In 1904 a small group began meeting for religious study. They called themselves Congregation Talmud Torah. They were primarily a Hebrew school but also used the space as a synagogue. This was the humble beginning of the Breed Street Shul.
For years they rented space downtown at 114 Rose Street. But as the Jewish community in Los Angeles grew and shifted eastward to Boyle Heights the congregation moved too. They purchased a house on Breed and First Streets using it as a temporary shul. By 1914 the Rose Street location was unsustainable. The members merged with the Breed Street group.
In 1915 a significant milestone occurred. They purchased a lot two blocks north. They commissioned a wood-framed building. This marked the true establishment of the Breed Street Shul as we know it. The original structure was designed by O M Warner and constructed by Bornstein & Cohn. It wasn’t long before this building proved too small.
By 1923 the congregation had outgrown its initial building. It needed a larger more permanent space. A new synagogue was constructed. This was designed by the architectural firm Edelman and Barnett. The original wood structure was moved to the back of the property. The new brick structure opened in 1923. It featured impressive Byzantine Revival architecture with dichromatic brickwork intricate carvings and Stars of David.
The Breed Street Shul flourished. It became the largest Orthodox synagogue west of Chicago. It played a central role in the Boyle Heights Jewish community. The surrounding area buzzed with kosher businesses and shops catering to the community’s needs. The Breed Street Shul also housed the Los Angeles Jewish Academy and Mount Sinai Clinic. In 1945 Rabbi Osher Zilberstein opened the city’s first Jewish parochial elementary school within the Shul. In 1948 the Breed Street Shul hosted the first raising of the Israeli flag in Los Angeles.
After World War II the Jewish population of Boyle Heights began to disperse. Families moved to neighborhoods like West Fairfax District Beverlywood and Encino. Rabbi Zilberstein remained until his death in 1973. The Breed Street Shul however continued to operate. In the mid-1980s the main brick building was vacated due to seismic concerns. Services temporarily moved to the original wooden structure. By 1996 all services ceased. The buildings stood vacant.
Despite falling into disrepair the Breed Street Shul held historical significance. In 1988 it was designated a City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. The city eventually foreclosed on the property. However in 1998 Hillary Clinton visited as part of her Save America’s Treasures campaign. In 2000 the city transferred ownership to Breed Street Shul Project Inc. This organization a subsidiary of the Jewish Historical Society of Southern California plans to restore it. In 2001 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Breed Street Shul stands as a testament to the rich history of the Jewish community in Los Angeles. Its future as a museum and cultural center ensures its legacy will endure.