Temple Shalom Has Become Islamic Learning Center

Elderiney is referring to Temple Shalom, a Jewish. temple which was once housed in the same buildings as the Islamic Learning Center School. In fact, the door of the school office still bear the rem- nants of a sign that read "Temple President."

The school, which was started in September of 1995, teaches about fifty preschool children from the surrounding community. Elderiney said that the preschool can hold up to ninety spots, so there are still openings.

The school has been do- ing quite well since it opened. Elderiney noted that every Fri- day at 1:00 PM the parents and students pray together. He also said that, on March 6th there will be a family gathering at the school where, all of the fami- lies of the students will get a chance to meet one another.

The families and heads of the school feel that there really is no irony because of the Jew- ish Temple which once stood there. In fact, they take it as a blessing that the location of their school is a religous one.

The congregation of Temple Shalom left the Merced Avenue location in 1994 and merged with that of Temple Beth-Ami, thereby forming Temple Ami-Shalom, which now makes its home on Temple Way, off Holt Avenue along the 10 freeway.

Rabbi Moshe Halfon of Temple Ami-Shalom agreed that it is ironic that the city's only Islamic congregation would move into a Jewish Temple, given the historic fric- tion between the two religions. But he added that the Jewish and Islamic traditions are not very far apart philosophically and there was little friction in- volved in the change. Halfon said that the decision to sell the temple property and buildings to the school was purely one of business, but many of the older congregants were sorry to see it go, simply for senti- mental reasons.