West Hollywood's temple of pride. (Judaism).

You can't judge a congregation by its building--or maybe you can. Congregation Kol Ami, a gay and lesbian Reform Jewish temple in West Hollywood, Calif., wanted a place that would "not look like the synagogue we grew up in," said Rabbi Denise L. Eger. So the 300-member congregation looked to Los Angeles architect Josh Schweitzer to build a new temple, which opened late last year, to reflect the forward-thinking attitudes of those who worship there.

"I wanted to create a space that would make people feel connected, comforted, protected," said Schweitzer, who told Design Architecture magazine he went for "a crafted kind of articulation" for the temple's interior design, which incorporates Hebrew words painted on acoustic tile.

"This is the first gay and lesbian synagogue [in the United States] to be built especially for its congregation," Eger said proudly, "and you can feel it within the walls. [The new temple] represents who we are as gay Jews."