HANGOUTS : The Kosher, Bohemian Way to Schmooze

The energy was high. The appreciative audience roared with approval, swaying to the upbeat tunes from Providence--the band, that is.

The band’s long-haired male guitarist, sporting a yarmulke and payes (long, uncut sideburns) that are hallmarks of Orthodox Jews, sang spiritual messages to a hip mix of Sephardic Moroccan rhythms and rock ‘n’ roll.

It wasn’t your run-of-the-mill Saturday night concert at a smoke- and booze-filled nightclub. Instead, it was a lively quasi-religious performance at one of Melrose Avenue’s newest and perhaps most unlikely nightspots.

Cafe Shmooze, half a block from the Groundlings Theater and diagonally across the street from Spike’s Joint West, is a one-of-a-kind kosher Jewish hangout that opened in early November in the former 56 West nightclub.

On Saturday nights, the 2,800-square-foot facility functions as an alcohol-free club and coffeehouse, as on this recent evening the draw was Rabbi Daveed el Harar, a teacher of mysticism at Etz Jacob Congregation Annex in Los Angeles, who plays what he calls “redemption tunes.”

“It’s unique in L.A.,” said David Saelman of Westwood, who was at the concert. “It’s kind of like a bohemian Jewish experience.”

But Cafe Shmooze is more than just a club. It is a multipurpose Jewish center for families and singles, with myriad activities, including weekend retreats, singles events and lectures on contemporary issues.

“I saw a need in the Jewish community,” said founder Rabbi Chaim Dalfin, explaining why he started the cafe. “We’re trying to expose Judaism to Jews in a way that’s not threatening.

“There’s a negative aura that’s associated with organized religion. People have this notion that synagogue life is centered around dues and money.”

He added, “The other fear is that religion is very restrictive and old-fashioned and that it doesn’t deal with the contemporary world.” Dalfin is a Brooklyn native who came to Los Angeles nearly three years ago. He is a former director of Chabad of Marin County.

“I’ve created a place in which we can bring together the best of the two worlds. One is the world of Judaism, and the other is the world of entertainment.”

On Friday nights and Saturday mornings, the facility serves as a synagogue, with Shabbat services offered. Dalfin said his services incorporate a mystical focus in addition to lots of singing and explanations.

The cafe also houses a children’s playroom and a Jewish library and can be rented for Jewish celebrations.

And the center welcomes Jewish humor.

“I wrote a soap opera. It’s called ‘All My Children Don’t Call Me Anymore,’ ” said emcee and entertainment director Reuvane Russell during a brief comedy routine before introducing Providence.

As part of his skit, Russell read some quirky personal ads he created. Among them: “OJM (Orthodox Jewish male) seeks nice Jewish girl. OJF seeks nice Jewish boy. O.J. Simpson seeks nice alibi.”

Cafe Shmooze opened on July 4, 1993, in an 800-square-foot space at 7466 Beverly Blvd. Programs featured singer-songwriter Peter Himmelman, the band Rebbe Soul, comedian Zalman Rosenblum, and Robert Avrech, co-producer of “A Stranger Among Us.” Lecture topics ranged from homeopathy to dating to self-improvement via Chassidism.

During the opening weekend on Melrose in early November, entertainment included a concert with composer and recording artist Sam Glaser, who has been director and producer of the American Jewish Song Festival for the last three years.

“The new space is definitely more upscale and a little bit more on the cosmopolitan side,” Glaser said. “I like playing there because people go there to really listen and have a Jewish experience.”

Although Cafe Shmooze attracts many Orthodox Jews, Dalfin says that word has gotten out to the mainstream as well.

“It’s very warm and cozy here,” said Cafe Shmooze first-timer Terri Levin, a legal secretary from Park La Brea.

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Jeff Mann, an investor from Park La Brea, agreed. “It’s a neat place. It has potential to bring different groups of people together.”

On Friday and Saturday, Cafe Shmooze is scheduled to hold a weekend seminar, “All You Wanted to Know From a Chassidic Scientist,” led by Yaacov Brawer, a teacher of Chassidic philosophy and professor of anatomy, obstetrics and gynecology at McGill University School of Medicine in Montreal. The program will culminate with an informal New Year’s Eve gathering.

Cafe Shmooze is located upstairs at 7270 1/2 Melrose Ave. (the sign says Jewish Enrichment Center). Open most nights with various hours, and Sundays from 1 to 7 p.m. Cover is $6 on Saturday nights; admission varies on other nights. For information about upcoming programs, call (213) 954-1770.