Monsignor to Chair Jewish Values Institute

Although his name may sound like Vatican, Msgr. Royale Vadakin’s new position is not in Rome and it has nothing to do with the Roman Catholic Church.

Vadakin was recently selected as board chairman of the Skirball Institute on American Values, a Jewish organization devoted to stimulating thought on ethics and morals.

Although he is an official in the Catholic Church, Vadakin has a rich background in ecumenical affairs and was director of the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the Los Angeles Archdiocese from about 20 years.

During that time, he founded and co-chaired Roman Catholic Bilateral Dialogue Committees with Jewish, Anglican, Lutheran, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and other religious communities in Southern California. In 1987, he coordinated Nostra Aeteta, which brought together various religious leaders to meet with Pope John Paul II during his visit to Los Angeles.

“It was that 20 years of local and national involvement that brought me to the chair,” said the 54-year-old Roman Catholic priest. “I think my experience makes this possible, and my selection shows the tremendous openness of the Jewish community to involve itself in the number of (diverse) communities.”

The Los Angeles-based institute sponsors numerous programs and research designed to stimulate awareness of American values. A national project of the American Jewish Committee, the Skirball Institute was founded in 1985 by its director, Rabbi Alfred Wolf, and endowed by the late Jack H. Skirball.

“The Skirball Institute is a dream of Rabbi Wolf,” Vadakin said. “Because of my friendship and respect of him, it was the compelling reason why I accepted the office of chairman.”

A member of the institute’s board since its inception, Vadakin also serves as pastor of St. Anastasia Church in Playa del Rey.

Vadakin’s plans include starting standing committees, appointing an executive committee and involving more board members. He also hopes to get more young people involved with the institute. Each year, an essay contest features high school student essays on topics related to traditional American values. The contest is held in 11 states, and there are plans to expand it.

“Los Angeles is a rich community, and the Skirball Institute attempts to look at what are core American values, such as world peace, honesty and integrity,” he said. “We examine how those are practiced in a pluralistic society.”

Gerald Nadler, holder of the IBM Chair in Engineering Management at USC, has been named the winner of the Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Engineering Award.

Nadler received the award at the annual International Industrial Engineering Conference, held May 20 in Chicago.

He lives in Pacific Palisades.

Steven Soboroff, president of Soboroff Partners in Santa Monica, has been elected president of the board of directors of Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles.

Soboroff, a board member for six years, lives in Pacific Palisades. He also founded Palisades Children’s Fund, which funded the rebuilding of the Pacific Palisades Children’s Playground.

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations has awarded Malcolm Kerr Scholarships to Santa Monica High School students Alexander Aravanis, Judith Senas and Paul Janka.

This summer, Aravanis will study in Egypt, Sernas in Kuwait, and Janka in Jordan and Syria. The trio will receive instruction in Arab culture and history, contemporary Arab society, Islam, and issues pertaining to modernization and development. During the three-week program, they will also meet with government officials, and public and private sector leaders.

The students were selected through a national competition.

The Westside Center for Independent Living’s Celebration of Independence gala honored three Westside individuals.

Richard Eamer, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of National Medical Enterprises, received the Independence Award in recognition of his company’s Overcoming Challenges employment initiative. The late Arnold Beisser, clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA Medical School, was named the recipient of the Founders Award. John Wentworth, president of the Wentworth Co., was presented the Special Achievement Award for his leadership in the center’s computer training project.

They were honored at a dinner May 14 at the Century Plaza Tower Hotel in Century City.