Suzy & Wally Marks, Jr. z"l 2026 Trailblazer Forum
February 1, 2026 @ 11:00AM — 2:00PM Pacific Time (US & Canada)
Skirball Cultural Center: 2701 N Sepulveda Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90040 Get Directions
As NewGround marks its 20th year, We are eager to announce that our Trailblazer honorees will be Mohsen Mahdawi and Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller. The honorees have been at the forefront of critical conversations about Israel Palestine, and especially the ways free speech and protest has been exercised -- and curtailed - in our fragile democracy here in the US. We look forward to sharing more about our honorees, and we hope you'll join us for this powerful event. Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller: A beloved teacher to so many, Rabbi Chaim has long modeled what it means to disagree without dehumanizing. In 2016, he became the Director Emeritus of UCLA Hillel, after serving as Executive Director for over 40 years. Throughout his long career, Rabbi Chaim has always spoken and taught with a signature combination of intellectual rigor, moral imperative and human compassion. In his recent Forward article on Yom Kippur and Gaza, which he co-authored with his friend and colleague, Prof. David Myers, he reminds us that our rituals are meant to “summon us to become fully human.” At a time when people are retreating into silence or shouting past each other, Rabbi Chaim invites us to reclaim the sacredness of listening, AND speaking our truth – even when it’s hard. Mohsen Mahdawi: Mohsen is a Palestinian student activist at Columbia University who was detained at his citizenship interview and threatened with deportation. When others sought silence or safety, he chose to speak, to listen, and to stand for both Palestinian rights and Jewish safety. His advocacy, both before and after being detained, reminds us that dissent can be an act of love, and dialogue a form of resistance. Mohsen appeared in many interviews both before and after his detention, and articulated his model of peace activism with great compassion and strength. In his own words: “This is not just a battle between fear and love. It’s a battle to be seen, to be heard, to be human.” Change-Maker Honorees: Rabbi Susan Goldberg & Bashar al-Shawwa Rabbi Susan Goldberg: As the founder and leader of Nefesh, an open hearted Jewish congregation, Rabbi Susan centers the margins and harnesses the power of creativity and profound spiritual values to create a radical sense of belonging. Her commitment to dialogue across difference is a beacon for our community. She has fearlessly cultivated space for congregants to discuss and process difficult disagreements, including the challenging issues around Israel-Palestine. A longtime partner of NewGround, Rabbi Susan is a role model for inclusion, social justice, and courageous conversation in Los Angeles and beyond. A fourth-generation Angeleno, Rabbi Susan has been a force for social justice since she was a teenager, inspired by her family including her mother, Ruth Beaglehole z”l, who dedicated her life to nonviolence in parenting and education. She powerfully calls on us to combine our strengths, individual and collective creativity to build resilient solutions to today’s challenges. Bashar Alshawwa: Bashar Alshawwa is a Palestinian Nakba refugee with family roots in Gaza. He was born outside of Palestine, and he returned following the Oslo Accords. In 2014, he was severely injured by an IDF sniper while participating in a peaceful protest. Bashar has lost dozens of family members, friends, and colleagues as a result of the war, and he has advocated publicly for non violent activism since 2017. Bashar is a distinguished researcher and expert in regional and international political affairs, specializing in conflict resolution, sustainable development, and advocacy, with extensive experience analyzing Palestinian and Israeli internal affairs. He is a proficient analyst and advocate for joint efforts in regional peace-making, and leads efforts to build resilience against all forms of hate -- including anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim, and anti-Jewish hate -- strengthen community resilience to polarization linked to Middle East conflicts, and foster inter-community dialogue and multi-community alliances across the diaspora.Luncheon Menu
Main Course* (Choice of): Salmon with Yukon Gold & Purple Potatoes and Garnet Yams · Portobello Mushroom Cap with Quinoa and Grilled Vegetables (Vegetarian/Vegan) Dessert: Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Toasted Walnuts and Raisins *All main courses are gluten-free This Skirball Center catering is Kosher Style, but if you require a Certified Kosher Meal, ticket purchasers can select the "Kosher meal" ticket and sponsors can indicate specific meals in the form you will receive upon registration. Diamond Sponsors Ruby Sponsors Paul Beck | Bernard Friedman | Paula & Barry Litt | Julia Meltzer & David Thorne Nurya Shabir & Muhammad Adaya Sapphire Sponsors Nancy Berman & Alan Bloch | Pervez & Jasmine Delawalla | The Fakhri Family Josh & Lisa Hofheimer | Abby Sher & John May | Dr. Lo M. Sprague, Ph.D. Platinum Sponsors Loren Bloch & Ping Ho | Halim & Saranya Dhanidina | David Weiner & Marieke Oudejans | Sanford Weiner Gold Sponsors Rachel Andres & Ben Tysch | Tzivia Schwartz Getzug & Steve Getzug Rabbi Susan Laemmle & John Antignas | Drs. David Myers & Nomi Stolzenberg Patsy & Joe Ostroy | Rabbi Arthur Schaefer & Laurie Gross Schaefer Silver Sponsors Jamie Rapaport Barry & Tim Barry | Celia Bernstein & Bradley Kesden | Dr. Sara Deen Daniel Giesberg & Carol Lifland | Sean Hecht & Rebecca Weiker | Andrea Hodos & Rabbi Aryeh Cohen Janet & Herbert Hodos | Rabbi Michelle Missaghieh & Bruce Ellman | Molly & Zach Rubin Bronze Sponsors Melissa Balaban & Adam Wergeles | Rabbi Sharon Brous & David Light | Rabbi Ken Chasen & Allison Lee Barbara Cohn | Barbara Dalton-Taylor | Michele DeRosa | Dr. Reuven Firestone & Rabbi Ruth Sohn | Dodi Fromson Hany & Tod Gimbel | Ronni Hendel-Giller & Rabbi Pinchas Giller | IKAR | Ismaili CIVIC Kathy Kobayashi & Hal Barron | Jeanney Kutner | Susan Leonard | Robyn Samuels & Bruce Shagg Shia Muslim Council of Southern CA | Shoulder to Shoulder If you would like to pledge a donation, you can do so here: https://mjnewground.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/pl... NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change is fiscally sponsored by Community Partners, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. To learn more about Community Partners, please visit https://communitypartners.org/. We welcome donations by check or from your DAF account. All checks must be payable to Community Partners (EIN 95-4302067) with “NewGround” in the memo line. Please use the pledge form link above to inform us of your DAF contribution. If you sponsor by check, please email Andrea Hodos at andrea@muslimjewishnewground.org so that we can list your sponsorship as soon as possible! NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change 3183 Wilshire Blvd, Ste #196, C9 Los Angeles, CA 90010 |