Grok says:
The history of Chabad in Los Angeles is a story of transformation, from a modest outpost of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement into one of its most dynamic and influential regional hubs. Rooted in the vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Chabad’s presence in LA reflects a blend of spiritual outreach, institutional growth, and adaptation to the city’s sprawling, diverse landscape. As of March 21, 2025, Chabad’s footprint in LA—spanning Pico-Robertson, the Valley, and beyond—stands as a testament to decades of strategic expansion and community-building.
Early Beginnings: 1960s
Chabad’s story in Los Angeles begins in 1965 when Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, a young emissary (shaliach) from Brooklyn, arrived at the Rebbe’s directive. The Rebbe, who assumed leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch in 1951, had a global vision to reach every Jew, no matter how assimilated, and California—then a Jewish frontier far from New York’s Hasidic strongholds—was a key target. Cunin, born in 1944 to a Crown Heights family, was tasked with planting Chabad’s flag on the West Coast. With his wife, Miriam, he settled in Westwood, near UCLA, opening the first Chabad House in 1969 at 741 Gayley Avenue. This modest operation—a rented space offering Shabbat meals, classes, and outreach—catered to students and secular Jews, embodying the Rebbe’s ethos of “Ufaratzta” (spread out).
The late 1960s were a fertile time: LA’s Jewish population, around 500,000 by then, was growing post-WWII, with many unaffiliated or Reform-leaning Jews ripe for Chabad’s warm, nonjudgmental approach. Early efforts included street outreach—think tefillin stands on campuses—and small gatherings, laying a foundation amid the counterculture wave.
Expansion in the 1970s
The 1970s marked Chabad’s first major growth spurt in LA. Rabbi Cunin, appointed director of Chabad of California, leveraged the Rebbe’s encouragement to multiply Chabad Houses. By 1972, he established a second center in Pico-Robertson at 1536 S. Robertson Blvd, a then-quiet area with a budding Orthodox presence. This move tapped into a shifting demographic—Persian and Ashkenazi Jews settling near kosher markets—and set the stage for Pico’s Orthodox boom. That year, Chabad also launched its first school, Bais Chaya Mushka, for girls, signaling a commitment to education alongside outreach.
The decade saw Chabad’s signature innovation: the Mitzvah Tank. Debuting in LA in 1974, these RV-like vehicles roamed streets, offering Jews a chance to lay tefillin or light candles—a mobile extension of the Rebbe’s vision. Meanwhile, Cunin’s family grew—eight sons would later become shluchim—mirroring the movement’s familial model. By 1979, Chabad of the Valley emerged under Rabbi Joshua B. Gordon, targeting the San Fernando Valley’s suburban Jews, a sign of geographic ambition.
1980s: Institutionalization and Telethon
The 1980s solidified Chabad’s infrastructure. In Pico-Robertson, the purchase of 8850 W Pico Blvd in 1981—now Bais Bezalel—became a flagship, designed as a replica of 770 Eastern Parkway, Chabad’s Brooklyn headquarters. This symbolized LA’s rising status within the movement. The neighborhood’s “kosher corridor” flourished, with Chabad opening multiple centers (e.g., Chabad Persian Youth) to serve diverse sub-groups.
A pivotal moment came in 1981 with the first Chabad Telethon, aired from LA. Conceived by Cunin and Rabbi Chuni Schwartz of the Chai Center, this star-studded fundraiser—featuring celebrities like Bob Dylan and Carroll O’Connor—raised millions for Chabad’s programs, from drug rehab (Chabad Residential Treatment Center, 1970s) to schools. By 1989, the telethon was a cultural phenomenon, cementing Cunin’s influence and Chabad’s financial base. That decade, Chabad of California boasted over 20 centers statewide, with LA as the nerve center.
1990s: Post-Rebbe Era and Valley Growth
The Rebbe’s death in 1994 tested Chabad globally, but LA’s momentum held. Cunin, now a veteran, leaned on the Rebbe’s legacy, pushing shluchim to expand independently while reporting to his Westwood hub. Pico-Robertson saw new outposts like Chabad of Mt. Olympus (1995), while Rabbi Gordon’s Chabad of the Valley grew to 10+ centers by 1999, serving 10,000 Jews with synagogues, mikvahs, and Cheder Menachem for boys. The Valley’s $10 million headquarters, planned in the late 1990s, reflected this scale.
Chabad’s adaptability shone: shluchim fundraised locally, tailoring programs to LA’s sprawl—beachside Shabbats in Santa Monica, Hollywood outreach via the Chai Center. The 1990s also saw Persian Chabad thrive, with Rabbi Hertzel Illulian leading efforts for Iranian Jews, a nod to LA’s diversity.
2000s–2010s: Dominance and Innovation
By the 2000s, Chabad was a juggernaut. Pico-Robertson alone had 11 centers by 2010, from Bais Bezalel’s four daily minyans to niche shuls like Chabad SOLA. The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), launched nationally in 1998, took root in LA, offering polished Torah courses from Westwood. In 2016, Chabad of the Valley opened its Encino headquarters, a capstone to Gordon’s 40-year tenure (he retired in 2020, passing in 2023).
The telethon evolved into a digital-age spectacle, raising $8 million in 2015, while real estate moves—like Cunin’s 2018 plan for a mixed-use complex at 9016 Pico Blvd—showed Chabad’s economic savvy. By 2019, Chabad of California listed 79 centers, with LA’s share (40+) dominating, serving an estimated 30,000–40,000 Jews.
2020s: Resilience and Legacy
The COVID-19 pandemic tested Chabad’s model, but LA’s shluchim pivoted—Zoom classes, outdoor minyans, and food drives kept them relevant. In 2025, Rabbi Zushe Cunin’s leadership during the Palisades Fire (evacuating a preschool) highlighted the next generation’s role. Today, Chabad’s influence spans LA’s Orthodox core (Pico, Hancock Park) to its fringes (Cheviot Hills, UCLA), with schools, camps, and addiction programs.
Key Milestones
1965: Rabbi Cunin arrives, seeds Westwood Chabad.1972: Pico-Robertson foothold; first school opens.
1981: Telethon debuts; Bais Bezalel established.
1994: Post-Rebbe growth under Cunin’s stewardship.
2016: Valley headquarters opens, cementing regional power.
Why It Worked
Chabad thrived in LA due to the Rebbe’s vision, Cunin’s tenacity, and a decentralized yet cohesive shaliach system. Its appeal—open doors, no membership fees, Hasidic warmth—resonated with LA’s eclectic Jews, from Hollywood elites to Persian immigrants. Unlike insular Hasidic groups, Chabad embraced the city’s car culture and media landscape, turning outreach into an art form.
By 2025, Chabad in Los Angeles isn’t just a movement—it’s a network of mini-empires, led by Cunin and his heirs, shaping Jewish life from the Valley to the coast. Its history is one of persistence, turning a frontier into a fortress of faith.
