Email: kelly.hartog@patch.com
Hometown: I have several. I was born in London but was raised in Australia. I consider Sydney just one of my home towns, along with Jerusalem, Israel, where I lived for 11 years, and I also consider Los Angeles home too.
Birthday: June 13.
Bio: I received my Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, History and Media Studies at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia before moving to Jerusalem where Ispent 10 years as a reporter and editor for The Jerusalem Post for both the daily paper, the local weekend section and as the radio news director. I covered local politics, arts, entertainment and wrote a weekly op-ed column on the city. I spent 2000-2004 covering the height of the Palestinian Intifada. After surviving an Al Qaeda suicide bombing attack on November 28, 2002, while on assignment for The Jerusalem Post in Mombasa, Kenya, I moved to Los Angeles in 2004. I spent time covering the City of Beverly Hills for the Beverly Hills Courier and freelancing for a variety of publications before taking on a job as a stringer for The New York Post and the Daily Mail.
On Nov. 28, 2010 (8 years to the day of the Al Qaeda attack), my adorable Golden Retriever puppy Bronte (named after Charlotte, not Emily)was born, and helped me get over the loss of my precious Golden Retriever, Bridget, who passed away in the summer of 2010 at the age of 13 and a half.
Before becoming a journalist, I trod the boards as an actress and theatre director and established and ran Israel's only professional English Language theatre company.
My Beliefs
At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for them to inject their beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that their beliefs are on the record will cause them to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.
Politics
How would you describe your political beliefs?
Depends which country I'm in. Definitely more right leaning in Israel, but more left leaning in America.
Are you registered with a certain party?
No. As a non-American citizen, I'm unable to. However, if I could, I would register as a Democrat.
Religion
How religious would you consider yourself? (casual, observant, devout, non religious)
I was raised in a traditional Jewish home, attended an Orthodox Jewish day school and lived in the most Orthodox Jewish city in the world - Jerusalem. I consider myself an involved, committed, observant Jew. I am an active member of my Jewish community, IKAR, and I believe in the Jewish value of "tikkun olam" - repairing the world through social justice through a basic understanding that all people - no matter their religion or creed are created equal, and that religious values and helping the community must go hand in hand. There cannot be one without the other.
The street will be closed at Venice Boulevard and Hoke Avenue near Culver City from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through March 13 in order to remove trees as part of the Expo Line construction.
Area high school students showed off their stepping skills at West Los Angeles College as part of Black History Month.
According to Shojin’s website, the eatery will open its second venue on the Culver City/Mar Vista border on March 8.
Last year’s winner was Culver City student Michelle Bac. Let’s see if Culver City students can go two for two. The deadline is April 15.
Smart911 is a free national service that allows you to create an online profile with specific details that will allow call takers and emergency responders to have more detailed information in the case of an emergency.
![Culver City Becomes First California City to Implement Smart911 Safety Technology [VIDEO]](https://patch.com/img/cdn/users/86540/2013/03/raw/1082b6dba0068af745df274481e8f69f.jpg)
Culver City resident and Assemblymember Holly Mitchell will receive the Impact Award at the AltaMed Health Services Gala on March. 8.
Vote for Jim Shanman’s program to empower kids and their parents to walk, bike, skate and scoot to school. There’s $5,000 up for grabs, which can help create more programs.
The final score was 49-37 at the finals of the CIF Southern Section Division 2A championship held at the Anaheim Convention Center Friday afternoon.
The Culver City eatery serves its regular fare Thursday through Sunday, while Mama’s Indian Kitchen offers up an Indian smorgasbord in the space Monday through Wednesday.
The new Scandinavian Culver City eatery is set to open at 12400 Washington Blvd.
The independent school has purchased the building at 8510 Warner Dr. near its current premises on Higuera Street.
Culver City residents in the Washington Boulevard/Prospect Avenue neighborhood say sadly, one of their neighbors being struck by a police car may finally bring the need for a crosswalk to the City’s attention.
The event took place Thursday at the school to coincide with the DVD release of the documentary ‘Bully’ and a screening of the film at the school to over 1,500 students.
Los Angeles’ 2nd-8th grade scientists, technologists, engineers, artists and mathematicians will visit Culver City’s STAR Resource Station on Sat. March 9.
While the event will run through Venice Boulevard in the City of Los Angeles, Culver City will be a hub for visitors, closing down Main Street and using Parcel B as a bike valet station.
Culver City residents approved the .05 percent local sales tax increase in the November 2012 elections, and the rate hike begins April 1.
In a truly nail biting finish Tuesday night, the Culver City High player landed a basket at the final buzzer, to beat Orange Lutheran 42-40. The team will meet Murrieta Valley in the finals in Anaheim on Friday afternoon.
Check please? A victim reported to police that his bank account had insufficient funds to make a withdrawal. That's when his branch informed him someone had forged one of his personal checks and managed to cash it.
The downtown Culver City healthy restaurant officially opened its doors Monday. Olympic swimmer and LYFE Ambassador Janet Evans held a sneak preview dinner on Friday night.
![Olympic Gold Medalist Janet Evans Hosts LYFE Kitchen Dinner [VIDEO/PHOTOS]](https://patch.com/img/cdn/users/86540/2013/02/raw/994fae5c042811a03545709486dfe808.jpg)
LA Weekly has compiled a list of the 10 best places in town to get a great drink. Did your favorite make the list?
