Jewish temple making permanent home at former Lutheran church
By Carissa Marsh cmarsh@theacorn.com

After renting a space in an industrial park for 15 years, Congregation B'nai Emet has finally found a permanent home in Simi Valley.

The Jewish temple will move to the west end of the city this Sunday, to a building that was previously occupied by Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.

"We've been in Simi Valley for 30 years, but we haven't had a permanent home," said Carla Shaw, president of the temple's sisterhood organization and a seven-year member of B'Nai Emet. "Our intention was always to find a permanent home where we could really build and expand and grow."

Due to a dwindling congregation, Our Redeemer merged with Our Saviour Lutheran Church, also in Simi, earlier this year, leaving their space at 9 W. Bonita Drive open for a new tenant. The merged church, at 4191 Cochran St., has become Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church.

Shaw said Our Redeemer approached B'Nai Emet about a year and a half ago to see if the temple wanted to take over the site. The Lutheran church wanted the building to be kept a holy site and knew the temple had been looking for a new place, Shaw said.

Rabbi Michele Paskow said the Bonita site is a great improvement over space the temple has been using on Industrial Street. B'nai Emet's new home will have more parking and office space, a bigger yard and better visibility since it is off Madera Road.

"We wanted to be more of a presence in the community and not have a place that was an industrial zone," she said. "This has a real sanctuary."

In an act of "passing on the mitzvah," B'Nai Emet's former industrial facility will be rented out to a Christian church, The Gathering Place, Paskow said.

For the Jewish congregation, having a permanent home is a dream come true, Shaw said.

"We're so excited," she said. "I can just cry thinking about it. I'm so happy."

Paskow agreed.

"My feeling is, in one word, ecstatic," she said. "It's a huge accomplishment. It's like buying a house, but this is a community house."

To celebrate, the temple will complete a Torah march this Sun., Nov. 2, starting at 11:30 a.m. at Tapo and Industrial streets. The temple's Torahs will be carried six miles to their new home on Bonita.

Shaw, who is coordinating the march, said it is traditional for the handwritten parchment scrolls to be carried from one home to another. During the walk, mostly down E. Los Angeles Avenue, B'Nai Emet members will get a chance to carry the scrolls while singing.

Once the marchers arrive at the new temple home, around 2:30 p.m., the celebration will continue with hanging the mezuzah, a performance by the temple choir and a dedication ceremony by Paskow, Cantor Michael Russ and temple president Earl Rosado.

Paskow said Sunday's celebration will help bring area attention to Simi's Jewish community.

"I think it's important to be able to say there is a Jewish synagogue that exists in Simi Valley that is a permanent home, not just a rental facility," Paskow said.

The first official service at the new temple will be for families, at 7 p.m. Fri., Nov. 7.

For more information on the synagogue or the Torah march, call (805) 581-3723 or visit www.congregationbnaiemet.org.