1990-2021
Rabbi Weinberg articles
Rabbi Weinberg came to Hollywood Temple Beth El after serving as Director of the Center for Jewish Studies at Bet Berl in Israel.
Here are selections from press over the years.
First, he was warmly welcomed by West Hollywood
City Hall:
*************************************
1991 Jerusalem of Gold Celebration with Pat
Boone at Hollywood Temple Beth El under the auspices of the World Zionist
Organization
Jewish Heroism in Holocaust Recorded
A
Proclamation from Los Angeles Mayor Tom
Bradley and a plaque from the City Council were presented on the occasion of
the 50th Year of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
at a Sabbath of Heroism Service sponsored by the American Congress of
Jewish Survivors of Concentration Camps at Hollywood Temple Beth El, 1317 N.
Crescent Heights on Saturday, April 17.1993
Mayor
Bradley proclaimed the week of April 17-23 as "Week of Heroism" in
honor of the spiritual and physical courage of the heroes of the Warsaw ghetto
uprising, Partisan resistance movements, and Allied Defense forces who fought
against Nazism.
The theme
of " Not Sheep to the Slaughter-Accounts of Heroism and
Resistance" was highlighted by a
panel discussion with Holocaust survivors Max Cuckier and Leo Egan on the
physical and spiritual courage of the Jewish people in their darkest moment.
Joining in the service were representatives of various organizations of
Holocaust survivors, veterans of the American and Soviet armed forces, and
Deputy Consul Tsuriel Raphael for the
State of Israel.
Hollywood Celebrates Jerusalem-
Summer 1993
View on Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/36329897?share=copy
Program of June 9, 1993-Jerusalem Day at Hollywood
Temple Beth El, located in the heart of West Hollywood, the entertainment
capital.
This program was the
creation of Rabbi Norbert Weinberg of Hollywood Temple Beth El and Marrina Waks, Producer and Musical Director
of the event
###
50th Year
of Liberation Commemoration
The
American Congress of Jewish Survivors of Concentration Camps, sponsors a
three-fold celebration of the Fiftieth
Year of the Liberation of the Nazi Concentration Camps.
Saturday
morning, May 13, 1995, during the course of services, 9:30 AM, at the Temple,
1317 N. Crescent Heights at Fountain, West Hollywood, there will be with special prayers and the reading of
proclamations by President Bill Clinton and Senator Dianne Feinstein to mark
the occasion. Veterans of American and Russian armed forces will be honored for
their part in the war against Nazism. The 47th Anniversary of the Independence
of the State of Israel, as the Jewish response to the Holocaust, will be marked,
as well.
That
Saturday evening, at 7:30 PM, also at
the Hollywood Temple Beth El , the American Congress of Survivors will host a gala dance to celebrate both their
personal survival and that of the Jewish people .
These
events follow their participation in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday, April
30, at 3 PM on KSCI-TV Channel 18, and again on Sunday, May 7, at 1:00 PM,*
Century Cable Channel 72, marking
their establishing the " Camp of Life" of the Jewish National Fund in
Israel.
New
Director Comes to Religious School
Dalia
Orion-Oz, Israeli-trained educator, welcomes parents seeking Jewish and Hebrew education
for their children to visit the newly reorganized Judaic studies program at
Hollywood Temple Beth El, 1317 N. Crescent Heights Boulevard at Fountain.
This
program, offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:30 PM, for youngsters
age 5 till 13, emphasizes Hebrew through Hebrew, the learning of Jewish
traditions and values through celebration, and special interest activities.The teachers are all native Hebrew speakers .
Orio-Oz,
who recently took over as Director of the school,is also Judaic Studies
coordinator for Herzl High School, and has 22 years of experience in education.
She received her professional training at the Bet Hakerem Teacher's College in
Jerusalem, and has served as administrator of a youth center and as
vice-principal of a middle school. She also has training and experience in
drama and public relations.
.
Jule
Rivlin to be Honored
Jule
Rivlin, former basketball star and new executive director of Hollywood Temple
Beth El, will speak on " Jewish Basketball" at Shabbat Services and
Dinner at the Temple, at 1317 N. Crescent Heights, West Hollywood, on Friday,
January 20, at 6:30 PM.
Rivlin
, who played and coached the Toledo Jeeps in the National Basketball League,
and coached high school, college, and Army basketball teams, was voted Most
Valuable Player in World Professional
Tournament, 1947 and has been inducted in Basketball Hall of Fame. He was the
second highest scorer in the country in 1937-38, and led in assists during that
period. He has also served as executive
director of the Temple during the 1960's and 70's.
Reservations
must be made and paid for in advance at the Temple offices, no later than
January 16; costs are $12 for adults, $7 for children.
Registration for Nursery School
Begins at Hollywood Temple Beth El
Registration
is open for pre-schoolers for the Nursery School of Hollywood Temple Beth El
fall session, beginning on Thursday , September
7, at 8:00 AM.
Registration
is open for 3 or 5 days per week. The day begins at 8:00 AM, and children can
stay as late as 5:30 PM, depending on the option that parents choose. Harriet Levins , Director of the
Hollywood Temple Beth El Nursery School, seeks to "to develop each child's
individual ability to his or her greatest potential, in a nurturing ,loving
atmosphere which encourages the child to explore and grow at his or her own
pace."
The
history, traditions, festivals and music
of the Jewish people are a special feature to give the child a love of the
Jewish heritage . Many of the staff and
the children are native Hebrew speakers, which enriches the Judaic atmosphere.
The
curriculum, for children from 2 year old toddlers through 4 year old
pre-kindergartners, includes reading and math readiness, arts and crafts,
music, and dramatic play.
Limited
space is still available for the fall semesters. 656-3150.
HTBE served as a springboard for several LA political figures. West
Hollywood Council Member Paul Koretz spoke at HTBE and went on to become an LA
City Council Member. Years later, HTBE hosted
A sheriff’s candidates forum, and participant Villanueva went on to
become County Sheriff . Mike Feuer started with the Jewish Free Legal Service,
Bet Tzedek, also spoke at HTBE and went on to other major civic positions:
Hollywood Temple Beth El Welcomes New Councilman Mike
Feuer
Newly
elected Councilman Mike Feuer will be guest speaker at at Hollywood Temple Beth
El, 1317 N. Crescent Heights at Fountain, on Saturday , September 16, at 10:45
AM, following Shabbat Services.
This will
be the first opportunity for the participants at services at Hollywood Temple
Beth El, many of whom live in the Councilman's district, to hear Feuer's
perspectives on critical issues that face Los Angeles today.
Feuer
was recently elected Councilman for the Fifth District of Los Angeles. Prior to
that, he had served as director of the Bet Tzedek Legal Services, which has
provided legal assistance to elderly, poor, and disabled without charge. He has
also served as an attorney in the firm of Hufstedler, Miller, Carlson, &
Beardsley, taught in the UCLA Law School, and clerked for Judge Grodin of the
California Supreme Court.
After the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin
Letter to the Members:
Prime
Minister Yitzhak Rabin
1922-1995
Our
understanding of Hanukkah is usually limited to the story of the lamp that
burned for eight days. Little do we realize how much time and effort it took
before that eight-day miracle became a reality.
Mattathias
began the struggle in 167 BCE.At his death, the mantle of leadership passed on to his son, Judah the
Maccabee, and his four brothers as they led the Jewish people on a bloody struggle to freedom.
It took
forty years, until the third generation, when Johanan Hyrcanus, grandson of
Mattathias, ruled the Judean state in full independence.
Yitzhak
Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel, of blessed memory, took over from the
Mattathias of his day, the Ben Gurions and Golda Meirs, to be the last of the
Maccabees of our day, brother in arms to Moshe Dayan and Yigal Alon. As
commander of the Harel Brigade he led the battle for Jerusalem in 1948, served
valiantly in the army, till his crowning military triumph, the Six-Day War of
1967.
Rabin
held on to the sword in the years following as Prime Minister and Defense
Minister, several times over.
At the
same time, Rabin recognized that the nation could not forever live by the
sword, nor could it survive by swallowing up the Palestinians; Israel had to be
freed of the burden of the Palestinians. So, the arduous process to peace,
begun by Sadat and Begin, now began once again in earnest, this time, with the
unsavory Yasser Arafat. Only a hero of war could achieve peace.
Rabin,
like the Maccabees, lies slain. It is to the generation of the children of the
Maccabees to continue to strive for peace and
to create a nation of Israel which will be, as our prophets foresaw, a light
unto the nations.
May the
memory of Yitzhak ben Nehemiah v' Rosa Rabin be for a blessing. Amen.
*************************
Memorial Services for the Late Prime Minister of Israel,
Yitzhak Rabin, were held on November 11, 1995 at Hollywood Temple Beth El,
in conjunction with the Creative Arts
Temple. Participating in the service were Rabbis Jerry Cutler and Norbert
Weinberg, singers Nolan Porter, Rivka Seiden and Ahuvah Zadok, pianist Bonnie Jonafsky, Mayor Pro Tem of West
Hollywood Paul Koretz, long-time Rabin friend, Shimon Erem, Rev. Arthur Grey of
the Crenshaw-Imperial Church, Chaver Nathan Dender, and Rachel Farber of the
WZO.
There
will be a service marking the end of the month of mourning for Prime Minister
Rabin, sponsored by the Creative Arts Temple here on Friday, Dec. 1, at 8:00
PM.
Followed up by this discussion:
December 27, 1995
Probe the Psychology of an Assassin
Clinical
and forensic psychologist, Dr. Hy Malinek, will probe
the
"Psychology of an Assassin," such as Yigal Amir, on Sunday,
January 21, 1996 at 10:00 AM at Hollywood Temple Beth El, 1317 N. Crescent
Heights Blvd, West Hollywood.
He will
examine the what drives a fanatic like Yitzhak Amir to murder a leader like
Rabin, whether it is ideology or pathology, and in what ways is Amir similar to
and different from an Oswald or Hinckley?
Malinek,
a trained Clinical & Forensic Psychologist,
has served as expert witness on criminal behavior in many major court
cases.
*************************************************************
Rare Books Display
A three
century old Bible dictionary in five languages is among the rare books which
Rabbi Norbert Weinberg will exhibit and describe from his personal Judaica
library, on Sunday, February 25,1996, at 10:00 AM at Hollywood Temple Beth El,
1317 N. Crescent Heights, West Hollywood.
These
books symbolize the history of the Jewish people. Among these books are:
A
hand-written Book of Genesis from Yemen.
A women's
Yiddish Bible, Tzena Rena.
The first
work of modern Jewish philosophy, Jerusalem, by Moses Mendelsohn.
The
prayerbook published by the abolitionist rabbi, David Einhorn.
The first
Talmud printed in Germany after the Holocaust-- published by the United States
Armed Forces.
For
more information, please call 213-656-3150.
December 27, 1995
Hollywood
Temple Beth El Dedicated the North Sanctuary Lobby as the
Leo
and Frances Kogan Memorial Room
on
Saturday, December 9, 1995 in tribute to the generosity of the late Frances
Kogan, who bequeathed $100,000 to the Temple. This is in addition to $100,000
which her husband, the late Leo Kogan bequeathed several years ago.
It
is the kind-hearted act of loyal members such as these that will keep our
Temple doors open for future generations.May the memory of Leo and Frances
Kogan be for a blessing.
Other
wings of the Temple are available to be dedicated in honor or in memory of
those who are able to help us reach our commitment to the future generations
who will come here to pray, learn, and celebrate.
1996
A Message from the Rabbi:
On
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Our
society is geared to distributing "the goods" to every group that has
a special interest. Thus, the Irish nationally have a St. Patrick's Day,
Mexicans have their Cinco de Mayo, Italians love Columbus Day, and each one has
its official parades and speech making events. We, as Jews, get Hannukah as our
" day", to be sure that we get a fair deal from the Christmas spirit.
The
designation of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a national holiday may
seem to be a comparable social gesture
to the African-American public.
If
we see it as a "Black" holiday, however, we do ourselves, as Jews, as
Americans, a disservice.
This
coming Monday, January 15, is the late Dr. King's official holiday, and we will
dedicate our services that Shabbat to his teachings. They are significant to us
because Dr. King did not preach to the white ruling establishment to be "
nice" or "kind" to their black neighbors. He preached to all of
us to remember our common shared humanity, a shared humanity that can cross the
barrier of race, ethnic group, religion, sex and class.
It
is for this message that my teacher, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, marched arm
in arm with Dr. King in Selma , Alabama.
Dr.
King and Rabbi Heschel marched against the message preached by the Nation of
Islam, on the one hand, and the Aryan Nation, on the other.
It is obvious that for the Jewish, Hispanic,
Italian, Oriental " nations" ( and dozens others) who share this
country and government that it is only through Dr. Kings' vision that we are
able to live and flourish in this great land. This is true for rich and poor,
for religious and atheist, male and female alike.
May
Dr. King's memory be for a blessing, and may his teachings be taken seriously
by all. Amen.
April-after Terrorist Bus Bombings in Israel
Rabbi's Message ( Rabbi Weinberg’s daughter was a
student at the Hebrew University at that time).
This
coming April 24, the Fifth of Iyar, will mark the 48th anniversary of the State
of Israel.
The
celebration always come eight days after Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance
Day. The celebration is always preceded in Israel by the Day of Remembrance for
those who fell in defense of the State of Israel.
The
juxtaposition is intentional.
The rise
of the State of Israel was a response to the helplessness of the Jewish people
to either resist, in the lands of Nazi horror, or to rouse the nations of the
world to come to the rescue. The State of Israel was a vital response that
never again would the Jewish people play the passive sacrificial offering of
world politics.
The rise
of Israel was also possible only at a tremendous price. That price is marked by
the Day of Remembrance.
That
price was,in the past, a price of war.
Now, in
our day, it has become a sign of the price of peace.
The
terrible massacres which took place in recent weeks with the indiscriminate
bombing of men and women, adults and children, civilians and soldiers, Israelis
and non- Israelis, teaches us that, just as the wars of Israel had their
terrible price, so to does peace.
While
among the Israelis, one isolated, lone zealot murdered Prime Minister Rabin,
among the Palestinians , it is an entire network of fanatics that has taken
responsibility for mass butchery. Israel has done its utmost to quell those who
call for extremism and violence; the Palestinian leadership till now, in time
of peace, has quietly acquiesced or even encouraged the activity of these
zealots. The Palestinians must now take action to prove that they are worthy of
the peace they seek by crushing the forces of hatred.
The
people of Israel now face serious decisions ahead--
To
continue with the peace process or not.
To keep
the current government or not.
To rely
upon the Palestinian Authority and Yasser Arafat or not.
To wreak
full vengeance or not.
That is
their decision to make.
It is,
however, in our hands, as it has been since the rise of the modern vision of
Zionism, to show our solidarity, our financial and organizational support of
the people of Israel, and to keep open our ties, through visits, through study
programs for our youth in Israel, through supporting those who would make
Israel their home.
This is
our answer to all those who have sought and still seek to do us ill.
Then,
in the days to come, soon, we will celebrate with our brethren, children of
Israel, and with her neighbors, the children of Ishmael, in a true redemption of the land of Israel,
as the prophet assured us, " Violence shall no more be heard in the land,
Neither desolation nor destruction within your borders." Amen.
Letter to Members at change of leadership at HTBE: This occurred as the
Temple was forced into a bankruptcy proceeding because of a lawsuit brought
against it by the retired Cantor, Nathan Katzman. The congregation was required
to mortgage the property in order to pay off pension funds and legal expenses
incurred.
Dear Members ,
The
summer season approaches, and with the change of seasons, a sense of wrapping
up the year, both Jewishly and administratively.
Jewishly, the cycle of the festivals--Sukkoth,
Pesah, Shavuot-- has run its course, and synagogue life begins to look toward
to fall, with the High Holy Days season.
Administratively,
one set of books closes, and another now is opened. One administration leaves,
and another comes in to take over.
The
incoming administration will now face serious challenges.
Fortunately,
all outstanding disputes have been resolved.
There is
the simple task of now meeting the regular expenses of the mortgage and other
outstanding obligations, as well as the usual burden of keeping open the doors
of such a large facility.
Bigger
challenges lay beyond this.
Leadership:
Good
people, with good will are plentiful. Good people with good will and the TIME
to devote are rare.
Alienation:
It is no
secret that Los Angeles in general has one of
the lowest affiliation rates (for any association) of the country. While
people claim to seek spirituality today, they generally seek it with no
obligations attached.
Members:
In the
West Hollywood environs, the typical family, of two parents and one or two
children, is a statistical rarity--only 7% of the population. Most of them are
struggling hard to meet payments on their house and car and on their children's
education. The rest are elderly, new immigrants, or young people seeking their
fortunes in the Hollywood industries who are not yet ready to put down roots
and make any commitments, not to individuals( as in " marriage ") nor
to organizations( as in " member").
The
needs, however, are far greater. Members of each group are in great need. Young
families need a place for Jewish education for their children. The elderly need
a place to gather both socially and for spiritual nourishment. New immigrants
need a center that will enable them to become American Jews. The young and the
restless need a source of comfort when their " Young and Restless"
lives collapse.
To this,
we need to keep in mind the advice of Rabbi Tarfon:
The Day
is short, the task is great. The laborers are sluggish, and the boss is
anxious. You are not expected to complete the job, nor are you free to quit.
The boss can be relied on to pay you for your efforts.
I offer
my blessings to the incoming leadership as it faces the challenges ahead.
Rabbi Norbert Weinberg
(Pirke Avoth 2:20)
Letter to leadership upon end of service:
Dear
Frances, members of the Synagogue Executive and Board of Trustees
I thank
you for your warm words and you expression of good wishes.
Just as ,
in Biblical times, one worked the fields for six years, and then rested in the
seventh, so to I have labored in the fields, and office, and Bimah, of
Hollywood Temple Beth El.
Now, is
the seventh year, the Sabbatical year, and it is the time to take my leave of
the pulpit.
It has
been a challenging six years, overcast by problems with which we are all to
familiar, but also lighted by some very special achievements, which I wish to
call to mind:
The first
Bar Mitzvah class for Russian new-comers out of the collapsing Soviet Union.
Pat Boone
and Mayor Bradley up here on the Bimah to celebrate Jerusalem, and the Children
of the World Choir, which began here, with us and just performed last night at
the Hollywood Bowl.
The
memorial service for the late Prime Minister Yithzak Rabin, with the address
given by his childhood friend, Shimon Erem.
Behind
events such as these, there have been the day to day highlights, such as
watching our Bnai Mitzvah up here on the Bimah, or dancing at the wedding of
the daughter of our Shames, Bill Berger, or honoring our Torah reader, Nathan
Dender with the title, " Haver". It special joys as these that light
up the day.
It is now
time, as I said, to leave the fields alone.
My wife
Ofra, and I, are turning our efforts and
attention to education. We will be administering a unique education center
which will ennable children who are struggling in school to become successful
students, and , with that, happier human beings. Rabbi, is afterall, teacher,
and I thereby continue in my calling, by leading young people to wisdom and
knowledge.
We pray
for you who have struggled to keep the synagogue afloat, that you be rewarded
for your efforts--not the reward of a lottery ticket, but the reward of the
satisfaction of keeping this Temple viable as a center for Judaism in the midst
of Hollywood and Tinsel -town. May you all be blessed with health, long life,
and well-being, Adonay Oz... Amen.
*****
Official announcement of Rabbi Weinberg leaving his position at HTBE
Hollywood Temple Beth El Bids Farewell to Rabbi Norbert Weinberg
Rabbi
Norbert Weinberg will be honored for completing his six years of service
to Hollywood Temple Beth El at Saturday
morning services at 9:00 AM, June 29, 1996, at the synagogue at 1317 N.
Crescent Heights Blvd., West Hollywood.
Rabbi
Weinberg served the Temple with distinction and was active in outreach to new
immigrants, young entertainment professionals, and the general West Hollywood
area public. During his tenure, the Temple received special grants for
programming from Jewish Federation agencies
and commendations from Los Angeles City and County, and he had his own "
Rabbi Norbert Weinberg Day" from the City of West Hollywood.
He came
to the Temple after a four year stay in Israel, where he had served as Director
of the Institute for Jewish Studies at Bet Berl for Israel's Histadrut(
Federation of Labor).
He
received his ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he had
served as student assistant to noted theologian, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.
Rabbi
Weinberg will be involved in education, lecturing and writing in the Los
Angeles area.
###
June 20, 1996
At that point, Rabbi Weinberg went into private supplemental education,
under the Huntington Learning Center in Encino, working with students on a
private basis and also by special contract with the Los Angeles Unified School
District for the next decade.
Hollywood Temple Beth El building was sold to the Iranian American Jewish Federation under a special arrangement that allowed the congregation to continue functioning on the premises. The congregation was led for several years by Rabbi Zvi Dershowitz ( Associate Rabbi emeritus of Sinai Temple), Rabbi Seth Rosen, and Rabbi Ira Rosenberg. The Temple continued to fall into financial difficulties and Rabbi Weinberg was asked to come back to serve as the Rabbi once again on a part time basis in 2014.
There were programs carried out to attract a broader public once
again Feb 2015
The Temple experimented
with shared services and programming with the Creative Arts Temple under Rabbi
Jerry Cutler and Makom LA under Cantor Danny Masseng in the years that
followed.
Rabbi Weinberg appeared on line via the Jewish Journal:
Rosner’s Torah-Talk: Shirat Hayam with Rabbi Norbert Weinberg
Shmuel Rosner April 9, 2015
Our guest this week is Rabbi Dr. Norbert Weinberg,
leader of Hollywood Temple Beth El in Los Angeles. Rabbi Weinberg served as
Rabbi to Hollywood Temple Beth El from 1990 to 1996 and returned to that
position in 2013. He has also served as Rabbi in Whittier, California,
Newport-News, Virginia, and Houston, Texas. He directed the Central Institute
for Jewish Studies at Bet Berl College, Kfar Sava, Israel. Together with his
wife, Ofra, he directed the Huntington Learning Center in Encino, providing
educational support to hundreds of students on a private and federally funded
basis from 1996 through 2013. He recently published Courage of the Spirit, a
book which tells the story of the Jews of 20th Century Europe through original
family documents and accounts (www.courageofspirit.com). Rabbi Weinberg was awarded the degree of
Doctor of Divinities, honoris causa, as well as his rabbinical ordination and
MA, from the Jewish Theological Seminary and his BA from New York University.
This week’s talk focuses on two traditional poems read
on the second holiday of Passover, the Song of the Sea (Shirat Hayam) and the
Song of Songs. We will discuss the connection between the two texts and their
relation to Passover.
The pandemic, which required shutting down
group activities from spring of 2020 and into 2022 , meant that the entire
service and programming had to move online, and when
public gatherings were once again allowed, the attendance was restricted
because of distancing regulations.
Rabbi Weinberg moved the entire service on line,
from his home study , via Zoom, with live-streaming to You Tube and Facebook. This
required truncating the service, supplementing it with a shareable online text,
and adding musical selections from a variety of sources. It enabled the participation
of guest speakers from the outside, such as representatives of the Jewish
communities of Warsaw and Jamaica.With the help of the synagogue director,
Carmen Fraser, when live attendance was once again permitted, the services were
videoed and live streamed, still utilizing the new format.
The past services can be viewed on line via You
Tube at: https://www.youtube.com/@templehtbel5978/featured
And Rabbi Weinberg’s lectures can be viewed at:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxjc3h0xSwvPyfOCfgEFAcPhqz1frLijK
This essay in the Jewish Journal examines what happened during the
pandemic years
In a
conversation we had at a café on Robertson Boulevard, Weinberg recalled the
days leading up to the pandemic.
“My wife Ofra
and I were in Shanghai on a tour the last week of October 2019, two weeks
before the first official reported case of COVID,” he said.
Since COVID was
not in anyone’s vocabulary at the time, “we were on the crowded subways and in
the market there. Although Wuhan [the alleged source of the virus] was far
away, it is a busy and major city.
“All it would
have taken,” said Weinberg, “was for one infected lab worker to have been on
our subway—bychance. You get what I mean?
“We dodged a
bullet,” he said, before noting that “it was a fascinating trip. And we
did receive a beautiful reception at the Shanghai Ghetto Museum.”
Almost 20
months later, Weinberg is in the eighth year of his second term at Temple Beth
El, and his focus is on North Crescent Heights Boulevard, West Hollywood, home
of the Conservative synagogue.
Hollywood
Temple Beth El may be one of the smaller, older synagogues (approaching 100
members) in this sprawling community, but it is also a pacesetter.
Under
Weinberg’s leadership, it was one of the early sites to offer in-person
services. Was the decision to reopen last month a tough call? “We were anxious,
very anxious,” the rabbi said.
In this final
month of spring, he has concluded, “People are Zoomed out. They’re worn out
from watching screens, little screens, big screens. People are hungry to see
each other.
When the rabbi
reflected on the start of Zoom life, it didn’t sound that bad. “We went into
lockdown a year ago March, when almost everyone else did. Then we established
an online presence. This took trial-and-error ‘til we got a formula that
worked.”
Even though he,
like everyone else, was entering largely unexplored territory, “it was a nice
experience. I could play back hazzanim [cantorial renditions] and
musical versions of different kinds. We did a series with guest speakers. It
was easy online because they didn’t have to schlep their way up to the
synagogue. We have people from Poland, people from Jamaica. We did themes on Jewish
communities around the world.”
But all new
experiences have a shelf life.
“We did a
series on Hasidism. It’s hard to explain Hasidism, though,” said Weinberg,
“when you can’t hear the music.”
In other words,
all of that was nice—but after more than a year of Zoom, enough already. It’s
time to be together again
The disruption
of contact during the pandemic, changes in the neighborhood and economic
realities of Los Angeles, however, chiseled away both at attendance at
services, and at the congregational finances.
At one point,
the landlord, the Iranian American Jewish Federation, felt the financial burden
of the building was too much, and almost shut it down, leading to a large
community uproar:
The News of HTBE demise-Premature
Death Knell for Temple Beth El? ( Wehoville)
Friday - August 4, 2023 by Linda Cauthen
(https://wehoonline.com/author/linda-f-cauthen/)
West Hollywood
is better known for its dens of inequity than its houses of worship, which may
be why the troubles of Temple Beth-el have often been overlooked. This
beautiful building has served the Jewish community from its location on
Crescent Heights Blvd. for half a century, which may not be enough to save it
from the wrecking ball. Alas, the temple’s days as a temple seem to be
numbered.
It’s pretty
common knowledge that the movie industry was founded by a group of mostly
Jewish merchants who moved their business from the NYC area to LA in search of
sunny weather that allowed year-round filming outdoors. Louis Mayer, Carl
Laemmle, Lewis Selznick, Samuel Goldfish (Goldwyn) and Adolph Zukor were among
the early pioneers who brought their Jewish faith with them to the West Coast,
bringing the need for a new synagogue serving the Hollywood community.
Temple Beth El
had its beginnings back in 1920 when services were first held in a bungalow
located at 1414 North Wilton Place, which is now the site of a Home Depot. In
1922 a brand new synagogue was erected at 1508 North Wilton Place, a location
not far from the very successful new Hollywood movie studios. An early
president of Temple Beth El was Benjamin Warner, patriarch of the family that
founded Warner Brothers Studios. Contributors to a New Year’s tribute book
honoring him included Loretta Young, Joan Blondell, Edward G Robinson, Joe E.
Brown, Barbara Stanwyck and many more.
This site was
well-suited for its purpose until the 1950s, when the state of California began
building a brand new freeway system. Unfortunately, 1508 North Wilton Place sat
at the exit ramp of the 101, the Hollywood Freeway. This is when plans began
for moving Temple Beth El to a less congested neighborhood. In 1952, a brand
new, much larger Temple Beth El opened at 1317 North Crescent Heights Blvd., on
the corner of Fountain Ave. An addition was built in 1972.
Over the
following years, the temple hosted a religious studies program, a nursery
school and various social programs in addition to Jewish learning and worship.
Temple Beth El has also been the site of many banquets, weddings and Bar
Mitzvahs. The temple has received numerous honors for its service to the
community.
Change came in
1997 when the building was acquired by the Iranian American Jewish Federation.
In February 2020, the IAJF submitted a request to develop the site and in
November received permission to redevelop Temple Beth El into a five-story,
90-unit residential building. Appeals were filed stating the building’s rich
history and the fact that the temple serves many elderly Holocaust survivors.
Surprisingly, a
2016 Commercial Historic Resources Survey failed to declare Temple Beth El a
historic landmark, a decision questioned by Victor Omelczenko, board president
of the West Hollywood Preservation Alliance. He stated, “Temple Beth El
warrants having a specific historic resource assessment conducted before any
decisions are made about its demolition.”
No historical
designation was forthcoming and, as our esteemed editor Brandon Garcia reported
on July 18, “In a move that underscores the tension between preserving local
history and addressing pressing housing needs, West Hollywood City Council
voted to deny an appeal and approve a residential development at a site that
currently hosts a building of community and historic significance.” (https://blockpartyweho.com)
This isn’t a
major shock since “development” trumps history any day of the week in today’s
West Hollywood as another piece of our history is destroyed. I’m sure that some
of our WeHoville readers have opinions about the demolition of a beloved
landmark, so let’s hear them. Fortunately, Rabbi Doctor Norbert Weinberg
has lovingly documented the long history of Temple Beth El and has recorded it
on his website, http://www.rabbinorbert.com/.
Beverly Press:July 19, 2023
Temple Beth El
likely to be demolished, redeveloped
An appeal to
save Temple Beth El was defeated by the West Hollywood City Council on July 17.
The decision came after a lengthy public hearing that saw arguments from all
sides of the situation.
“The appeal
before us last night was focused on one issue regarding the historical
importance of the site that we all unanimously agreed lacked merit after
understanding that multiple historical consultants all came to the same
conclusion,” Mayor Pro Tempore John Erickson said. “This doesn’t mean that the
congregants lack in merit about their feelings regarding their religious home,
and it is important that we ensure that they have relocation plans reviewed by
the city prior to building permits being issued as well as a construction
management plan so the community can be aware of the forthcoming project.”
BUT—The IAJF held back
BY RANCE COLLINS / DECEMBER 14,
2022
Temple Beth El
holds on, continues to operate
In spite of an
alarm sounding over an upcoming demolition of Hollywood Temple Beth El, located
at the corner of Crescent Heights Boulevard and Fountain Avenue, officials from
the synagogue say that congregants should not be concerned.
“The news of
the demise of the temple is greatly exaggerated as Mark Twain said about news
of his dying,” Iranian American Jewish Federation president M. Elie Alyeshmerni
said. “We just repaired the whole roof fully. We are about to renovate the
Sapper Hall and have been doing everything we can to increase income and
decrease expenses and keep the building in good shape.”
And-
Jewish Journal-Ari Noonan—Aug 17,
2023
Assessing the
Future of Hollywood Temple Beth El
There’s been a
near-constant death watch since the IAJF purchased the property from Hollywood
Temple Beth El in 1998. None of the unconfirmed reports panned out. It’s
happening again.
For more than
25 years, there have been reports — unreliable reports — that Hollywood Temple
Beth El would soon vanish. Often called “The Temple of the Stars,” the
Conservative shul, has counted among its members the Warner Brothers, Louis B.
Mayer, Carl Laemmle, Samuel Goldwyn (né Goldfish) and Edward G. Robinson
(Emanuel Goldenberg) would be displaced by an apartment building.
“The news of
the demise of the temple is greatly exaggerated — as Mark Twain said about news
of his dying,” M. Elie Alyeshmerni, president of the Iranian American Jewish
Federation (IAJF) — the building’s current owners — said. “We just repaired the
whole roof fully. We are about to renovate Sapper Hall. We have been doing
everything we can to increase income, decrease expenses and keep the building
in good shape.”
There’s been a
near-constant death watch since the IAJF purchased the property from Hollywood
Temple Beth El in 1998. None of the unconfirmed reports panned out. It’s
happening again:
“The fate of
Temple Beth El is uncertain after the West Hollywood Planning Commission
approved the site for demolition,” the weekly Beverly Hills Press reported last
month.
According to
the Press, in February 2020, the Iranian American Jewish Federation “submitted
a request to develop the property. On Nov. 17, West Hollywood’s planning
commission approved a permit that would allow the site to be redeveloped with a
new 90-unit, five-story residential building.”
Rabbi Norbert
Weinberg led Beth El in the ‘90s and returned to the bima 10 years ago.
For much of
that time he’s had to fend off, sometimes vigorously, against reports of its
impending demise.
“Understandably,”
he told the Journal, “our members are upset, but we are working with the
Iranian American Jewish Center to keep the building.”
“Our members
are upset, but we are working with the Iranian American Jewish Center to keep
the building.”- Rabbi Norbert Weinberg
He noted that
when the Iranian American Jewish Federation purchased the property from Temple
Beth El in 1998, a condition was attached that has been called “confusing.”
For 15 years —
until 2013 — when the IAJF completed its purchase — there would be a joint
directorate, under theauspices of the IAJF,.
“At that
point,” Rabbi Weinberg said, “we officially became tenants on a lease basis.”
The proposal to
tear it down, he said, “only came to our attention last year.” The IAJC denied
the report, according to the Beverly Hills Press.
The Press
reported that a 2016 Commercial Historic Resources Survey did not find the
structure, built between 1952 and 1968, to be eligible for landmark
preservation.
West Hollywood
Preservation Alliance board president Victor Omelczenko said the city should
reconsider this decision.
“Temple Beth El
warrants having a specific historic resource assessment conducted before any
decisions are made about its demolition.”
Alyeshmerni
told the Press that the fate of the property is far from sealed.
Geoffrey Buck,
a member of Temple Beth El’s board of directors, said that when Temple Beth El
sold the complex to the IAJC, it was done with the understanding that the
temple would be preserved.
“When you
destroy a building,” he said, “you’re destroying history. You’re just wiping it
out.”
“We are not
going to throw anyone out of the building,” Iranian Federation representative
Shahla Javdan said. “We’re here to help.”
After living
through years of rumors about Temple Beth El’s future, several longtime members
told the Journal that its future could accurately be measured in years.
Perhaps they
are reflecting the optimism of their rabbi, who is known for his sunny approach
to life.
Hollywood
Temple Beth El in West Hollywood, Rabbi Weinberg said, was “the first synagogue
in Hollywood, founded by leaders in the film industry, has provided religious
and social services to the Jewish and general community for the past century.
It has managed
to keep up activities, adding live-streaming to a broader audience for the 21st
century.” Echoing the IAJC’s Alyeshmerni, he said “the news of our demise is
premature. We have been operating under the aegis of the Iranian American
Jewish Center for some time.” There have been, he admitted, discussions “on the
future of this historic building.
While we
believe this historic structure must be and can be preserved, we will continue
to work with the Center to serve the needs of the Jewish and the general
community.”
Hollywood
Temple Beth El, he assured his congregation, will continue to be open for
services on Shabbat, and the Center will continue its active programming
and events. “Our doors will be open for you on these High Holy Days, beginning
Sept. 15.”.
The future of Hollywood Temple Beth
El as a conventional synagogue is still up in the air, as a new relationship is
being sought with the Iranian American Jewish Federation.
Rabbis of LA | Rabbi Norbert
Weinberg Is Not Slowing Down
Rabbi Weinberg is best known in Los Angeles for
his two separate terms as the rabbi of Hollywood Temple Beth El.
Ari L. Noonan January 4, 2024
As Norbert
Weinberg entered the 50th year of his rabbinate, Hamas attack on Israel on Oct.
7 reminded the Frankfurt, Germany native of the realities of war he thought
he’d left behind. He told his congregation at Hollywood Temple Beth El “these
have been harrowing days for us. Our grandson Eitan now is in Israel. He was
starting a college program and was full of excitement. Now his dreams are in
abeyance.” The children of his nephews and nieces are on the frontlines
awaiting orders to move forward. His nephew and daughter intended to attend the
tragic Nova Festival. “By chance,” Rabbi Weinberg explained, “they had to go
back home. They returned the next day only to hear shooting sounds. They
immediately turned back before it was too late.” “Very scary.”
Three months
later, he describes himself as “personally comforted” by the way Israelis have
been displaying national unity. Rabbi Weinberg’s family has forwarded videos
showing Israelis – secular, religious and ultra-Orthodox – delivering food and
supplies to vulnerable communities on the battlefront. “There is now a
government of national unity,” he believes. “Former political enemies who had
said ‘Never,’ now are talking with each other.”
He has called
out hypocrisy where he saw it: “I have not minced my words,” he said. “Silence
on the rape and massacre of Israelis, those condemning Israel for self-defense
while being silent on the massive bloodshed in Yemen, Syria, Sudan and
elsewhere. Finally, there is the rush by the media to accuse, and the betrayal
by our own quislings.”
Rabbi Weinberg
is best known in Los Angeles for his two separate terms as the rabbi of
Hollywood Temple Beth El, a huge iconic stone structure on the corner of
Crescent Heights and Fountain Avenues. At 75, he shows no sign of slowing down.
Except for working internationally on both U.S. coasts, three American states and
adapting his career among education, business and Judaism, he could be an
ordinary rabbi. How does he want to be identified? “Primarily, I want to be a
mensch.” was his immediate response.
“When I
function as a rabbi, I am guiding and teaching. My business, in the interim,
when I went out of the rabbinate and back into the rabbinate, was to help
students learn.”
His interest in
education started during his peripatetic youth. “As a rabbi’s kid,” he said,
“we lived lots of places, New York City, Ohio, a Washington, D.C. suburb and
high school in West Virginia.” Following his 1974ordination by the Conservative
Jewish Theological Seminary, Rabbi Weinberg began traveling the globe for
himself.
A half-century
after opening his career at Beth Yeshurun in Houston, the largest Conservative
congregation in the U.S. at the time, his ties to the community remain. “My
brother-in-law moved there and stayed,” said Weinberg. “Our first daughter was
born there, and our youngest son has moved there for business reasons.”
After a few
years in Houston, he was seeking a shul of his own. Newport News, Va. beckoned.
When the clock again announced time for a change, “I decided to move to the
West Coast.” Weinberg landed at Beth Sholom, “a beautiful community in
Whittier.”
Next, “I
decided to try my hand at making aliyah.” The Weinbergs spent four years in
Israel where the rabbi led an adult Jewish education program for the Histadrut,
the Israeli labor union, at Bet Berel College. The rabbi shook his head at the
memory. “Interesting work,” he concluded. “After dealing with Israeli
bureaucracy, after navigating big politics and little politics, I told myself,
‘Okay, that’s my Zionist experiment.’”
That was 34
years ago, and he still considers himself an Israeli. “But I wanted something
with my feet on the ground,” Weinberg said. The rabbi decided he had to come
back to the United States for the financial security, arriving at Hollywood
Temple Beth El in 1990.
After six
years, storm clouds struck. Bankruptcy hit Beth El. “I sometimes ask myself if
I could have prevented it.” Soon another door opened. “We went into the
education business with the Huntington Learning Center, “Weinberg said. “In
2012, we sold off the Center – the nature of the business had changed. It was
running out of steam for a variety of reasons. We didn’t have the energy to
replace the (affected parts) of the business. Let someone else take care of
it.”
A year later,
Rabbi Weinberg was back at Beth El and tutoring at the Center.
Proclamations:
Supervisor Ed Edelman on 50th Year
of HTBE
Mayor of LA, Tom Bradley , on 50th
Year of HTBE
City of West Hollywood Commends HTBE 1995
Jerusalem Day, 1993
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