The Sound of [Jewish] Music in Idyllwild

desert life
PALM SPRINGS
by Pamela Price
pamprice57@gmail.com
The Sound of [Jewish] Music in Idyllwild
PHOTO BY BARRY ZANDER
Junior rabbi brings peace to the mountains
Temple Har Shalom's Board of Trustees shows off the luscious
landscape found near their new Idyllwild home.
R
abbi-in-Training Julian King is “moving
mountains” in the quiet community of
Idyllwild, Calif. He’s a rabbinical student
at the Academy for Jewish Religion, California,
in Los Angeles. King will serve as the Spiritual
Leader for the town’s first synagogue, Temple Har
Shalom. The new organization holds services on
the second Friday evening of every month at the
Caine Learning Center. Services are flush with
music from locals and other contributors. The
congregation was formed through the efforts
of Trudy Levy, Pat Schnetzer, Pam Goldwasser
and Jeffrey Cohen and, given its proximity to
Palm Springs, in collaboration with the Jewish
Federation of the Desert.
Rabbi King explains that Har Shalom means
“mountain of peace” – an appropriate name for
this budding synagogue in Idyllwild, a secluded
community with a population of about 6,000
people. It’s a haven for tourists from the nearby
desert cities but also for visitors from Los
Angeles and San Diego who wish to take some
time to retreat in a beautiful wooded area with
a small town center that features art galleries,
home-style cafés, an annual Jazz Festival, and
the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts.
Many people are also drawn to the area for
the hiking and rock climbing opportunities.
Temple Har Shalom was established to unite the
Jewish population in this mountain village by
appealing to a diverse community, Rabbi King
says.
“Har Shalom is a vibrant, engaging, diverse
and welcoming congregation for everyone from
the youth to the senior, the observant to the
unaffiliated, to those seekers, cynics, activists and
the passive, to those seeking to explore and renew
their connection to Judaism.
“Our community is known for its diversity and
we will work towards igniting sparks of life and
creating a sense of belonging, community, and a
life of purpose here without any judgment,” he
continues.
He goes on to say that “this will be the first
year that Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
services will be held on “our mountain of peace.”
“Our Guest Cantorial Soloist for Rosh
Hashanah service is Ms. Bryce Medgal joined
by other members of our community. We are
expecting a great turnout based on the wonderful
feedback we are getting. Our doors are open to
those who would like to experience this our first
High Holiday service.
“Our being here is bashert – meant to be,”
he says. “Truly a special thanks to the Jewish
Federation of the Desert for their guidance and
support in bringing this to fruition. We see this
as a beginning of an amazing and promising
future for the emerging Jewish community in the
greater Idyllwild area.”
Rabbi King also extends special thanks to
Carlos King, Palm Springs Designer and owner
of Gallery24 at the Shops at Galleria downtown,
and collaborator of E-centriK with owner, Edwin
Robles.
For further information about the budding
Jewish community in Idyllwild and for details
on upcoming services, contact Rabbi King at
rabbijuleskingharshalom@gmail.com. A
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