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Israel connections

Oakland’s Isaac “Yitz” Applbaum has been named president of the California Israel Chamber of Commerce, formed in 1999 to foster greater business partnerships and entrepreneurial opportunities between the two entities. Zvi Alon, founder of the CICC, notes that Applbaum “has personally broken bread with and poured the wine for hundreds of business and political leaders in both places.” Also joining the group’s leadership as honorary board members are Shai Agassi, Eric Benhamou, Safra Catz, Uzia Galil, Guy Gecht, Levy Gerzberg, Eli Harari, Harry Kellogg, Kenneth Levy, Dan Maydan, Sass Somekh and Mike Splinter, all leading voices in technology and business.

In Israel, former Silicon Valley entrepreneur Davidi Gilo received an honorary doctor of philosophy degree from Hebrew University at the HU board of governors meeting earlier this month. Keeping him company on the podium were fellow recipients Amos Oz and Baron Eric de Rothschild. Gilo founded HU’s Gilo Center for Citizenship, Democracy and Civic Education and has supported initiatives bringing Jewish and Arab Israelis together in school and the workplace.

Charlotte Feldstein of San Francisco reports that words of wisdom passed down to her from her father are now a part of written posterity. In his latest book, “Wisdom of our Fathers,” NBC newsman Tim Russert includes a quote from Feldstein’s dad, Harry Giller: “We all can’t be lighthouses. Some of us have to be candles.”

Writes Feldstein, “I feel very proud that my dad’s quote was chosen.” Russert compiled the book from nearly 60,000 stories about fathers that he received after publishing “Big Russ and Me,” a book about his dad’s life and influence on him.

Lauren Meier of Redwood City did dual community projects in honor of her June 17 bat mitzvah, reports her mom, Paula Meier. Lauren organized a donation drive for the Peninsula Humane Society, and she and her friend Tracie Erlich invited Holocaust survivor Helen Farkas to speak at Ralston Middle School in Belmont. … For the second year in a row, Natalie Berg, president of the board of trustees of City College of San Francisco, has been named one of the “100 Most Influential Women in the Bay Area” by the San Francisco Business Times.

Matt Tuchow, board member of the Raoul Wallenberg Jewish Democratic Club, was elected to the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee. … Assemblyman Mark Leno received Los Angeles Temple Beth Chayim Chadashim’s Humanitarian Award for his “tireless efforts and groundbreaking legislation for marriage equality.” … Jennifer Bilfield, president of music publisher Boosey & Hawkes, will join Stanford Lively Arts as artistic and executive director in August. Her prior positions include executive director of the National Orchestral Association and the Concordia Chamber Symphony.

Former Oakland resident and S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation writer Perry Garfinkel will be in the Bay Area in early July to tout his new book, “Buddha or Bust.” He’ll be at Book Passage, in Corte Madera on Sunday, July 2, at 7 p.m., and on “A Jewish Perspective” (5 a.m. on Channel 4) on August 13 with host Henry Shreibman and co-guest Gary Malkin. … Proud dad Shreibman also reports that the Makai, a heavy-metal band in which his son Jesse Shreibman is a drummer, will compete in the Northern California Battle of the Bands finals at PoundSF on June 30.

This columnist can be reached at [email protected].