For over 95 years, Beth Jacob Congregation has been a beacon of Jewish tradition on the West Coast.
Founded by just a few original members, it has since expanded to become the largest Orthodox synagogue in the region. Despite this growth, Beth Jacob remains deeply connected to its roots; families of 3rd and 4th generations and its newer members have kept alive many of the traditions instilled by its founders. This timeless connection makes Beth Jacob an enduring symbol of Jewish culture and history.
In 1925 a group of 33 people decided that Jews who lived in the West Adams section of Los Angeles needed a synagogue with a Talmud Torah and social center close to their homes. This small group chose the name West Adams Hebrew Congregation. The new congregation purchased a lot at the corner of West Adams Street and Hillcrest Drive. By the following year women of the congregation organized a sisterhood. In 1928, the congregation dedicated its first building. Originally, it was organized as a conservative synagogue, with some calling it “semi-orthodox.” Over the years, the West Adams Jewish Community grew, as did the synagogue. Services and Torah studies for adults were held daily. Rabbi Nathan Addelson joined the congregation in 1933 and remained until 1938. In 1938 a newly ordained Rabbi from the Hebrew Theological College of Chicago, Simon Dolgin a"h, followed Rabbi Addelson and led the congregation.
