Mishkon Tephilo Conservative Synagogue

I’ve been meeting friends for holiday services at this synagogue for several years.
I enjoyed the services that I attended today. The volunteers are very welcoming and friendly when one enters the synagogue. I’m familiar with the area, so I didn’t have a hard time finding parking.
The Rabbi & Cantor make services very enjoyable. It’s very encouraging to see a mixture of ages, cultures & background at services.
I guess my biggest complaint would be how hot it is at services. I know that it takes a lot of money to put in air conditioning, but there must be some type of a solution to make it more tolerable. This was the first year that fans were passed out to those attending services. The windows & fans help a lot, but it’s hard to feel comfortable for a very long period of time.
All in all, a pleasant experience for holiday services.

I’ve been a member of Mishkon Tephillo for over 12 years. In that time the congregation as a whole and the individuals who comprise it have become very precious to me.
Rabbi Dan Shevitz has a brilliant mind and has a way of expressing himself that makes the most difficult teachings accessible. He has a cute sense of humor and often and patiently engages the congregants from the pulpit and in the social hall. Chanting with him is a delight — his is a beautiful and inspiring voice.
As might be expected for a shul in Venice — adjacent to Santa Monica and the Westside — the congregation is made up of very unique and sometimes colorful individuals that share a love and respect for the Jewish tradition and each other.
Attending and participating in Shabbat and holiday services as well as educational and social activities has become a meaningful and satisfying way of life for me.
The Mishkon «crowd» is very welcoming and I highly encourage people of all ages to come visit and stay!

This is a very welcoming synagogue. It isn’t often that you see a lot of diversity in a Conservative congregation, but this synagogue embodies Venice as much as it embodies Judaism. It is Conservative, so the services are mostly in Hebrew and there are no instruments, but it’s an enthusiastic group and the conversation during the Torah reading is lively and informative.
After most Saturday services, there’s a luncheon to which everyone is invited, which makes it really easy to get to know people.
The Religious School is small, but also embodies the same level of enthusiasm and ‘Venice’ spirit as the rest of the congregation. The group has field trips, cooking, art projects and other creative ideas to make learning about Judaism interesting and exciting for the children.
The Susan Sims Bodenstein Preschool has a great, and well-​deserved, reputation. It’s a warm, loving school that welcomes the children’s creative ideas and uses them for learning.
I really enjoy Mishkon and am happy that my family attends.

Mishkon is an egalitarian, down-​to-​earth, participatory synagogue with one of the warmest collections of people you will meet. On high holidays, the regulars are the ones who are dressed down, not dressed up, usually in white. Come on a regular shabbat, and people will welcome you. The preschool is terrific. There is room for everyone who wants to participate. The congregation is comprised of a lot of scholars, academics, and creative types, many of whom have strong Jewish knowledge and are very committed to the synagogue and to Jewish values. You won’t find moms dropping off soccer-​clad kids for junior congregation in yoga pants and coming back at noon to pick them up. Come for a shabbat or holiday and check it out.

yes, the Saturday morning crowd is over 45 for the most part, but very welcoming of younger folks. There seem to be some singles scattered about. That said, you might feel like a pioneer if you are a young single. The group seems open to anyone who has ideas, so if some singles wanted to form a chavurah or Shabbat dinner club, I’m sure it would be welcomed. There is a playground immediately adjacent to the place where services are held so a parent can still feel part of the service which is broadcast into the play area.
The synagogue is Conservative with lots of hearty community participation. Quite a knowledgeable crowd with some AJU students joining in.
very active BOOKCLUB, well respected pre-​school and lunch after services every Shabbat.
Basically a very warm, close, but very inclusive and welcoming congregation.

While shul shopping; no place is as welcoming as Mishkon.
Combined with the high level of communal knowledge and participation; we knew this was a place that we could grow and develop a stronger and more meaningful practice together.
The commuinity is the most inclusive and non judgemental group of people we have ever met. Deeply intrenched in tradition, Mishkon still allows for every personality within that tradition to allow itself a freedom of expression.
An eclectic mix of some the most colorful members you could find in a synagogue. No matter what level of observance you might find your self ready to take on, there is a place for you. There are no clicks to join, no closed door inner circles, no secret handshakes .
Rabbi Dan embodies the Mishkon spirit; a mixture of genteel warmth; a fountain head of knowledge; precise descernment; and an obtuse sense of houmor. Rabbi Dan does not mince his words — nor does he try to evoke a false sense of profundity. Honest and straight to the point with a quirky wit —
The Rabbi put it best when he explained to us :” Here at Mishkon, we take what we do seriously; but we do not take ourselves too seriously.”

Two notes before I begin my review:
1) Okay, I’ve started seriously going shul-​shopping in LA. So you’re about to see a bunch of reviews from me at various synagogues.
2) It’s really, really hard to review a synagogue. Because a lot of it depends on where you’re at in life, and what you’re looking for.
So, these things said, Mishkon is quite a lovely Temple (I think nicer looking during the day than at night, but most of Venice is). It’s completely community-​driven; the only paid person at Mishkon is the Rabbi.
The Shabbat morning service I attended was both Conservative and had this strong sense of its community. I was immediately invited to read Torah (not ready for that, yet), and made to feel really welcome. There were no instruments — all songs were created from the voices of the congregation, which I really enjoy. A very traditional service.
However, although everyone was extremely friendly and this Temple happens to be walking distance from my apartment, the community is, in general, much older. My theory is that because it’s community-​driven, it’s a lot of retirees, and stay-​at-​home parents who have the time. I know they have a preschool, but not sure about other grades.
I hope this little review helps someone else out new to the neighborhood and looking for a synagogue!