San Diego Hebrew Homes history

Rabbi Stern was selected in 1947 by Beth Jacob to be its first Orthodox rabbi.

Beth Jacob Congregation and Center 1948. ©SDHC Sensor #11-145.

Third & Laurel, as it became known, occupied a full city block in downtown San Diego, a large portion of which comprised a school building built in the 1960’s and several small apartments.

In 1963, Congregation Beth Tefilah (House of Prayer) was begun at 69th and Mohawk Streets.

In 1966, Carlos Salas Díaz, who later converted to Judaism at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, began teaching in downtown Tijuana about the Jewish religion that he had studied and had become enamored with.

Inspired by the North County Jewish Community Center, the founders of The Centro Social Israelita (Israelite Social Center) in Tijuana incorporated many of the same design features in 1967 to serve the small, but growing, Jewish community south of the border.

In 1973, the Lubavitcher Hasidic movement—more popularly known as Chabad—established a beachhead at San Diego State University, and since that time has founded numerous Chabad Houses throughout San Diego County

In 1974, Rabbi Sheldon Moss began the Reform Congregation Adat Shalom (Gathering of Peace) in Poway, which then had a small Jewish population but which has grown considerably since.

The move to San Diego’s outlying neighborhoods and suburbs became even more pronounced in 1977 when Beth Jacob Congregation built a new facility on College Avenue quite close to the San Diego State University campus.

The structure, which is now a San Diego Historical Site, was moved to Heritage Park in 1978.

Tifereth Israel Synagogue relocated from North Park to San Carlos in 1979 at a location near the foot of Cowles Mountain.

Congregation Etz Chaim (Tree of Life) in Ramona was established in 1980 after Al Wollner, a cantorial soloist who was a resident of the area, was asked by the Jewish Federation to contact Jews living in the vicinity for organizational purposes.

Cantor Lori Wilinsky Frank, who joined the congregation in 1982, continues as its beloved cantor.

Another branch of Jewish thought—Humanism—made its appearance in 1985 with the establishment of the Alex Levin chapter of the Society for Humanistic Judaism.

22.Schwartz and Schwartz, “The Historic Temple at Third and Laurel.” 23. “Yom HaShoah: Three Faiths Join in Remembrance,” San Diego Jewish Press-Heritage, April 26, 1991.

In 1993, Congregation Beth Israel purchased a three-acre site about 12 miles from the downtown location, in University City, just east of La Jolla.

In 1997, Rabbi Chaim Hollander, a Judaic teacher at Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School, took over as spiritual leader, a position he continues to occupy.

Beth Israel’s new temple, dedicated in October 2001.

Donald H. Harrison, “Our Orthodox Roots,” Tifereth Israel Synagogue: 100 Years Honoring Yesterday, Building Tomorrow (San Diego: Tifereth Israel Synagogue, 2005), 1-2.

2006 The Hand Up Food Pantry was Created The Hand Up Food Pantry was created by Marsha Berkson in the new Turk Family Center.

The wife and husband continued to direct the affairs of two congregations until her retirement from the pulpit in 2007.

Stanley Schwartz and Laurel Schwartz, “The Historic Temple at Third and Laurel,” in A Time to Remember: The First 150 Years; A History of Congregation Beth Israel in San Diego (San Diego: Congregation Beth Israel, 2012). 17.

Save Our Heritage Organisation (Save Our Heritage Organisation, 2013)

contributors, W. (2015, July 9). Save Our Heritage Organisation.

He in turn was succeeded by Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal who retired in 2017.

2018 Centennial Celebration Year includes Kick-Off event, Gala, and the announcement of $50,000,000 Centennial Countdown Campaign, which includes a $25,000,000 matching gift from the Rady Family Foundation.