Temple Israel of Hollywood
| Temple Israel of Hollywood | |
|---|---|
| Basic information | |
| Location | 34°6′5.04″N 118°20′57.15″W / 34.1014000°N 118.3492083°WCoordinates: 34°6′5.04″N 118°20′57.15″W / 34.1014000°N 118.3492083°W |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
Temple Israel of Hollywood is a Reform Jewish synagogue in Hollywood, California founded in 1926. Services were originally held in the Hayakawa Mansion before the first Temple Israel building was established on Ivar Street under the leadership of Rabbi Isadore Isaacson. Temple Israel moved to its current location on Hollywood Boulevard in 1948. It has traditionally had a large number of film actors, writers, directors and producers as members.
Today Temple Israel is nearly 1,000 families strong, and includes three schools. It is led by Rabbi John Rosove, Rabbi Michelle Missagieh, and Rabbi Jocee Hudson.
Temple Israel was founded in 1926 after Sol M. Wurtzel, Isadore Bernstein, and Edward Laemmle met at the Hollywood Plaza Hotel to discuss the need for a house of worship for the Hollywood 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 by noted architects Samuel Lunden and S. Charles Lee and has been expanded several times.
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.
Rabbi Max Nussbaum was brought in to serve as Rabbi in 1943 after Rabbi Morton Bauman left his pulpit to serve in the war. Rabbi Nussbaum would remain the Rabbi for the next 32 years until his death in 1974. Cantor Saul Silverman served alongside Rabbi Nussbaum, and served the Temple for over 39 years. During Rabbi Nussbaum's tenure Temple Israel established itself as a great friend of Israel, raising large sums for the fledgling state. Many famous speakers were also brought in to speak before the congregation. Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan, Rabbi Leo Baeck, and Rabbi Stephen S. Wise all spoke from the pulpit. Harry Belafonte, Leon Uris, and Theodore Bikel also spoke before the congregation. In 1965 Martin Luther King Jr. gave a rousing speech from the bima to the congregation.
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