The JLC: Seventy-Five Years of Activism and Historic Achievements by Kenneth Burt

25 The JLC: Seventy-five Years of Activism and Historic Achievements By Kenneth Burt Seventy-five years ago (June the instinctive reliance on their early Nazi threat. After the Nazis’ 1934) the world looked very dif- unions and fraternal groups as effective shutting down of the ferent than it does today: the Great sources of organizational strength once-powerful German unions and Depression was approaching its was part of a long political tradi- the imprisonment and torture of fifth year, Germany had installed tion. It reflected shared values some of their leaders, the British Adolf Hitler as its chancellor the and common roots in the Gen- unions had provided refuge for year before, and most eastern Eu- eral Union of Jewish Workers of those able to escape. ropean Jews in the United States Russia, Poland, and Lithuania (or Citrine’s and Vladeck’s ad- lived in ethnic enclaves stretching Jewish Labor Bund). dresses at the AFL convention from New York’s Lower East Side This underground organiza- captured the delegates’ hearts, and to the Boyle H eights district of tion—committed to socialism, the convention voted to establish a Los Angeles. unionism, and Jewish culture— Labor Chest for Aid of the Op- The JLC’s Birth represented a powerful force in pressed People of Europe. AFL Four months earlier, one the Jewish communities of these President William Green then thousand mostly immigrant Jewish countries. Personal relationships named Dubinsky, Vice President activists had gathered at the Lower and shared experiences (such as Matthew Woll, and himself to the East Side’s Central Plaza. In time in the Czar’s prisons) rein- committee. Yiddish and broken English they forced organizational and ideo- Green then appointed Dubin- protested Hitler’s rise to power logical bonds. sky to represent the AFL at Inter- and voted to form a new organiza- Growth in California national Labor Organization meet- tion—the Jewish Labor Commit- In part due to serendipity, Cali- ings in Geneva. This provided an tee. fornia was one of the first states opportunity for the JLC leader to The JLC selected visionary to have functioning JLC chapters, meet with labor leaders in western leaders as officers. Baruch Char- despite its geographic distance Europe and to visit fellow Jewish ney Vladeck, general manager of from New York and relatively Labor Bundists in Warsaw and the Jewish Daily Forward, ac- small Jewish community (roughly Lutz, Poland. cepted the post as president and a hundred thousand) in the state. While in San Francisco, David Dubinsky, president of the Working through Dubinsky, Vladeck and Citrine addressed International Ladies’ Garment who had recently been appointed “influential Jews” at a special Workers’ Union (ILGWU), was to the AFL Executive Council, luncheon at the Sir Francis Drake named treasurer. Joseph Baskin the group arranged for Vladeck and a thousand unionists at a San and Benjamin Gebiner, from the to address the October 1934 AFL Francisco Central Labor Council– Workmen’s Circle, the largest convention in San Francisco. sponsored meeting at Eagle’s Hall. American Jewish fraternal orga- The JLC recognized, however, Following the convention, nization, became secretary and that the best messenger would be Vladeck and Citrine boarded a executive secretary, respectively. a European labor leader, so it ar- train for Los Angeles. On Sun- Sidney Hillman, president of the ranged for the AFL to invite Wal- day, October 14, 1934, 6,500 Amalgamated Clothing Workers, ter Citrine to address the conven- workers—Jewish and non-Jew- was an important founder but did tion. He was general secretary of ish—came together at the Shrine not become an officer in the group. the British Trades Union Congress Auditorium to learn about de- This organization of organiza- and president of the International velopments in Europe. Vladeck tions dedicated itself to working Federation of Trade Unions. helped put a Jewish imprint on within the labor movement and the Citrine had chaired IFTU the event while Citrine’s firsthand larger Jewish community to raise emergency meetings in Berlin experiences and role as the most the alarm against Nazism. This and Vienna in an effort to help prominent trade unionist in the concern about oversees events and the German unions respond to the world helped frame the anti-Nazi 26 Los Angeles Workman’s Circle cause as an international a mass rally and fundraiser struggle against evil. with ILGWU President David Dubinsky arrived David Dubinsky. on the heels of this successful The JLC also increased mass meeting. He, too, was its efforts to activate its making a number of stops as affiliates in the smaller he worked his way home via communities around the train to New York. His visit state where there were no provided further opportunity garment unions. In many for the leaders of the overlap- of these communities, the ping organizations that com- Workmen’s Circle provided posed the JLC to strategize the central organization and and begin to self-organize. the Jewish Daily Forward The Jewish Labor Com- served as the chief commu- mittee of Los Angeles be- nications vehicle. gan to function as a distinct The ILGWU sent a organization in early 1935 German trade unionist under the leadership of Julius (a recent escapee from a Levitt, west coast Jewish Nazi concentration camp Daily Forward manager. named Brother Ricks) to The organization established San Francisco as part of a an office downtown with national speaking tour. But the Forward in the Stack the stories coming out of Building at 228 West Fourth Forward manager Julius Levitt served as Germany were often met by Street. The founding JLC affiliates the first JLC president in Los Angeles. resistance or disbelief in the larger of Los Angeles’ Jewish commu- community. where the article is made. Tell the nity included the Forward Asso- “We were very disappoint- clerk that you do not wish to have ciation, the Southern California ed—they didn’t believe,” said anything ‘Made in Germany.’ It District Council of the Workmen’s Celia Alperth, whose husband was does not matter how cheap or how Circle, fourteen Workmen’s Circle a Workmen’s Circle leader. “The good or how beautiful the article branches, and the Left Labor Zion- Jewish Labor Committee was the may be—you must not be tempted ists. The JLC had seven founding one that wanted to carry on the to purchase it—if it is ‘Made in labor affiliates: four locals of the boycott. And the San Francisco Germany.’” ILGWU, Local 278 of the Amal- people refused the boycott. The The local JLC also reached out gamated Clothing Workers, Local Jewish community didn’t accept to organized labor and distributed 453 of the Bakery and Confection- it.” hundreds of copies of “Labor, De- ery Workers Union, and Local 48 Assisting European Jewry mocracy and Fascism” that were of the Millinery Workers. The attacks on Jews in Poland supplied by the national office. It Anti-German Boycott were increasing at an alarming also ordered copies of the dramatic The Los Angeles JLC took the rate. To demonstrate the serious- poster, “Fight Fascism and Na- initiative to spread the word about ness of the situation and attract zism.” In addition, the Los Ange- the evils of Nazism. It sent a letter world attention, the Jewish Labor les JLC began raising funds for the to all Jewish organizations ask- Bund and the Left Labor Zionists AFL Labor Chest for Aid of the ing for their assistance in advance conducted a one-day strike. Shops Oppressed Peoples of Europe. of Passover, a time when people in Tel Aviv, in British-run Pales- The JLC used visits by its New bought domestic items such as tine, closed in solidarity. York–based leaders to promote kitchen supplies and clothing. The national JLC launched an the organization and the anti-Nazi “When making a purchase, “emergency campaign on behalf cause. For example, in May 1936 regardless of what it is—before of the Jews in Poland” in early the Los Angeles JLC sponsored paying for it, be sure to find out 1937. The JLC worked through 27 the American Jewish Joint Distri- synagogues, and beat people in Los Angeles unit of the Joint Boy- bution Committee to increase the the streets. It was Kristallnacht, or cott Council of the American Jew- amount of food going to Polish Night of the Broken Glass. ish Congress and the Jewish Labor Jews. The JLC also raised funds The JLC held an emergency Committee. The group called for for Polish trade unions. meeting with its affiliates two-and- a month of anti-Nazi activities, As a result of this sustained a-half weeks later in New York. beginning December 4, 1938, and activity that reached into nearly The 2,236 delegates from 528 culminating January 4, 1939, with every immigrant neighborhood, by unions and other groups pledged a rally at the Philharmonic Audi- 1938 the JLC was considered one to expand the Nazi boycott and torium. of the “big four” national Jewish to raise money to aid refugees. The California JLC expanded defense organizations along with The group voted to donate a day’s its fund-raising into the organized the American Jewish Committee, labor from every member of every Jewish community. The salesman, American Jewish Congress, and affiliate; Dubinsky pledged $1 so to speak, was national JLC field Anti-Defamation League. million dollars from the garment director Charles B. Sherman. He The shattering of glass and union alone. provided a compelling firsthand wailing of the suffering soon The California JLC responded account of the JLC’s rescue efforts drowned out the sound of doors to the national call for action.

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