"Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Koreatown. Opening in 1853 as the first synagogue in Los Angeles; it was built in to serve european Jews who had emigrated to the West Coast. After a piece of the ceiling collapsed in 2013, the temple got a massive renovation, which included a complete restoration of the incredible sanctuary dome and its oculus, as well as the intricate murals depicting Jewish history (funded by the Warner Brothers and painted by set designer Hugo Ballin), the 24-foot-diameter stained glass window at the back of the sanctuary, the 30-foot-long spicebox chandeliers, and an enormous organ (which has been called "the most important organ in the West by people who know about organs). Wilshire Boulevard Temple also commissioned artwork from contemporary heavyweights like Jenny Holzer and Marina Abramovic. The newly renovated structure is state of the art and aims to provide a gathering place for cultural life and social events for the diverse neighborhood - including a preschool, dental care, eye care, medical center and banquet space cater to the surrounding community."
