Pasadena’s got a church just about everywhere you look. They’re in brightly painted houses obtrusive and un, strewn throughout residential neighborhoods and business districts, competing for attention with liquor stores, shopping malls and each other. If you’re a Christian, by gosh by golly and by god–sorry, er–God, we’ve got choices for you.

If you’re a Jew I hope you can find a home in one of only two local synagogues which, as far as I can tell, go quietly about the business of worship, service and Pasadena life.

I realize Chanukah isn’t a big Jewish holiday, but not everybody’s a Christian and I always look for signs that Christmas isn’t the only thing going on in December. There are a few small, shiny store displays of candles and paper plates. They weren’t all that interesting. What I hoped to find was something I had seen last year in the parking lot of Chabad of Pasadena at the corner of Walnut and Wilson. I was lucky. It was there. I hope they light a big candle in it tonight.

The Pasadena Jewish Temple has Hanukkah services today. Chabad of Pasadena will host a Family Chanukah Celebration at City Hall on Sunday from 3-5 PM.

For a truly lovely experience of the Jewish life day-to-day, visit Jerusalem Hills Daily Photo. There you’ll find Dina, a Chicago transplant, living a quite amazing life of study, contemplation, archaeology (most recently digging on the shores of the Sea of Galilee). Her

Read the Full Story at Pasadena Daily Photo

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