L’Chaim!

06 May L’Chaim!

Along Melrose or La Brea on Friday nights, you might see a parade of men dressed in medieval black with circular fur hats, their wives behind them wearing wigs or other head coverings – Orthodox Jews en route to celebrate Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest. They travel on foot because they will not drive cars or perform other activities designated as work during the time lasting from a few minutes before sundown on Friday to Saturday night.

L.A. is home to the second largest Jewish population in the U.S. (after New York City) numbering over six hundred thousand. people Jews first arrived in 1841 and mainly settled downtown around Temple Street which became known as the “Jewish district.” Eventually Boyle Heights housed the largest Jewish community, while the major migration after World War II concentrated in West LA and Encino. Another exodus of Persian Jews came in the 70s after the revolution in Iran.

Around L.A. you’ll encounter highly visible Jewish landmarks such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Skirball Cultural Center, and the lively communities of Persian shops and restaurants along Westwood Boulevard and Ventura Boulevard in Encino. Prominent Jewish leaders created the Hollywood film industry and the city of Beverly Hills. Some of the most well-known Mid-Century Modern architects were Jewish, among them Austrian immigrants Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler, and of course today’s home town hero, Frank Gehry. Eric Garcetti is our first Jewish mayor.

Special mention must be made of LA’s fabulous Jewish delis. Langer’s Delicatessen was named America’s #1 Deli by Food & Wine magazine. Cantor’s Deli is the 24-hour restaurant known also for its thriving after-hours scene of rock ’n’ roll and other musicians. A plaque hangs over Rodney Bingenheimer’s booth, the KROQ jock who introduced us to Guns N’Roses, the Sex Pistols, and Blondie amongst numerous others.

Major Jewish Temples:

 Wilshire Boulevard Temple (oldest in L.A.)

3663 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010

Chabad of Malibu

22943 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Leo Baeck Temple

1300 N Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Temple Israel of Hollywood

7300 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046

 Major Landmarks:

American Jewish University

15600 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90077

Cedar-Sinai Medical Center

8700 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust

100 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Skirball Cultural Center

2701 N Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049

 Special Mention

Canter’s Deli

419 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Langer’s Delicatessen

704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057

This is an excerpt from Catherine Auman’s book Guide to Spiritual L.A.: The Irreverent, the Awake, and the True

Work with Catherine

Books by Catherine Auman