During Spring, religious community flourishes in NELA

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St. Dominic Catholic Church in Los Angeles, CA. March 29, 2024. Tessa Burnett/The Occidental

Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park stands empty as Rabbi Alex Weisz clears away five large balloons from in front of the Ark. The balloons spelled out “Purim” — the name of a Jewish holiday that just passed. The synagogue, one of LA’s oldest, is quiet now, but will soon be busy again as Jewish community members gather to celebrate Passover.

Weisz said that Temple Beth Israel has experienced an 85% surge in membership over the past 9 months, prompting plans for a community fridge in Highland Park by its non-Orthodox members. He said that the synagogue’s vibrant, youthful, and diverse community is deeply committed to mutual aid initiatives and outreach programs.

“We have a lot of diversity, and it’s an exciting thing. It makes us better and stronger,” Weisz said. “It causes some tension, but that’s the beauty of being in community with other people.”

Temple Beth Israel is just one of many places of worship in the NELA community. For members of many different religions, the months of March and April hold extra significance. For Christians, the period of Lent ended in March, culminating in the celebration of Easter. In the same month, the Hindu festival of Holi was celebrated just a day after the Jewish holiday Purim. Ramadan started in early March and carries into April, where it is soon followed by Passover.

Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park and Eagle Rock in Los Angeles, CA. March 27, 2024. Tessa Burnett/The Occidental

With these holidays come festivities and ceremonies, but Weisz said that for him, the springtime feels no more special than any other time of year.

“The Jewish calendar is full of holidays, and so I don’t really associate this time of year with any additional sense of holiness,” Weisz said. “We’re fortunate to never be too far off from a celebration.”

Julia Carrigan (junior), who is the Diversity and Equity Board’s (DEB) Religious Life Liaison and also the president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), said that because of Ramadan, this time of year is sacred for Muslims.

“Practice is 24/7, all day every day, but community is a bit different. The air feels different [during Ramadan],” Carrigan said. “The intensity of community is like nothing else throughout the year.”

Carrigan said that while Occidental can exude a markedly secular atmosphere, students seeking involvement in religious communities have ample opportunities, supported by college funding. Specifically, she said MSA is providing meals four times a week throughout Ramadan this year. She also said that she works with on-campus organizations like the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (ORSL), Student Leadership, Involvement, & Community Engagement (SLICE) and the Intercultural Community Center (ICC) to provide students the resources they need for transportation to and from local places of worship.

Rosanna Valencia, a member of the staff at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in Eagle Rock, said that there are many special services held by St. Dominic’s during the Holy Week of Easter. Along with the more common Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday Masses, Valencia said that the church also celebrates the Filipino tradition of Salubong.

Before dawn on Easter Sunday, the congregation gathers outside of the church to celebrate Salubong by recreating a meeting between Jesus and his mother, Mary, before proceeding inside for the rest of the ceremony. Another special service, Tenebrae, involves the gradual dimming of candles within the church.

“You have to see it for yourself to really get into the mood,” Valencia said.

This year’s Holy Week, Passover and Ramadan come in the midst of a heightened atmosphere of religious and political tension, which Carrigan said makes religious community all the more important. Going forward, she said she hopes to see more students get involved with their religious community, both on and off campus.

“I’m sure that the collective pain that our campus is feeling is going to make [Ramadan events] have much more [of a] turnout,” Carrigan said.

Weisz mentioned Oxy Hillel, the on-campus Jewish organization, and said he hopes to see Occidental students at the synagogue more often.

Though Carrigan said she was incredibly thankful for the places of worship in the area and the religious community they provide, she also said that her faith does not depend on her proximity to a place of worship.

“All kinds of communities and peoples and buildings are going to come and go. But you always have God with you,” Carrigan said.

Contact Jay Ward at jward3@oxy.edu

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