Beth Chayim Chadashim

Beth Chayim Chadashim ("House of New Life"), (also called BCC) is a synagogue located at 6090 West Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles, California. Affiliated with Reform Judaism, it was founded in 1972 as the world's first lesbian and gay synagogue recognized by the Reform Jewish community.^[1] Beth Chayim Chadashim now focuses on the entire LGBT community, rather than just gays and lesbians. Current clergy are Rabbi Lisa Edwards and Cantor Juval Porat.

On April 4th, 1972, Selma Kay, Jerry Gordon, Jerry Small, and Bob Zalkin were the only people who came to a weekly Wednesday night meeting at Los Angeles’s Metropolitan Community Church. ^[2] It happened that they were all Jewish, and Selma asked, "Why don’t we form a temple with an outreach to the gay Jews?" ^[3] The others agreed, and Rev. Troy Perry offered them the use of the church’s facilities free of charge. ^[4] About a dozen women and men responded to the call to an ad hoc committee meeting to discuss the temple's founding, and the first service was held June 9th, 1972 in Jerry Gordon’s home. ^[5] In July 1972, a interfaith service was held at MCC’s sanctuary, to introduce the new temple to the gay and lesbian community. ^[6] Weekly Friday night Jewish services were then held at MCC. ^[7]

In 1973, BCC received a Torah scroll from the town of Chotebor, Czechoslovakia, on permanent loan from Westminster Synagogue in London. It continues to be a cherished guest at BCC.

After several temporary locations, in 1977 the BCC congregation purchased a storefront at 6000 West Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles (the Pico-Robertson area) that was transformed into a synagogue and Jewish life-cycle space. The membership grew and flourished for over 30 years at this location.

Janet Marder was the congregation's first rabbi. Lisa Ann Edwards later served as a student rabbi under their first full-time rabbi, Denise Eger. From 1992 to 2007, Cantorial Soloist Fran Magid Chalin's unique use of music and energy served to unite, uplift, inspire, and prompt BCC's connection to Jewish tradition, especially for the growing number of BCC children. In 1994 Rabbi Lisa Ann Edwards was ordained and became BCC's rabbi.

In 2006, Ohr Chayim (Light of Life) was initiated as BCC’s Family Education Program for children and their families, under Leah Zimmerman, the first Director of Education. Cantor Juval Porat, the first cantor to be trained in post-Holocaust Germany, was installed as BCC's Cantor in 2010. ^[8][9]

After 5 years of planning, BCC moved a block away from its first home to 6090 West Pico Boulevard, to accommodate BCC's expanding membership, staff and Jewish glbt studies programming. This endeavor of renovating three 1931 store fronts was led by BCC's first Executive Director Felicia Park-Rogers (hired in 2005) and BCC Member, Architect Ira Dankberg. 6090 West Pico Boulevard is the first LEED certified synagogue in the United States.

On August 14, 2011 a stellar Cantors' Concert performance took place to celebrate BCC's new home, which included Marsha Attie, Cantor David Berger, Cantor Sharon Bernstein, BCC Clergy Emerita Fran Chalin, Cantor Ken Cohen, Cantor Tifani Coyot, Cantor Magda Fishman, Cantor Evan Kent, Cantor Rebekah Mirsky, Cantor Juval Porat, Cantor Sam Radwine, Cantor David Reinwald, Cantor Aviva Rosenbloom and Cantor Lance Tapper

The mission of Beth Chayim Chadashim is to: -Provide the opportunity and means to worship God in accordance with the principles and practices of Judaism. -Serve and support members as they explore their own value, dignity and place in their community. -Serve others in the community according to the Jewish precept of tikkun olam (repair the world).

References

External links

• BCC website