BCC at 50

Fifty years ago, the founders of Beth Chayim Chadashim, the House of New Life, dreamed of a warm, safe, joyful LGBTQIA+ and Jewish community where each person who entered could bring their whole selves. Since then, BCC has grown, changed, and evolved; we inhabited several different physical spaces, celebrated important victories, and mourned difficult losses together. Through it all, we have nurtured each heart and soul, expanded our tent and fought for our rights while remaining true to the vision of our founders.

Join us this year as we celebrate the first 50 years of BCC and envision the next 50.
These events, programs, and holiday observances reflect our continued commitment to innovating – bridging the legacy of the past with the possibilities of tomorrow. Each calendar entry connects to a rainbow of Jewish values that guide our individual and communal lives. We honor our history, weaving our story into the quilt of Jewish memory. We celebrate all of our Identities, our stories and experiences; we are proud of being Jewish and Queer and so much more.

Thank you for stopping by to celebrate with us!

50th Anniversary Events

And keep your eyes peeled for more exciting events, including the Rabbi’s Installation!

Celebrate with us!

In celebration of our 50 year anniversary, we invite you to show us your love of BCC!

Simply take a short video of yourself, share your name and how long you’ve been a member of BCC followed by “I love BCC because…”

Alternatively, we invite you to hold up a sign that says “BCC because…” and take a picture of it. It could be “BCC because of the community”, “BCC because of my ability to live out my Judaism as a queer person” and more!

Share your submissions with us at bcc@bcc-la.org to get featured on BCC’s website and social media platforms!

BCC Merch

BCC’s merch store is back! Head over to our Bonfire store to pick up some exclusive 50th anniversary designs — and support the world’s first LGBTQ+ synagogue at the same time!

Learn about BCC

“On April 4, 1972, four Jews were among those who showed up for a weekly rap group at L.A.’s Metropolitan Community Church. In less than four years MCC, the first church with an outreach to gays and lesbians, had grown to 15,000 members in 40 U.S. cities. In Los Angeles the “mother church,” led by Rev. Troy Perry and located near USC, had 725 members. The presence of Jews at the church was understandable. In 1972 the existence of lesbian and gay Jews was virtually unheard of. It was a time when same-sex activity was illegal, homosexuality was still classified as a mental illness, and to be openly gay or lesbian usually meant loss of employment and rejection by family and Jewish community. The Stonewall Riots in New York’s Greenwich Village, often considered the watershed event in the modern gay liberation movement, had occurred less than three years earlier.” … Read more on BCC’s History page!