The Westwood Kehilla is doing all sorts of fundraising to try to get it done.
From Kehilla.org: "Under the leadership of Rabbi Asher Brander the Kehilla continues to expand upon its tradition of classes and numerous community activities throughout Los Angeles. We are home to two very vibrant minyanim; the Ashkenazi minyan led by Rabbi Brander, and the Sephardic minyan under the auspices of Rabbi Mordechai Lebhar, who in addition serves as the Rosh Kollel of the LINK Kollel."
Rabbi Brander is one of YULA’s best rabbis. He develops a loyal following among his students. Rabbi Brander makes the important point that unless you establish a close relationship with a rabbi, you’re unlikely to grow in your Judaism.
A shul needs to have an annual budget of $250,000 these days to afford a full-time rabbi. People expect more from their rabbis these days. They want marital counseling and personal counseling and the like. Rabbis are fielding calls at 10 p.m. about whether meat is kosher if it fell in milk dishes.
A shul needs 150 member families to afford a full-time rabbi. Rabbis expect to make over $100,000 a year (with benefits). Most rabbis have a lot of kids and must send them to Jewish day schools.
Young Israel of Century City is lucky for many reasons with its rabbi Elazar Muskin, among them that he also runs the shul. YICC does not need an executive director. They get one in Rabbi Muskin.
Is the Westwood Kehilla Modern Orthodox? If so, it is the only Modern Orthodox shul in Los Angeles that is an outreach shul. Aside from it, all the outreach shuls are haredi.
The Westwood Kehilla is the first Orthodox shul I attended in Los Angeles. I’ve gone to countless Shabbat dinners and study sessions there (though not often in the past ten years).
