The Skirball Cultural Center is a place of meeting guided by the Jewish tradition of welcoming the stranger and inspired by the American democratic ideals of freedom and equality. We welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery and hope, foster human connections, and call upon us to help build a more just society.
Open to the public since 1996, the Skirball is one of the world's most dynamic Jewish cultural institutions and among the leading cultural venues in Los Angeles. Come visit soon!
Our Six Essential Jewish Values
The Skirball mission is deeply rooted in Jewish heritage and inspired by its values. Over time, six of these values have emerged for us as the most essential, as developed by our founder, Uri D. Herscher, through study of ancient texts.
Welcome the Stranger
You shall not oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
(Exodus 22:21)
Honor Memory
Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past.
(Deuteronomy 32:7)
Seek Learning
Great is study, for it leads to action.
(Talmud, b. Kid. 40b)
Pursue Justice
You shall not stand idly by while your neighbor bleeds.
(Leviticus 19:16)
Build Community
How good and pleasant it is to dwell together.
(Psalms 133:1)
Show Kindness
The world is sustained by compassionate deeds.
(Pirke Avot 1.2)
2022–2023 Friedman Prize
Howard I. Friedman Memorial Graduate Essay Prize
The Skirball Cultural Center has closed submissions for its second annual Friedman Prize for perspectives on American Jewish experiences.
This year’s essay invited reflections on the relationship of Jewish values to the establishment and defense of civil liberties in the United States.
Oasis 2022
Read the 2022 issue of Oasis.
School Programs Report 2021–2022
Learn about the Skirball’s reintroduction of in-person school programs as well as our new downloadable Visions and Values Curriculum.
Oasis 2021
School Programs Mid-Year Report 2021
Read this mid-year report about our award-winning free curriculum, Noah’s Ark at the Skirball: The Art of Imagination.