The excitement in the room was palpable on the evening of June 11th at the BAR Center at the Beach Groundbreaking Celebration in Venice Beach. The standing-room only crowd consisted of the project’s major funders and community members, as well as Councilmember Mike Bonin. Formerly known as the Israel Levin Center, the BAR Center at the Beach will be the most compelling and innovative intergenerational destination for Jewish life in Los Angeles.
Jay Sanderson, President & CEO of Jewish Federation Los Angeles, said, “This day has been a dream for a long time. The Federation is extremely grateful to all those who helped bring this project to fruition. The BAR Center at the Beach will be a beacon of Jewish life, dynamic programming, and more for all generations.”
Councilmember Mike Bonin shared, “This room has a lot of spirit, this room has a lot of heart, and those are here in abundance. Those are strong and those are vital. But the bones need some work. The bones are not strong enough to hold the heart and to hold the spirit of this facility or to hold the vision. I am so excited by the beauty of the planned structure and by the beauty of the vision for this to be a multigenerational community center where seniors and toddlers spend some time together. Where there are yoga classes. Where the community is really engaged with part of this incredible facility. The new BAR Center at the Beach on the Venice boardwalk will be an exceptional upgrade for the neighborhood.”
Renowned architect Hagy Belzberg (and Belzberg Architects) designed the state-of-the-art renovation project. A naming contribution by Bennett and Allison Rosenthal, a lead gift from Randy and Susan Snyder, as well as significant investments from an array of community leaders, brought this dream to reality. As Bennett and Allison Rosenthal stated, “We are excited to be a part of an innovative addition to the Jewish landscape in Los Angeles. We look forward to the creative Jewish engagement, learning, and socializing that will take place at The BAR Center at the Beach and the positive impact it will have on the Jewish community for generations to come.”
Construction will begin in the second half of 2018 and is expected to be a 16-month project. We look forward to sharing its progress and welcoming you at our renovated space soon to experience the endless possibilities and opportunities for rich cultural and spiritual engagement across generations.
