Mormon Archives Offer Jews a Look Into Their Pasts

A Jewish tour of the Mormon Temple in Los Angeles in search of genealogical roots is planned Thursday by the University of Judaism.

“Jews, almost as much as Mormons, it seems, are into genealogy,” tour guide and Jewish history instructor Jerry Freedman Habush said. “For Jews, it’s simply a matter of looking for roots. Jews want to know where they came from.”

Since the end of communism’s dominance in Eastern Europe, Habush said, new sources of genealogical information have opened up. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, long regarded as one of the preeminent repositories of such information, is putting information from those sources into computers.

Reservations are required for the tour. The cost is $22. (310) 440-1246.

EVENTS

Temple Beth Am’s Kol Nidre service, featuring Rabbi Joel Rembaum, Hazzan Jeremy Lipton and the synagogue’s High Holiday choir, will be broadcast Sunday at 7 p.m. on KJZZ, 1260 AM.

* A “Raise Your Voter IQ Elections Issues Brunch” will be held Oct. 15 at 12:30 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 132 N. Euclid Ave., Pasadena. Cathy Keig, Southern California director of the state Senate Rules Committee, will be moderator. Forum and child care free. Brunch is $5. Reservations must be made by Monday. (800) 867-0252.

* Promise Keepers, the Christian evangelical men’s movement, will hold its sixth annual Los Angeles conference next Friday and Saturday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Great Western Forum, West Manchester Boulevard and Prairie Avenue, Inglewood. $69. For more information, (800) 888-7595 or https://www.promisekeepers.org.

* First Lutheran Church of Venice, described as an “art-friendly” church, is offering six consecutive Wednesday night programs looking at the divine through visual arts, readings and music. The “Renaissance Services” will be held Wednesday and Oct. 18 and 25 and Nov. 1, 8 and 15. All services begin at 7:30 p.m. 815 Venice Blvd., Venice. (310) 821-2740.

* Ervin Laszlo, founder and president of the Global Club of Budapest and an exponent of systems theory and general evolution theory, will speak Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Claremont School of Theology, 1325 N. College Ave., Claremont. Free. (909) 621-5330.

* The relationship between biblical and secular spirituality will be explored in a series titled “Gospel Truth--Pagan Lies” Friday at 7:30 p.m. and next Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. by professor Peter Jones of Westminster Theological Seminary in California at the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles, 3557 Fletcher Drive, Glassell Park. Free. (323) 255-8757 or https://www.LosAngelesRP.8m.com.

* Should you vote for a third-party candidate? The Rev. George Regas, rector emeritus of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, will argue against it and theologian John Cobb will argue for it next Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Neighborhood Church, 301 N. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena. The debate is sponsored by Mobilization for the Human Family. Free. (909) 625-8722.

* Central Baptist Church of Inglewood and the Community Alliance for Stability and Healthy Economics today honor those working to reduce domestic violence. The program is open to the public as well as pastors, law enforcement personnel, educators, operators of domestic violence shelters, public health advocates, youth workers and violence prevention specialists. Robert Ross, president of the California Endowment, will speak. The program runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Central Baptist, 3120 W. 108th St., Inglewood. (310) 323-3204.

PEOPLE

Gary P. Ratner, a Jewish community activist and business executive, has been named executive director of the American Jewish Congress Pacific Southwest Region, based in Los Angeles.

MUSIC

Eight gospel choirs will join in celebrating the 13th anniversary of Pastor William S. Epps of the Second Baptist Church next Saturday at 6 p.m. at the church, 2412 Griffith Ave., Los Angeles. Freewill offering. (213) 748-0318.

* Music of the 1940s, “A Sentimental Journey,” will be presented tonight at 8 p.m. at the Metropolitan Community Church in the Valley, 5730 Cahuenga Blvd., North Hollywood. $10 donation. (818) 762-1133.

* The Mountain High Jazz Band will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday and the Steve Hooten Band at 3 p.m. Oct. 15 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1757 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena. Free. (626) 794-7141.

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