With homes still charred lots, Palisades fire survivors find solace in temple reopening

Kehillat Israel reopened for Shabbat services after being closed since Jan. 7, 2025, following a devastating Pacific Palisades fire. The synagogue did not burn, but it sustained significant smoke damage, requiring remediation alongside earlier revitalization work. Leaders credited revitalization planning and fundraising before the fires for enabling a faster return. About 230 congregation families lost their homes, and roughly 250 additional families were displaced. Steven Lewis, who co-chaired a renovation committee in 2022, described the project as an emotional anchor after his home burned. The reopening drew a full sanctuary and brought neighbors together for services, conversation, and children’s play in shared spaces.

"Kehillat Israel reopened for Shabbat services last week, becoming one of the first religious institutions in the Pacific Palisades to do so after the fire. Synagogue leaders credit revitalization plans and fundraising prior to the fires for speeding up its return - it also did not burn, with its post-fire recovery efforts focused on smoke damage."

"On Friday, the synagogue reopened after being closed since Jan. 7, 2025, following the devastating fire. Kehillat Israel didn't burn but suffered significant smoke damage. What had begun years ago as a revitalization project added a layer of remediation. It's now one of the first religious spaces to reopen in the Pacific Palisades since the fire swept through the neighborhood where more than 70% of its members lived."

"Lewis and his family are among the 230 Kehillat Israel (KI) families who lost their homes in the Palisades fire, including the congregation's two rabbis, with an additional 250 families who were displaced. Most, including Lewis, are in various stages of grappling with insurance, permits and construction, whether they have to rebuild from the ground up or salvage their homes by remediating damage caused by toxic smoke."

"When Steven Lewis volunteered to co-chair a renovation committee in 2022 for his Pacific Palisades synagogue, he had no idea that the project would become his emotional anchor when his home burned three years later. "It was something positive that I could focus on," Lewis said. "I don't know how I would have gotten through the past year and a half without this project.""

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