbar later served 4 years with the Israeli Air Force where she was the first female officer ever in the Anti-Aircraft Combat Division, then a First Lieutenant in Military Intelligence Specializing in Public and International Relations. Since relocating to Southern California in 2003, she has been writing and rewriting biblical text using old Yemenite melodies about yearning for love and a home for the Jewish people to write a very special and heartfelt album.
www.inbarbakal.com
Klezmer Juice is the new generation of Jewish Soul musicians. Torch bearers of an ancient traditional craft that unites generations in spirit. Fresh interpretations of traditional tunes captures the heart of a new generation of fans. Bandleader and Clarinet player Gustavo Bulgach was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina learning Klezmer music from his family at a young age, adds the original and soulful sound of the traditional Klezmer Clarinet, that "laughing-Crying Yiddische soul". Many great things have been said about Gustavo's playing, but we think that the music speaks for itself.
www.cdbaby.com/cd/klezmerjuice
Maya Guice is a Sophomore at Scripps College where she is self-designing a major in performing arts administration. She has studied ballet, modern, and tap for over thirteen years under the tutelage of Karen McDonald, Lowell Smith, Don Martin, Ron K. Brown, Winifred R. Harris, and Pat Taylor. Maya has studied at Alonzo King's LINES Ballet School and last year she attended the Parsons Dance Summer Intensive. She tap dances professionally with Lynn Dally's Jazz Tap Ensemble and has performed with Pat Taylor's Jazz Antiqua Dance and Music Ensemble. Maya was also featured as an artist "On The Rise," in the May 2009 issue of DANCE Magazine.