Los Angeles has one of the largest populations of Persian Americans in the United States, which is why some refer to the city as Tehrangeles. There are roughly 30,000 Persian Jews among the 300,000 or so Persian Americans living in the City of Angels, according to USC’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture, making Southern California also the site of one of the largest concentrations of ex-pat Persian Mizrahim.
Most of the Persian Jewish community can be found on the Westside and in the San Fernando Valley. Persian synagogues, organizations, markets, restaurants, pharmacies, hair salons and other service-oriented businesses have taken root in these Southland areas, providing a cultural connection for the refugee generation, which arrived between 1977 and 1980, and their American-born children.
The following guide includes synagogues, businesses, agencies and services frequented by the L.A. Persian Jewish community.
Santa Monica/Brentwood
Brentwood and Santa Monica’s ocean-adjacent living is gradually luring families from Beverly Hills and West Los Angeles, and this has added a significant Persian Jewish population to Chabad of Brentwood.
Beauty
Nahid Beauty Salon
2925 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica
(310) 828-9545
Markets
Tehran Market
1417 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica
(310) 393-6719
Synagogues
Chabad of Brentwood
644 S. Bundy Drive, Brentwood
(310) 826-4453
www.chabadbw.com
Maohr HaTorah
1537 Franklin Ave., Santa Monica
(310) 207-0666
www.maohr.com
Westwood/West Los Angeles
Signs in both English and Farsi stretch along Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards in West Los Angeles, but the city’s largest variety of Persian-owned businesses are found along Westwood Boulevard.
Bakeries
Rex Bakery
1659 Sawtelle Blvd.
(310) 445-8799
Star Bakery
11628 Santa Monica Blvd., No. 6
(310) 207-0025
Beauty
Mahnaz Beauty Garden
1410 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 475-0500
Books
Ketab Corporation
1419 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 477-7477
www.ketab.com
Pars Books & Publishing
1434 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 441-1015
Carpets and Rugs
Damoka Persian Rug Center
1424 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 475-7900
Hardware
Boulevard Hardware
1456 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 475-0795
Markets
Santa Monica Glatt Kosher
11540 Santa Monica Blvd.
(310) 473-4435
Star Market
12136 Santa Monica Blvd.
(310) 447-1612
Music
Music Box
1451 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 473-3466
www.musicboxla.com
Restaurants
Darya Restaurant
12130 Santa Monica Blvd.
(310) 442-9000
www.daryarestaurant.com
Shahrezad Royal Persian Cuisine
1422 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 470-3242
Shamshiri Grill
1712 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 474-1410
www.shamshiri.com
Synagogues
Ohr Hashalom
10848 Missouri Ave.
(310) 441-9938
Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel
10500 Wilshire Blvd.
(310) 475-7311
www.sephardictemple.org
Sinai Temple
10400 Wilshire Blvd.
(310) 474-1518
www.sinaitemple.org
Stephen S. Wise Temple
15500 Stephen S. Wise Drive, Los Angeles
(310) 476-8561
www.sswt.org
Travel Agencies
Amiri Tour & Travel
1388 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 475-8865
amiritravel.com
Video
Prestige Photography & Video
1561 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 312-1221
L.A. Color Studio
1461 Westwood Blvd.
(310) 478-8883
www.lacolorstudio.com
Pico-Roberston
Pico-Robertson Persian grocers sell almost everything, including music and movies. No matter the time of day, the store aisles are likely to be lined with the carts of fervent shoppers. Some business signs in this observant neighborhood are written in Farsi with “glatt kosher” added in English.
Bakeries
Elat Pastry
8721 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 385-5993
Groceries
Elat Market
8730 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 659-7070
Eliass Kosher Market
8829 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 278-7503
Livonia Glatt Market
8922 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 271-4343
Pars Market
9016 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 859-8125
Sinai Kosher Market
8680 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 657-4447
Pharmacies
Century Pico Discount Pharmacy
8722 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 657-6999
Restaurants
Elat Burger
9340 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 278-4692
Kolah Farangi
9180 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 274-4007
Synagogues
Chabad Persian Youth
9022 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 777-0358
Netan Eli
1453 S. Robertson Blvd.
(310) 274-2526
Ohel Moshe
644 W. Pico Blvd.
(310) 652-1533
www.ohelmoshe.com
Ohr HaEmet
1030 Robertson Blvd.
(310) 854-3006
Torat Hayim
1026 S. Robertson Blvd.
(310) 652-8349
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is home to one of the most politically active communities, featuring three Persian Jewish candidates currently running for two City Council seats. As for places people tend to visit, there is an elegant bakery, beauty salon and supply shop, and the Laemmle Music Hall, which occasionally features Farsi-language films. Nessah Educational and Cultural Center is popular among Persian Jews who observe the traditional form of Judaism practiced in Iran. The congregation is led by Rabbi David Shofet, whose father, Rabbi Hacham Yedidia Shofet, was the late spiritual leader of Jews in Iran and in Southern California.
Bakeries
Nahid La Patisserie Artistique
421 N. Rodeo Drive
(310) 274-8410
Beauty
Jacky Hair Design
215 S. La Cienega Blvd.
(310) 659-6326
Yafa Hair Salon & Beauty Supply
818 Robertson Blvd.
(310) 659-6366
Charitable and Nonprofit Organizations
Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization
1855 Loma Vista
(310) 472-5261
www.ijwo.org
Restaurants
Beverly Hills Colbeh
9025 Wilshire Blvd.
(310) 247-1239
www.beverlyhillscolbeh.com
Senior Citizens Service Organizations
Iranian Jewish Senior Center
8764 W Olympic Blvd.
(310) 289-1026
Synagogues
Nessah Educational and Cultural Center
142 S. Rexford Drive
(310) 273-2400
www.nessah.org
Theaters
Laemmle Music Hall 3
9036 Wilshire Blvd.
(310) 274-6869
West Hollywood
Hollywood Temple Beth-El was once known as the “Temple to the Stars,” featuring such celebrities as Edward G. Robinson, Eddie Cantor, Universal founder Carl Laemmle and “Wizard of Oz” director Mervyn LeRoy. The building was sold in the late 1990s. The space is now home to the Iranian-American Jewish Federation and is a favorite place to celebrate a wedding or other simchas.
Carpets and Rugs
Mehraban Oriental Rugs
545 N. La Cienega Blvd.
(310) 657-4400
Synagogues
Hollywood Temple Beth El/Iranian American Jewish Federation Center
1317 N. Crescent Heights Blvd.
(323) 656-3150
Downtown
Many Persian Jewish entrepreneurs in the jewelry, clothing, fabric and upholstery industries work downtown. The area features two kosher restaurants and a new synagogue, Ohr HaShalom, popularly known as the Downtown Synagogue, which is located in a storefront between fabric shops and is open only on weekdays.
Restaurants
Afshan Restaurant
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