Prominent Beverly Hills Couple to Receive Honor from American Friends of The Hebrew University

Joel Mandel, an attorney and leading business manager and his wife Rebecca, a financial restructuring attorney, will receive the Humanitarian Torch of Learning Award from American Friends of The Hebrew University (AFHU) at “The Bel Air Affaire” on September 11th at the home of Brindell Gottlieb in the tony Los Angeles neighborhood.  Proceeds from the Affaire will provide scholarships supporting students in need at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Mr. Mandel is a founding partner of The Management Group, a full-service business management and financial services practice established in 1987, with a broad based clientele including some of the most influential names in the fields of media and entertainment.  Mrs. Mandel worked in the financial restructuring practice at the prominent law firm Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld.  In 2006, she left her law firm to work for a publicly traded company, operated initially as a venture-funded subsidiary of Delliote & Touche. 

The Humanitarian Torch of Learning Award is a mark of recognition of leading men and women in business and the professions who have influenced the course of higher learning in the United States and Israel.

“Joel and Rebecca embody the very nature of the Humanitarian Torch of Learning award.  Their tireless efforts on behalf of the Jewish community and the State of Israel, and their continual commitment to education serve as an exemplary leadership model to us all.  We are thrilled to present them with this prestigious honor,” said Richard Ziman, AFHU’s Western Regional chairman.

Together, Mr. and Mrs. Mandel are active in a variety of charitable and political endeavors, most involving the State of Israel and U.S./Israel relations.  Their combined efforts have helped to raise millions of dollars for various charitable organizations.  In addition to serving on the Western Region Board of the American Friends of Hebrew University, Mr. Mandel co-founded the American Friends of the Re’ut Institute and serves on the Board of Advisors of Aish Hatorah – USA, the Board of American Friends of Tel Aviv University (TAU), and is a Vice Chair of its Moshe Dayan Center for Middle East Studies. The couple are members of AIPAC’s Los Angeles Cabinet, where Mr. Mandel is the group’s most recent outgoing Los Angeles Chair.

The Bel Air Affaire, hosted by Brindell Gottlieb at her Bel Air home, will begin at 7:00 pm. The event will be co-chaired by Renae Jacobs-Anson and Dr. David Anson, Helen Jacobs-Lepor and Dr. Norman Lepor, with honorary chairs Patricia L. Glaser and Sam Mudie, and Richard S. Ziman. For more information, contact Sheri Kaufer, Associate Executive Director, Western Region, AFHU, at 310-843-3100, or skaufer@afhu.org.