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 in the Russia, , 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 , 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. 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 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- , 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 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. It and its support for the European being closed to Jewish refugees assumed a leadership role in the anti-Nazi underground move- around the world. On November larger Jewish community by work- ment. “This is the first trip to be 10, 1938, German gangs looted ing through the recently formed undertaken by us solely for the Jewish-owned stores, burned Los Angeles Workman’s Circle Workman’s Angeles Los

JLC volunteers in Boyle Height collect winter cloths for Jews in Eastern Europe. 28

purpose of contacting [local Jew- in the case of Alexander and his men’s Circle (and thus the JLC). ish Federation] welfare funds,” family. They are both physically This western conference attracted wrote Sherman. “In a way it was ill. If there is any possibility for participants from newly organized an experiment and the results thus them to recuperate at the Los JLC chapters in Portland and far obtained justify the conclusion Angeles sanatorium we would be Seattle. Fundraising had become a that it was a great success.” most grateful to you. We feel sure preoccupation. At the same time, the Califor- that you will do everything in your Seeking an opportunity in the nia JLC had the responsibility of power to help them.” new U.S. alliance with the Soviet aiding rescued comrades, some of To underscore the importance Union’s counterpart (following whom escaped using special visas of Ehrlich’s situation, Held sent a Germany’s invasion of its former that the AFL had extracted from telegram to Julius Levitt, who sat ally), the JLC also undertook a President Roosevelt. One of those on the sanitarium’s board: “Please clothing drive to help Jews seek- to arrive in Los Angeles was Alex- interest yourself in this worthy ing to survive a harsh winter in ander Erlich. JLC president Adolf cause and inform us the results.” Soviet-controlled lands, including Held wired Sam Galter, executive An expanded agenda and half of Poland. director of the Los Angeles Sana- an enhanced level of organiza- Sherman, from the national torium: tion came together over the 1941 office, returned to California in “Alexander Erlich, his wife Labor Day weekend at the JLC’s 1942 to raise money and to ad- and baby arriving today in “Los first Pacific Coast Conference. dress the annual convention of the Angeles. He is son of our dear The conclave was not held in Los AFL California State Federation comrade and leader of the Jew- Angeles, however, but at the Hotel of Labor. Julius Levitt, chairman ish workers of Poland, Heinrich Californian in Fresno, where half of the Los Angeles Jewish Labor Erlich, who is imprisoned in of Fresno’s four hundred Jewish Committee, addressed the state Soviet Russia for the past 1 1/2 families spoke Yiddish, and sev- convention of the CIO. His speech years. We are vitally interested enty-five were part of the Work- represented the public face of the Workman’s Circle Workman’s Banquet at the Vladeck Center in Boyle Heights. The two-story building served as a meeting place for the JLC, Jewish socialists, and the ILGWU. 29

JCL in the labor movement and stated, “A mere handful of Jews provided invaluable insights into remain in Poland, and they are in developments in Europe. the most bitter need.” Levy then “Every Jewish community in described those without a home. Nazi-dominated Europe has been “In blind desperation, they simply destroyed,” stated Levitt. “Ac- took flight—some with the mea- cording to authentic figures made ger aid of friendly organizations, public by the Soviet Government others without resources of any and the Polish Government-in- kind. They filled the roads and Exile, nearly a million Jews have when they reached Germany in been slaughtered in cold blood by the wanderings they were herded the Nazi butchers since the begin- into notorious Displaced Persons ning of the war.” Camps.” The full extent of the carnage The Struggle for Civil Rights became clear two-and-a-half years With the end of World War Louis Levy served as ILGWU vice II, the JLC in Los Angeles (and later after the war. president and president of the JLC in Los Louis Levy, the Los Angeles Angeles. Julius Levitt was elevated to in other cities) developed a two-

JLC and ILGWU head, told a California JLC president. Circle Workman’s Angeles Los pronged approach to its work: 1946 radio audience: “I went the Yiddish-speaking immigrants to Europe as a representative of response to an invitation from the continued to focus on resettling the Jewish Labor Committee in Norwegian, Swedish and Danish refugees and sending shoes and federations of labor.” He further JLC Papers, Wagner Labor Archives, New York University York Archives, New Labor Wagner JLC Papers,

The first meeting of the Los Angeles Labor Committee to Combat Intolerance on September 11, 1946. Former Congressman Will Rogers (standing) served as the guest speaker. ILGWU attorney Abe Levy (fifth from left) served on the committee and the JLC’s Zane Mecker served as staff person. 30 Kenneth Burt

Cal Committee chair C.L. Dellums speaks at the annual conference for fair employment advocates. The JLC’s Bill Becker (at right) served as the Cal Committee’s chief lobbyist in Sacramento. Max Mont staffed the group in Los Angeles. 31

Yiddish books to those still in Po- The JCRC included the ILGWU’s Organization, Japanese American land; their American-born children Louis Levy and four prominent Citizens League), the faith com- looked outward and increasingly businessmen who shared socialist munity, and organized labor. sought alliance with members of politics and top leadership posi- They led to additional success- other groups to eliminate discrimi- tions in the JLC. ful coalition efforts, from defeat- nation in employment. These were Ben Solnit, shoe ing the so-called Right-to-Work In the postwar years, the manufacturer, vice president of the initiative in 1958, to passing old JLC helped found and guide two JLC, and third vice president of age pensions for noncitizens in important institutions—the Jew- the JCRC; Pinches Karl, owner of 1961. ish Community Relations Coun- Karl’s Shoes, JLC vice president, Mont become executive direc- cil (JCRC) and the AFL Central and treasurer of the JCRC; Harry tor of the JLC and maintained two Labor Council’s Labor Commit- Sheer, attorney and treasurer of offices, one at the Jewish Federa- tee to Combat Intolerance in Los JLC and JCRC board member; and tion and another at the Los Ange- Angeles. Julius Levitt, West Coast editor of les County Federation of Labor. The Central Labor Council es- the Jewish Daily Forward, found- Becker became Gov. Pat Brown’s tablished the Labor Committee to ing president of the Los Angeles civil-rights advisor. Combat Intolerance in 1946 at the JLC, and JCRC board member. Mont also organized and initiation of Levy and the ILGWU. Max Mont replaced Zane staffed the Emergency Committee Moreover, the JLC provided a Meckler as the group’s civil rights to Aid Farm Labor, which publi- full-time staff person for the com- staffer in Los Angeles. Mont and cized abuses to agricultural work- mittee, Zane Meckler, who also Bill Becker, who was hired to staff ers and pressured Congress to end served as the JLC’s first English- a similar post in San Francisco, the bracero program. It arranged speaking staff person in Los Ange- was widely association with the for former Tonight Show host les. The committee promoted fair civil rights movement of the 1950s Steve Allen to pen The Ground Is employment practices within labor and early sixties. Our Table: An Ardent and Heart- (as some unions still discrimi- Lay leaders in this period breaking Look at the Shame of nated) and worked in coalition include Hyman Weintraub, who America’s Farms. with minority groups to promote inherited his politics from his im- When the Delano grape strike new laws. Its first big project was migrant father, a Forward editor in started in 1965, Mont, Allen, and to rally support for (the unsuc- Los Angeles. After initially work- other antibracero activists (includ- cessful) Proposition 11, to outlaw ing for the ILGWU, Hy became ing Congressman Edward Roybal employment discrimination, on the a teacher, writing a book on labor and Chris Hartmire of the Migrant November 1946 ballot. leader Andrew Furuseth, and Ministry) supported the United Meckler, with assistant Glo- forming the California Federation Farm Workers’ strikes and boy- ria Busman, played a key role in of Teacher’s Community College cotts. getting the Central Labor Council Council. In the fight to secure freedom to back the National Farm Labor Mont and Becker staffed the for Soviet Jewry, the JLC lined Union’s strike against DiGiorgio California Fair Employment Prac- up support from other ethnic and in 1947. H.L. Mitchell’s book, tices Committee, which led the racial groups in the civil rights Mean Things Happening in This successful battle to get the state coalition to aid those seeking visas Land, quotes strike leader Hank legislature to enact fair employ- in Russia. Hasiwar: “Zane Meckler, the West ment law in 1959, and then the This golden era of civil rights Coast man for the Jewish Labor California Fair Housing Practices coalition work represented the Committee, backed me 100%.” Committee, winning that legisla- second period for the JLC; it The JCRC was formed to tive battle in 1963. represented a high water mark for serve as the official voice of the These broad-based coali- civil rights liberalism. The ties to organized Jewish community in tions included minority groups minority and faith communities dealing with non-Jewish religious (NAACP, the Mexican American- had been built on the struggles traditions and minority groups. oriented Community Services against fascism within the labor and Jewish communities. 32 33

The JLC Today within the organization. ers in both Los Angeles and San The JLC entered its third The first annual brunch was Francisco. The group maintains period under the guidance of initiated in 1995 and has assumed fraternal ties to African American, Michael Nye, its first staffer since ever larger proportions ever since. Latino, Asian, gay-and-lesbian, the death of Max Mont; he as- The five-hundred-person events and women’s union groups. It also sumed lay leadership after his include a who’s who in labor, Jew- helped organize a labor leaders election as secretary-treasurer ish, and civic life. They are part trip to Israel in 2007 that included of the California Federation of networking, part inspiration, and meetings with officials of His- Teachers. As a group, the JLC now part recognizing achievement. tradrut (the Israeli counterpart to comprised individuals, although Honorees have included icons the AFL-CIO) advocates for unor- it still sought financial backing such as Tom Bradley, Augustus ganized foreign workers. from labor and Jewish communi- Hawkins, Dolores Huerta, Edward As it celebrates 75 years of ties; staffers have included former Roybal, and Carmen Warshaw; advocacy and struggle, the JLC Assemblyman Paul Koretz. At Hollywood stars Ed Asner and continues to promote labor and present, Leslie Gersicoff staffs the Michele Lee; union leaders such human rights and to work—of- group and Floyd Glen-Lambert, as teamster Jim Santangelo and ten behind the scenes—to resole a (unionized) small businessman musician Serena Williams; and conflicts as it seeks “to repair the with roots in the Labor Zionist rising political stars like Antonio world.” movement, is President of the JLC Villaraigosa and Hilda Solis. Kenneth C. Burt is the political Western Region. Board members For several years the JLC has director for the California Federa- include labor attorney Lewis Levy, sent a large delegation to the an- tion of Teachers and a member of grandson of Louis Levy, provid- nual Jewish Public Affairs Coun- the state and national JLC boards. ing a familiar linkage uniting three cil’s lobby day in Sacramento. He can be reached at www.Ken- generations of Jewish activism This year the JLC held labor Sed- nethBurt.com Kenneth Burt

Tim Paulson, San Francisco Labor Council, and Kenneth Burt, California Federation of Teachers, and at the Western Wall in 2007.