Welcoming Shul by the Shore

By Monica Tabrizi

Community is a common theme for many people living in Belmont Heights; in speaking with Rabbi Levi Perelmuter, that theme emerged frequently during our conversation. The Rabbi and his faith-based community, Shul by the Shore, is the most recent occupant of a historic building in Belmont Heights, the former St. Bartholomew’s multipurpose space on 4^th and Fremont. For Levi, a Long Beach native who grew up in Bixby Knolls, his Jewish community began in the mid-90s. His father, Rabbi Abba Perelmuter, created a space where people could gather on the high holidays. They moved locations throughout Long Beach and most recently gathered out of the former Seaport Marina Hotel. Levi wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps for a few reasons: his deep religious conviction, the importance of family in their faith, and a sense of community; he believes his faith is ‘a good way of maintaining values’. Shul by the Shore developed organically from these beliefs and his father’s beloved presence. Rabbi Abba, known for his accessibility, developed quite a following in the early years. It grew from high holiday gatherings to a full-fledged synagogue with anywhere from 60 to 300 attendees. It’s no wonder they needed a new place to call home; Belmont Heights is now honored to welcome them to our community.

Rabbi Levi Perelmuter, and Rabbi Abba Perelmuter Shul by the Shore

Shul by the Shore is a Chabad community, which is one of the most dynamic and widespread movements in Orthodox Judaism; it blends deep spiritual philosophy with practical outreach. Chabad is known for being welcoming, non-judgmental, and inclusive. They charge no membership or require tithing and rely mainly on the generosity of donations. Members come from all over, but they are focused on encouraging local patronage, especially during the sabbath when specific activities like driving a car are discouraged. The genesis of the name is derived from the Yiddish word for synagogue-shul- the rest of the name is easy to decipher. Within the Chabad community shul is often used to describe a place not only for religious services but also for communities to gather and connect socially.

Shul by the Shore in Belmont Heights was by design, Rabbi Levi and his father always knew they wanted to be in this area due to the walkability and sense of community. The location was practical since it was already zoned as a church and fit into their budget. You’ll see much activity when driving by their new spiritual home, they are making great strides in adding personal and welcoming touches to the place. Their programs are growing slowly but he wanted me to share a few programs that have sprouted up, like “mommy and me” and Hebrew school. As a father of four, he is happy to call Belmont Heights his faith-based home and personal residency. On behalf of the Belmont Heights community, we are happy to have you and look forward to seeing how your faith community grows with ours. Shul by the Shore is located at 4545 E. 4^th Street and welcomes people of all religions to visit their synagogue. Please check out their website, still in its infancy, at shulbytheshore.org.

Rabbi Abba Perelmuter and Rabbi Levi Perelmuter, starting construction on Shul by the Shore