Brandeis-Bardin Institute, Jewish educational center in Simi Valley, California.
The Brandeis-Bardin Institute covers 890 hectares (2,200 acres) in the Simi Hills area of California and includes residential buildings, gardens, and performance venues for educational programs. The complex also features an adventure course with a climbing wall and several outdoor areas for group activities.
Shlomo Bardin founded the facility in 1947 as a retreat for Jewish education with support from Justice Louis Brandeis, following Zionist ideals. In 1968 the property expanded considerably through a land donation from actor James Arness.
The complex serves as a gathering place for study programs where participants live together in rustic cabins and shape daily life through discussions and artistic workshops. The campus displays Jewish symbolism in its architecture and uses outdoor areas for rituals and celebrations under open sky.
The House of the Book, a main performance hall designed by Sidney Eisenshtat in 1973, provides space for cultural events and educational gatherings. Visitors should prepare for hilly terrain and bring comfortable walking shoes for longer paths between buildings.
The grounds form the largest contiguous tract of Jewish-owned land outside Israel, spreading through the dry hills north of Los Angeles. The Western star's ranch became part of this educational landscape, linking Hollywood history with spiritual learning.
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