Friends of Mishkon — germinating a support organization

DURING THIS YEAR of the 75th anniversary of our historic sanctuary building, the time seems ripe for a Friends of Mishkon organization to emerge.

Friends of Mishkon would enable our former members, their families, denizens of Venice, and others to channel their good wishes for Mishkon in support of restoring our historic building. And it would enable that building to receive the loving attention that it deserves from more than just our current synagogue membership. It’s a win-win proposition.

Below the jump, this post outlines what this support organization might look like…

How to reduce bad behavior behind our marquee sign

IN ORDER TO REDUCE how often local unhoused residents pee and poop specifically behind our marquee sign, let me recommend that we mount this image on the back of the sign (where it would be hidden from the street).

(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

There’s good reason to think this measure would make a difference. And if, as a result, Ruben won’t need to hose off the flagstone steps so often, it will not only be easier on him, and it will not only save water, but also the steps themselves will last much longer — reducing our long-term maintenance costs.

Below the jump, I cite the scientific basis for my suggested approach.…

How to fund the purchase of new High Holy Day maḥzorim

IN THE PROCESS of research what is the highest and best use for kosher Torah scrolls that Mishkon is not immediately using (a subject for another day), I came across a way to finance the replacement of our synagogue’s outdated maḥzorim with the Conservative movement’s newer (2010) edition — namely Maḥzor Lev Shalem, edited by Rabbi Ed Feld. 

In order for this Torah scroll to be usable again,
this passage had to be patched in 4 places.
(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

Given that acquiring such prayer books has been high on our synagogue’s wish list for some years now, let me share what I just learned. It involves certain of the Torah scrolls in our possession, and ironically it relies upon their status as imperfect and otherwise unusable.…

Mishkon as a landmark: Report summary

THIS POST gives you access to my 4-page summary of the Historic Structure Report (2003), a still-valuable yet little-known work that was prepared for Mishkon by a cadre of experts. Click HERE for the PDF file.

(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

Below the jump, I briefly describe the significance of the original report and of the new summary.…

About our sanctuary’s architecture (from the 2003 Historic Structure Report)

OUR TWO-STORY sanctuary building is one of the few remaining examples in Los Angeles of the Classical Revival style that was commonly used in the design of Jewish houses of worship through the 1940s. Its façade expresses the pride of Mishkon Tephilo’s members at the time: a dignified presence on Main Street that was also modest.

Architect’s early rendering
(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

This post interprets our temple in terms of the broader issues faced by many urban Jewish communities of that era. Its words are excerpted from the 2003 Historic Structure Report, and lightly edited for brevity.

What Do We Stand For? Preserving Local Aspirations and Traditions (5783 Galim article)

CLARIFYING WHAT WE PERSONALLY STAND FOR is a vital part of the High Holy Day season. Part of our answering that call can come from being a member of Mishkon. And part of what membership means is that together we wear the mantle of our local predecessors. 

Ocean Front Walk, 1927
(courtesy of westland.net/venicehistory)

Temple Mishkon Tephilo is both a product and a symbol of the longstanding Jewish presence in Venice and Ocean Park. So it seems timely for me to briefly recap some highlights of that local history.

UPDATE: When is the right time to replace a water heater?

ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, in a post HERE (2/14/22), I discussed the principle that special measures ($$) are warranted whenever there’s a premium placed on the reliability of services. I used the example of the water heater that supplies hot water to our school/office building — which houses our burgeoning preschool. 

It now appears that I had picked a very good illustration for this principle of facilities management. This week, I received a strongly worded email from each of the two main figures behind our preschool. The present post takes note of their express desire — namely, that our synagogue do whatever it takes to avoid disruptions of the preschool’s scheduled days of operation.

Standing Behind the Inconvenient Truths

TO SPEAK about Mishkon’s facilities maintenance needs, I must claim my role as the purveyor of inconvenient truths. Because it’s so easy for most of us to ignore such needs, or put them off, let me spell out my basic approach…

When is the right time to replace a water heater?

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" That's a standard guideline for many things in life. Normally it applies to water heaters, as well. But as you know, in contemporary society many items are replaced as a matter of course before they actually break. For example, aircraft engine turbine blades. And the timing belt on the engine of your car. Why? Because they are considered critical parts. If they fail, the whole system may go down — in some cases, literally. 

In this post, I will discuss a case in which a water heater appears to be a critical part — and therefore warrants replacement even before it fails.

Facilities Management and Restoration as a Spiritual Practice

Originally published in the High Holy Days 5782 issue of the Galim (Sept. 2021)

YOU MAY KNOW the famous story from the Talmud of Babylonia (Ta‘anit 23a) in which a prominent sage, Rabbi Yohanan, relates the following tale:

 

Once Honi the Circle-maker was walking on the road

and saw a man planting a carob tree.

Honi said: “You know a carob tree takes 70 years to bear fruit;

are you so sure that you will live 70 years so as to eat from it?”

“I found this world provided with carob trees,” the man replied,

“and as my forebears planted them for me,

so will I plant for my offspring.”