Top 5 places of worship near El Camino College worth visiting

ECC students who identify as members of a religious group have a selection of places to worship that are all accessible near campus

By Safia Ahmed|June 9, 2022

El Camino College’s Schauerman Library has opened its Interfaith prayer room to all students of religious faith, which is predominantly utilized by Muslim students to pray their five daily prayers. (Safia Ahmed | Warrior Life)

The coronavirus prevented religious people from worshiping at their usual place of worship. As a result, several of these religious groups were forced to hold their services inside their homes. However, now that these services have opened, there are more opportunities to participate in worship.

According to a Pew Research Center survey of 14 economically developed countries, nearly three-quarters of Americans (28%) report stronger personal faith due to the pandemic and the same proportion believes Americans’ religious faith has strengthened.

Sites such as mosques, churches and temples are all available nearby. Here are the top five places of worship near ECC worth visiting.

1. Interfaith Prayer Room in Schauerman Library

The library at El Camino College recently opened up an interfaith prayer room located in the West Reading Room in the library. The room is open to all religions. The space has a capacity limit of eight people in the room at once. Students are able to participate in active worship Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Address: 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance

Phone: 310-660-6483

Website: https://www.elcamino.edu/support/library/index.aspx

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elcaminolibrary/?utm_medium=copy_link

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Islamic Institute of Torrance has prayer areas designed for each gender. The men's prayer room is located downstairs and the women's prayer room is located upstairs. The outdoor and indoor views of the masjid are seen on Saturday, April 30. (Safia Ahmed | Warrior Life) — Islamic Institute of Torrance has prayer areas designed for each gender. The men’s prayer room is located downstairs and the women’s prayer room is located upstairs. The outdoor and indoor views of the masjid are seen on Saturday, April 30. (Safia Ahmed | Warrior Life)

2. Islamic Institute of Torrance (IIT)

IIT is a small masjid located six minutes from El Camino College. The masjid is heavily involved with the youth and hosts meetings and events for Young Muslims (YM) in the masjid. The masjid recently held a grand opening for the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) office located upstairs in the masjid. IIT organizes Eid prayers and recently held a carnival this year. The masjid is known for its vast Da’wah group.

Address: 18103 Prairie Ave., Torrance

Phone: 310-956-8006

Website: http://www.iitorrance.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IITpage/

St. Abraham Church stands 13 minutes away from El Camino College between Amie Avenue and Torrance Boulevard. (Safia Ahmed | Warrior Life)

3. St. Mercurius & St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church

St. Abraam Church is located 13 minutes away from El Camino College. The church provides live services, sermons, a child care center, and a Sunday school to Orthodox Christians. The church hosts liturgy, vespers, and midnight praise every Saturday. A person must first register in order to attend a service. You may register by phone or on their website. Services are usually given in Arabic and English. The church commemorates major Orthodox holidays including Good Friday and Pascha (Easter).

Address: 3611 Torrance Blvd, Torrance

Phone: 310-316-6997

Website: http://www.saintabraam.org/index.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/st-mercurius-and-st-abraam-coptic-orthodox-church-490280691043122/

The Islamic Center of South Bay mosque is seen during the last ten nights of Ramadan. Muslims gather together to pray the night prayers on Wednesday, April 27. (Safia Ahmed | Warrior Life)

4. Islamic Center of South Bay (ICSB)

ICSB is located 25 minutes away from El Camino College. The masjid provides a diverse Islamic weekend school teaching students ranging from Pre-K to eighth grade. Masjid Al Noor has a youth group that coordinates a number of activities yearly such as hikes, potlucks, and conferences, and engages in volunteer work. Every Friday, the masjid opens its doors to families to celebrate spiritual enlightenment, which includes an Islamic lecture, prayer, and dinner. Among the services offered by ICSB, the most popular is the monthly ‘Feed the Hungry’ event, which serves the homeless. ICSB organizes Eid prayers and celebrations for the Islamic festivals, which occur twice a year.

Address: 25816 Walnut St, Lomita

Phone: 310-534-1363

Website: https://masjidalnoor.org/homepage/home-page-3/

Instagram: @icsbla

Islamic Center of Hawthorne, a masjid located 12 minutes away from El Camino College celebrates the last ten nights of Ramadan through prayer. Due to a full house inside the masjid, Muslims prayed outdoors on prayer mats laid on the floor on Wednesday, April 27. (Safia Ahmed | Warrior Life)

5. Islamic Center of Hawthorne (ICH)

ICH is located 12 minutes away from El Camino College. ICH has been standing since 1995 to serve the religious and social needs of the South Bay community. The center not only provides a masjid to the Muslim community in Los Angeles, but also offers a full-time school, Al Huda, and a Sunday school. Al Huda serves students from Pre-K to eighth grade. The Islamic Center of Hawthorne provides various social, financial, religious, and educational services to the public. In addition, the masjid has been coordinating events such as an Eid prayer, a carnival celebrating the completion of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, youth and family camping trips among many others.

Address: 12209 Hawthorne Way, Hawthorne

Phone: 310-973-8000

Website: https://ichla.org/

Instagram: @ichawthorne

Editor’s note: Story was updated for clarity on June 9, 2022, at 11:54 p.m.