Pacific Jewish Center, Orthodox synagogue in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, United States.
The Pacific Jewish Center, also called the Shul on the Beach, is an Orthodox synagogue at 505 Ocean Front Walk in Venice, Los Angeles. It occupies a 1925 building that began as a power station and is listed as a City of Los Angeles landmark. It is the last of the synagogues built in Venice in the early 20th century still standing.
The building was completed in 1925 as a power station and later converted into a religious center. The City of Los Angeles granted it landmark status recognizing its historical importance.
The center is known for outreach to unaffiliated and disconnected Jews, and worshippers of many denominations attend its services in an eclectic neighborhood. Michael Medved and Rabbi Daniel Lapin re-established the community in 1977; Lapin served as unpaid rabbi from 1978 to 1992. The Bar Mitzvah of Jason Gould, son of Barbra Streisand and Elliott Gould, was held here.
The synagogue is at 505 Ocean Front Walk, directly on the Venice Beach boardwalk, so access is on foot or by bike; nearby parking is limited. The beach area is crowded on weekends and holidays, so allow extra time when attending services or classes.
The eruv proposal drew opposition from the Sierra Club over risks to birds and the look of the beach; the California Coastal Commission approved it conditionally in late 2006. The center's own building, a 1925 former power station, is a designated City of Los Angeles landmark.
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