Temple moves to buy theater

Temple Shalom for the Arts has begun the purchase of the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills, hoping to turn it into a cultural center akin to the 92nd Street Y in New York.

Rabbi David Baron said the congregation has raised about $1 million of the $2 million needed for the down payment and initial renovations of the 1,953-seat facility. He hopes escrow will be completed by mid-July.

The theater is owned by the Nederlander Organization, which would continue to present events there for at least three years under a lease-back provision, Baron said. He hopes to expand the venue’s programming to include more community-based concerts, lectures and other programs, and eventually he would like to create a 200-seat “jewel box” theater and two smaller spaces from the current theater’s balcony.

The temple has used the Wilshire for 13 years for high holy days services and, until two years ago, for monthly Shabbat services.