Jewish Downtown, a Guide
A unique aspect of Downtown is the sheer diversity of the Jews who are here.
There is the Persian community who dominate the jewelry district and make up a segment of the fashion district. There are the Israelis who are in the fashion district and party in the Historic Core. There are the American Ashkenazi workers who congregate in the law firms and consultancies and civic institutions. There are the students of USC. There are those on the margins.
One thing I’ve learned is that generally, these people don’t know each other. Downtown is fragmented in its little quarters which transform from block to block into completely different worlds and social scenes. It’s what keeps the place mysterious and massive, but also painfully unable to advocate for itself in moments of crisis. Downtown is only recently making communal groups like the Residents Association which represent the spectrum of smaller neighborhoods, neighborhoods as diverse as Skid Row and South Park (I mean, ahem, the Social District), Little Tokyo and Bunker Hill. But bridging the Jewish cultural divides is a project only just beginning.
I’ve been keeping tabs on the different Jewish businesses that have been popping up, with the dream to make a directory for “Jewish Downtown.” Jewish Downtown as a concept is a strange one as far as ethnic tourism goes because the Jewishness of Downtown is extremely deep historically, but there are no obvious markers of any of it. The Jewish history of Downtown is best found in books, maps and directories from before the 1970s. The living Jewish Downtown of today is found in mysterious nooks and crannies, far from prying eyes. Perhaps the only obvious sign of Jewish Downtown is the newest store in the Boichik Bagels chain, which just perched itself up at the ground floor of the Bradbury Building across the street from Grand Central Market.
I want to present a rough draft of this guide, this directory, so that I can come back to it later and make it more elaborate, more verified and more detailed. The truth is that the number of Jewish-owned businesses is actually massive; the fabric shops and law firms may end up being legion, but the Jewish food and culture and religion corners are sparse and the real starting point to all of this.
SHULS
There are four shuls Downtown, each of which serve a fairly different purpose. There used to be a minyan in City Hall, but that has since gone away according to my sources.
Chabad of Downtown
Chabad has been in Downtown for decades. Their main event, at least in the recent past, has been their Pesach seders at the Alexandria ballroom. We’ve met many people who go there, but not yet the rabbi. (I just sent him an email about collaborating on this Jewish Downtown idea). They meet for services Saturday mornings at 10 am on 1035 S. Olive Street near South Park. From my understanding, they used to also be in a Historic Building on an upper floor, but their new address is on a leafy street on the ground floor.
The Jewelry District Minyans
These are weekday afternoon services that meet in two different Jewelry District buildings on upper floors. They are managed by the Persian Orthodox Jews who work there. I was just told that one of them meets twice in case you need to catch the later Minchah! I won’t give away their exact locations, and I haven’t been there yet, but I look forward to reporting back and ideally learning a little Farsi in the process.
Der Nister
That’s us! Also, you’ll see us again in another section of this guide, for the bookstore.
USC Hillel
This is for USC students, but I’m looking forward to seeing it. Especially now that USC is finally liberated from the security checkpoints that plagued the place for the last few years. Hillel celebrates Friday nights and holidays.
Chabad USC
There are kosher food options here, and I believe there may be kosher food now at the USC Cafeterias. Chabad USC celebrates Friday nights, Saturday mornings and holidays.
RESTAURANTS
This category is kind of a grab bag, a spectrum if you will. There is a restaurant here run by an Israeli that is not called Israeli and is not kosher. There are a couple Israeli restaurants that are not kosher. There is a kosher Israeli/Moroccan food truck. And so on and so forth.
Boichik Bagels
Founder and CEO Emily Winston couldn’t get a good bagel in the Bay Area, so she went all in and did it herself. She made a chain of high quality bagels that exploded in popularity, and then went to expand to Southern California. The first store here opened in Los Feliz, but we are honored by the second one showing up in Downtown, across the street from Grand Central Market. The bagels and bialys (!) are certified kosher, but the shmears are not. The inside story is that she was not willing to soap the greens that are part of the shmears — a chumra (legal restriction) if I’ve ever heard of one. We’re looking to serve the bagels for Shabbat mornings going forward, the contract is still in process, stay tuned.
Michael’s
Michael just opened up his glatt kosher fleishig stand right on the south edge of Pershing Square. He told me that there used to be four other kosher places in Downtown, but they’ve since disappeared, leaving him and Holy Grill. Being Persian himself and embedded in the Jewelry District, he knows his market — but he’s been involved in other local ventures, including working in the Garment District. The Pastrami sandwich I got was decent enough, but more importantly, it was two blocks away from Der Nister and it was kosher meat. Also, he sells some kosher snacks. It’s open from 10 to 5 on weekdays.
Holy Grill
You might see Holy Grill’s kosher foodtruck at Grand Park or roving around for special occasions, but most of the time it’s parked at a lot on Venice and Broadway, butting up to the 10 freeway. They are open from 10 to 4:30 most of the week and close at 3 on Friday. As opposed to Michael’s, which hews more closely to Ashkenazi deli classics, Holy Grill is not terribly different from what you might get in Israel — pargiot, merguez, schnitzel. It’s all fantastic. As a matter of fact, there is some sort of challah based sandwich they sell on Fridays that I really want to try, can’t remember what it was. We order their special Moroccan Fish whenever we do Kabbalat Shabbat, so don’t miss that.
Miznon
Chef Eyal Shani is a celebrity in Israel and has a chain of Miznons (“cafeteria”), Israeli street-food places around the world, including a kosher branch in Brooklyn. I can only speak for the vegetarian offerings, but what I’ve had ranks in the top few foods I’ve ever had in my life. His great love is perfecting cauliflower. How do I know? The artwork above the stall is a series of “handwritten” essays in Hebrew and English describing his intricate and intense philosophy of food. Rabbi Rosenfeld also pointed out to me that he’s a judge on Israeli Master Chef, which is an enjoyable watch. You can find Miznon in the Grand Central Market, where it’s open from 11 to 9 pm daily. I go there whenever I have a little bit of extra money, really want some Israeli beer, need to impress someone, or just need the best damn pita of my life.
Bavel
Speaking of Israeli all-star chefs, Chef Ori Menashe created Bavel, Hebrew for Babylon, a destination restaurant in the Arts District. Despite the name, or maybe suggestive of the name, Bavel focuses on pan-Middle Eastern cuisine.I haven’t tried it yet, but I pass it all the time when I sit down to work at the neighboring Verve Cafe. One day I’ll try some fish there.
Mazal
Mazal, on the northern edge of Chinatown, in what is more properly called Lincoln Heights, is a vegan Israeli restaurant. It’s been known to host a few informal Der Nister social gatherings, but also, Nefesh has a Torah study group that meets there. Every aspect of the place was built by hand by the owner and his family, and it’s truly a beautiful dive into some alternative Israeli art indoors and a rustic patio outdoors, and has great Hillel quoted painted on its street-facing wall, great for selfies. The Babaganoush is truly magnificent, but so is everything else. On occasion, they also host Jewish meals for various holidays. It’s open from 5 to 9 pm from Wednesday to Thursday, 5 to 10 Friday and Saturday, and 5 to 8 on Sunday.
The Exchange Restaurant
Back before Oct. 7th, this restaurant on 8th and Olive based in the Freehand advertised itself as Israel fusion, but since then, they’ve backed away into a Mediterranean description. The menu is not as Israeli centric as it used to be, but still has plenty of Israeli items on it. I’ve never been, but it’s there! They have lunch from 11:30 to 2:30 Monday through Thursday, and dinner from 6 to 10 pm from Thursday to Sunday. The space they are in is kind of surreal, it’s worth just peaking in.
The Bagel Broker
Down in South Central on San Pedro, just a bit south of the 10, lies a bagel wholesaler originally in the Fairfax District. I believe we once took them up on a large bagel order. Their retail joint is all the way in West Hollywood, but you can put up individual bagels fresh down there.
Florentin
It’s the rooftop bar down the street from Der Nister! It’s owner is not Jewish but made the fun choice of picking the cool neighborhood in Tel Aviv to name it after. A very nice place — it’s emerging as a hot spot for nightlife and community gathering. Enter on Spring Street through the back alley, and after you get past the bouncer, head up the elevator. It’s Jewish in the sense of its name and that it’s adjoined to an event space owned by an Israeli.
PLACES OF INTEREST
Hollander Books
Yes, it’s the bookstore that Der Nister is located inside of. Go browse it!
Tomer Peretz Gallery
Israeli artist Tomer Peretz holds down his eponymous gallery with very intense Jewish themes. I’ve peaked through the window at an intricate Tree of Life, but haven’t been in there yet.
Sugihara Statue
The Japanese diplomat who saved many Jewish families from Lithuania, including my own, during World War Two, is sitting holding a passport on a bench near the Starbucks in Little Tokyo. The stone next to him quotes the Talmud on “saving a life, saving a universe.” Not in the greatest shape, a common problem for statues in Little Tokyo.
Haas Hotel
The hotel on the corner of 7th and Spring has been in the hands of the Meyzel family for a long time. A great place to stay if you’re looking to visit; we’ve been slowly getting to know the family, originally immigrants from Belarus. Also has a pleasant lobby bar where you may meet a Meyzel!
Flower District
The history here is massive — once a center of Sephardic Jewish life. Little monuments to its past can be seen: Kotel flowers on I believe San Pedro, and a giant plaque in the middle of one massive indoor marketplace of an Ashkenazi family who used to have a stall there. It’s also just worth seeing, a really fragrant and colorful experience.
Fashion District
A special shoutout to Ninja Stitch Clothing in the Arts district for their work on Der Nister’s merch; I found them by finding the owner’s father holding down a fabric shop in the heart of the Fashion District. Many shops there are Persian or Israeli owned. We’ll never forget buying rugs for Der Nister from one importer, and the shopkeeper immediately asking “for Beit Knesset?” Yes, yes these rugs are for a synagogue.
Jewelry District
Just worth strolling through for a slice of an old-fashioned high-hustle Persian Jewish life. I hope to fill out the places to especially see in a future guide.
DTLA Bikes
The bike shop on Broadway are run by, as far as I understand, proud Jews who lay a mezuzah on their door and sometimes paint a Chanukkiah on their front window. Possibly a great place to get a bike.
Hebrew Union College
We have a local rabbinical school! You can visit their Jewish library from 9 to 5, Monday to Thursday.
USC Shoah Foundation
The famous Holocaust center is open for monthly viewings on the USC campus.
Grand Park
Grand Park, aside from being a great public park, also these iconic art pieces proclaiming that the Park is the Park for everyone. It has both Hebrew and Yiddish versions of the statement on these pylons.
Peace on Earth Sculpture
The Jewish artist Jacques Lipshitz made this sculpture and placed it at the crown of the Music Center plaza.
Los Angeles Central Library
Outside of the library on its north side are a series of quotes from different cultures. The Jewish one is about the black fire and white fire that one of our Sages sees as he is burned to death by the Romans, an interesting find. Aside from that, the library has many,many Jewish books, books in Hebrew and Yiddish, and events especially during Jewish American Heritage Month (sometimes featuring yours truly) at their meeting rooms and auditoriums.
EPILOGUE
This list is not even close to exhaustive. There are Jewish-owned event spaces that feature Jewish events, venues that have acts of Jewish interest, and many, many stores owned and operated by Jews. But you’ve got to start somewhere.
Take a look at my (incomplete, but will update) Google Map list here.
Read more about the historical landmarks of Downtown from this 2011 Jewish Journal article here. You'll learn about the various landmarks, like the Los Angeles Theater and the Tower Theater (currently the Apple store), that were designed by Jewish architects.
