What you need to know: Governor Newsom met today with leaders of the Pacific Palisades synagogue Kehillat Israel, which still stands after the fire.

Los Angeles, California - On Jan 28, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom met with clergy, staff, and board members of Kehillat Israel, the largest synagogue in Pacific Palisades, which still stands after the Palisades Fire wiped out the neighborhood. Kehillat Israel is home to almost one thousand Jewish families, a third of whom lost their homes in the fires.

“It was an honor to see the resilience of the Kehillat Israel community. To know their place of worship still standing is nothing short of a miracle, and watching the clergy and congregants coming together to pray, learn, and support each other is inspiring. Pacific Palisades will build back stronger than ever, and KI will continue to be a leader in that recovery.” - Governor Gavin Newsom

Founded in Pacific Palisades in 1950, Kehillat Israel has been in its current building since October 26, 1997. It is a center of the community for Jews of all faiths across West Los Angeles, and includes a parenting center, Early Childhood Center (pre-school and TK), and K-12 and senior programming.

Today’s convening took place at Beth Shir Shalom, a synagogue in Santa Monica where some of Kehillat Israel’s programming is currently being held.

Support for the Palisades

Governor Newsom was on the ground in Pacific Palisades 50 minutes after the Palisades Fire first broke out in the Palisades Highlands. He has since toured the Palisades Village with first responders several times, visited the destroyed homes of Palisadians, and volunteered with Project Angel Food to assist survivors. He continues to meet with survivors, leaders, and local officials to ensure that the Palisades has all it needs to recover and rebuild. 

Get help today

Californians can go to CA.gov/LAfires – a hub for information and resources from state, local and federal government.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses from wildfires in Los Angeles County can apply for disaster assistance:

• Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
• By calling 800-621-3362
• By using the FEMA smart phone application
• Assistance is available in over 40 languages

If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.