We decided to take advantage of Leo Baeck’s final outdoor summer Shabbat service before LA’s frigid winter begins (an icy 67 degrees...brrr!). This homey outdoor service takes place in a sukkah-like outdoor chapel, and you’d never guess that the country’s busiest freeway (we hate you, 405) is right across the street. The outdoor space is surrounded by palm trees, flowers, and urban wildlife; locals report sighting mountain lions, snakes, and one lone deer... sounds Biblical to us.
Based on our past experience as the only two young-and-happening people in LA who go to Shabbat services, we’ve come to expect red carpet treatment upon our arrival. Leo Baeck delivered. We didn’t even have time to make it to the bathroom before being snatched up by the warm-spirited temple President, Lori, who was kind enough to share her blanket with these ill-prepared visitors who were caught off-guard by that Bel Air breeze.
The service itself was led by a tag team of two rabbis and one guitar (previously owned by Jewish music legend Debbie Friedman! Only in LA.). The rabbis led us in pretty, modern versions of standard Friday night jams, followed by a brief Torah study sesh. Lauren was into it. Jessica had flashbacks to AP English and wondered aloud when we would get back to the singing and clapping.
The rest of the evening was an emotional roller coaster. After we finished hitting “the Book,” a classy older couple joined the rabbis on stage for a heartfelt blessing before their wedding. Lauren had an unsavory display of emotion, completely inappropriate given that she didn’t know the couple from Adam and Eve. No one should cry like that for complete strangers, even if they are classy. After sopping up Lauren’s tears with Lori’s fleece blanket, we hit up the stacked pre-matrimonial oneg for some decaf and pastries. In this town, you just never know who you’re gonna meet over rugelach. Our Shabbat prayers were answered when we got a free (and technically unsolicited) session with a self-proclaimed “life coach to the stars.” At Leo Baeck, we truly felt like the fresh Jewish-American princesses of Bel Air.
Chai-lights:
1. Beautiful outdoor oasis
2. Insta-family
3. Impromptu life coaching.
Kvetches:
1. Too far for us to schlep on a regular basis.
2. Decaf coffee. What’s the point?
3. All the crying, and it wasn’t even Yom Kippur. WTF?
Total Bagels: 4.5
You two are hilarious.
ReplyDelete