August 1, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Milken Students Make Compassion Stylish


Students of Milken Community High School were stylin’ on the runway at Stephen S. Wise Temple on Mulholland for the Fashion with Compassion event on November 4. A student-run charity started by two sophomores to combine their love of fashion with a worthy cause, the event has attracted national sponsorship and raised thousands of dollars for charities in Israel. The event has grown every year since its conception in 2008 and become an annual event for the private Jewish high school.

This year, the event benefitted Beite Issie Shapiro, an organization that helps children with disabilities, providing therapy, advocacy and education.

In fact, Fashion with Compassion has become so successful that the founders, Lexie Sokolow and Celine Yousefzadeh, now in their sophomore years at college, hope to carry the message to other schools across the country.

The show featured 64 students exhibiting fashions from 25 vendors, strutting and dancing down the runway with techno music and disco lighting entirely designed by students, to a packed audience. Completing the aura of a “real†runway show with swag bags on every seat, the clothing, jewelry, make-up and accessories were entirely student-managed. A vendor-boutique sold fashions from the show and beyond at a discount to benefit the event.

The entire Milken school participates to produce Fashion with Compassion, empowering students to make a difference for people facing adversity around the world. The skills they learn are valuable tools for their future.

Fashion with Compassion started as a small event to benefit the City of Sderot, Israel, which was being hit daily by rockets. The concept was to have a charity fashion show to raise money and awareness of their plight. The first show was held at Milken Community High School in 2008 and raised $5,000. Celine was able to hand-deliver the check to the city in 2009.

Seeing the incredible value of Fashion with Compassion, Milken adopted it as an annual event, raising $6,000 in 2009-10 for Atidim Center, an organization that supports the young men and women of Rehovot, Israel to help them reach their potential and achieve their goals.

The next two years brought more students on board and more vendors. The school has partnered with Stephen S. Weise Temple for Mitzvah Day, an event that benefits a number of charities on one day, including Fashion with Compassion. In 2010-11 they raised $10,000 for Save a Child’s Heart, an Israeli-based project to improve pediatric cardiac care; and in 2011-12, Elyia, an Israeli organization for children who are blind or have impaired vision, raising $15,000.

In 2011, the founders, Celine and Lexie, passed the torch to the next generation of young, ambitious and conscientious volunteers. This 2011-12 event was the biggest event yet. Using this template, they hope Fashion with Compassion will grow big enough to be in schools across the country.

Related Posts

LAPD Honors Sgt. Shiou Deng as ‘Gold Standard of Selflessness’ at Memorial Service

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Veteran Officer Remembered After Being Killed While Aiding Crash Victims in Brentwood Family, colleagues, and fellow officers gathered Thursday morning...

1,000 Additional National Guard Troops Withdrawn From LA as Federal Presence Continues to Shrink

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

National Guard Presence in Los Angeles Slashed Again Amid Ongoing Rollback Roughly an additional 1,000 National Guard troops have been...

Luxury Watches Stolen From Keanu Reeves Recovered in Chile, To Be Returned to Actor

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Six Rolex Watches Worth Over $120,000 Were Seized in Santiago Police Raid Six high-end watches stolen from actor Keanu Reeves’...

Aging Mindfully: Zen-Inspired Senior Living Takes Shape in Simi Valley

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Two Zen-inspired senior living communities are embracing the reality of aging — consciously. Ensō Village, open since 2023 in Sonoma County,...

The Getty Unveils Trellis Bar & Lounge: Sip Art-Inspired Cocktails with a Gorgeous View

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

New Alfresco Experience Offers Seasonal Drinks, Light Bites, and Stunning Architecture Visitors to the Getty Center can now unwind with...

Lulu Hosts Summer Tardeada With Guest Chef From Oakland’s Bombera

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Chef Dominica Rice-Cisneros Joins Alice Waters for a Courtyard Celebration Lulu, the acclaimed restaurant located at the Hammer Museum, will...

Film Review: Together

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

By Dolores Quintana Dave Franco and Alison Brie, a married couple in real life, star in Michael Shanks’ gruesomely passionate...

Heidi Klum’s Tropical Erewhon Smoothie Drops Just in Time for Summer

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Supermodel’s Limited-Edition Drink Blends Kiwi, Coconut, and Matcha Erewhon has debuted its newest celebrity smoothie collaboration, this time with supermodel...

Westchester Del Rey Stuns Tucson With 11-Run Inning to Reach World Series

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Westside Team Heads to Greenville, North Carolina to Compete for Glory  Westchester Del Rey Little League is headed to the...

Tsunami Advisory Issued for Los Angeles Coast After 8.7 Quake Near Russia

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Strong Currents, Surges Expected; Residents Urged to Avoid Beaches and Harbors Update from NWS Los Angeles at 6:50 a.m. “Latest...

Brazen Wheel Thieves Hit Beverly Grove, Hollywood Neighborhoods

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Early-Morning Thefts Leave Cars on Blocks; Residents Coordinate  Los Angeles police are investigating a growing number of wheel thefts reported...

UCLA Agrees to $6.1 Million Settlement Over Alleged Discrimination During Campus Protests

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Faculty Group Argued Protest Wasn’t Antisemitic; Judge Approval Still Pending UCLA will pay more than $6 million to settle a...

Fiesta La Ballona Returns to Culver City With Rides, Food, and Family Fun

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Discounted Unlimited Ride Wristbands Now Available Online Fiesta La Ballona is set to return to Veterans Memorial Park on August 22–24,...

Man Arrested After Threatening Westwood Village Ambassadors With a Blade

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

LAPD Says Suspect Wielded Box Cutter Near Weyburn and Glendon Authorities arrested a man Sunday afternoon following a confrontation in...

Felony Charges Dropped for Man in UCLA Encampment Attack After Diversion Deal

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Malachi Marlan-Librett Must Complete Therapy, Anti-bias Training in Hate Crime Case The only person charged with a felony in connection...