There are three lawsuits back and forth between the Mischels (caterers) and Young Israel of S. Beverly Hills (on Pico and Shenandoah). The latest was the Mischels trying to evict the shul from what they claim is their property. For some reason, I can’t find that damning Los Angeles Times artic...

Until I was 20, I used to go to church almost every Sabbath. I never recall security guards. Yet I have almost never been to a shul on Shabbat that did not have a security guard. Here’s the email from YICC: Dear Members, In light of the situation in Israel, we will be extra cautious this Shabb...

Mumbai attack victims remembered on Long Island BY LAURA RIVERA December 22, 2008 Reb Nachman Holtzberg said he knows no words to express his grief at the violent death of his son. Yet, at a West Hempstead memorial yesterday for the victims of the Mumbai terror attacks, Holtzberg found a way to urge...

Joe emails: Hey Luke, I am a big fan of your blog. I was hoping you have updates/information on the following stories you posted. 1). David Mazlin - last you posted he pleaded guilty in court and is now listed on the Megan’s Law website as an official sicko/ sexual predator. Is his wife still ...

Dec. 4. Watch here. Temple Israel (My previous interviews with Laurie.) Laurie: "I was talking to Luke Ford. He has a great blog. He was interviewing me for Good Frog. We were talking about stereotypes… You can identify. So much of what I write has to do with New York. That’s why I ...

Mark writes on Hirhurim about Modern Orthodoxy (MO): I’ve encountered numerous people who claim that they’re MO and while sometimes they share similarities, many times they’re worlds apart. For example, I recently encountered a young man and his wife in a park where I took my child...

Joe emails: The infighting among Orthodox shuls in L.A. is really an embarrassment. Young Israel of North Beverly Hills is a total train wreck and a textbook example of what happens when ego is mixed with money and control issues. Shaarey Zedek in the Valley is splintering faster than a corked bat, ...

From my live cam chat: ChaimAmalek:  My theory is that either Luke is a kept man, or he is dealing in drugs at shul. ChaimAmalek:  After all, Luke never writes about drug dealing in shul, which means that either it does not exist, or he is himself a dealer ChaimAmalek:  That’s w...

Oct. 9, 2008 Dear Friends: I am now in the Boston, Massachusetts region for church & street evangelism. All is going well. Last night was the beginning of the rabbinic holiday, Yom Kippur, the "Day Of Atonement." But Judaism has no priesthood and no atonement apart from the sacrifice of the G...

They’ve halted construction of their new building. They’re fighting amongst themselves. There’s talking of selling their new plot of land and partially constructed building to a Sephardic shul. The place has fallen apart since Rabbi Sholom Tendler left. YINBH are a bunch of rich pe...