Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles (JFS) will hold its thirteenth annual gala fundraising dinner at The Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills on Tuesday May 23, 2006 at 5:30 p.m. Deborah Barak and Dr. Etan Milgrom will receive the Spirit of Humanity Award. Connie Mandles will receive the Anita and Stanley Hirsh Award.

The masters of ceremonies will be Rob Morrow and David Krumholtz, the stars of the hit CBS series Numb3rs. Masters of ceremonies Rob Morrow and David Krumholtz star as the Eppes brothers in the current CBS series Numb3rs. Rob Morrow is best known for his portrayal of Joel Fleishman in the hit series Northern Exposure, which garnered him three Golden Globe and two Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Actor in a Dramatic Series. David Krumholtz recently starred as Milt Shaw in the critically acclaimed film Ray and has appeared on the series Freaks and Geeks and ER. Numb3rs is the No. 1 television series on Friday nights.

Renee Olstead, a star of the CBS sitcom Still Standing will sing jazz and pop tunes from her 143/Reprise Records debut CD, accompanied by Grammy Award-winning producer David Foster.

For more information and tickets to the event, contact Karen Schetina at (323) 761-8800, ext. 1220.

The Spirit of Humanity Award honors those whose leadership, community involvement and commitment to Jewish Family Service inspire others to follow their example. Deborah Barak and Dr. Etan Milgrom have been actively involved with JFS for twenty years. We want to show our children through our actions how important it is to be responsible for other people, says Ms. Barak, who is executive vice president, business affairs for CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group. Ms. Barak has been exceptionally successful in attracting new volunteers and donors from the entertainment industry to support JFS and its programs, and has served on the JFS board since 2002.

Dr. Milgrom, clinical associate professor of family medicine and pediatrics at USC Keck School of Medicine and staff physician at USC University Park Health Center, embodies the values of JFS as a teacher and physician. He recruits medical students as volunteers with the JFS/Family Friends program as part of a course he teaches on the way illness affects all aspects of patients and their families lives.

Paul S. Castro, executive director of JFS, said, Through their abiding commitment to JFS and its principles, Deborah Barak and Etan Milgrom have encouraged many in the entertainment and medical communities to join them in their support of JFS. Their leadership has enriched the lives of the people we serve at JFS.

The Anita and Stanley Hirsh Award is presented annually to an individual, organization or corporation that has made an ongoing and significant contribution of service and/or financial support to JFS. Connie Mandles is being honored for her service to the Russian émigré community in Los Angeles. She uses her Russian-language and people skills as a volunteer case aide at the JFS/West Hollywood Comprehensive Service Center. Many immigrants don t know how to access resources, Ms. Mandles explains. Having a Russian-speaking American who can help them makes it easier to cope with the challenges.

About Jewish Family Service
For more than 152 years Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles (JFS) has provided the highest quality social services to individuals and families in need, regardless of age, ethnicity, religion or ability to pay. Vital programs of JFS counsel families in crisis, support the elderly, house the homeless, feed the hungry, assist people with disabilities and work with victims of violence. JFS is the first call for families in need.

JFS is a beneficiary agency of The Jewish Federation and United Way. For more information visit www.jfsla.org.