On the Town: Guests roll the dice for temple’s cause

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Julie and Justin Turner ready to double down on their support of Temple Emanu El’s Early Childcare Center.

(David Laurell / Burbank Leader)

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Pat and Dave Augustine, left, were joined by Alma Rubinfeld to enjoy the evening that recalled the legendry Rat Pack days of Las Vegas.

(David Laurell / Burbank Leader)

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Nat Rubinfeld tangled with Lady Luck to raise funds for Temple Emanu El’s Early Childcare Center.

(David Laurell / Burbank Leader)

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Allison and Seth Davis arriving in style for an evening that paid homage to 1960s Vegas.

(David Laurell / Burbank Leader)

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Kevin McIntyre, from left, Eric Conner, Neela Woodard, Tobi Lippman, Shirley Yehuda, Rebecca Chernack and Ira Lippman served as the committee who staged last week’s throwback Vegas fundraiser.

(David Laurell / Burbank Leader)

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Event chairman Michael Canaan and his wife Meredith welcomed close to 200 supporters to last week’s old school Vegas night of fundraising.

(David Laurell / Burbank Leader)

By David Laurell

Feb. 5, 2018 3:15 PM PT

Back in the 1960s, when the marquees of the hotels that lined the Las Vegas strip displayed the names of entertainers so well-known they could be advertised mononymously, Sin City gamblers took breaks from the slot machines and tables to catch shows by “Frank,” “Dean” and “Sammy.”

This past week, as a tip of the fedora to old-school Vegas, Burbank’s Temple Emanu El staged a casino night fundraiser to benefit its early childhood center and award-winning preschool, which offers year-round, full- and part-time sessions for children 2 to 5 years old.

Conceptualized and chaired by Michael Canaan, the festive evening of gaming, dining with wine donated by the Scotto Family Cellers, and music provided by Adin and Jonah Ring and the AAA Jazz Band, encouraged attendees to don attire that would have been apropos in 1960s Vegas.

“Everyone loves the glamour that was associated with old-school Vegas, so we thought it would make for a fun night in which people could come out, have a great time and raise funds for an important cause,” said Canaan, who is the driving force behind the Global Superhero Initiative with a mission to instill the positive ideals and principles of fictional superheroes and real-life safety service and military heroes in children by use of mobile-app video gaming.

Working in concert with Canaan to make last week’s evening of fun and fundraising a success were his co-chair Eric Conner, the school’s fundraising chair, Neela Woodard, and the event committee composed of Kevin McIntyre, Tobi and Ira Lippman, Shirley Yehuda and Rebecca Chernack.

Among those who enjoyed the evening were Leeron Tal Dvir, who serves as the director of Temple Emanu El’s early childhood center, and Laura Frutos, wife of Burbank Councilman Bob Frutos.

Others who tangled with “Lady Luck” for the cause were Jessica Beck, Adam and Helen Alexander Flax, Ozen Leibo, Johanna Moyal, Jason Rockenbach, Beth Marcus, Philleen Meskin, Cori Schnieber, Lauren Zaslansky Conner, Christina Piedlow, Joy Bristol Covell, Cindy Perren Cohen, Meredith O’Brien Canaan, Eric Adam Conner, John Carrier, Allison and Seth Davis, Julie and Justin Turner, Rachel Habush Shalts, Rachael Anne, Christy Marshall, Dave and Pat Augustine,and Nat and Alma Rubinfeld.

Established in 1947, Temple Emanu El serves Burbank and the eastern San Fernando Valley as a progressive-minded, egalitarian full-service synagogue, rooted in the tenets and traditions of American conservative Judaism.

DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.