Renovated
Renovation of Oldest Los Angeles Synagogue: Wilshire Boulevard Temple gets Hollywood Makeover
This is the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, built by Hollywood moguls 83 years ago. This is the first time it’s being renovated. This historic Synagogue is the oldest in Los Angeles and it’s where many Hollywood heavyweights come to worship. To keep it looking pristine over the years, it’s taken some movie magic. From the start- this synagogue incorporated tricks of the trade. Rabbi Steven Leder says he was surprised to learn these marble pillars, weren’t really marble. Sure, they cut some corners, but at times, the original artists went above an beyond, painting details that would never been seen from the ground. The Synagogue was built in 18 months. That’s not a lot of time when you consider that it’ll take longer than that to renovate. Rabbi Leder says they don’t plan to change any of the original designs- even those that are more fit for Hollywood than for a synagogue. Rabbi Leder says that still rings true today, and people that worship here, are proud of it’s Hollywood roots. It’s no different today- members of this congregation are footing the bill for the renovation. 90 Million dollars has been raised so far. The entire project is expected to cost 150-million dollars, and will include building new schools and community gathering places that will take up the entire block. Renovations will be complete by September 2013. Just in time for the High Holy Days. Until then services are being held at an auditorium on campus, and at a second location in West Los Angeles. Lindsey …
A Station on your Way
Tel Aviv’s hottest new destination is the historic refurbished Jaffa train station, which has been meticulously restored and turned into a complex of cafes, galleries and exclusive shops. Tel Aviv has an abundance of shopping areas replete with bars, cafés and restaurants, but few are surrounded by the unique space, quiet and sense of living history as is the restored railway station known as Ha’tahana (the station in English). The meticulous restoration and development process began in the year 2000, and the Tahana is now a thriving complex of 22 buildings that includes cafés and restaurants, designer clothing and jewelry shops, art galleries, exhibition spaces and more. The main train station building was constructed in 1892, as part of the first railway line in Israel that connected Jaffa and Jerusalem. The train trip between the two cities that takes under an hour by car today, took four hours at the time. Find out more in our video story about the fascinating history of the train station; home to paragons of the German Templar community in Israel, their building materials factory; and a British army base and bar. Still planned are areas for children’s activities, music and live shows. Download links (copy/paste to browser): Streaming: www.megaupload.com/?d=NH8N9WNX Hi Res: www.megaupload.com/?d=4D9585TZ