First visited the historic site, and I felt as if I was in the holy land of Jerusalem, overwhelmed…read moreby the spiritual and cultural richness that surrounded me. Thank you.

When dating a Jewish partner or having a close real knit Jewish friend, opens your life up and mind…read moreto see other ways of life besides yours, in learning how to face challenges that could maybe be life changing. I was invited to another more welcoming congregation in West Los Angeles. Rabbi Shiri is a soft spoken and very intelligent woman that has really uplifted me in her words of kindness and respectfulness of me coming from a different background and faith. But again, when i come to synagogues of good people, i do not try and convert or talk to anyone about what i was taught, or ingrown into my life. I felt comfortable here with this congregation. They made me feel at home, and not a outsider. I mean words almost cannot explain on how i felt and treated like a real human being. The Synogogue has made me feel more zest for knowledge and appreciation for what i am really blessed with.

Beth Shir Shalom is a wonderful warm community. We joined about 23 years ago as an interfaith…read morecouple. Our daughter and son attended the religious school and had their B Mitzvah's there. Those are some of our most treasured memories. As an Arab American who was raised in a Christian household and who married an Ashkenazy Jew, I was so moved by Beth Shir Shalom's welcoming attitude toward people of all backgrounds and religions that, 9 years ago, I decided to become a Jew by choice. There are a wide array of activities for members of all ages including a superb early childhood center, an innovative religious school, an active and well attended youth group, musical and varied Friday evening Shabbat celebrations, wonderful interfaith activities and plenty of adult education opportunities. This is just the tip of the iceberg. It's amazing how much this relatively small synagogue is able to accomplish. This is thanks in no small part to our wonderful executive director Cynthia. Rabbi Neil became Emeritus a few years ago, but is still very much engaged with the community. Our new head rabbi, Rabbi Alex, brings tremendous youthful vigor to the community, leading us as we increase our outreach and hone our strategic vision.

Beth Shir Shalom ECC is the best! I am so grateful for Cynthia, Robin, and the entire community of…read moreteachers and families. My daughter started when she was 2.5 years old, and she is about to graduate. She is thriving, has made terrific friendships, and is ready for Kindergarten. The teachers are warm, caring, and engaging with the kids. We had such a positive experience, that I decided to start my son ASAP, which was when he turned 18 months. We love that BSS has a full day option because we are a dual working household. Not only are we a part of the preschool community, but we also participate in Synagogue activities including Shabbat and holidays. BSS is a true gem.

My fiancé and I have absolutely loved Judaism by Choice. Even if you're not pursuing conversion,…read morethis class is an incredible opportunity for anyone who wants to learn more about Judaism or how to build a thoughtful Jewish life. The course covers a wide range of topics, such as the High Holy Days, Jewish history, traditions, and modern Judaism. (you truly learn it all in the 19 weeks!) We cannot recommend the program enough. We've especially appreciated Rabbi Weinberg's thoughtful teachings, which have made the experience both meaningful and enriching.

I had been researching for quite a while what the process would be to convert to Judaism. I had…read morejoined a couple of other courses online, but they were very skant in what they taught. Mostly videos that were very short and did not convey much information. However this Course by Rabbi Weinberg hit the nail right on the head. It was spot on. This are LIVE classes where you can ask important questions about the information being presented. We studied in-depth the history of Jewish people, the challenges they faced and how they gave rise to the many holidays they celebrate. Taking his class convinced me that I wanted to convert. Rabbi Weinberg really puts his all into the information he teaches. I feel ready to convert now that I have been through most of the classes. I intend to become a donor and continue my studies.

Pico Shul is hands down the best place to be a young professional in the Los Angeles Jewish…read moreCommunity. I was on a quest to discover my own Judaism and I was able to begin that journey at Pico Shul and with the guidance of the brilliant Rabbi Yonah. Pico Shul will give you a warm, non judgmental place to pray, learn & grow. There is always something fun going on for the holidays and there are always nice and welcoming people around to do fun stuff with.

One of the most amazing Shul's in town. Rabbi Yonah is the most passionate, welcoming, personable,…read moreand joyfilled Rabbi I've ever met. Their Shabbos Kiddish/lunch alone justifies the 5 star rating. Every week they provide a delicious, healthy, free meal to the young professional and community members. Then on top of that, the prayer services are beautiful and uplifting. Weekly events like Lunch and Learn, and Torah on Tap are not to be missed. And additional programming like Crash Course in Hebrew and the Explanatory Service make getting up too speed easy and fun. Pico Shul is highlight of the Pico Community.

The world at times can seem dark, cold, and cruel, enter Neshuva, with rabbi Naomi Levy at the helm…read morebacked by the Neshuva Band together their divine sparks of Judaism's spirituality and rhythmic mysticism meander into your body and soul in a way which simple words cannot describe... As you enter and settle into your inconspicuous spot off to the side trying to just observe from a distance, you seem to find yourself intrigued by the rabbi's openness and just how genuine and human she is, her words are spoken with meaning yet missing all sense of pontification, soft and pleasant almost like you are a little kid hearing your mother reading a bed time story. You find that you went from an outsider observing to humming along as your soul's barriers simply melt mesmerized by the feeling of nonjudgmental unconditional love, you have not only become receptive allowing the surrounding light to enter, you now are the light and sharing it with others. Nashuva meets for Shabbat services the first Friday of every month and for community service the third Sunday of every month. We are committed to social action and to actively working to heal our world. We seek to engage people of other faiths and hope to move beyond token interfaith programs to true partnership. Edit Remove

Nashuva - what a great experience - think the band from the blues brothers, add a powerful…read morespiritual leader and what even my at-times-orthodox brother admits is a complete Jewish service, snuck into the great tunes.. combine together to make up what I initially though of as a very LA form of Judaism, and you have a once a month, not-to-be-missed event, no dues or fees...yowzah! It's all that and more, but does take a few visits to integrate it all, and not be totally thrown off by how different it is. Enjoy and Exalt. Amazing high holiday services, too; I especially recommend Tashlich at the beach and 2nd day Rosh Hashannah at Temescal. Having moved to Northern California two years ago, my family and I have returned to Nashuva for the high holidays and we try to time our occasional LA mini-vacations to align with Nashuva services. In examining how and why we feel so attached to Nashuva, it's in part because we always come away refreshed, energized and so happy to have attended and participated. How does that happen? It's because we are welcomed, recognized, included, engaged and raised up by Rabbi Naomi, the band, the volunteers and all the members of the community. That's an amazing number of positive elements to blend into a single, quick experience, and it certainly keeps us returning to Nashuva. While past performance is not a perfect predictor of future results, Nashuva has delivered a very high "return on investment" (ROI) of my time over the last 5 years.

A True Home Away from Home…read more Beth Jacob has been the heart of our Jewish journey in Los Angeles. My husband and I are both transplants, and from the moment we walked through the doors over ten years ago, we felt welcomed, supported, and spiritually nourished. From getting married to having our first child, we've celebrated so many milestones here -- always surrounded by a community that lives and breathes the values it speaks about: Torah, Chesed, Avodah, and Kehillah. There's a sincerity and warmth at Beth Jacob that's hard to describe unless you've experienced it firsthand. What makes it even more special is the depth of relationships we've built. Some of our closest friends are people we met through Beth Jacob people we now consider family. Whether it's an inspiring drasha, a meaningful program, or a Kiddush that turns into a Shabbat afternoon full of connection and laughter, Beth Jacob has created a space where we feel truly at home. We're so grateful to be raising our family in this kehillah.

Beth Jacob is another wonderful place to break bread in the Beverly Hiils area. Me and my…read moregirlfriend attended one of their services during Passover last week, and I loved the praying, singing, and meeting new people. Congregation were very welcoming and friendly to us. Again, my girlfriend have family and friends here too. I know I sound like a broken record lol. But it was a blessing to be here and break bread with the congregation.

I go there for Minyan. The Rabbi is the best! And everyone is nice too.read more

Elie Levitansky is the best. He welcomes you in with open arms and will go WAY out of his way to…read morehelp out. Hey just cam to my new office and helped put up mezuzot on all the doors and gave an awesome d'var torah. Thanks!

I love this church so much! The music is incredible & a beautiful balance between traditional and…read morecontemporary with outstanding musicians. Pastor Tim Vance delivers thought provoking sermons & is genuinely welcoming to anyone who attends. The people are authentic. Great for families. (if you have children I highly recommend the summer camp too - the kids have a blast) This church walks the talk - they are involved with giving back to the community from cleaning up the beaches, partnering with local food banks and giving aid to people affected by immigration raids. Attending church here is the BEST way to start your week!

Very helpful, friendly, kind and knowledgeable. Will go back. They helped me with parking since I…read morewas disabled.