Beth Chayim Chadashim's 2015 Awards Brunch!

The BCC Awards Brunch recognizes and honors remarkable individuals from our own congregation and from the community at large. 

LOCATION: Skirball Cultural Center, see map at right.

Tickets, Sponsorships and Tributes

Sponsor a Table or purchase event tickets! Just click the "Order Tickets" button to the right, under the map. 

Silent Auction

DONATE EXCITING ITEMS, EXPERIENCES, ART! The Auction leads up to the brunch with competitions over thrilling gifts donated by people and companies that want to support BCC! To get involved, just click “Donate Items”!   

Questions? Contact Ruth Geffner

2015 Honorees

Jeffrey Tambor: Rabbi Erwin & Agnes Herman Humanitarian Award. Jeffrey Tambor, winner of the 2015 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy ("Transparent"), is one of the most versatile and accomplished character actors in film, stage and television. His portrayal of Maura, who spent her life as Mort, the Pfefferman family patriarch in Jill Soloway’s multi-award-winning series, “Transparent,” is an inspiration to Trans and L/G/B communities. BCC is thrilled to have the opportunity to hear from Jeffrey Tambor about his groundbreaking role, and to show him how much he means to us. He will be introduced by his co-stars Amy Landecker and Judith Light.

Sylvia Sukop & Bonnie Kaplan: Harriet Perl Tzedek Award.Sylvia Sukop and Bonnie Kaplan, long-time BCC members, are creators in genres such as poetry, photography, essay, performance and visual art. To BCC, they’ve brought gifted musicians, writers, and poets to share their talents, and invented “after shul specials” to extend the joys of Friday nights. Harriet Perl, of blessed memory, would be proud that the award that bears her name will be bestowed this year on two such gifted and giving members of our community whose passions for beauty, art, people, animals, nature, Judaism, culture and communication bring BCC so many blessings.

Bruce Maxwell: Presidents Award. Bruce Maxwell, mentsch and community leader, is a past BCC president, treasurer, and long-time board member. He helped bring us our remarkable Cantor Juval Porat and move our congregation into our new building. With his mentschlichkeit and wisdom, gentle touch, respect for others, team building skills, and sense of humor, Bruce keeps us in the moment even as we plan for our future. The bright present and enduring future that are his legacies to BCC make him a deserving recipient of BCC’s Presidents Award for outstanding service to the congregation.

Entertainment 

Musical Performances: Cantor Juval Porat. About to release his second solo album, BCC's beloved Cantor Juval Porat continues to gladden our hearts with his wonderful voice, spirit, wit, creativity, over the top Purim drag, and of course his love for cantorial music, folk, pop and electro, and all the ways he blends and shares these with us.  Since his arrival at BCC in late 2009 as a German/Israeli transplant, nearly every aspect of life at BCC is enhanced by Juval's presence.

Special performance of "Here's To Us" written by Tamara Kline for Transgender Rememberence Day at BCC. 

Master of Ceremonies: Stephen Guarino. Stephen Guarino, is best known for playing over-the-top Derrick for 3 seasons on ABC's "Happy Endings" as well as his outrageous characters on Rosie O'Donnell's "The Big Gay Sketch Show" on LOGO. In 2011, he won Best Actor at the OutFest LGBT Film Festival and received an unprecedented talent deal with CBS to diversify the network. 

History of BCC Awards

Congregation Beth Chayim Chadashim, “House of New Life,” is a progressive and diverse community that celebrates Jewish faith and culture. Established in 1972, we are the world’s first synagogue founded by and for lesbians and gay men. Today BCC is an essential Los Angeles institution, welcoming all who seek a friendly and engaging community where they can worship, learn, socialize, celebrate, and contribute to society. The BCC Awards were established in 1985 to honor leaders in the LGBT and Jewish communities. Since then, the BCC Awards event has grown significantly in size and importance.