Jewish History of Los Angeles
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LOS ANGELES CITYWIDE HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT Context: Jewish History Prepared for: City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning Office of Historic Resources DECEMBER 2016 SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement Context: Jewish History Certified Local Government Grant Disclaimers The activity that is the subject of this historic context statement has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, Department of Interior, through the California Office of Historic Preservation. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior or the California Office of Historic Preservation, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior or the California Office of Historic Preservation. This program receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 as amended, the Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity National Park Service 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington D.C. 20240 Page | 2 SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement Context: Jewish History TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE ................................................................................................................................................... 4 CONTRIBUTORS ..................................................................................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... 4 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW...................................................................................................................... 6 Theme 1: Religion and Spirituality, 1850 - 1980 ..................................................................... 34 Theme 2: Social Clubs, 1880 - 1980 .............................................................................................. 58 Theme 3: Public and Private Health and Medicine, 1850 - 1980 ....................................... 76 Theme 4: Commercial Identity 1925 – 1980 ............................................................................. 89 Theme 5: Entertainment Industry, 1908 – 1980 ................................................................... 100 GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................................................... 147 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 151 Page | 3 SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement Context: Jewish History PREFACE This context is a component of Los Angeles’ Citywide Historic Context Statement and provides guidance to field surveyors in identifying and evaluating potential historic resources relating to Los Angeles' rich Jewish history. Refer to www.HistoricPlacesLA.org for information on designated resources associated with this context (or themes) as well as those identified through SurveyLA and other surveys. CONTRIBUTORS Teresa Grimes, Allison Lyons, Elysha Paluszek, Amanda Duane, Jonathan Kaplan, and Becky Nicolaides contributed to this context. Ms. Grimes is a Principal Architectural Historian at GPA Consulting. She holds degrees in Political Science and Architecture from the University of California, Los Angeles and has over twenty-five years of experience in the field. Ms. Lyons is an Associate Architectural Historian at GPA Consulting; she earned her Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University, and has been practicing in the field since 2010. Ms. Paluszek is an Architectural Historian at GPA Consulting; she earned her Master of Historic Preservation degree from the University of Southern California, and has been practicing in the field since 2009. Ms. Duane is an Architectural Historian at GPA Consulting; she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and has been practicing in the field since 2011. Mr. Kaplan is working toward his Master of Heritage Conservation degree from the University of Southern California. Ms. Nicolaides is an independent scholar and historic consultant. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Journalism from the University of Southern California and her Master of Arts and Ph.D. in American History from Columbia University. Becky went on to serve on the faculty of Arizona State University West and the University of California, San Diego. In addition, Preston Neal, Intern, Office of Historic Resources; Caroline Luce Ph. D., Chief Curator, Mapping Jewish Los Angeles Project, UCLA Center for Jewish Studies; Stephen Sass, President, Jewish Historical Society; and David Epstein, Publisher, Western States Jewish History Journal contributed to this context by sharing their special knowledge of Jewish history in Los Angeles and sometimes research materials with the writing team. INTRODUCTION Purpose and Scope The Jewish historic context was partially funded with a grant from the California Office of Historic Preservation. The history of the Jewish people of Los Angeles includes their religious practices, cultural traditions, and ethnic identities. This context provides a broad historical overview on settlement and development patterns of Los Angeles Jewry and then focuses on themes and geographic areas associated with extant resources. During the 1930s, the Jewish population of Los Angeles nearly doubled from 91,000 at the beginning of the decade to 130,000 by the end. After World War II, the city's Jewish population continued to rise and by the early 1960s only New York had larger numbers of Jewish Page | 4 SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement Context: Jewish History inhabitants. Many Jews moved to new housing tracts on the Westside and San Fernando Valley during the postwar period. As a result of their geographic dispersal, resources associated with Jewish history are found in neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles, although they are largely concentrated in the Boyle Heights and Wilshire Community Plan Areas. Resources located in communities adjacent to the City of Los Angeles, such as East Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, are not included in the scope of this context because they are separate jurisdictions. However, they are occasionally mentioned because they are important to the history of Jews in Los Angeles, which did not begin or end at the city limits. While focusing on historical themes associated with religious, social, and cultural institutions, this context also identifies individuals and organizations that played significant roles in Jewish history in Los Angeles. Judaism is a monotheistic religion with many branches, each observing the faith in its own way. Then again, there are people who identify as Jewish, probably because of their parentage, who do not adhere to any religious beliefs or practices. The three major branches of modern Judaism are Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox. Smaller movements, such as Reconstructionist Judaism, formed in recent decades. Within each of these branches there is a great range of practices. Among Jewish people nationally who belonged to a synagogue in 2003, the distribution across these branches was roughly 45 percent Reform, 42 percent Conservative, 9 percent Orthodox, and 4 percent Reconstructionist.1 The similarities and differences among the Bennett Family celebrating Passover in West Los Angeles, 1965 (UCLA) major branches are briefly discussed in the Glossary at the end of this context. Evaluation Considerations The Jewish history context may overlap with other SurveyLA contexts and themes as follows: Properties significant for their architectural quality may also be eligible under themes within the Architecture and Engineering context. 1 Marc Lee Raphael, Judaism in America (New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2003), 3. Page | 5 SurveyLA Citywide Historic Context Statement Context: Jewish History The important role Jews played in the labor movement and various industries such as garment manufacturing is discussed in the Industrial Development context. The Entertainment Industry context discusses the pivotal role of Jews in this history as well as significant properties. The Neighborhood Commercial Development theme includes several sub-themes to which Jews contributed. Markets, Variety Stores, Department Stores, and Banks and Financial Institutions are among these. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW Introduction Since the city’s American beginnings, Jews have shaped the social, economic, and cultural life of Los Angeles. They emerged as early leaders in commerce, civic life, and philanthropy, propelling the city’s growth while enriching its multiethnic character. By the twentieth century, the Jewish population had diversified substantially, setting the stage for disparate community experiences and destinies. Jews occupied a place at both the center and margins of urban life. Not only did Jews shape Los