Renaming Berendo to Hubbard Way

The article regarding the renaming of Berendo Street to L. Ron Hubbard Way (Aug. 23) omits the reason that Hubbard should be honored and the reason the church initiated the petition over a year ago. The man is being honored for the work that he did as an educator, his breakthroughs in the field of drug rehabilitation and his other contributions to mankind. The Los Angeles Church of Scientology is making this request after celebrating our 40th anniversary and completing a full restoration of the original Church of Scientology.

We know that our neighbors benefit from the perimeter of safety the church provides them. The church has enjoyed its relationship with our neighbor to the north, Kaiser Permanente, and we have worked with the other two neighboring hospitals on disaster strategies, including countywide disaster drills. Our staff has reached out to neighborhood children with weekend programs and we continue to work to ensure the area is cleared of criminal elements.

CORY BRENNAN

Director of Community Affairs

Church of Scientology of L.A.

* What’s in a name anyway, asks your article. The address 415 S. Berendo St. represents lovely lawns and flowers surrounding a lovely building with four large three-bedroom apartments in which my mother, brother, my stepfather and I finally found the beginning of the American dream in May 1949. We were survivors of the Shoah and although we arrived in America in late 1947, it took that long to find a home for all of us at a time of housing shortages and kickbacks to apartment managers.

Berendo Street is my friends’ street, learning English, playing kick the can, buying ice cream bars from the Good Humor man and warm glazed doughnuts from the Helms man! Don’t take away this name, which means something that should remain in many people’s memory; even a segment of that street should not change name! Religion should be expressed in spiritual endeavors.

EVELINE COHEN LEISNER

Los Angeles