L.A. 5760

It’s not that Congregation Knesseth Israel is in the wrong part of town. It’s that the tiny traditional congregation — located on Robertson about a mile from Pico — is just a bit too far south of just the right part of town.

“This is our neighborhood shul, the shul that has always served the southern Beverlywood and southern Pico-Robertson area,” says Beverlywood resident Selwyn Gerber. “And for some reason, in the surge northward to Pico and Olympic, it got neglected.”

Gerber is seeing to it that the neglect ends, as he works towards shoring up Friday night davening with a contingent of young families from Beverlywood, an affluent neighborhood just across Robertson.

Now, a member from the Happy Minyan at Congregation Beth Jacob in Beverly Hills leads Friday night in the musical style of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, with inspirational soulful melodies, and passionate singing and dancing.

The infusion of worshippers on Friday night is a welcome addition to the small but devoted core of members that has kept Knesseth Israel running since it was founded in the 1940s by Rabbi Leon Pansky, who died just a few years ago.

“We have been here 50 years. We have survived earthquakes, depressions and earthquakes, and depressions again,” says congregation president Harry Kleinman. “Somehow we have remained alive, and we thank God for that.”

But shifting demographics have been taking their toll on the synagogue, and the mostly elderly membership is dwindling.

“We used to be a very alive place, with a sisterhood and a school,” says Rabbi Yosef Yekutiel, who volunteers his time to lead the congregation. “That no longer exists.”

Still, the shul has 30 or 40 people every Shabbat, with a professional cantor and a sumptuous Kiddush after services, Kleinman says. The High Holidays brings in about 150 people, and the community is warm and caring and never turns away anyone in need.

Gerber, an active member of Congregation Beth Jacob, doesn’t have plans to move in for Saturday mornings, since he does not want to pull members from other shuls.

But, he says, some Beverlywood residents had already started minyanim at their homes for Friday night services to avoid the walk north to any of the dozens of shuls on Pico or Olympic Boulevards. He hopes they consider coming to Knesseth Israel.

“The sanctity of rejuvenating a shul is incomparable with sitting in a home to daven,” Gerber says.

The oldtimers at Knesseth Israel agree.

“We are a small shtibel here people are very friendly and there is no prejudice against anybody,” Yekutiel says. “We always welcome new ideas and new people to keep the shul going another 50 years.”

Services are Friday night at candlelighting time at Knesseth Israel of Beverlywood, 2364 South Robertson, at 24th Street. For more information call (310) 839-4962.