By Juan Markos
Beverly Hills, California (The Hollywood Times) 03/18/2024
I attended the shared heritage Shabbat service on Friday, March 15, 2024.
I wasn’t sure of what to expect, it was at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, and I was told there would be a choir performance, I love to attend Art and culture events, but this event wasn’t like any I had attended. I wouldn’t say that I’m a religious person, maybe more spiritual, but I found myself at a Shabbat service featuring the 35-member Greater Zion Church Family’s Award-winning Voices of Destiny Gospel Choir Led by Minister of Music Brother Tim Davis.
It was like two religions in One, I had always heard how difficult it was to be part of the Jewish faith, I’ve studied Kabbalah which my Jewish friends have always told me is nothing like the actual Jewish faith, I had heard things about men and women being separated at the temples, that there were two doors and service was always separate, and that non-Jewish people were not welcomed, So maybe I disregarded the words Shabbat and Rabbi from press release assuming I would never make my way inside a temple, surprise, surprise, I found myself at a temple, for a Shabbat service which is Mass for the Jewish people.
I’m assuming this is a very liberal Temple since it welcomes all and even welcomed The greater Zion Church of Compton CA, and its 35-member choir, The evening started with a Shabbat service and prayer The choir was spectacular, It was interesting nonetheless, I tried to get into the spirit of things, take it all in, although it did feel like I was at a church.
Ms. Michel Ohana a survivor of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack at the Nova music festival in Israel was present and shared her story, she described the incident, and it was so heartfelt and scary, she described how she felt and what she experienced.
Here is a video of Michel Ohana:
The last year she was living in Portugal, she arrived in Israel to visit family and friends who invited her to a party, she went with two friends Tom and Ben, but she went back home only with one, Tom, 6:30a.m. they launched a rocket, and she stayed in the car till eight in the morning, then the Terrorist came, and she began to run, she found refuge under an Army tank for seven hours, then the Hamas terrorist shot her in the leg and stomach, but she survived and she says she’s here today and is sharing her story because three of her friends were kidnapped by GAZA. She said “I’m here because I want you to help me share my story and tell the world the truth about what happened on October 7th and we need to do all to bring them home, not yesterday, not tomorrow but today.”
The service was conducted by Rabbi David Baron, founding Rabbi of the Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theater and it also Honored Cantor Ilysia J. Pierce on her 25th Anniversary as The Temple’s Cantor, she had a beautiful voice and made the evening very festive. Before joining the temple staff Pierce appeared in the first national tour of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre, founded by Rabbi David Baron and incorporated on November 5, 1992, is the largest arts and entertainment synagogue in the United States and owns the historic Saban Theatre located at 8440 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, CA 90211.
For further information about this event and the temple, please call 323-658-9100 and visit www.bhtota.org
Other Service Participants included:
- Rabbi David Baron, Founding Rabbi of the Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre
- Dr. Michael J. Fisher, Senior Pastor of Greater Zion Church Family from Compton, CA
- The 35-member Award-winning Voices of Destiny Gospel Choir led by Minister of Music, Brother Tim Davis, from Greater Zion Church Family.
- Cantor Ilysia J. Pierce, who will be celebrating her 25th Anniversary a Cantor of the Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre.
- Sharon Farber, Music Director of the Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre.
- Brian Weinstock, President of the Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre.
- James Blatt, Former President of the Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre.
- Actor Michael Bell.
