Photo: The former Mogen David Temple under renovation in Sept. 2024.
Mazel Tov! Regina O’Brien and Hardy Wronske’s restoration of the former Mogen David Temple in the Angelus Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles has been completed just in time for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year! They have invited the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, WAHA and their supporters to tour the temple to celebrate.
The event will consist of a presentation on the cultural history of the space, the restoration journey (including period correct landscaping) and tour, with an interlude of musical entertainment by Janet Klein who will sing Hebrew Vaudeville songs for your listening or dancing pleasure - and there will be refreshments! Following Janet Klein’s performance she will DJ recorded vintage music for dancing on the spacious, original wooden floor (only recently uncovered for the first time in decades!).
The tour will include access to the 22 stained glass windows (including the one in memory of Clark Gable), both stages, the backstage dressing rooms, the upstairs apartment and offices as well as the grounds.
$22 (plus fees) for Members of ADSLA and WAHA
$25 (plus fees) General Admission (non-member)
Tickets will be offered first to members of the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles. Some remaining tickets may be available to non-members. Once you join you will have access to members only events!
Tickets are non-refundable. For limited space events there is always a waiting list. You can contact us to be matched with a buyer. Please message us through this website.
HISTORY OF THE BUILDING:
The Mogen David Congregation began in the Gramercy neighborhood near West Adams, in 1925 in a private home. The Ladies Auxiliary raised $50,000 to build a synagogue for the congregation in this neighborhood that was drawing more affluent and acculturated Jews West from the Boyle Heights area. The building was designed in an Art Deco style by architect David Carthage Coleman and was built by contractor Samuel J. Fishkin in the W.G. Nevins tract. Dr. Gershon Epstein was the rabbi at the time that the temple opened on September 20, 1933. See the Los Angeles Times clipping below for the newspaper article announcing the opening. Also, according to this story, the Jewish population in Los Angeles numbered around 75,000 people, but the census referenced in the historic context statement about the evolution of Los Angeles’ Jewish population states 91,000.
By the early 1950s the Jewish population was moving even further west and the congregation began looking for property in a neighborhood that would better serve its members. They landed on Pico Boulevard where they remain today. In 1957 the Gramercy Place property was converted into the Church of Divine Guidance, a non-denominational Black Christian congregation founded by Dr. Clayton Donovan Russell. In 2020 the church closed during the pandemic and were forced to sell the building.
Longtime preservationist Regina O’Brien and her husband Hardy Wronske purchased the property and commenced a restoration and renovation of the 7,200 square foot property that has taken three years.
Clipping from the Los Angeles Times announcing the opening of the Mogen David temple on Sept. 20, 1933 just in time for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year.
PARKING
The building did not originally have parking as the members of the synagogue would walk to services. Parking in this residential neighborhood is challenging and there are no paid public parking lots in the vicinity. Only street parking is available. If you can find a spot, there won’t be any time restrictions, but you may have to walk a few blocks. We recommend looking for parking on Pico or Venice or try Wilton and Cimmaron, just West of the Temple location.
We are looking into some paid parking in the immediate area. Details will appear here if and when they are confirmed. Arriving by Uber or Lyft is recommended. If Ubering from home is too far, you might also consider parking in Hollywood (approximately 4 miles north or Downtown (LA Live is about 2.5 miles away on Pico) in a paid lot and then catching an Uber from there. Those of you who recently went to Hotel Figueroa know about parking there. It is just 2.6 miles from Gramercy Place.
ACCESSIBILITY
The building has a four steps up to get inside. The interior has no stairs, except if you want to see the upstairs (completely remodeled) apartment accessible from outside in the back of the building. There are four flights up.
DINING
El Chollo (opened in 1923) is on Western, not far from the event location.