I’ve been through a variety of congregations in my life. However, when I was growing up, there were two main ones: Temple Israel of Westchester, which later became Temple Jeremiah under Rabbi Mordecai Soloff, and Wilshire Boulevard Temple, under Rabbis Magnin, Wolf, Dubin and Goldmark. Most of the conscious phase (meaning my Jr. High and teen years) were at WBT, which I knew like the back of my hand. I explored the catecombs of the A/V area under the Piness Auditorium, I wandered the Warner Youth Center, and so on. Yet then, in the 1970s and 1980s, there were stories of problems. The Jewish center of Los Angeles was moving west, and Wilshire was losing members. The growth was at congregations like Steven S. Wise, University, and the ones in West LA. There were even rumors of Wilshire’s demise or relocation.
Over the years, however, it has survived. It opened up a beautiful school and satellite campus in West Los Angeles, and of course has continued to expand and grow the camps. But it is about to grow more. Today’s Los Angeles Times has an article on how WBT is poised to do a major expansion and remodelling… of its downtown campus! The article noted how Wilshire has already spent $20 million to purchase the entire block upon which it sits, so that it owns the land bounded by Wilshire Blvd, Havard, 6th Street, and Hobart. It then expects to spend $30 million renovating its santuary, as well as doing a major expansion of the facilities: construction of a six-story parking structure (which anyone who has parked there know they really need); a K-6 day school; a parenting center; and a cafe. Knowing Wilshire, I’m sure a museum or facility to display their extensive collection of Jewish artifacts will be included.
I should note this isn’t the only Wilshire facility expanding: when I was at Gindling Hilltop Camp in July, I learned of major expansion plans there. There will be a new master plan and rework of the facilities at GHC and CHK to better serve the campers. There are also plans for a fourth camp across Yerba Buena Road to serve adult conference needs better.
But what is amazing is not the size of Wilshire’s expansion: this is a monied congregation, with a long history (and thus, endowments). They know how to invest and how to do things fiscally correct. What is amazing is that the downtown campus, almost written off 20 years ago, is growing. The Times article notes that the temple is following the return of younger Jews to places like Silver Lake, the Wilshire corridor, downtown and Los Feliz. A survey commissioned by the temple found that from 1995 to 2005, in the area roughly from La Cienega Boulevard to Glendale and from the Hollywood Hills to the Santa Monica Freeway, the number of Jews increased by 28%, about 4,000 more people. An estimated 500,000 to 600,000 Jews live in Southern California, making it the second-largest Jewish community in the country, after New York. Rabbi Leder at WBT looks at the changes taking place in Los Angeles as an opportunity for the temple to grow well beyond its current 2,500 families.
I should also note that Wilshire is also active in its community: I know there have been strong efforts by Rabbi Leder to create bridges between the Jewish and Korean communities in the area.
And Wilshire isn’t the only congregation growing. The congregation we just left, Temple Beth Hillel, is in the midst of a major renovation project, totally remodelling the activities building and about to embark on a major remodelling of its early 1960s main building and sanctuary. I know the congregation we just joined, Temple Ahavat Shalom is growing. Which reminds me: I need to get off the nets and get ready to go to a pancake breakfast at TAS…
