Los Angeles, California As Christmas parades go, few are as relatively star-studded as the Hollywood Santa Parade. Formally known as the Santa Claus Lane Parade and the Hollywood Christmas Parade, this holiday tradition dates back to 1928. Hollywood’s elite, from big name stars to up-and-comers to favorite old-timers march for over three miles along Sunset Boulevard and … [Read more...]
HOME OF PEACE MEMORIAL PARK
Los Angeles, California Hollywood, the iconic city of American culture in the 20th century, was heir to the New York Jewish entertainment industry and home to the greatest period of Jewish artistic expression in history. The Hollywood studio system, practically invented by Jewish immigrants from Europe and transplants from New York City’s vaudeville scene at the turn of the … [Read more...]
SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER & MUSEUM OF TOLERANCE
Los Angeles, California In the aftermath of World War II, when the full extent of the Holocaust became known, an immense effort was made by the Allies and governments all over Europe to bring the perpetrators to justice. These early manhunts and prosecutions peaked at the Nuremburg Trials, when most of the major surviving Nazi figures were tried and, in many cases, executed. … [Read more...]
SALVATION ARMY MUSEUMS
West Nyack, New York; Des Plaines, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Rancho Palos Verdes, California The Salvation Army is arguably the most famous of all Protestant missionary organizations. Founded by William Booth in London in the 1860s, it made its way across the Atlantic in 1880, where it has since become the largest charitable institution in the United States. Hundreds of … [Read more...]
HISTORIC SHINTO SHRINES OF HONOLULU
Honolulu, Hawaii Shintoism, the traditional belief system and religion of Japan, has been around for over two and a half millennia. It was introduced to the United States at the turn of the 20th century, in the Hawaiian Islands. The city of Honolulu boasts the oldest Shinto communities outside of Japan, and the oldest shrines in Hawaii. Of these, the most important and … [Read more...]
HSI LAI TEMPLE
Hacienda Heights, California The Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights is the oldest operating Buddhist Temple in the United States, as well as the largest and arguably the most beautiful in the Western Hemisphere. Modeled entirely on traditional Buddhist architecture, the massive complex looks as though it could have easily been lifted straight out of China or Taiwan and … [Read more...]
MALIBU HINDU TEMPLE
Calabasas, California The Malibu Hindu Temple in California was one of the earliest major Hindu temples on the West Coast, and is arguably the most beautiful in the United States. It is also considered to be one of the finest examples of traditional Indian religious architecture in America. Since its consecration this magnificent temple has been a magnet in California for … [Read more...]
HISTORIC CONGREGATIONS OF SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco, California Like many other immigrant groups to the West Coast, the first Jews to arrive in California came as part of the Gold Rush in 1849. Between 1849 and 1852, early Jewish congregations were established throughout Northern California. Most of the oldest congregations are still in existence, and they boast some of the most historic and beautiful synagogues … [Read more...]
ARMENIAN ORTHODOX HERITAGE SITES
Fresno, California The Armenian Orthodox Church, one of the ancient Middle Eastern Churches not in communion with either the Eastern Orthodox or Roman Catholic churches, was largely founded by refugees fleeing brutal persecution in Asia. Those who arrived in Southern and Central California discovered a new land reminiscent of their homes and established one of the most … [Read more...]
HOLY VIRGIN CATHEDRAL
San Francisco, California The Holy Virgin Cathedral is one of the few cathedrals of the Russian Orthodox Church located outside of Russia. It is also one of the most prominent, and is the site of the tomb of John of Shanghai, the most important Russian Orthodox saint buried on American soil. Although built in the latter half of the 20th century, it incorporates traditional … [Read more...]
