The Virtual Beverly Hills Ball 2.1 will honor Rabbi Jonathan Aaron for 25 spiritual, musical and meaningful years as Rabbi at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills on June 4, 2021. Rabbi Jonathan Aaron, our Senior Rabbi, is a Jewish educator and artist with a passion for Jewish music, culture, and text.

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater from Emerson College, and Master’s Degrees in both Jewish Education, and Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College, he was ordained as a Rabbi in 1996. Rabbi Aaron has served in the rabbinate and at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills for 25 years.

Rabbi Aaron writes much of the liturgical music that we use in our services, especially in our signature service, The Roven Family Shabbat Unplugged. He writes contemporary prayer experiences, including services of Healing, Selichot, and Shabbat, as well as a full length intergenerational musical, Hyrcanus. Rabbi Aaron is a masterful storyteller, bringing folk tales and biblical stories to life as he delights children and adults alike. Purim Shpiels combine theater, music and storytelling in wonderfully compelling multi-generational interactive performances.

Rabbi Aaron serves the broader community as Chaplain for the Beverly Hills Police Department, and is on the Board of Directors at The Maple Counseling Center. He is a visiting professor of nearly 20 years, teaching speech to rabbinical students, at Hebrew Union College — Jewish Institute of Religion.

It is a distinct pleasure to celebrate our Senior Rabbi during Shabbat Unplugged, the service Rabbi Aaron himself curated and brought to the Temple Emanuel community so many years ago.

One of Southern California’s premier Reform Jewish synagogues, TEBH serves a community of multicultural, traditional and non-traditional families: including single, interfaith, LGBTQ, and single-parent households from Beverly Hills and Greater Los Angeles. We have three award winning educational programs, including our Early Childhood Center, Religious School, and a broad-based Adult Education Program. Our vision is Living Judaism—Judaism that is alive, continuously evolving, and vibrant, and for more than 80 years we have brought that vision to life through innovative educational, religious, and social responsibility programs with successful outreach to the youth and elders of our community at large.

Gala Chairs:
Michelle & Alan Kaye
Heather & Andrew Katzenstein (Co-chairs)
Kathleen & Larry Paul (Co-chairs)

Gala Honorary Chairs:
Toni & Bruce Corwin and Karl Thurmond

Resource Development Co-Chairs:
Sue Brucker and Jackie Kassorla

Tribute Committee Chair:
Melissa Greenspan

Gala Producer:
Cantor Lizzie Weiss

Honorary Gala Committee:
Michelle Azar Aaron, Adina Aaron and Sela Aaron
Marianne & Ronald Aaron, David & Marjorie Aaron and Richard & Yuni Aaron
Marsha & Shaul Azar, Debra Azar & Eric Greenberg, Naomi Azar & Aaron Wolfe and Melissa Greenspan & David Azar

Co-Presidents

Board Members