Gramercy Place Temple
The opening of the Gramercy Place Temple, originally home to the Mogen David Congregation, was overseen by Dr. Gershon Epstein on September 20, 1933. The clean, symmetrical lines, geometric patterns and decorative elements used by architect David Carthage Coleman are archetypes of Art Deco design. The synagogue was built by contractor Samuel J. Fishkin in the Harvard Heights area of Los Angeles. In 1957, the congregation moved to a new location on Pico Boulevard. The synagogue was repurposed into the Church of Divine Guidance, a non-denominational Black Christian congregation. The church closed in 2020 following the retirement of its pastor. Preservationist Regina O’Brien and her husband Hardy Wronske purchased the property and undertook a restoration and renovation that took three years. The LA Conservancy awarded Gramercy Place Temple a 2025 Preservation Award.
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
Photographer: John Bare
