DATES* The Etta Israel Center, a Jewish...

DATES

* The Etta Israel Center, a Jewish organization devoted to youths with developmental, emotional and educational disabilities, will hold its inaugural fund-raising dinner at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The event will honor pediatrician Dr. Robert Adler and his wife, Agi, for their “lifetime of devotion to serving children and commitment to the Jewish community.” The Etta Israel Center, made possible by an endowment from one of the city’s pioneers in educating Jewish children with special needs, sponsors programs to integrate disabled children into Jewish community life. Information and reservations for the dinner are available by calling (213) 852-3222.

* The California Museum of Ancient Art’s International Scholars Forum lecture series will resume at 7:30 June 6, when William Scott Green, dean of undergraduate studies at the University of Rochester in New York, discusses the origin and development of the concept of the messiah in Western culture. The lecture will be at the Gallery Theater of Barnsdall Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. Admission is $10, $8 seniors. (818) 762-5500.

* Congregation Kol Ami, a Progressive temple offering worship for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and their families, will host a Shavout celebration. Rabbi Denise L. Eger will lead a study session and a Havdalah service next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the temple office, 8400 Sunset Blvd., Suite 2A, in West Hollywood.

* The Ancient Biblical Manuscript Center will present a talk by Gregory Bearman, a member of the technical staff at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Adat Ari El in North Hollywood. He will describe how his work on novel, non-aerospace applications for JPL instruments led him to develop a tabletop imaging spectrometer that has been used on the Dead Sea Scrolls and other archeological projects. Tickets are $12 at the door, $8 for students. 12020 Burbank Blvd. (909) 621-6451.

* Jonathan Pafrey, executive director of Los Angeles Physicians for Social Responsibility, will speak at the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles at 11 a.m. Sunday. He will discuss the continuing challenges of nuclear weapons and radiation in the environment, and his organization’s campaign to stem gun violence. 2936 W. 8th St. (213) 389-1356.

* St. James Armenian Church in Los Angeles will hold its 54th annual picnic from 12:30 to 7 p.m. June 11 on the parish grounds. Shish kebab and other Armenian delicacies will be available, as will games, music, dancing and prizes. Admission is free. 4950 W. Slauson Ave. (213 295-4588.

* As part of a county-sponsored legal program to help needy seniors, a legal representative from Bet Tzedek (The House of Justice) will visit the East Los Angeles Neighborhood Center, 133 N. Sunol Drive, Los Angeles, on June 6. Appointments are necessary, and priority will be given to people in greatest economic need. To be eligible, one must be at least 60 years old, financially needy and reside in Los Angeles County outside the city of Los Angeles. Sponsored by the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles and private and government agencies, the project’s first priority is to help clients with problems relating to Social Security, Medicare and other government benefits, as well as with consumer and other fraud and long-term care issues, including nursing home problems. Help is also available for most other legal needs, except criminal defense, immigration, contested divorce and lawsuits that a private attorney would accept on a contingency fee basis. (213) 260-2823.

MUSIC

* Bel Air Presbyterian Church will present a benefit concert featuring gospel music by the Southern California Community Choir at 7 p.m. June 4. Proceeds will be used to support Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy Carter Work Project, which will sponsor volunteers building 21 homes for poor families in the Watts area during a “blitz build” June 18-24. Concert tickets are $10 and are available through the church’s Urban Ministry office at (818) 788-4210, Ext. 137, or at the door of the church, 16221 Mulholland Drive, one-half mile west of the Mulholland exit off the 405 Freeway.

* “The Glory of Venice,” a program of music inspired by St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy, in the early 17th Century, will be presented at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church. The concert, featuring works by Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, Monteverdi and others, will be at 4 p.m. June 11 at the church, 580 Hilgard Ave. James Vail will be conducting.

HONORS

* The Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Pacific Southwest Council, will honor the national president of the Reform movement of Judaism, Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, during a program at 7 p.m. June 11 at Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills. The program will feature music, speakers and a dessert reception. Tickets are $36 and $100. 300 N. Clark Drive. (213) 653-9962.

* The Native American Ministry Project of the Presbyterian Church has elected officers: Mike Burgess, moderator; Andy Anderson, vice-moderator; Sheila Gustie Martinez, treasurer.

* The Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Martin Luther King Legacy Assn. of Greater Los Angeles has presented its President’s Award to Monica Lozano, associate publisher of La Opinion; its Rosa Parks Award to Avid Ridley-Thomas, administrator of the city attorney’s dispute resolution program; its Drum Major Award to Joseph Dyer, director of community affairs for KCBS-TV; its Prophetic Witness Award to Rabbi Harvey J. Fields of Wilshire Boulevard Temple, and its Corporate Responsibility Award to American Savings Bank.

* Recent recipients of the University of Judaism’s Award of Merit are Millie and Murray Cohen of Sinai Temple in West Los Angeles, Max and Esther Freilich of Congregation Sholom in Laguna Hills, Moshe Melnick of Temple Adat Ari El in North Hollywood, David and Elaine Gill of Valley Beth Shalom in Encino and Moshe and Andrea Silagi of Temple Ner Maarav in Encino.

* The Rev. Harold Wilke of Claremont was one of 50 honorees saluted recently by The Christophers, a New York-based organization affiliated with the Catholic Church, at its golden anniversary dinner. Mother Teresa and former President Jimmy Carter were also honored.

* The Rev. James Elwood Boline was installed as pastor of Hollywood Lutheran Church this month. Last year he received the master of sacred theology degree in liturgy from the Yale University Divinity School and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, Worship and the Arts.

* James Paul Buonemani, formerly organist and director of music for the Church of the Epiphany in Washington, D.C., has been named organist and choirmaster of St. James Episcopal Church in Los Angeles.

* Catholic Big Brothers has named Kenneth E. Martinet of Glendale as its new executive director. He is the former CEO of Franciscan Communications of Los Angeles.