Temple Israel of Hollywood
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Temple Israel of Hollywood | |
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Hollywood, Los Angeles, California | |
Country | United States |
Location in Los Angeles, California | |
Geographic coordinates | 34°6′5″N 118°20′57″W / 34.10139°N 118.34917°W |
Architecture | |
Architect(s) |
|
Type | Synagogue architecture |
Date established | 1926 (as a congregation) |
Completed | 1948 |
Website | |
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Temple Israel of Hollywood is a
Today[when?] Temple Israel is nearly 900 families strong, and includes three schools. It is led by Rabbi Mari Chernow as Senior Rabbi.
History
Temple Israel was founded in 1926 by seven men, five of whom were prominent in the film industry, including Sol M. Wurtzel, Isadore Bernstein, and Edward Laemmle. They wanted to fill the need for social services and a house of worship for the Hollywood Jewish community. A former church on Ivar Street was purchased, and served the Temple over the next two decades before the size of the congregation necessitated a larger building.
The current temple was built in 1948 and has been expanded several times. It was designed by architects Samuel E. Lunden, who also designed the
Shortly after its founding, the Temple began staging its Midnight Show, a fundraiser that over the years saw such stars as Benny Rubin, Lucille Ball, Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Shirley MacLaine, and Lena Horne perform on behalf of the Temple.[citation needed]
Rabbi Max Nussbaum served as Rabbi from 1943, until his death in 1974, after Rabbi Morton Bauman left to serve in
After the death of Rabbi Nussbaum, Rabbi Haskell Bernat led the congregation. Cantor Aviva Rosenbloom came to the Temple at the same time and would serve as Cantor for over 30 years. After Rabbi Daniel Polish served a short term as senior Rabbi, Rabbi John Rosove led the Congregation in 1988 until 2019.[citation needed]
In January 2015, the Temple celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s visit with a celebratory evening featuring speeches from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and talk show host and author Tavis Smiley.[4]
Rabbi Mari Chernow was appointed as the congregation's first female senior rabbi in July 2021.
In October 1957 the Temple acquired and commenced operating the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery.[5]
Trivia
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- The Temple's sanctuary lamp was donated by Hal Wallis, producer of Casablanca and True Grit.
- Henry Diskay, who sang Kol Nidre in The Jazz Singer, served as cantorial soloist in the 1930s.
- Rabbi Nussbaum rescued a small Torah on Kristallnacht that now resides in the Temple's Torah ark.
- Tony Curtis crowned the Purim Carnival Queen in 1952.
- Marlon Brando and Bob Dylan attended Passover Seder at the Temple in 1975.
- In 1996 the Temple began Chesed Day and by 1999 it was known as Mitzvah Day. Today it's called Big Sunday and is a citywide event.
Notable current and former members and congregants
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- Frances Bay, actress
- Isadore Bernstein, screenwriter
- Jack Black, actor
- May Britt, actress
- Steve Broidy, film executive
- Aline Brosh McKenna, writer, director
- Eddie Cantor, singer, actor, comedian, and dancer
- Sammy Davis Jr., singer and dancer
- Lion Feuchtwanger, novelist
- Eddie Fisher, singer who once sang Kol Nidre on the High Holidays
- Gal Gadot, actress
- Martha Hyer, actress
- George Jessel, actor
- Al Jolson, singer, actor, and comedian
- Edward Laemmle, silent film director
- Osa Massen, actress
- Leonard Nimoy, actor
- Amanda Peet, actress
- Leon Schlesinger, film producer
- David O. Selznick, film producer
- Ben Stein, writer, lawyer, and actor
- converted in the Temple in 1959[6]
- Lea Thompson, actress, television director and producer
- Mike Todd, theatre and film producer
- Hal Wallis, film producer
- Sol Wurtzel, film producer
- Roger Kumble, director and writer
- Sacha Baron Cohen, comedian, actor, writer
- Matthew Weiner, writer, director, television producer.
References
- ^ "Roger Hayward: Renaissance Man". Special Collections & Archives Research Center. Oregon State University. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
- ^ Holland, Les (July 5, 2014). "Scanning From Coast To Coast". LiDAR News. Frederick, MD: Spatial Media LLC. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Moving and Shaking: Temple Israel of Hollywood Cantor". Jewish Journal.
- The Los Angeles Times. January 19, 2015.
- ^ "Our History". Temple Israel of Hollywood.[self-published source?]
- ^ "Actress Elizabeth Taylor dies". Baltimore Jewish Times. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. March 23, 2011.
Further reading
- "The history of Temple Israel of Hollywood, 1926-1931". American Jewish Archives. 1959.