From the intersection of Pico and Hauser boulevards in Los Angeles to the Venice and Lincoln crossing near the beach, drivers across the city are being greeted with billboards featuring affirmations associated with Jewish texts and teachings.
“A little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness.”
“Be slow to anger and abounding in kindness.”
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”
The billboards – sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and in partnership with Outfront Media – will be up for several months with no current end date. Signs were placed in late December to coincide with Hanukkah. There are about 10 billboards across the city.
Rabbi Noah Farkas, president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, said the billboards are “meant to introduce ourselves to the larger community”, at a time when cases of antisemitism are on the rise around the country and as LA has faced a wave of public antisemitic incidents.
Last fall, President Joe Biden’s administration was among those who condemned a group of LA demonstrators who gave Nazi salutes on a 405 Freeway overpass with several banners, including one that read “Kanye is right about the Jews”, referring to recent anti-Semitic statements by the musician.
Farkas said the federation is working to ensure safety through an initiative that provides “security monitoring and training” for the nearly 600 Jewish sites in LA County.
Read the article by Alejandra Molina in Sight Magazine.