Mission Statement
Angel City Refugee Foundation (ACFF) was formed to provide humanitarian relief to the refugees and the victims of war. The targeted population consist of women, children, elderly, disabled and injured. We are facing humanitarian crisis of unimaginable magnitude. The refugees are in desperate need of food, shelter, clothe, children and infant supplies, medications, medical intervention and treatment.
We are fortunate to be led by a dedicated physician, Felix Sigal, D.P.M. Dr. Sigal is an accomplished podiatric physician. He is instrumental in putting together a team of committed individuals who volunteer their valuable time, efforts and money to ease the suffering in the world.
Phase I is to ensure the survival of the refugees and to provide assistance to the good people of Europe who opened their hearts and homes to a few millions of refugees.
Just like during World War II, the United States joined the allied forces in order to guarantee the victory over fascism, eighty years later, we must step forward to demonstrate that our generation lives up to the same principals of our parents. More than ever before, we must follow the commandment from the Bible to “LOVE THY NEIGHBOR”, to pledge to the world that the American principals of democracy must be cherished and defended.
When the war is over, we will implement Phase II, the Recovery. We will continue to provide medical assistance and medical expertise. We will help refugees resettle and rebuild their lives and their homes. It is our mission to bring the light into this world, to protect the innocent and help the poor. Holy scripture teach us that
“HE WHO SAVES A SINGLE LIFE, SAVES THE ENTIRE WORLD”
Meet Our FounderS
Felix Sigal, DPM
Felix Sigal, D.P.M., one of the founders of the Angel City Refugee Foundation (ACRF), has been in practice as a podiatric physician and surgeon for over 20 years, with a busy practice serving mainly underserved minority communities in Los Angeles. Having graduated from the California State University of Northridge, he pursued his training at the California College of Podiatric Medicine, completing his residency at USC General Hospital.
Dr. Sigal is one of the most distinguished specialists in the field of diabetic limb salvage, wound care and amputation prevention. Dr. Sigal currently is on staff at both the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital and the California Hospital Medical Center, practicing in the field of diabetic complications, wound care and has contributed his expertise to the field of clinical research always searching for better treatment options to improve the lives of his patients.
Dr. Sigal is also a leading clinical investigator at a multi-specialty clinical research group with a special interest in treatment of diabetes and nephrology related disorders. Dr. Sigal considers clinical research trials an essential part of the armamentarium to combat disease and raise the standard of care for his extensive patient base.
As someone who himself was a refugee and immigrated to the United States as a child with his family in the late 1970’s from the former Soviet Union escaping religious oppression, Dr. Sigal understands firsthand the challenges that face those who are disadvantaged. His medical background, wealth of knowledge and passion for medicine is uniquely suited to provide his expertise to the victims of war.
Recent events in Ukraine and the terrible toll it takes on the people and infrastructure inspired his vision for this Foundation. The goal is for the ACRF, with the support of our sponsors, donors and volunteers, to provide assistance to the refugees and communities that host them, including programs and research that foster access to healthcare, much needed medical supplies and education.
The purpose is to save lives and bring hope!
Inna Gofman
Inna’s Commitment and Commandments: On Call, Not On Hold!
by Rabbi Sholom Rodal, Chabad of Mt. Olympus
In 1976, Inna emigrated as a political refugee from the Soviet Union to the U.S., and settled in New York, N.Y. She attended Yeshiva University High School in Manhattan and Stern College for Women while in High School.
During late 1970ies to 1980ies while at NYU, joined JACY (Jewish Association for College Youth). She became a leader. participated at the “Let My People Go” movement to free Soviet Jewry and well know Soviet Refusenik, and Dissident Anatoly Sharansky. She also represented American College Youth as a delegate at the 1982 General Assembly in Los Angeles under the auspices of the American Jewish Federation
In 1986 Inna moved to Los Angeles, CA. to attend UCLA Law School. She became involved in the growing Russian-speaking Jewish emigrant community in Los Angeles. She took part and participated in building the Chabad Russian Program Synagogue to promote the integration into Jewish life of recent Soviet Jewish refugees.
Throughout 1980s-1990s, Inna collected stories and successfully represented hundreds of Holocaust survivors in German Reparation claims as part of the Russian Chabad Program.
Starting in 2003 till 2015, Inna became a committee member of the Russian-speaking Jewish Community Board and took an active part in organizing Saving Lives Galas to raise money for the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and later for the Friends of Israeli Defense Forces (FIDF).
I have known Inna starting in 2000 until present when she joined my congregation Chabad of Mt. Olympus (CMO). Over the years, she became my good friend, a family member and a driving force in creating and implementing many of our projects and initiatives. These include: helping to construct the Chabad of Mt. Olympus Synagogue; organizing the Travel & Adventure Summer Program for Teens; Chabad fund raisers, installing and organizing the Yizkor Memorial Boards in the CMO Shul to honor the memory of deceased members and their families; community Mitzvah Day, bestowing Jewish names to women during the Torah Reading at CMO Shul project;participating in writing the yearly Yizkor booklets used for the Yizkor Ceremony during Holidays at the CMO Shul, speaker at the annual Yom Kippur addresses to the Congregation at CMO, collaborating on the book “Abi Gizunt”: A Practical Guide to Spiritual Healing, the Jewish Approach”; creating a Video Documentary Project Bris vs Circumcision helping educate Jewish people on the importance of providing for their child a proper Bris.
It was not surprising to me when in February of 2022, she answered the call and became one of Founding members of the Angel City Refugee Foundation, Inc. The mission of the Foundation is to provide humanitarian relief to Ukrainian and Jewish victims of war and to repatriate Jews to the State of Israel.
Inna spent over four decades helping the Jewish communities survive. She always answers the call to help those in need or who are lost. She has an amazing drive and love for life. She is always a student with thirst for knowledge who constantly reads and learns scriptures, Talmud and the works of the greatest Rabbis and Sages.
Yisrael Moroz
ACRF co-founder and finance director. Yisrael Moroz is a seasoned finance professional with over 30 years of experience in Finance, Accounting, and Business Development, having worked with both multinational corporations and entrepreneurial startups. He is currently a principal at Beluga Finance Company and serves as CFO for Dr. Felix Sigal DPM PC and Angel City Research Inc. In addition, he is a former member of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange (PHLX), where he worked as a Market Maker and Equity Options Trader.
Born in Ukraine, he emigrated with his family in the mid-1970s. They faced the same hardships many refugees encounter, leaving home with only a few suitcases and limited resources, an experience that shaped his understanding of the challenges displaced individuals endure.
In 2022, when refugees from Ukraine began arriving in Romania, Bulgaria, and Germany, he traveled to Europe to offer hands-on assistance with housing, food, and other essentials. His firsthand experiences became the driving force behind the ACRF mission, serving as both inspiration and a call to action for the organization’s support of refugees.
Advisory Board
Jason Ciment, former CPA and Attorney
Jason is a hyper-growth consultant, mentor, and friend to business & organizational leaders. Jason runs Get Visible, a 4-pillar digital marketing agency, and is the author of an Amazon bestselling business book called I Need More Clients. Digital Marketing Strategies That Grow Your Business. Jason’s team of competitive millennials transforms lazy businesses into local giants, regional players, and national contenders.
For the last decade, Jason and his team at Get Visible have achieved notoriety for accelerating the growth of law firm revenues by producing more consistent website visitors, more targeted leads, and bigger cases. His team continues to transform sleepy local law firms into local giants, regional players and sometimes even national contenders.
His company does this by expertly leveraging lower costing digital marketing strategies and tools that give his clients more predictable results and greater efficiencies with their marketing dollars.
Jason is also involved in many charitable causes. One of those is the Jewish Student Union. Its mission is to get Jewish teens, who attend public high schools, organize Jewish clubs with a focus on programs that strengthen their Jewish identity and connection to Israel.
