Controversial religious center finds new location

Stacy J. Willis

Friday, Nov. 17, 2000 | 11:18 a.m.

The controversially located religious center that caused a rabbi's arrest and a personal apology from the mayor last summer has been relocated.

The Kabbalah Centre of Las Vegas, which was being operated from a home in a residential zone near Sahara Avenue and Durango Drive, angered neighbors because it drew dozens of cars into their quiet cul-de-sac.

The center was holding services and selling books and hats inside the four-bedroom home -- in violation of city zoning ordinances.

Kabbalah is the study of ancient Jewish mysticism, which has grown into a broader New Age spiritual trend in recent years.

In June, Rabbi Moshe Omer was arrested for refusing to sign a zoning citation on the the Jewish Sabbath, a holy day. Media attention prompted Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman to visit Omer and apologize for the arrest.

However, city officials gave Omer until September to relocate his center.

"Since then we've sold the place," Omer said Thursday. "We have no more relationships with the neighbors there. It was ridiculous."

The new Kabbalah Centre will be located in a commercial zone at 3824 S. Jones Blvd., and is scheduled to open in January. In the meantime, his congregation of 40 meets in small groups in apartments or in a member's business office, Omer said.

Former neighbor Anthony Bock, who made the initial complaints to the city about the religious services, said he is relieved the Kabbalah Centre is gone.

"It was a real irksome thing, looking back on it," Bock said. "But I would say the city did a nice job ultimately of getting them to move, even though it took a while.

"Now I've got a real nice couple living there," Bock said. "I won."