IKAR is a non-denominational Jewish congregation and community founded in Los Angeles, California, in the United States. The congregation was founded in 2004 and is led by rabbi Sharon Brous,[1][2] who was one of its founders.[3]
| IKAR | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Judaism |
| Rite | Non-denominational Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Congregation |
| Leadership |
|
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Shalhevet High School, 910 South Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90036 |
| Country | United States |
  Location in western Los Angeles, California | |
| Geographic coordinates | 34°03′35″N 118°21′46″W / 34.0598231°N 118.3628873°W |
| Architecture | |
| Founder |
|
| Date established | 2004 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | 2015 |
| Website | |
| ikar-la | |
History
editIKAR (transliterated from Hebrew as "essence"), was founded in 2004 by CEO Melissa Balaban, senior rabbi Sharon Brous, and others in a Santa Monica home.[3]
In September 2015, IKAR announced that it had signed a two-year lease to relocate to the newly built campus of Shalhevet High School.[4] In August 2018, the synagogue announced that it paid $6.9 million ($8.4 million in 2023 dollars) for a building on South La Cienega Boulevard near 18th Street, although the move was not immediate due to time needed for construction.[5] As of January 2024[update], IKAR still met at Shalhevet.[6]
Activities
editIKAR schedules its services to avoid conflict with Shalhevet's school days, meeting in the gymnasium on Shabbat and other holidays where Shalhevet is not in session. Weekday morning services take place at IKAR's daycare center, which operates elsewhere.[4]
Notable members
edit- Mayim Bialik, actress[7]
- Eric Garcetti, former mayor of Los Angeles[8]
- Rick Jaffe, screenwriter[9]
- David Nevins, president of entertainment for Showtime Networks[1]
- Andrea Blaugrund Nevins[10]
- Dara Resnik, screenwriter, producer, and director[11]
- Amanda Silver, screenwriter[9]
- Daniel Sokatch, CEO of the New Israel Fund[10]
- Steven Spielberg, film director and producer[8]
References
edit- ^ a b Weiner, Rex (December 30, 2012). "IKAR Looks To Build Without Losing Magic". The Forward.
- ^ Gruenbaum, Julie (June 23, 2010). "How Different Is IKAR; Rabbi Sharon Brous Inspires Change … and Controversy". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.
- ^ a b Feldman, Ari (June 2, 2018). "Ikar is building something. Just don't call it a synagogue". The Forward. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Torok, Ryan (September 3, 2015). "IKAR announces its move to Shalhevet". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ^ Torok, Ryan (February 14, 2018). "IKAR readies its next chapter". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ^ Hartog, Kelly (September 18, 2019). "Remembering Ruby and Hart Campbell". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ^ Ben-Moche, Erin (September 14, 2020). "Mayim Bialik joins L.A. shofar wave that aims to bring Jewish community together for Rosh Hashana". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Trakin, Roy (March 26, 2021). "Rock 'Hazzan' Hillel Tigay Shines Light on Progressive L.A. Synagogue Where Steven Spielberg, Eric Garcetti Are Members". Variety. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ a b Staff, Toi (June 20, 2015). "Jurassic World's Jewish writers". Times of Israel.
Silver was born to Jewish parents in New York. Jaffa was raised Christian but had a Jewish great-grandfather. The two told the Los Angeles Jewish Journal in 2014 that they regularly attend Los Angeles's IKAR congregation with their two children.
- ^ a b "Our Story". IKAR. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
IKAR was launched on a hope and a prayer, setting out with a small group of founders (Joshua Avedon, Stephanie Avedon, Melissa Balaban, Celia Bernstein, Rabbi Sharon Brous, Richard Foos, Shari Foos, Nan Friedman, Adam Gilad, Lynn Kilroy, Ross Levinson, David Light, Paulette Light, Rachel Light, Paula Mazur, Robert Mickelson, David N. Myers, Andrea Blaugrund Nevins, Yazmin Ibarlucea-Peebles, Mac Peebles, Amy Povich, Jeff Rake, Daniel Sokatch, Adam Wergeles)
- ^ Miller, Gerri (April 20, 2020). "A fourth grader solves a murder in Home Before Dark". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved December 3, 2023.